Packing for a trip can be daunting. What will the weather be like? How many fancy dinners will I go to? Are we going hiking or monument hopping? When I had decided to go abroad for four months, I didn’t know where to start when it came to necessities. Now that I know what I do now, there are a few staples I will always take on a trip.
Packing Cubes
When it comes it lengthy journeys and small suitcases, packing cubes are a lifesaver. Not only are they good for organizing clothes but they also condense what you have in order to make more space. They typically come in a set and can be bought for pretty cheap on Amazon depending on the brand you choose.
My Travelon Crossbody
As someone who gets anxious about pickpockets and things falling out of their bag while traveling, this crossbody was a lifesaver for me. It has an extra lock on each zipper and a wire in the strap so no one can cut through it.
Depending on the time and place, I either wore my crossbody in the front or behind me. If I was in a high traffic area or touristy spot I typically wore it in front just to be sure. Now that I’m home I still use it and have decorated it with my collection of travel pins.
Sturdy Luggage
From country to country luggage gets tossed around quite a bit. It’s important to have sturdy luggage with an identifiable feature.
I utilized by incredibly large backpack – that I lovingly named ‘Big Bertha’ – throughout the course of my travels abroad. The only way I was able to stuff it so full was because of the incredible hip strap, meaning I didn’t carry much of the weight on my shoulders. The reason I opted for a large backpack is because it’s so much nicer to carry your things physically on your person rather than wheeling a suitcase around cobblestone streets before getting to your hotel.
A Passport Case
Having a place for the most important travel document a person can have is a necessity. I personally enjoy passport cases that also have space for my various vaccination cards and flight boarding pass.
My case has a zipper closure which kept everything together without the danger of anything falling out.
White Sneakers
Plain white sneakers are a great closet staple. Everyone needs a comfortable pair of shoes that can match with anything they decide to wear. While I was on Semester at Sea my white sneakers were my hiking shoes, my “dressy” shoes, my boat shoes, and everything in between. When you only have room for three pairs of shoes for four months, you simply make it work.
Portable Charger
I’m the kind of person who will download lots of movies, shows, and books before I travel to make sure I don’t get bored from point A to point B. Since I have all this on my phone, I can’t have it dying mid-journey.
Portable chargers also come in handy when you have a friend with a dead phone. If you’re the only one with a portable charger in a friend group prepare to be worshipped by your incredibly grateful friends, should you let them use it of course. Thank you to my Semester at Sea roommate Kira for letting me borrow her charger one too many times.
While there are many material things that are important to bring traveling, I’ve always felt good company is the thing that makes the trip. The best travel memories I have always include someone else there with me to share in the experience.
Worth Every Mile 