When you read this headline – 16 things you should never travel without, it may sound like a lot of things, but I promise they don’t take much space at all! You can carry all of them in your hand luggage or a smaller bag. All of these 16 things can come in handy when travelling, so keep reading and tell me what you think later.
Let’s start with a list of 16 things you should never travel without:
- cash
- copy of your passport
- copy of your hotel reservation and plane tickets
- travel insurance
- hand sanitizer
- wet wipes
- sneakers (or comfy shoes)
- jacket
- flashlight
- portable charger
- reusable water bottle
- small first aid kit
- pen and a notepad
- packing bags
- scarf
- zip lock bags
1. Cash
Most of people are used to paying with their credit cards on a daily basis, so they don’t see a problem when they’re out of cash. They just go to the nearest ATM.
Why should you have cash when traveling? Here are a few reasons:
- some ATMs abroad may not accept your credit card
- why would you spend time searching for an ATM?
- some ticket machines don’t accept credit cards, so if you’re buying a metro ticket for example you need cash.
2. Copy of your passport or multiple copies stored in different places can keep you safe if you lose your passport or if it gets stolen from you. You should always keep one copy of your passport with you and keep your passport in a safe box in a hotel (if you have that option).
3. Copy of your hotel reservation and plane tickets
We are all used to keeping all our hotel reservations and e-tickets in our smartphones. I know it’s much easier to access them this way but what if your phone runs out of battery, gets lost or simply won’t work? That’s why keeping your reservations printed on a piece of paper comes in handy.
4. Travel insurance is one thing you should always have when traveling. Whether it’s the basic package or a package that covers everything I highly recommend paying for travel insurance. You never know when you might need it.
5. Hand sanitizer
Even before COVID-19 pandemic I used to carry hand sanitizer with me especially when going on a road trip. You won’t always have the chance to wash your hands so hand sanitizer is one of those 16 things you should never travel without. Even if you buy the smallest bottle it will be enough for your trip or at least part of your trip and it doesn’t take a lot of space.
6. Wet wipes in this case have the same purpose as hand sanitizer, but they can also come in handy if you want to clean the space around your airplane seat, train seat or something in your hotel.
7. Sneakers or comfy shoes are something I always bring on a trip. For me, this is one of those 16 things you should never travel without! No matter if it’s summer or winter they are always with me. I know I’ll be walking a lot when I explore new places I’m visiting. So, I like to save myself from pain in my feet if I wear uncomfortable shoes. Plus, sneakers now go well with everything, whether it’s a dress, jeans or shorts.
8. Jacket
The same as comfortable shoes, jacket is something I carry with me on every trip.
If it’s summer it can be a light jacket that might save you from freezing if the temperatures drop suddenly, especially during the night. It doesn’t take much space in your suitcase or carry on luggage so why not bring it with you!
We were going to spend summer in Malta one year and we’ve been there many times before. I never ever packed a jacket for Malta. So, we were meeting at the airport and one of our friends is wearing a light jacket. We started telling him that there’s no need for a jacket in the island that is sooo hot during summer. We arrived to Malta in the middle of May and let me just tell you that this was probably the only year ever that you had to wear a jacket or a hoodie during the evenings. So, our friend had no problem, since he brought his jacket and the rest of us – well, we had to buy hoodies and light sweaters in order not to freeze when we went out in the evening.
(If you want to read more about the beautiful island of Malta click here!)
9. Flashlight
We all have flashlight in our phones but a small flashlight is something you would want to have with you. While traveling it can happen that your accommodation is out of electricity. That means you can’t charge your phone to use the built in flashlight. That’s why a pocket flashlight comes in very handy.
10. Portable charger
I guess most of us are using portable chargers even when we’re not traveling so why not bring them with us when we do. They are very useful especially in the airports or planes when you can’t find a plug to charge your phone or camera.
11. Reusable water bottle
I’ve seen people going through airport control so many times and throwing their plastic bottles with water before they go through. It’s well known that you cannot go with that much liquid through security check but if you have your own water bottle you can pass security with it being empty and then fill it afterwards. Not to mention that you should always have water with you while doing sightseeing. And if you have your own bottle you’re already used to it and it’s a small chance that you’ll forget to bring it with you on a sightseeing trip.
12. Small first aid kit
You don’t have to buy those premade first aid kits to carry with you. Instead make your own, with the medicines and bandaids you know you might need.
13. Pen and a notepad
I know this isn’t a necessity but it can come in handy when you want to write something down. A small notepad isn’t taking up almost any space and you can put it in your handbag.
14. Packing bags
I almost always sort out my clothes and put them in packing bags when packing for a trip. That way I know where everything is and I can later use them for dirty clothes or stuff I buy to bring home as a souvenir.
15. Scarf
This is my favourite thing out of these 16 things you should never travel without. I’ll tell you why.
Scarf is such a great thing to have with you on a trip for many reasons.
If you’re near the sea and the night is colder than you expected a long scarf can keep you warm. Let’s say you’re going to a mosque and you need to cover your hair. Most mosques will offer you a scarf at the entrance but it’s better to have your own, isn’t it? You can use a scarf as a pillow on a plane.
One of the things you can do before you go on a trip is to make a small pocket on your scarf. Make it secure so you can keep your money or something important to you there.
16. Zip lock bags are something I use while on a road trip to keep my snacks or fruit in them. Later they can serve as bags you’ll put your trash in.
A great way to use zip lock bags is to separate your underwear and swimwear from the rest of your stuff. You can use them when going from the beach to put wet swimwear in them and to keep the rest of the stuff in your beach bag dry.
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