Over the years, I think I’ve had just about everyone I know ask me at some point what do I pack when I travel. Packing for travel is a pretty personal thing, some of the “things” I can’t live without may not be on your essentials list but for the sake of simplicity I’ve put down what I consider the absolute essentials that you might not have thought of.. Clothing, toiletries and IT I’ll leave up to you.
Packing Compression Sacks. Sacks are my absolute must for keeping my clothing in order. I run a small compression sack for underwear and socks and a larger sack for t-shirts, shorts, dresses etc. If I’m packing for cold climates I’ll run a third sack (and a larger case) for all those bulky jackets, sweaters, stockings etc. The thing i love about compression sacks is that I can always find what I want clothing wise, and being compressed packing you can fit those extra pair of shorts in that you might otherwise have struggled to fit. (refer to the blog post about packing organisation for more detail)
My washing kit lives in my suitcase and is the first thing to get slotted in. I’ve used the same kit for the past ten years and never leave home without it (no matter whether I’m travelling for a week or a year). The key items in the kit are a nail brush, plastic sink plug, my expandable clothes line, a delicates bag, nail clippers and tweezers (refer to the blog post on washing for more detail)
Pencil torch is another must. I’ve gone through at least five cheapo pencil torches over the years.. You just never know when you need a light and chances are, often your phone is flat!
Cheap plastic rain poncho. Can double as a suitcase cover for those super wet days and is a must for when you’re caught outside without your umbrella or rain jacket. I often travel with a rain jacket but depending on the location there are times when i haven’t and this is when the $2 cheap rain poncho has been a saviour.
$100 US dollars as emergency currency. I always have a spare $100 US dollars stashed away in my passport case (some of it $1 bills but most of it $20 bills). The only time it has come in real handy was in Mongolia when i had trouble finding an ATM that would accept my Aussie card. US dollars are accepted everywhere (especially in developing countries) so it doesn’t hurt to have a couple of bucks stashed away for just in case.
Backpack covers for rain or dust. I have rain covers for both my big travel backpack and my day pack. I can’t count the amount of times the covers have been a life saver. Either from keeping my stuff dry or just from keeping them clean. Any time you’re in the desert you are bound to get dust everywhere and a rain pack can help keep some of that dust out of your clothes and IT
Travel wrist bands for motion sickness. Yep, I’m a travel tragic who also gets tragically unwell on most types of transportation. The wrist bands really do work, don’t require me to carry pills and take up basically no room in my backpack. They are so well used by me that I have a pair of wrist bands in EVERY day pack/ handbag I own so that whenever I travel I can slip them straight on– yep I own four different pairs!
2 x plastic bags and 2 x plastic coat hangers both adorned with 2 x plastic pegs. Might seem like strange companions but both get used on most trips! It goes without saying that plastic bags can be used for just about anything but the secret is also having those coat hangers with pegs… Hanging up your wet day pack at the end of the day, hanging up food off the ground so animals can’t get to it, pegs can come off the hangers and be used as food closure mechanisms.. the list is endless for how you can use coat hangers and pegs. One of the arguments I’ve had with other travellers is whether plastic coat hangers are better than metal.. Metal can bend in to any shape whereas plastic can’t… The jury is still out but for me, I carry the plastic variety!