I consider myself an avid traveler. In the past four years, I've gone to 14 countries and numerous cities. I've gone camping at Oktoberfest, market shopping in Turkey, wine tasting in Florence and most recently, glacier hiking in Iceland.
Through my travels, which have varied in length and climate, I've determined what are now my packing essential, no matter the trip.
1. Blanket scarf
I'm a huge advocate for the blanket scarf. It's a blanket, a scarf, a pillow, extra wrapping for a souvenir, and more! Even if your destination is a beach in 90 degree weather, you would be amiss not to bring one.
2. DIY med kit
Instead of buying a little first aid kit, create your own with a few essentials. What you need: Band-Aids for cuts and blisters from walking around too much, ibuprofen for the aches you get from lugging bags around, antihistamine in case you get an allergic reaction to some foreign food, medicine to combat motion sickness for the turbulence on a small or the rockiness of a ferry ride, and an antacid, again for the foreign food.
3. Safety pin
You never know when a strap may break and you'll be SO GLAD that you have it.
4. Moist towelettes
Not only are they great for makeup/dirt removal at the end of the day, but sometimes you need to freshen up after a long plane or train ride. One time my brilliant self thought it was a great idea to go straight from laying a beach to my nine-hour flight. These really came in handy then.
5. White tennis shoes
Sneakers are not really a thing in many European countries, so wearing Asics running shoes is one way to stick out like an American tourist. Even in the major cities in the states, you can often point out a tourist by their footwear. As much as it makes me cringe, I totally get it. If I'm touring museums all day, I want to be comfortable. Nice, stylish white tennis shoes is a good compromise on comfort vs. style.
6. Battery-powered travel clock
I know, this sounds pretty lame and like something your grandparents would suggest, but you really can't always rely on your phone. Maybe your hostel room only has one outlet and six people fighting for it. A battery-powered travel clock is good to use as a backup for an alarm to make sure you get up in time for your early-morning tour.
7. "Go-to" bag
For my boyfriend it's his L.L. Bean backpack, for me it's a nondescript messenger bag I've had seven years. You can spot this bag in all my travel pictures, starting from my senior year high school trip to Spain to my most recent work trip to San Diego. You need a bag that doesn't get in the way and allows you to comfortably hold everything from your camera and charger, to your passport and documents.
8. Portable charger
Speaking of charger... With everyone relying on their phones for directions, ticket confirmations, and photos, it's important to make sure that you never have no battery.
9. Folder
An evelope will do, too. You just need something that will keep all your imporant documents — flight information, hotel booking, tour confirmation — together.
10. Notebook
I like to bring a notebook with me because it's important to me to have a travel diary. But even if you're not into writing all your thoughts and feelings in a particular city, I recommend recording where you went. When I went to Spain, I forgot where we were by the next day since it was such a jam-packed tour and it was difficult remembering all the names. And when you work so hard to get to a particular place, you don't want to forget.
