Japan: What to Pack

With its eclectic blend of modernity and antiquity, Japan holds wonder after wonder. Here's a guide of what to pack for Japan without developing traveler’s stoop.

Bags – The general consensus among travelers is that backpacks are best - they're often hardier and are much easier when you get to steps or uneven pavements.

Documents – Your passport and visa should be top of your to-pack list. On your to-do list, add: Photocopy passport, and put copies in main bag and hand luggage. Leave another copy with a parent or someone reliable - if you do lose your passport, it'll make things much easier.

Clothes – Most places in Japan get cold in the winter, when the temperatures can fall well into the minuses, so warm clothes are needed if you're going then. Take something waterproof if you're going to be there during the June wet season.

Shoes – Pack footwear that's comfortable and suitable for whatever time of year you're going. If you're buying shoes especially for your trip, wear them a few times before you leave to minimize the risk of blisters.

Camera – Pack a good quality camera and lots of film or memory cards and you can click away at the cherry blossoms and Mount Fuji!

Toiletries – You can probably buy your brand of toiletries, and hundreds more, in Tokyo and other cities. If that seems like a waste of time, pack the essentials. Buying travel-size bottles might seem like a good idea but unless you buy a few, and throw them away as you use them, it's worth packing normal-sized ones. Conditioner can be used as shaving gel, facial wash as shower gel, moisturizer as cleanser etc. If you're traveling with someone, you might want to share toiletries.

First aid kit – Having a basic first aid kit can save you trips to the chemist - consider packing diarrhea treatments, band-aids (including blister plasters), scissors, painkillers, bandages, tweezers and antiseptic wipes.

Guide books - It's entirely up to you how much you use a guide book. Some people follow their recommendations religiously while others prefer to discover the best restaurants and sights for themselves.

Pen and paper – Writing materials will probably become more useful than you think - for annotating your guide book, jotting down bus times or directions, writing postcards or a game of Pictionary when words or sign language fail!

Adapter – If you want to plug in chargers or any other electrical items, you'll need an adapter as the voltage is different from the USA.

Mexico: Take Care While Adventuring

There is plenty of adventure to be had in Mexico.

About an hour northwest of Monterrey, a craggy limestone outcrop named El Potrero Chico has been quietly attracting rock climbers from around the world. What makes the area unusual is the sheer variety of the 600-plus bolted routes — in which permanent artificial anchors are embedded in the rock — all within easy access of a campground and lodge at the base of the rock. Read more about El Potrero Chico.

If you are trained in climbing (and I don't recommend this climb if you are not) then you know how important it is to be safe while climbing. A single wrong move or slip can be the difference between a great day and a REALLY bad day! As you know, when you participate in any activity outdoors, you should be prepared with a few things at all times: sunscreen, insect repellent, first aid kit, drinking water, just to name a few. Have a safe climb.

If its not so much heights as it is depths that excites the adventurer within you then Mexico will not disappoint. Forty miles northwest of the party port of Cancún is little-known Isla Holbox (pronounced OLE-bosh), a narrow spit of white sand some 25 miles long and no more than two miles wide at its widest point, situated in the Gulf of Mexico. From June through September, the island’s offshore waters are the site of a large congregation of whale sharks, who come here to feed on seasonal plankton blooms. More on Isla Holbox.

If you come into contact with coral reefs while snorkeling there are a few safety tips to keep in mind.

• Coral is an animal that makes calcified outer skeletons which make sharp, jagged edges, so to prevent injury, avoid standing on reefs.
• Wearing reef shoes, gloves and a wet suit will better protect you.
• If injured, promptly scrub the coral cuts with soap and water and flush with copious amounts of water to remove any coral fragments.
• Rinsing with vinegar or rubbing alcohol may help relieve stinging.
• Seek medical attention immediately if the cut is large enough to require stitches.

You should make sure that your tetanus vaccination is up to date and it would be helpful to carry a wound care kit with you to help prevent infection.