"Surely of all the wonders in the world, the horizon is the greatest."
—Freya Stark
"We travel for romance, we travel for architecture, we travel to be lost."
—Ray Bradbury
6 Items I Pack For Every Trip (And You Should Too!)
No matter where you are headed, or how long you are planning on travelling for, these must-pack items will make your next trip a lot more enjoyable!
Read MoreHow To Pack Your Carry-On Bag Like An Expert
Packing a carry-on for a trip involving air travel isn’t rocket science, but you would be surprised how many people forget to throw even the smallest (but often the most important) things into their bag.
The first thing to remember is that your carry-on can't be more than 10kg. Though you can often sneak through with a heavier bag (I do it all the time), there is always the risk of getting caught and having to pay to check your heavier items.
Liquids, gels, lotions, etc. in containers larger than 100ml/100g/3.4oz are NOT permitted, so assume that when I mention these items I am referring to the small version of them.
Though many people consider their carry-on to be what holds their source of entertainment or simply a vessel to throw all of the things that they could not fit in their checked luggage in, I approach it in a slightly different way.
To me, the carry-on is your survival kit in case your luggage gets lost.
It needs to contain everything that you would need to survive a full day and even a few nights at your destination.
Here’s what I suggest:
Any Prescription Drugs you might need
Tylenol, Motrin, Advil, etc. (cures for headaches, back spasms)
Prescription Glasses/Contact Case with solution in it (if you wear glasses/contacts)
Sunglasses
Deodorant
Toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss
Makeup (for the ladies, it's nice to have just a few items — powder, blush, lip gloss — to freshen up with when you get off the plane)
Bathing Suit (if headed on a beach vacation)
Change of Clothing (usually underpants and a fresh shirt will suffice)
Socks (even if you are wearing sandals, these will keep your feet warm on the plane)
Scarf/Sarong (use as a blanket on the plane and a shawl/scarf if your destination in cooler than you are dressed for)
Blue or Black Pen (for filling out landing documents, jotting down directions, etc.)
Paper Map (wireless may not be available or your smart phone might die)
Passport
Money, credit cards, debit card
Accommodation information (you will need to fill out the address of where you are staying on your landing documents, and you want to be able to access it quickly when you arrive at your destination)
Book or magazine (just in case the inflight entertainment doesn't work)
Headphones (having to buy headphones on your flight sucks)
Related Posts
5 Unconventional Travel Tips You Won't Find In Your Guide Books
These travel tips, which are not usually found in guide books, are guaranteed to help make your trip a lot more fun!
1. Fill a zip-lock bag with balloons, bobby pins, and temporary tattoos representing your country.
Rather than giving out money, the balloons and bobby pins are great little gifts for young children that you will inevitably come across in the course of your travels.
The tattoos are great to give as gifts too, but can also come in handy in countries where people knowing where you are from (instead of making incorrect assumptions) will keep you safe. It’s a nice alternative to having a huge flag sewn onto your backpack.
2. Bring a pillowcase, not a pillow
A pillowcase can easily be stuffed with clothing to create a make-shift pillow in emergencies and also makes a perfect laundry bag.
3. Even if you aren’t a journal writing kinda person, pack a small journal and a glue stick
It is the perfect place to keep the names and contact info for people you meet and to jot down hotel/hostel names and prices of things to pass on to friends and family.
The glue stick will keep you from losing ticket stubs, postcards or other bits that make perfect souvenirs.
4. BYOWB — Bring Your Own Water Bottle
Preferably a one liter Nalgene-style one with a wide opening. You could easily drop hundreds of dollars buying water while touring around all day, so having your own bottle will save you money.
And, when packing, it is the perfect place to put breakable items like perfumes, or delicate souvenirs, so they won’t get squished or break in your bag.
5. Buy postcards, but don't send them
Everyone is trying to get that perfect, tourist-free postcard-style shot of the well-known tourist sight, but that is easier said than done.
Sometimes, the best thing to do is to just buy the gorgeous postcard as your souvenir, and focus on enjoying where you are rather than taking pictures.
