Tips and Tricks for Female Travelers on the Go

Ok ladies. Here’s the section that the boys really don’t need to be bothered with…

Periods While Traveling

Not the most pleasant of topics for us, but it can really put a damper on any trip if you aren't prepared for it. For some reason while in the Himalayas my body decided that it felt like having another week of hell past a certain elevation. So I have had more than enough issues that I hope sharing others can avoid.

o  Bring a Diva Cup: If you don’t know what this you, you should look into it. I recommend it even for normal monthly times. Don't forget the special cleaner it needs.

*When researching for my Himalayan trip I read a blog that advised against bringing/using a Diva cup trekking because there’s not much water. Considering you don’t need to worry about it for 12 hours, I’d say it would have been well worth the little extra water.

o  Panty liners: Even if you don’t have your period because of your birth control, I highly, highly recommend you bring these. Find a type that doesn’t make you feel like you are wearing a diaper and bring a bunch. One of these can make a pair of underwear good as new(ish)

o  Tampons: If you decide that the Diva Cup isn’t for you, or you just want to be prepared, bring these. 

*If you are trekking in Nepal you will have one hell of a time finding these in Kathmandu, and you won’t find them on the trail if you run out.

Hair on the trail

Most normal backpacking trips you won’t even bother with washing your hair. However, when you go trekking in the Himalayas, staying at guesthouses, you may expect different. That is true, on the Annapurna Circuit. It is warm enough at times where your hair will dry in time for it not to freeze first. On the way up to Everest Base Camp this is not the case. Not one of us girls on that trek washed our hair.

To deal with my hair I put it up in a half ponytail and then French braided it down. It stayed in for the most part and was easy to redo when it didn’t. It also kept my hair mostly tangle free.

o  Hair brush / comb: of course you still want to bring one of these. You will still want to brush out your hair every now and again.

o  Hair clips / ties: you will want to keep bangs and stray hair out of your face after a certain point.

o  Mini hair rubber bands: For the bottom of braids. I brought a 500 pack of clear ones, it was the smallest size.

That's it for my recommendations for just us girls. I also have another post about Packing in the Himalayas and coming soon will be a similar one for The John Muir Trail, or just backpacking in general.