After five weeks of traveling, I have finally returned to Guilin, China for another year of teaching university-level English and studying Mandarin Chinese.  As you may have noticed, I haven’t posted any new blog material recently; the reason why stands as only one of countless valuable lessons I have learned, both about travel blogging and about backpacking in general, during this summer’s adventures in southeast Asia.

In a nutshell, here is a compilation of my most recently learned travel lessons, especially useful for those thinking of embarking on mid to long-term backpacking excursions and to those who maintain active travel blogs:

(1) If you want to be a serious travel blogger, you must bring your laptop computer with you.

When I initially decided to spend this summer traveling, I concluded that it would not be wise to bring my laptop computer along.  After reading multiple backpacking and other travel resources, it seemed that almost all of the materials I had consulted consistently advised me against carrying such a large, bulky and valuable electronic item with me.  Besides, I have never felt the need to bring a laptop on vacation before now.  The reasons against toting a computer around the developing world are fairly obvious: computers are heavy and prevent you from traveling as lightly as possible, plus they’re expensive and could easily get lost, damaged or stolen.

Blogging from the Road: Bring Your Own Laptop!

I realized soon after beginning my travels, however, that hanging out in Internet cafes would not suffice as pertains to ensuring the upkeep of my travel blog.  For one, Internet connections are not exactly reliable in parts of southeast Asia – while in some areas Web access is simply too slow to create new blog material in a reasonable span of time, in other locations the computers are too old to feature any type of photo editing software.  This is not even to mention that in heavily touristed areas, such as the southern Thai islands or Bali, Internet use is heavily overpriced and becomes quite expensive when you’re logged on for extended periods of time.

So, my blog laid dormant for five weeks while I was experiencing the trip of a lifetime but finding myself largely unable to write about it.  Next time I embark on a journey of this kind, I will surely take my laptop along with me.  It may weigh down my backpack, but it provides a steady means of blogging in locations where the quality of Internet cafes is less than stellar, if such facilities even exist at all.

(2) If you’re hoping to capture some one-of-a-kind travel photos, consider bringing a digital SLR on vacation with you.

Like laptops, digital SLR cameras are bulky.  They are not nearly as easy to travel with as point-and-shoot, pocket-sized digital cameras.  At the same time, digital SLRs are more expensive than other, non-professional cameras; they are therefore more likely to get stolen, and more costly to repair in case of damage.

Nonetheless, the overall quality of photos shot with digital SLRs is greatly improved over less advanced camera options.  While it is one thing to write about your travels, it’s quite another to both write about and provide vivid photography of the places you’ve visited.  Not only do great photos enhance the quality of travel blogs, but they serve as an invaluable source of memories for the photographer who shot them.

For Stunning Travel Photos, Consider a Digital SLR

This trip, I brought a digital SLR with me and found it entirely worth the hassle.  If you already have a digital SLR, bring it with you – otherwise, what’s the sense of having bought one in the first place?  If you don’t have one but are looking for ways to enhance your blog or expand your artistic or horizons while traveling, explore the possibility of purchasing an affordable digital SLR; you may thank yourself afterward!

(2) Leave other, non-essential items at home.

After touting the positive aspects of traveling with your own laptop and a fairly large camera, it might seem a bit hypocritical to suggest that you should refrain from bringing too many things when backpacking.  After all, for those who don’t care much about blogging, a laptop is far from an essential item.  Likewise, those who aren’t interested in photography may balk at the idea of backpacking with a digital SLR in hand.  Nonetheless, even for those who do maintain a blog and are planning on lugging their computers and cameras around while traveling, it remains necessary to pack as few personal possessions as possible.

As any lightweight traveler knows, most items can be bought locally; there’s no need to pack five bars of soap or a gigantic bottle of shampoo when preparing for your travels.  Likewise, one to two pairs of shoes will suffice – in southeast Asia, unless you’re planning on clocking in a substantial amount of trekking hours, a set of flip flops will serve you just fine.  Throw in a few pairs of underwear, clothes for layering and any prescription medication you’re taking, and you should be about ready to go.  Nowadays, Western pharmacies and even some convenience stores carry small medical items, such as bandages, ibuprofen, and anti-diarrheal tablets – so unless you’re going to a rural or otherwise remote area, there’s very little need to cart around an entire backpack full of emergency medical supplies.

The bottom line: No one wants to look like they just rolled out of bed, but no one wants to lug around a backpack weighing 40 kilos either.  Leave extra stuff at home and accept that glamor may just have to wait until your trip comes to a close.

(4) To truly experience a place, you must open your heart and mind to it first.

Even in Less-than-Ideal Situations, Open-Mindedness is Essential when Traveling

It might sound cliche, but you can’t write about, photograph or even simply experience a place (foreign or otherwise) unless you first clear your mind of any conscious preconceptions that may be holding you back.  Inevitably, cultural biases will remain with us to a certain degree – that being said, it is essential to recognize those preconceived notions and make a concentrated attempt to overcome them.  Even within a sole geographical area such as southeast Asia, the cultural, social, political and religious differences among countries are vast; by failing to realize the limits of your own culture’s boundaries and accept other places and people for what they are, you are both limiting the authenticity of your experience abroad and potentially offending local populations.

While living in Guilin, I have come across countless foreigners who are unable to move beyond their own Western biases to truly appreciate the beauty and cultural depth that China has to offer.  Don’t let that be you: remaining as open-minded as possible is the key to any eye-opening, life-changing travel experience.

Over the next few days, I plan to begin writing about and reviewing the major locations I visited while backpacking through southeast Asia this summer.  From restaurants to monuments, nightlife to impressions of the locals, I hope that my insights will be of great use to those planning travel or simply interested in the region.  Stay tuned for updates!