Back in August, our New York Times colleague and opinion columnist Nicholas Kristof wrote an essay sharing his hard-won travel tips. But it got us thinking: What’s on his packing list before he sets off? Kristof has over four decades of experience reporting across the globe, including a stint as bureau chief in Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Beijing. And his assignments—many of which he chronicles in his memoir, Chasing Hope—have taken him across Africa and Europe. So we figured he’s gotten packing down to a science. Here, he’s laid it all out for us, from his pickpocket-proof pants to the pocket-size can openers that make unexpectedly good gifts.
My challenge when traveling is to be prepared to interview either a warlord or a prime minister, to relax by a Marriott pool or spend the night in a hut with no electricity, without getting robbed or checking a bag.
So after living on four continents and traveling to 160 countries (and, alas, having been robbed occasionally), here are my suggestions.
