When you’ve traveled as much as I have over the years, you quickly learn what items are a must when you’re hitting the road. Whether you’re gearing up for a backpacking trip or heading off on a more luxurious vacation, here are some of must-have items that will make a trip of any kind better.
Make sure you have these travel essentials in your bag
Earplugs
I can hardly go anywhere without a pair of earplugs with me (seriously, I have at least one pair in every bag I own!). I’ve been obsessed with Howard Leight earplugs ever since I backpacked around Europe in 2001; the Howard Leight Leight Sleepers comfortably fit your ear (more comfortably than any other earplugs I’ve found) and block out almost all sound. There’s a particular technique to putting them in, but once you get the hang of it, it’s super easy! Even if you’re staying at a super nice hotel, you can still find all kinds of crazy sounds to interfere with your sleep (I’ve encountered everything from a loud pool party 12 floors below to a super loud ventilation system in a closet outside my room) so good earplugs are a must. I personally believe these are the world’s best!
Sennheiser Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones
My dad bought me these headphones for Christmas last year, and I love them! They have made long flights so much more bearable — I had no idea how loud airplanes really are until I brought them on my trip to Georgia earlier this year. The sound is crystal clear and it makes watching TV and movies so much more pleasant (and less headache-inducing).
Wireless Sennheiser headphones, $349.95
USP adaptor
Cut down on cord clutter in your bag with an USP adaptor that you can plug two cords into at the same time. (What’s shown is for Europe!)
Fuji x100T Digital Camera
I bought this lightweight, compact, extremely high-quality camera before my Patagonia. It takes incredible pictures. While it lacks some functionality you might find in a larger, heavier, more cumbersome digital SLR camera with a giant lens, it is way easier to carry around and doesn’t need a special camera bag to go with it.
Get your Fuji x100T digital camera for $989.95 or, better yet, buy it at a local, independently camera store near you!
Compact, foldable backpack
As the years have gone on, I’ve found I prefer using a lightweight, foldable backpack while I sightsee. It can be easier to get things out of, yet harder for potential pickpockets to break into (namely because I’ll often carry it on my front). Since it can easily fit into a suitcase or larger backpack, it means being able to carry a nicer purse (typically a Longchamp tote bag, which, incidentally, can also fold up) on flights. (I got mine at the North Face a number of years ago and love it but I don’t see it being made anymore. This one looks like a good alternative!)
Compact, foldable backpack, $19.99
Small, inexpensive, leather crossbody bag
I “invested” in one of these before my trip to Krygyzstan and have brought it on several trips ever since. Look for something that can fit your phone, wallet (or cash/coin purse), and a couple other things. Not to inspire fear or paranoia but in many countries thieves can rip a bag off your body quickly and make a run for it. Better to have a bag that you won’t be devastated if you lose, and also better to have one that is small enough you can literally hold onto it while you’re walking down the street or sitting at a café having a bite to eat. Unless you’re doing fashion shoots to show off your latest Gucci acquisition, also better to be inconspicuous when you’re on the road.
MINICAT crossbody small bag, $25.99
Coin purse
I always bring a small coin purse with me when I travel internationally to handle the copious amounts of coins other countries often dispense! It also means I don’t accumulate pockets full of coins I forget to use.
Random coin purse, $2.46
Lightweight Sleeping Bag Liner
This is an absolute MUST if you are heading off to go backpack anywhere (and especially Southeast Asia and South America). I can’t even tell you how many times I have used mine in beds where the cleanliness of the sheets was dubious (or just felt rough against my skin), or where it was too hot to sleep under covers but a little layer felt nice. I highly recommend this brand, Sea to Summit, and if you are heading to a tropical environment, to seek out one with insect repellent (which exists, I just can’t find it on Amazon). Highly recommend!
Headlamp
Even if I were heading off on a luxury safari, I would still bring my trust headlamp with me. Why? Because many places where adventure beckons often have issues with consistent electricity.
Recently, I was at the Hilton in Batumi, Georgia, and dealt with three power cuts to the city during the night I was there. (Thankfully the power cuts were brief!) Other advantages include things like being able to simply use it as a flashlight if you need to walk somewhere with low lighting (which can be better than using up the battery on your phone, depending on the circumstances). Did I bring my headlamp on my not-at-all-roughing-it-trip to Spain last year? No. But from Colombia to Cambodia, it’s come in handy a great deal.
Pro tip: remove the batteries and store them near the headlamp when you’re not traveling with it to ensure the batteries don’t drain unnecessarily.
Headlamp, $29.99
One of my biggest accomplishments for the year has been resurrecting this blog and getting caught up with a lot of belated posts. On New Year’s Day, I wrote down as one of my goals “update your blog” and it only took me until mid-November to start making it happen. Well, better late than never!
Since starting this blog, I’ve traded in long trips for short ones (one of the big insights from my four months in Southeast Asia was I enjoy having a “normal job”) but I stil have had an amazing year filled with lots of great adventures.