Find me in iTunes or click play:

What wet-weather gear to pack

A lightweight or heavy-duty jacket. If you’re heading into summer, just pack a lightweight shell for emergencies. But if you’ll be spending a winter or a rainy season somewhere, get a really good waterproof layer. Goretex is a good choice. Consider something that has a warm inner shell and a waterproof outer shell, then you can mix and match depending on the weather.

An umbrella. Definitely not an essential, but if you plan on spending a lot of time in cities it might be worth carting one around. I like to be able to put it up and down without changing my clothes or carrying around a wet jacket (for some reason, a wet umbrella isn’t as bad). We just have one between the two of us.

Pack cover. Pretty much essential unless you’re just carrying your stuff from airport to taxi to hotel. If you plan to do any hiking or want to save money by carrying your things with you when you explore a city, a pack cover is worth the investment. Many packs come with built-in covers, but if they don’t, buy one or improvise. Keep a cheap plastic poncho or large plastic bag in your pack for rain emergencies.

Plastic bags. If you’re somewhere where there’s a lot of rain, don’t just trust the pack cover. Waterproof your technology with several layers of plastic bag or a proper waterproof one. We always have a supply of ziplock bags for wet days, and most of our documents live in a waterproof pouch.

Where to pack it

All wet-weather gear needs to be accessible so that you’re prepared in the case of a downpour. Your pack should have a pocket for a pack cover, use it. And make sure your umbrella or jacket is easy to get to as well – a side pocket is a good place for it, or stuff it in with the pack cover.

It’s raining – now what?

Sometimes it isn’t possible (or pleasant) to do the things you’d planned to do, because it’s raining. If you still want to go out, look for indoor activities like museums and art galleries, and visit those on the rainy days. Similarly, use the sunny days for outdoor activities and keep the indoor options for days of less-than-wonderful weather.

Also, consider using wet days to relax. Some people travel hard and forget to slow down, don’t feel bad about having a day at home (or at hostel as the case may be). Read a book, play a game, study the language of the country you’re in. just have a rest and enjoy the sound of the rain on the roof.

Packing clothes for wet weather by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Click play or click to open (for free) in iTunes:

Essentials

• Passport
• Tickets
• Wallet
• Pen

Entertainment

• Book
• Puzzle
• Games
• iPod
• Diary

Clothes

• Light jumper
• Undies
• Clothes for destination

Sustenance

• Water bottle
• Snack

Toiletry items

• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Deodorant
• Brush or comb
• Medication
• Contact lenses and solution
• Painkillers, sleeping pills
• Moisturiser
• Lip balm

Comfort items

• Sleep mask and earplugs
• Sleep phones
• Sweets

Miscellaneous

• Computer and other electronics
• Anything you can’t afford to lose

This list can be adapted for bus and train trips as well — or any trip where you will be separated from your main bag for any length of time. You won’t need all of these items — just pick and choose the ones that are most relevant to you. So, what do you put in your carry-on?

140 – Carry on luggage packing list by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

What is light?

Keep it to one reasonably small bag, and limit the weight to under 15kg. Your back will thank you and you won’t get hit with excess luggage fees on budget flights. If you can fit all you need in a carry-on bag, that’s even better – but you will have to leave the pocket knife behind.

Basic packing list?

Check out episode 83 for a comprehensive clothing list, and add a first-aid kit, a pocket knife, toiletries, a torch and tech gear as necessary. There are many many packing lists out there, but it’s quite a good idea to make your own and then attack it ruthlessly. You could try limiting yourself to a certain weight – some people weigh each item individually and assess its usefulness versus how heavy it is. Or limit yourself to a certain number of items. Either way, cut down on everything – sort into categories and remove one or more item from each – toiletries, clothes, technology … remember, the less stuff, the better.

Laundry

Hotel laundries generally charge more than budget travellers are willing to pay for, but there are other options. Head to the laundromat or use the hostel laundry for a fun-filled rainy day in.

If you’re travelling alone, you might not be able to make up a full load of washing, or you’ll run out of undies before it’s worth using a machine. So then, hand-washing is the solution. Wash a pair of socks or undies in the shower with you on a daily basis, and wash all other items in the sink. Use a universal plug, a rubber ball, blu-tack or a sock to plug the sink, and wash with your shampoo or soap. You can get specialised hand-washing liquid, but it’s not really worth having another item to carry around.

To dry, hang up your travel clothesline, or bit of string and allow to drip-dry after a bit of wringing out. Don’t put things directly on heaters if you can avoid it because of the risk of them catching on fire. Some hostels have a drying room, so make use of that if available.

Links from Twitter

• Kelty pack review via @HavePack.
• …pack for a RTW trip via @PoweredbyTofu.
• Packing tips one, two and three via @mymelange.
• Packing for Tokyo via @Tokyotopia

117 – Pack light and smell sweet by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

If, like me, you have taken a year off to wander around the world, you have probably thought to yourself, what do I really need to pack for one year? After having been on the road for some time now, I have learnt that one needs to keep baggage weight to an absolute minimum. In my case I have capped mine at 15kg.

Why 15kg? First of all, it’s the magic weight for most low-cost airlines, which you will definitely be taking if you’re traveling in Europe. Anything over and you will have to pay a ridiculous surcharge. Also, your back will thank you (unless you have a nifty convertible roller bag like I do). With all this in mind, I have discovered that everything I need, REALLY need, actually does fit into my small backpack, with room to spare. So I have put together the following list to assist you, the solo female traveler.

Clothes

Keep in mind you need clothes for all seasons. You don’t need any super-thick clothing, only different types of tops for layering, even in a freezing European winter. So, bring your most comfortable tops, and make sure the fabric is thin so they will dry easily and won’t add bulk and weight. Personally the only clothes I brought along are:

• 4 long-sleeved tops
• 2 short-sleeved t-shirts
• 3 tank tops/singlets to wear underneath
• 1 cotton cardigan
• 1 hooded sweatshirt
• 2 pairs of jeans
• 2 pairs of shorts (one light cotton one, one denim)
One needs to keep baggage weight to an absolute minimum
• 1 pair of sweatpants
• 5 pairs of socks
• A week’s worth of undies
• 3 good bras
• A small warm jacket (a washable one because it gets really grimy!)
• A light scarf
• Thermal top and bottom

The best thing about these items of clothing is that you can wear them in all seasons, hot or cold. Due to them being made out of thin material, they all fold up very flat and don’t take up a lot of space at all.

Shoes

Trust me, you really don’t need that pair of heels. You will end up going to pubs, bars, and clubs that don’t really give a damn about what is on your feet. All you really want in your pack is a pair of sneakers, some flat sandals, and a good pair of boots (which you will probably be wearing so less in your luggage again).

Cosmetics/toiletries

This is going to be a tough one for most girls. Sorry to break it to you, but you will eventually discover that we really can survive on very low maintenance, while still keeping up good hygiene of course! So, this is what I’ve been lugging around with me:

• Shampoo
• A bar of soap
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• A good razor (refillable ones, not disposable ones)
• Deodorant
• Face moisturizer
• Lip balm
• Astringent
• Acne cream (because skin does suffer while traveling)
• Cotton pads
• Tweezers
• A small pair of scissors
• Some band-aids
• Paracetamol
• Condoms (face it, you will need them at some point during your trip)

Everything is quite light and tiny and should fit in an average toiletry bag. Of course you will notice there is not one ounce of make-up in there. Seriously, you’re traveling, not applying to be in a beauty pageant.

Miscellaneous items

This really depends on you, and what you like to do while visiting a place. For example I liked to spend time drawing, so I carried tools for that. I also allowed myself one luxury item, so my miscellaneous items included:

• A hairdryer (my luxury item)
• 2 pencils
• A small sketchbook
• A good point-and-shoot digital camera
• Mobile phone with wi-fi ( I found this extremely useful)
• A really small bag for going out at night (for purse and mobile phone)
• A small daypack
• A Swiss Army knife
• A mini torch
• A full ipod
• Various cables for phone, camera, and ipod, with adaptor
• A quick-drying towel
• The smallest fold-up umbrella I could find

And believe it or not, all of the above packed perfectly into my excellent Osprey backpack. I forgot to mention souvenirs, but I figure if one is traveling for a year, souvenirs aren’t really on the list of must-haves. If you must buy something, the rule is it must be tiny and light enough to mail home so you don’t have to carry it. So, the last time I checked, after months of traveling, all my stuff still fit into the 15kg category.

Have fun preparing, and last but not least, keep a sharp wit, a cool head, and a thirst for adventure!

Everything a girl needs in a 15kg backpack by Stephanie Lee was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Novice travelers plan for everything. They can’t predict what will happen, so they pack to cover every eventuality; they leave for a two-week holiday with a huge suitcase filled with half their wardrobe. But how much of the stuff in that suitcase actually gets used? Half? Less than half? You’ve seen those people in the airports, weighed down by their belongings — maybe you’ve even been one. If you’ve been in that situation, you’ve probably regretted taking so much with you in the first place. However, the secret to travel is packing light.

When I travel, all my belongings fit into two bags: a tiny daypack and a larger backpack or duffel bag. I have traveled for over a year without ever needing anything more. In fact, I often find I still take too much! When friends come to visit me, I am amazed at how much they packed and they are amazed at how little I packed. They always ask me my secret to packing light.

My secret to packing light

• First, create of list of everything you think you might need. Write it all down, everything and anything. Clothes, toiletries, electronics, and everything in between. This packing list usually ends up pretty long. But that’s okay, we’ll get it down quickly.
• Next, look at your list and think about it in relation to your destination. If you are going to the islands, do you really need pants or jeans? If you are going to Paris in the summer, do you really need to pack long-sleeve shirts? You should be able to trim your packing list a bit by eliminating those items that don’t really have anything to do with your destination.
• Why are you taking so much?

  Now, let’s take a look at your medication list. Why are you taking so much? In this age of worry, people tend to pack every medicine known to man just in case. Let’s be realistic- do you ever use them? Can’t you buy them there? Go minimal. If you do get sick, you can always buy painkillers or diarrhoea medicine there. Take the bare essentials; pack one blister pack of pills rather than the whole box.

• What about the toiletries you’re taking? Soap, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, razor, and shaving cream is all you need. If you are staying at a hotel, you don’t even need soap or shampoo since it is provided for you. You’re going on holiday, not to a corporate function so ditch the cosmetics and facial products.
• Remember, you can buy things at your destination if you need them — so cross things like suntan lotion and bug spray off your list.
• Now you’re well on the road to packing light; you’ve probably cut out half of the items on your list. The final step is to cut out another half. You are on holiday, relaxing. Stuff doesn’t get as dirty as you think; you can wear the same shorts a few days in a row. Take half as many clothes. Wear some longer, don’t wear any! You never wear everything you take and unless you spill something or sweat through your shirt, you can wear it for more than one day.

That’s it. That is the secret to packing light. Cut, cut, and cut until you get down to the most essential items. If you follow this advice, I guarantee you will pack light on your next trip, and the whole packing process will be much simpler.

Pack light: a six-step program by Matt Kepnes was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

It’s important to consider what clothes you need. You’ll be surprised, you don’t need as much as you might think, and you certainly don’t need to take your whole wardrobe. We took 20-litre daybags for a week in Greece and wondered what other travellers (on the same one-week package) had in their two huge suitcases.

This list should cover you for any eventuality. We’ve been travelling for almost three years carrying basically these items, and we don’t need much else.

What to bring

• 1. Five pairs of undies (and a couple of bras, girls).
• 2. Four or five pairs of socks. Good quality ones, you’ll be walking a lot.
• 3. Sneakers or hiking shoes.
• 4. Flip-flops.
• 5. Lightweight nice shoes (optional).
• 6. Three or four t-shirts.
• 7. A nicer t-shirt or top.
• 8. Two pairs of trousers, preferably non-wrinkle, zip-off. Not jeans!
• 9. Shorts or a skirt for the beach.
• 10. Thermal underwear if going somewhere cold. Merino wool is good and black is always a good colour — you might be able to use your thermal top as an outer layer.
• 11. Two thin long-sleeve tops
• 12. A heavier jumper (but not very heavy or bulky).
• 13. A rainjacket
• 14. Hat, gloves and scarf if heading into winter anywhere.
• 15. A sarong can be handy for girls and guys — as beachwear, for heading to the shower in or as a spare sheet.
• 16. A sun hat.

Extra tips

• Think about where you’re going, and when. Investigate temperatures and pack for temperatures more extreme than what you discover.
• Pack layers. You keep warmer and have more options if you can layer up.
• Make sure all your items match — choose a colour scheme and stick to it.
• Add extras as necessary. Buy country-specific clothes in that country.
• Remember, you don’t need to pack everything in your wardrobe. Pack light and you won’t regret it. You can buy things along the road, in fact you’ll need to because things wear out quite quickly when you wear it every day or two days.
• Category pack: have a small bag for undies, one for winter gear (that can be pushed to the bottom of your back in summer), one for summer gear and one for work/party stuff. It’ll be easier to find things and the things you’re not using will be out of the way.
• It’s quite a good idea to take some old stuff with you when you travel. Wear it a couple of times then chuck it and buy something new. You’ll probably want a souvenir of your travels anyway, and clothes can be a great way to do it. Sure it’ll wear out, but it’ll be in all the photos!
• Don’t take anything that needs ironing! If possible, hand-wash your clothes before you go and see how quickly they dry. If you’re thinking about taking jeans, this experiment should dissuade you.
• Cotton undies tend to breathe well — get thin ones that pack small.

Gift lists

Christmas is drawing ever closer so let’s have a quick roundup of travel gift guides that have surfaced online.

• Our own
• Travellious has four different guides for: travellers, backpackers, first time travellers and urban travellers
• Nerd’s eye view
• Go green travel

Passports with Purpose

Passports with Purpose is a fund raiser for Heifer Intl, organised by four travel bloggers from Seattle, USA. Buy a US$10 raffle ticket and enter the prize draw.

Poll of the month

083 – What clothes to pack by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

It’s important to maintain personal hygiene, but some people go overboard when packing toiletries for travel – everything in the bathroom cupboard gets thrown in, regardless of how often it’s used. So, how can we reduce the amount of toiletries in our bags?

1. Be ruthless
Consider each item carefully before you put it in your toiletries bag. If you only use it once a month, do you really need it? Can you go without it for the duration of your trip?

2. Travel with someone
Having a travelling companion can help to lessen the weight of toiletries you’re carrying. Have your own toothbrush of course, but share everything else. Find a toothpaste, shampoo and hair gel you both like and just buy one of each.

3. Buy a smaller toiletries bag
Lots of people have enormous toiletries bags that inevitably get filled with unessential items. Once you’ve decided what you’re taking, buy a bag that’s just big enough to fit everything in, or a tiny bit bigger. It will help you to avoid impulse buying.

4. Don’t bother with mini-sized items
When travelling short-term, mini-sized toiletries can be really useful. But if you’re heading off for a month or more, you’ll just get frustrated with them, as they’ll run out and you’ll spend a lot of your time trying to find somewhere to refill them.

5. Buy full- or medium-sized items
Instead of mini-sized, buy full-sized items, the same as you would at home. Don’t buy the biggest size though, and avoid special offers like “25% extra free”. 200ml shampoo is a good size that should last you a while.

6. Use 2-in-1 shampoo for everything
It isn’t necessary to have specialised items for each part of your body. 2-in-1 shampoo cleans every part pretty well, and can double as clothes wash as well. Find a brand that suits your hair, and use it as both shampoo and body wash. It might be a little more expensive than soap or shower gel, but having only one bottle instead of three or four will really make a difference to the size of your toiletries bag.

7. Don’t replace items until they’re finished
Don’t carry around spare items. Most of the time you’ll be able to replace an empty bottle within a day or two of running out. If not, there should be some sort of replacement available to tide you over. If you’re really nervous about becoming dirty, keep a mini-soap in your toiletries bag for emergencies – you can use it if your hotel doesn’t provide hand soap, or if you run out of body wash or shampoo. It won’t be quite the same, but it’ll tide you over until you can replace your essentials.

8. Use roll-on deodorant
Roll-on deodorant tends to be packaged in smaller bottles than spray-on, and lasts longer as well. Plus you won’t annoy your dorm-mates by filling the dorm room with your particular smell.

9. Cut out electric items
Don’t even bother with electric toothbrushes, razors or hair straighteners. Take a plastic toothbrush and disposable or standard razors, and find a way to do your hair that doesn’t need electricity. Not only will it lighten your load, but you also won’t have to spend so much of your time hunting for a power plug near a mirror (they seem to be unheard-of in some parts of the world).

10. Buy a mini-towel
While not strictly a toiletry item, your towel can be one of the largest items in your bag. But you don’t need all of that surface area! Your local sports or outdoors shop will sell highly absorbent mini-towels that take up a lot less space. They come in a variety of sizes, but one that is the size of a normal handtowel is more than big enough to dry yourself off after a shower. If you use your towel to lie on when you’re at the beach, take a sarong instead – you’ll get all the surface area you need, and it will double as a skirt in times of need. Even if you’re a guy.

So, what are you waiting for? Dig out that toiletries case and get ruthless.

What’s in your toiletries kit? Share in the comments.

Photos thanks to Whatshername, Kafka4prez and Bekathwia.

Ten ways to reduce your toiletries on long trips by Linda Martin was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

We’ve spent the last week with friends in Ventnor, Isle of Wight, England — look out for Monday’s Travel Talk video to find out more about the nearby towns. Internet access is a little difficult to get to, so we apologise in advance for missing release schedules over the coming weeks.

Packing advice

When packing a backpack it’s important to think about weight distribution and the shape of items going in there. Weight should be balanced between the left and right sides and, where possible, be against the back. It’s also good to have weightier items near the bottom of the pack which aids in gaining a good centre of balance. Here’s a list of steps to go through before packing:

• Lay out everything you want to pack on a floor or bed
• Are you packing light? What can you remove?
• What are you going to use daily? Make these easy to access
• Find regular places for things that need quick access
• Can you use compression sacks to organise your things?
• Consider the weight of each item and pack accordingly

We’ve spoken about packing before: see our discussion on taking a pack or suitcase, packing list for walking trips and our short introduction to packing. Subscribe to the Indie Travel Podcast to ensure you don’t miss anything.

Some gear suggestions

We finish with an email from Chris in England who talks about the following products:

1. Buffs.
2. A nylon broad rimmed hat.
3. An LED headtorch (he likes the Petzl Tikka XP).
4. Smartwool socks.
5. Icebreaker thermal layers.
6. A down jacket.
7. Rohan make great underwear (pants if you are “English”).
8. An old ipod — they are a great way to copy pictures off your digital camera onto their harddrive as a backup device and viewer (as well as being a music, video, games, audiobooks and podcast player!!). You need a little usb dongle which attaches to it (“ipod camera connector”) which are beginning to become rare. Unfortunately this doesn’t work with the latest ipods but then the older 60gb ipod “video” is perfect and will be cheaper on ebay than the newer ones. I don’t know why apple have stopped letting you do this on newer ipods, very disappointing!

Thanks Chris. If you have something to share, contact us.

Affiliate of the week:

Lastminute.com can find great flight deals, hotels and car hire at the last minute.

Poll of the month:

The poll of the month is almost over. Have your say!

060 – Packing a backpack by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

A few listeners, Christopher and Kyotokat in particular, have recently asked us about packing lists, brands and models and details on precisely what we carry. This is a beginning!

As well as listing the equipment we comment on their uses, strengths and weaknesses.

It should be noted that the things discussed in this show and listed below is our walking list: for hiking, not general travel. There’s a focus on lightweight over style or comfort — the whole kit weighs in at 14kg including water and some food.

When packing to walk we recommend a target weight of 10-15% of your body weight. We are always aiming for the 10% mark which makes hiking much more enjoyable.

You can also download this Packing List for Walking as a pdf file.

Packing list for walking

Craig’s kit:

Pack: 50lt + Berghaus Anteus 45+8lt.
Packcover for flights
Undies – Boxer shorts x 3
Polypropylene trousers and long-sleeved top
Cotton t-shirts x2
Mamut walking trousers (zip off to shorts)
Swimming trunks
Meindl walking shoes
Smartwool hiking socks – medium cushion x2 (buy on Amazon.com)
Vibram FiveFingers
Sunglasses
Waterproof over-trousers from Millets
Jacket inner shell – Mountain Hardwear Xenon (buy on Amazon.com)
Jacket outer shell – Windproof from Kathmandu
Beanie
Gloves
Fizan Trekking pole (buy on Amazon.com)

Linda’s kit:

Pack: Katmandu 20Lt daypack
Undies – plain thin cotton x 5
Bras – my most comfortable at the time. One sports bra, one normal.
Socks – 3x thin ones from C&A with reinforced soles and heels.
Socks – 2x walking socks from Millets.
T-shirts from sports shops x2 – 1x Kathmandu and 1x Craghopper.
Walking trousers x1
Waterproof trousers x1
Rain coat x1
Lowa boots from Intersport with new insoles.
Jandals. Cheap and nasty
Thermal underwear longjohns
Thermal tops x2 – 1x polypropylene, 1x merino wool with turtleneck
Fleece top
A thin scarf from turkey
Sun hat
Gloves

Fine Dining

Sporks x2 – Light my fire (buy on Amazon.com)
Orikaso Flatworld dinnerware (buy on Amazon.com)
Victrinox Picnicker pocket knife (buy on Amazon.com)
Platypus x2 – 2Lt capacity + piping (buy on Amazon.com)
Tea towel
Daily food plus emergency snacks

First aid and toiletries

Plasters
Bandage
Paracetamol
Ibuprofen
Diarhorrea tablets
Water purification tablets
Needle and thread
Antiseptic cream
Cleaning wipes
Scissors
Nail clippers
Eye drops
Medical tape
Hand sanitiser
Moisturiser
Mini soap x2
Shampoo – Head and shoulders 2in1
Comb
Lip balm
Toothpaste and toothbrushes
Dental floss
Deodorant
Glasses, cases, contacts and solution
Sanitary pads

Sleeping

Sleeping bags x2 – cheap deal from Millets
Earplugs

Entertainment

Playing cards
Magnetic chess set
Notebook, pens x2
Camera – Pentax Optio W30 (buy on Amazon.com)
Spare battery and charger (buy on Amazon.com)
Joby gorillapod (buy on Amazon.com)
Usb stick/SD card reader

Sundry

Towels x2 – Kathmandu and Lifeventure
Emergency blankets – silver foil sheets
Cell phone but no charger
Lots of plastic zip-lock bags
Torch – Maglight AA (buy on Amazon.com)
Passports
Credit cards and cash
Security belt
Guidebook – Confraternity of St James
Phrasebook – Lonely Planet Fast Talk Spanish (buy on Amazon.com)

Other notes

We’d like to thank listener Christopher for recommending Smartwool socks and for pointing us towards Kiva: a micro-enterprise foundation/charity.

054 – Packing list for walking trips by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

This week we talk to Greg Rodgers of Start Backpacking and Vagabonding Begins, one of BootsnAll’s top travel blogs.

Greg and Craig talk about his discontent with life in a cubical and how he started dreaming and planning his current “vagabonding” lifestyle: breaking the spending habits and re-aligning your life towards travel. Using first hand experience they outline several tenets of packing light — let’s all brush over Greg arriving with a 25kg pack on his first trip!

Listening to the show is easy. Hit the play button above to listen on-site or the download button to take it with you. If iTunes is your thing you can have a free subscription by clicking here or the orange “iTunes” button in the sidebar.

We really recommend subscribing, because later this month we’re giving away a Joby Gorillapod and Flatworld dinner set for free! The competitions are only open to subscribers, so click into it.

Bed Bug Central has generously donated several copies of their newly revised e-book, the Bed Bug Travel Guide. Two winners a week are drawn from subscribers to the no-spam twice-monthly newsletter.

Bed Bug Central, your Bed Bug Experts, brings you this ground breaking publication to help you remain bed bug free when you travel. If you travel frequently for business, stay in hotels on vacation, travel internationally, or just want to learn how to stay bed bug free, this guide is for you! There are tips on preparing for travel, what to do if you find bed bugs in your hotel, how to unpack upon arriving back home, and much more.

Click here to find out more about the competitions we’re running all through February.