The Lonely Planet travel guide has warned backpackers not to take expensive items away on their travels with them as it has found that an increasing number of independent travellers are carrying a range of expensive equipment with them.
Expensive equipment such as iPods, digital cameras, mobile phones and even laptops are pretty standard gear at home, and many cannot bear to be parted from their gadgets, risking losing them or having them stolen abroad.
Travel editor at Lonely Planet, Tom Hall, says : Increasingly we see people taking technology on the road with them – digital cameras, iPods, mobile phones and, in some cases, laptops."
He added that although there are "very good reasons" why it may be handy to have that kind of equipment on the road, most young people are not prepared for it being stolen.
"If you can't bear to lose it, then don't take it away with you," concluded Mr Hall.
Having this kind of equipment abroad may seem desirable, but with the exception of a camera, most of it is unnecessary for a back to basics backpacking trip.
As a compromise, it might be a good idea to consider taking less expensive versions of these products away with you, such as a cheap mp3 player to listen to music and an old mobile which most of us can find stuffed away in the back of a drawer, forgotten when the more expensive model came along.
InsureandGo has found that while the average backpacker spends £3,764 on their whole trip, including travel, insurance, food and entertainment, their valuables are on average worth over £1,000, a hefty amount to risk losing.
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