PRE-DEPARTURE INFORMATION
To assist you in planning your journey this section details a comprehensive list of things to take into consideration before departure.
- Visas
- Travel Insurance
- Vaccinations
- Passports
- Money
- Sleeping Equipment
- Luggage
- First Aid
- Equipment
- Clothing
- Washing / Laundry
VISAS
Visas are the magic stamps in your passport which allow you to enter and leave foreign countries. These should be acquired before departure and are ultimately your personal responsibility to obtain. Visas are often obtained en-route but a few are more easily acquired in U.K. Budget a few hundred pounds for visas.
Many of our travellers have found it beneficial to use a 'Visa Service' and at OzBus we recommend TRAVCOUR (UK), Tempo House, 15 Falcon Road, London, SW11 2PJ.
Tel: 0207 2235295.
PERSONAL TRAVEL INSURANCE
It is vital before travelling by OzBus that you are insured against personal accident, medical and repatriation expenses.
Make sure you bring your policy with you on the journey, and leave a copy with a friend or relative. Whichever policy you take out please read the small print.
This must be obtained before joining the expedition.
VACCINATIONS
These are ultimately your own responsibility and must be obtained before departure.
Ask your doctor or specialist travel clinic about the vaccinations you need and any other health needs. Take any documentation with you as proof of vaccination.
Plan to stay healthy. If you need to carry medicine, check it is legal in the country you are visiting. Take a prescription and a GP's letter in case you are stopped by Customs or lose your medicine and need to replace it. Pack your medication in your hand luggage. Order extra prescriptions to cover the entire period of your stay.
Nomad Travel Clinic in London (020 8889 7014) will happily supply you with a comprehensive list and will also administer them if you require.
PASSPORTS
Check your passport is valid for a minimum of six months prior to departure. Make sure you write the full details of your Next of Kin in the back of your passport. Take additional forms of photo-identification with you.
MONEY
We always recommend you bring this along in three forms taking a mixture of cash, travellers' cheques and credit cards.
Don't keep your credit cards, money, passport and travellers' cheques together in one place in case they are lost or stolen.
Leave a credit card at home with your family or friends in case of an emergency.
Leave details of travellers cheques with your family or friends in case you lose your own.
We also believe a money belt to be vital. It’s the safest way to carry not only cash and credit cards but also passports and any other important documents.
SLEEPING EQUIPMENT
Considering the amount of time we spend asleep, we highly recommend spending some time looking for comfortable sleeping equipment - you will be using it every day.
Sleeping Bag – A Sleeping bag is essential. A sleeping bag liner is also highly recommended to either use as a sheet or to keep your sleeping bag clean.
Pillow - Another item well worth investing a couple of pounds in.
Sleeping Mat – Consider purchasing a compressed foam carry/roll-up mat, as these are a relatively soft option and provide good insulation on damp ground.
Tent – Most people prefer to bring their own as they are then not forced to share with someone.
Mosquito Net – If at times when possible, you’d like to sleep under the stars, a personal mosquito net is essential. Whilst expensive to buy in the UK, nets can be obtained cheaply en route.
LUGGAGE
If you’re going backpacking then you’ll need a backpack.
We recommend you bring one backpack and one day bag. The old style, external-framed rucksacks are out; the new style backpack-cum-carry bags very much in. These backpacks with conventional padded straps that can be zipped away if necessary giving the appearance of a soft suitcase. They also have a zip around the entire perimeter of the bag so access is not restricted to the top, enabling greater speed with packing/unpacking plus they can fit into spaces where rigid suitcases would not. Being restricted by the amount of luggage stowage space, we can’t accommodate people bringing more than one back pack and you will most likely buy a lot along the way as well. If you bring too much to departure you may be asked to make your bag smaller, so don’t bring more than is needed, and please don’t use OzBus as a nice way to get excess baggage home!
FIRST AID KIT
In addition to your vaccinations we also advise you to bring your own basic First Aid Kit. We will also carry a more extensive First Aid Kit onboard for emergencies,
Please bring a First Aid Kit that includes hypodermic needles (good ones are available from Nomad Travel in London - follow the link)
SUGGESTED LIST OF EQUIPMENT
The less you take the less you have to pack, wash, lug home and you'll always pick up extras along the way. You'll be travelling in the heat and camping in the cool, so bring clothes for all climates, rough stuff is best.
- Sleeping bag & sleeping mat
- Medical kit - Bring your own simple kit
- Rehydration sachets available from any chemist
- Insect repellent containing Deet e.g. ?Jungle Juice?
- Sun cream
- Headache tablets
- Plasters
- Malaria tablets
- Toiletries - You can buy most basic toiletries en route
- Toothbrush and toothpaste, dental floss
- Soap (in a container), razors
- Towel, shampoo
- Tampons/condoms (enough for the trip)
CLOTHING
- Socks
- Shirts
- Jeans/long trousers
- Underwear
- Sweatshirt/jumper
- Shorts, T-shirts, swimsuit
- Skirt
- Sandals/flip flops/thongs
- Walking shoes
- Small day-pack or bag to carry your daily items
- Hat and sunglasses
- Camera (in a protective case), spare batteries and all the film you think necessary
- Money belt or pouch to hold your passport
- Vaccination book
- Travellers cheques
- Books, personal CD player and CDs
- Torch and spare batteries
- Water bottle at least 1.5 litre, an old cola bottle is best
The easiest and best way to travel is as lightly as possible, taking just what is necessary. Most people make the mistake of bringing too much luggage.
WASHING / LAUNDRY
Most of the time we can wash every day.
Preparing to travel needn’t be a confusing business. To help plan your trip OzBus have compiled the Pre-Departure page which contains information for your journey.