Most independent travelers heading for developing countries know to bring a money belt, invest in a pair of durable shoes and abide by simple food rules: boil it, peel it, cook it or forget it. Here's some less common advice, tips I wish someone had told me before my trip to Africa.

Love your mozzie net.

If you need a mosquito net, buy a stand-alone one that uses poles to set up like a tent. (I use this Skeeter Defeater from Long Road Travel Supplies.) Hangable nets are useless when there's no place to hang them.

Learn to Skype.

Skype, a free program that allows you to make calls over the Internet, is the cheapest way to call home. Of course, for it to work well, you'll need a solid Internet connection, which can be difficult to find in some developing countries. If you plan to Skype often, consider bringing a headset.

Be your own office assistant.

Make yourself sticky labels with the addresses of anyone who deserves to get a postcard. You won't have to carry an address book, and you'll know you sent all required postcards when the labels are gone.

Buy visas along the way.

It takes a little planning, but purchasing a visa in the country adjacent to where you're going is usually cheaper than buying it from home and requires less paperwork. Just make sure there's an embassy for country #2 in country #1. Madagascar, for example, does not have an embassy in every Africa country. Remember to ask about multi-country visas, which also can save you money.

Make room for music.

Ditch something in your pack so you can bring lightweight, portable speakers for your iPod. You'll use them.

Cipro for the sicko.

Convince your doctor to prescribe several doses of Cipro, or Ciprofloxacin, an antibiotic that treats bacterial infections Ð pretty much anything that forces you to spend your entire day squatting over the toilet. Since travelers often suffer from stomach bugs in developing countries, it's smart to have this drug handy. Bring Bacitracin ointment, too, and use it; even small cuts become infected easily in developing countries.

Wear your torch.

Bring a headlamp and an extra set of batteries. You'll use it on dark, unlit streets when the power goes out and in hostel dorm rooms when you want to read late at night.

Ask for the cheapest room.

While checking into a hotel, ask if there's a cheaper room. When they show it to you, ask if there's anything cheaper. Since hotels make more money by booking expensive rooms, they'll sometimes place guests in, say, a double when all the guest really need is a single. Remember to ask whether there's a dorm, too.

Look for books.

Ask hostels if they have a book exchange, where you can leave a book you've already read and take one left there by another traveler. If you're always on the lookout for book swaps, you'll never need to carry more than one book at a time.

Pack a pillow.

No, not the huge fluffy one you normally sleep with. I'm talking about a small, portable pillow. (I like this Equinox Headrest from Eastern Mountain Sports) The cheaper the accommodation, the less comfortable the pillow, if you get one at all. And let's face it: do you really want to put your head on those hostel pillows anyhow?

Seek out alternative power.

If you're bringing electronics that will need to be recharged but wonder whether you'll have electricity, invest in a small solar recharge system. For an iPod, consider bringing an extra battery. Don't forget that rechargeable batteries, though environmentally friendly, are useless if you're staying in a mud hut without an outlet. For this reason, I use a digital camera that runs off old-school batteries instead of the rechargeable kind.

Pack as little as possible.

You've heard this a zillion times. You've unpacked half of what you packed to lighten your load. Now lighten it even more. Can you walk around the block carrying all your stuff, and free a hand to shoo away strange men? Now you're set to go.