There are a lot of wild-card variables here. The nature and type of your travel, perhaps more accurately called the “class” of your travel, is quite important. If you’re backpacking as a WT (world traveler), the experience and access to services is decidedly different than if you’re are a credit-card tourist staying at 3-star and above hotels.
Basically, the variations in quality of processing are huge, and the time and logistics required to hunt down photo clubs, etc., can be prohibitive. If photography and the exploration of local photo-club-culture are the central goals of your journey, then doing so might add some very interesting experiences. But, if that is the case, you should be doing MAJOR homework on the Net and exchanging e-mails with said clubs in preparation long before you depart.
Otherwise, I second the suggestion that you carry good film in solid, double ziplocks. Mark exposed canisters. Take good notes. Ship only occasionally from major cities, sending the film home for later processing under better conditions. As you don’t have to ship each film as it comes out of your camera, you can wait until you are confident in the postal service or shipping method you choose. Plus, it’s more economical to ship in batches.
Shoot a little C-41 from time to time and develop in the larger cities of the countries that clearly have decent mini-labs. Here, too, quality varies enormously. My experiences include some countries that have processing far superior to anything but the top custom labs in the US, and at 1/3 the cost. Others will butcher your film and charge you Western prices. B&W processing is becoming very difficult to find and, again, the quality varies widely. Better to batch ship your exposed film back home for you to do later. Do not be impatient to develop the film. As a traveler, tho, I find that it is pretty easy to put the exposed film in a bag and move on to the next site, sights and adventures. As was also suggested, the delayed gratification from doing the darkroom work later is a major pleasure unto itself.
I also found that a backup P&S -- I like the Olympus Muj fixed lens, as it’s water resistant and the sliding cover makes it pretty durable -- is the camera for C-41 party shots. You can also hand that camera more readily to others for shots that include you. Feed it with film you pick up (and process) along the way. This provides a good balance in the need for occasional gratification and silly tourist/traveler gang shots -- and your desire to do a bit more considered photography along the way.
Finally, do homework on the regional distribution networks of your favorite film(s). Find where their major offices are located. This will also help you restock on film along the way, as you may be unpleasantly surprised with the lack of decent film stock in many, many places. Again, B&W film can be particularly hard to find. Alternatively, figure out how and where family or friends can get parcels (Care packages) to you along the way. The local cyber cafes make communications so much easier than in days of yore, but you still may be surprised by your specific needs and desires for “stuff” you’ll want sent out.
It could be, however, that my views are “old fashioned”. I’ve just noticed your last response that you’ll be carrying laptop and a 5D. Hmm. I suppose that rules you out as a backpacking adventure traveler and suggests you will be one restricting yourself to hotel-based “outings”. The further down the feeding chain of services you go, the higher your security risks for things you are not keeping with you. I’d be far more worried about having that laptop stolen than I would be about losing film in a courier service shipment!
Anyway, just food for thought.
Have fun.
Owen
