Now we can get started!

[by Franzi] 3 days before departure - we are slowly getting excited and looking forward to the upcoming time in Asia. In a few days, we will be on the other side of the world - it can hardly get any further away. In a few days, we will have over 30 degrees Celsius and sunshine. Unlike during the carnival weekend, where it rained and hailed and of course I had to catch a cold. Nevertheless, we had a lot of fun and spent a great weekend together.

But before we can board the plane on Monday, we of course need to pack our backpacks and also plan a rough itinerary. This blog entry will focus on these topics and one or two more.

International Driver's License

[by Jonas] Since we plan to rent a scooter in some places, especially in Vietnam, the question naturally arises about the necessary driver's license. This is more complicated than expected. While our EU driver's license is valid in Vietnam, it is more complicated in Thailand. Officially, no form of the German or European driver's license is recognized here, but on all travel portals, it is recommended to obtain the so-called International Driver's License. This is essentially a simple translation of the EU driver's license into languages such as English, French, Russian, etc. It can be applied for at the local traffic office for only €15 and in most cases can be obtained immediately. This license is officially not recognized in Thailand, but it is reported that it is sufficient in most cases. It is valid for 3 years and only in conjunction with the EU driver's license in credit card format.

Travel Itinerary

[by Franzi] We have not yet determined a precise travel itinerary with all the places where we want to make a stopover. But we don't want to define it too precisely either, because spontaneous actions are often the best. However, we have created a basic framework with a few cities or sights that are frequently recommended on the internet or have been recommended to us by friends and friends of friends. Just to have something to hold onto and refer to.
We will start in Bangkok, Thailand. Since we will be arriving in the evening, we have already booked a hostel for the first few days so that we don't have to look for accommodation at that time. We were also able to enter this hostel as our place of residence in the visa application for Thailand. We will spend the first three nights in a double room at the CHERN Hostel (€18/night/person). From Bangkok, we will then head to northern Thailand, to Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and also Pai. We will then temporarily leave Thailand and travel to Laos. Luang Prabang and the capital city Vientiane must not be missed there. When we arrive in Vietnam, we want to start in Hanoi and then work our way south to Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon). Of course, we will not cover the entire distance at once. We want to do it in small stages and make several stops along the way from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City to visit a few cities. Hue should definitely be one of them. From Ho Chi Minh City, we want to fly to Phuket because we don't want to miss the south of Thailand. Krabi, Koh Samui, and many small islands are said to be incredibly beautiful, and we think that would be the perfect ending for such a trip before flying back to Germany from Bangkok.

In short: We want to travel from Bangkok to northern Thailand, then travel through Laos from west to east, and travel from northern Vietnam to southern Vietnam. From there, we will fly to southern Thailand and make our way back to Bangkok.

Backpack / Packing List

[by Franzi] Now that we are about to embark on our journey, the question naturally arises, what do we absolutely need to bring? Are there any special things I should pay attention to? How do I pack my backpack best? etc...

We have created a packing list for some time now and have been adding to it whenever something came to mind that we must not forget. There are things that one would not forget on a trip, such as short clothes. But when traveling to a warm country, do you also think of long-sleeved shirts and long pants? Probably not... But you should not forget them either, for visits to temples or evenings when you want to spend time outside or when it gets a bit cooler. In addition, wearing long clothing is still considered one of the best malaria preventions. Solid footwear for longer walks, sunscreen, sunglasses, toothbrush, electronics, credit cards, identification documents, medication (especially a complex topic for Jonas), power adapters, etc...

But there are also a few things that we have specifically purchased for the trip. These include, for example, microfiber towels. They are thinner and more compact than regular towels and dry faster. We have also obtained a so-called sleeping bag liner (about €19 from 'Backpackers Journey' via Amazon), which is very thin, small, and above all lightweight and therefore fits into any bag. So if the accommodation is not completely clean, we at least have a sleeping bag that we can simply place on the bed. Of course, our travel guides must not be missing, in which we have already read and raved about a lot in recent weeks.
For the flight, we have to pack our backpacks in protective bags (about €19 from Semptec Urban via Amazon) so that no straps are hanging out, get caught on something, and break something or cause the backpack to break.

[by Jonas] How do I pack the backpack best? Now that we have roughly clarified what should be in our backpack, our task is to find the most comfortable arrangement within the backpack.
Luckily, the extremely helpful backpack seller at Globetrotter (from blog 1) gave us a few tips:

The most important thing is to place heavy items as close to the back as possible, as they will then exert less force backwards and better adapt to the body. So when it comes to packing, the backpack lies in front of us with the side that is worn on the back facing "down". Camera and laptop (if they are not already in the daypack) should therefore be placed at the very bottom. Above that, the clothing: thick sweaters should also be placed towards the inside, as they are not needed as often and also have a higher weight. Then trousers, shirts/tops, socks, and underwear. Our backpacks have two compartments separated by a zipper, so you can create some structure in your clothes. The toiletries should be packed in such a way that you have easy access to them, as they are often needed, so it is best to put them in the lid compartment. I don't think there are many more tips regarding packing, generally it applies: less is more, you can always wash.

Now we should follow the tips and start packing! We will get back to you at the beginning of next week when our adventure begins. Until then, have a nice few days and enjoy the weekend. Franzi and Jonas