keeping your stuff safe & other related Qs
 

I've only been to a hostel once and it was in Seattle. There were lockers under the bunks that you put your own lock on. Is this the norm? And if it is not how does everyone keep their stuff safe. Do you just carry it with you everyday? And are those lockers that safe anyway?

I am considering an extended travelling trip (more than 2 years). I actually will not have all that much daily stuff with me because to be honest I don't mind wearing the same stuff over and over and will just ditch it for new stuff when I tire of it. However I will have my rollerblades/helmet with me which I do not want to lug around sight-seeing in each place. I know, odd thing to bring, but I have a hip injury and it's either that or a bike to keep up my rehab. I will definately need to keep the rehab up as carrying bags will not be good! I don't want to budget renting a bike 3-4 times a week, every week...if I go places that only have dirt roads I'll rent a bike that day but I'd rather keep that cost down and besides rollerblading makes it feel much better anyway.

Also, for people that have travelled extensively, do you find you pack your bag a lot different? There is stuff that I could do without for a short trip but I would want to bring for a bigger trip, like my viola. I met someone who was travelling once that had a backpack plus a bag and a travel guitar, is this normal or is it really hard to get around with?

Please tell me if I am being unreasonable but this is what I would want to bring for such a long time...essentially I am going to be homeless for more than 2 years so this is my "home":
- rollerblades & helmet
- viola
- laptop
- camera (not slr, just a normal sized camera)
- mp3 player
- tent
- sheet/pillowcase
- one pot, set of cutlery, water bottle, and coffee mug or small thermos
- travel sized water filter (I'm allergic to fluoride!)
- one of those architectural/artists tubes for rolls of paper (3 feet long, 3 inches wide)
- plus the most basic level of clothing & toiletries required (I'm very good at dressing in layers!), book/journal, etc

I am hoping to have the rollerblades/helmet, viola, and paper tube in one bag and the rest in another.

I plan to just buy a jacket when it is cold...I will not need room for it in the bag as I will be wearing it.

lockers in hostels are fairly normal, and most hostel review sites say if they have lockers or not, so you can find out before you go! most people lock up their pack in the locker and take their valuables & day to day stuff such as camera, passport, important documents, wallet etc. if there are no lockers, usually locking up the pack by itself is ok (lock the zippers closed) and you can leave it in the dorm. I would panic too much about leaving my laptop in a hostel, but I guess as long as the place has lockers and you haven't advertised to the whole dorm that you HAVE a laptop, you should be fine.
I understand everyone has things they want to take that they consider 'essential', and two years is a long time so you would want to have things like your viola with you. so just compromise in other areas, you can save a lot of space in the toiletries area (cheap products in small containers etc). I also think you could reconsider the cooking stuff and tent - do you intend to camp more than stay in hostels? if so maybe invest in a lightweight tent, and definitely just take one of those flat camping pot/pan things, not just a pot from the kitchen! you've probably already thought of all this stuff yourself so I'll just stop now, but feel free to ask any more questions!

That is a lot of stuff but if you're worried, try packing up everything you'd bring and haul it around for an hour and see if it kills you :D You make it manageable you might have to invest in some nicer gear to make it light or small enough like a backpacker tent that is ~4 pounds, maybe an ultraportable laptop or a ULPC? I dunno, this stuff is not cheap but for 2 years it might be worth it if you can find the money.

Also a lot of places are going to be hard to roller blade in, where are you planning to go? Most places aren't as anal about smooth sidewalks and streets as we are...

Yah I figured I would just skip everything but the ESSENTIAL toiletries, and use products like that hemp castile soap that does everything to save space and have a camping frying pan. I don't plan to camp more than hostel but I will be gone for a while so it will happen!

I figured most big cities would have a flat area that you could rollerblade in, a park or seawall or something, is this not true? I hadn't even considered that they would not have an outdoor area, the idea is foreign to me lol

The laptop would stay on me at all times as it is my employment so I would not worry about leaving that one behind as I would never let it out of my site lol

sounds like you know what you're doing then! and yes, most cities would have a place where you can go rollerblade around for awhile, I think brett was referring to actually using your rollerblades as transport around a city!

Yeah I figured you wanted to rollerblade all over, which will be challenging in a lot of places (can't imagine that in Italy for example, of course in other places, like England, it would probably be no prob)

For exercise, I'm sure you can find a spot almost anywhere.

oh no no no, I'd have super human thighs then...not flattering to my figure ;)

Seriously though I actually really love walking around, even if it is a 2 hour walk somewhere I always walk in Vancouver if I have the time. (though I am sure I will not enjoy a 2 hour walk quite as much if it means I've got all my shit with me! lol) The rollerblades would be 3x30min/wk round abouts depending on weather of course!

I would ditch the pots and pans and stuff, keep the thermos. Also I don't know if you'd need the laptop or the painters tube... I've found that I barely use the internet when i'm travelling and if I want it bad enough I just use a cafe...you have to pay for the internet anyways at most places so you might as well use their computers too. (sorry I'm veryyyy minimalistic in packing)

Just read the bit about employment... so ok laptop is needed.

same withthe tube, I'm a drafter :o)

that was supposed to be a smile lol

Ok but the tube could proabably be purchased on your travels, so unless you have drafts you need to take over with you you can leave that one behind and only purchase it when you need it??

Obviously if stuff is for work then you pretty much need it... otherwise I always assume things can be purchased or rented...

looks like you got it figured out. the only thing i would advise is that you defiantly should bring along the viola. i lugged a huge acoustic guitar all over europe for a year. it was i bit of extra hassle but well worth having your instrument though. however, after the experience i started learning the violin so i have something a bit smaller now.