This past February and March, I traveled to Colombia and made my way through Cartegena, Medellin, and Bogota. The trip was 9 days of fun and adventures that probably took a few years off of my life. Packing for Colombia meant I had to be prepared for 3 different cities and environments.
I like to be prepared for my travels so that I can have peace of mind when I’m roaming through a foreign country. Here’s a list of a few things that I’m glad that I had:
Through my research, I suggest a Charles Schwab checking account. Schwab Bank High Yield Investor Checking provides debit cards that work world wide and Schwab will reimburse you for any ATM fees. No more conversion fees through money exchanges or high ATM fees with your big banks. I can go on about the benefits of having a Schwab account but this is a travel post.
From my research it seems that pickpocketers were a big problem in all of Colombia. I decided to buy a new travel wallet to try to avoid this issue. My choice was Lewis N. Clark RFID-Blocking Hidden Clip Stash Travel Belt Wallet. I chose this wallet because it allows me to clip it inside of my waistband. I find it best to clip it upfront where your button/fly is at. It’s comfortable and can easily be accessed. All while throwing off a pickpocket.
You will definitely need bug spray on your adventures. I’m somewhat of a light packer and I don’t like to check in my luggage. My travel luggage is typically a carry-on and a small backpack. For US flyers, the TSA limit for liquids is 3oz. My pick is Sawyer Products Premium Insect Repellent with 20% Picaridin. This kept me bug bite-free when I traveled through Vietnam, hence I decided to use it again for Colombia.
If you’re into drinking and partying and then waking up early the next morning for a tour, you’ll need some Liquid I.V. I went to a Shopify live podcast event featuring the entrepreneur behind Liquid I.V. From what I gathered, it’s a formula found in countries where clean water isn’t easy to come by. Each packet of Liquid I.V. combined with 16oz of water is the equivalent of 48oz of water.
Drink water with Liquid I.V. every night after partying and you’ll wake up golden for your next adventure (or more drinking).
Besides the fact that the product works better than any of the hangover products I’ve tried, Liquid I.V. is also charitable in helping places without easily accessible clean water. It’s a win-win situation.
You’re in a foreign country eating and drinking things that might not be compatible with your system. Shit happens, literally. Imodium is the best anti-diarrhea medicine available. It’s like a buttplug in pill form (do not put it in your butt). Joking aside, Imodium has saved the day on numerous trips.
That’s it for my packing for Colombia essentials. For more of my travel essentials, click here.
I really Liked your post, It really helped me out. may I make this blog as a reference?