Before you head off on your life changing adventure, have a look at these tips and minimise your dilemmas.

SECURITY
1. Scan copies of your passport, travellers cheque numbers and insurance details into your computer and email them to yourself. If your bags are stolen you can go to an Internet cafe and print off your copies rather than carrying them around all the time.

2. When travelling overnight by ferry or train, remember to pack a bike lock. When you go to sleep lock your pack to your seat or a pole and you don’t have to worry about your bag being stolen.

COLD WEATHER GEAR
3. Take "polypropylene" thermal long sleeve tops and socks with you. They are incredibly warm for very little weight and bulk. A combination of poly inner socks and woollen outer socks also helps to prevent blisters.

4. If you have an aluminium water bottle, try filling it with hot water. It becomes a very comforting hot water bottle to keep your toes toasty at night.

WET WEATHER GEAR

5. Pack Gortex socks as they are fantastic for keeping your feet dry and preventing the blisters plastic bags and wool socks cause.

6. Put your sleeping bag in a plastic garbage bag inside the stuff bag as they are not waterproof by themselves.

7. Duct tape will repair just about anything from a leaky raincoat, torn tent, or air- mattress. It’s also great for holding together broken backpacks, hanging mosquito nets, and securely wrapping packages to be sent home.

8. Place a waterproof bag like a garbage bag around your sleeping bag. Especially when it is raining.

9. Heavy-duty garbage bags can be used to keep your gear dry by packing everything in them, or put one over your pack and make two slits for the straps. A heavy-duty garbage bag can also be used as a poncho or a 'ground sheet' in grotty, muddy or wet conditions.

GENERAL
10. Packing an electronic organiser. It's much smaller than paper, safer, and smarter. You can organise your trip, your contacts, and write down notes. Also there are models with time zone conversion features, and alarm clocks.

11. Rechargeable batteries and rechargers are a great money-saver, especially if you tend to fall asleep wearing your walkman or leave your camera flash charged.

12. It is a good idea to take a good first aid kit with you as well as any possible medication that you need.

13. A small roll of masking tape comes in handy. Use it to label your film, your bags, and to secure packages you are sending home.

14. Don’t forget your thongs. There’s nothing worse than standing bare foot in a public shower.

15. Throw in a glue-stick when packing your bag. It comes in handy when you are writing your journal and want to add colourful paraphernalia like tickets.

16. "Zip Lock" plastic bags are great for keeping souvenirs, transporting wet clothing, saving food, and many other unexpected uses. Most importantly, they don't take up much room in your pack.

17. Many churches and mosques require that you be suitably dressed in order to visit them. So in the hot summer months always carry a light pair of trackies or a sarong and a headscarf around in your day bag. That way you can quickly put them on over whatever you are wearing instead of spending the whole day in clothes that are too hot.

18. Always take a sarong with you when you travel. It can be used as a towel, sheet, curtain, skirt, dress, scarf, pillowcase, a rope to tie things up... the list is endless.

19. Always travel with a ball of tough string. It can be used for a clothesline, backpack repairs and for tying your shoes to the outside of your backpack.

20. Never pack two pairs of jeans. They're heavy and take ages to dry. So take a pair of comfy pants to wear while you wash and dry your only pair of jeans. They take up less room and dry quicker.

21. Carry half a dozen Chux dishcloths. After showering, use these to remove surplus water before towelling dry. When wrung out, cloths dry very quickly and your towel will only be slightly damp, easier to pack and less smelly!

22. Polar fleece clothing is lightweight, warm and practically dries as soon as it comes out of the washing machine. It also makes a great pillow when stuffed into a sleeping bag cover.

23. Attach a couple of safety pins to the zippers of your bag. You'll never know when you might need them.

24. Odour removing products like "Febreeze" are a fantastic addition to your travel laundry regime. Spraying a little on your clothes will tide you over between laundry trips, and it’s great for when things get wet.

TRAVEL HINTS

25. Write a list of all items packed in your backpack - that way you won't leave anything behind and everything will fit when you repack your bag.

26. Take lots of stamps from Australia and instead sending individual letters to your friends at home, send them all in a big envelope to your parents or a friend, with the stamps already on them to post within the country.

27. To access the Internet cheaply whilst travelling, try the local libraries. They often have free Internet access.

28. If its cold and your camera isn't working rub your camera batteries between your hands to warm them up.

29. Tie a durable ID card inside of your luggage to ensure that it is returned to you if it is lost while you are travelling.

30. Make sure your will and personal papers are in order.

31. When you visit non-English speaking countries, keep a list in your wallet of common phrases, such as ‘hi’, ‘bye’, ‘thankyou’ and ‘do you speak English?’ People are much friendlier when you attempt to speak their language.

32. When in London go to McDonalds and get a free map of the city. Not only does the map tell you the location of every McDonalds in the city; it also tells you the location of every public toilet you don't have to pay to use.

33. When buying food from a supermarket in Europe, be sure to take your own plastic bags with you. Not only are you being environmentally friendly, you are also saving yourself the money that they charge you for them.

34. To prevent being overcharged for items you purchase overseas, make sure you learn to read their numbers. You should also work out what their currency is worth against the Australian Dollar.

35. To prevent airport X-ray machines erasing your undeveloped photos, place your used films in a clear plastic bag, carry them with you in your hand luggage and show to the relevant airport staff on the way through.

36. While exploring Israel, volunteer on a kibbutz. The accommodation is free, you will meet local people and the food is tasty.

37. Many Youth Hostels in Ireland and England offer jobs where you can earn a little pocket money for your journey or free accommodation.

38. When travelling in Japan visit the food section of the department stores half an hour before closing time for reduced prices.
39. When travelling, work out your itinerary so that you visit remote places during the week and arrive at the cities for the weekend. This enables you to maximise your party time with the locals.

40. Write your name, PO Box address and 'Please return for an award' on the inside cover of your travel diary just in case you lose it.

41. Travelling through SE Asia can be hot, so get up early, do your sightseeing and take a break for 3-4 hours in the middle of the day. Eat, relax or catch up on your journal. Venture out again in the cool of the afternoon.

42. When travelling in Africa it's a great idea to pack items that are seen as novelties such as t-shirts, lollies, and ball point pens as these can be traded for exquisitely carved wooden animals and other crafts with the locals.

43. When buying train/bus tickets, make an effort to write down the destination, ticket type and date of travel in the native language before approaching the ticket counters. This gives ticket sellers a place to start with your request

44. If you want to go from one major American city to another, use the Dex Directory to find out which moving companies operate in the area and contact them to get a DriveAway. The companies use travellers to drive other people’s cars after they have moved house. All you pay for is petrol.

45. When travelling in New Zealand, consider buying a car. Buses and trains are pricey and often add an extra day to a leg of your journey.

46. Travel on an overnight train gets you both a head start on your destination and the savings of one nights lodging.

MONEY
47. ATMs are not always available overseas so carry a day or two worth of currency in your money belt to prevent being forced to eat and stay in pricey and touristy places that accept Visa.

48. If relying on cash from ATMs split your money into two separate accounts so that if anything happens to one card you have a second to fall back on.

49. Tuck your money belt into your pillowcase or the base of your sleeping sheet while you sleep.

50.Due to credit card fraud in some Asian countries, VISA cards are not accepted in some places. Make sure you have an alternative credit card or sufficient traveller's cheques in case.