10 Essential Things to Have when Traveling

Those of you who follow my writings here on AC know that I took a trip to Europe in the spring of 2008. It was a memorable trip and I am of the firm opinion that people should travel whenever the opportunity arises. This might be related simply to childhood memories; my family lived in Japan for five years when I was in elementary school, and a large chunk of my eighth year was spent camping from the midwest to Alaska, traveling through the northern states and Canada. Traveling is in the blood, I guess, and I have thus spent a large chunk of time researching and planning the things that make journeys easier. Here are my top-10 favorites.

1) Comfortable Shoes ~ Especially if you're doing a tourist-type trip, having bad shoes can ruin an otherwise wonderful day. Invest in a pair of comfortable shoes that will also match the bulk of your wardrobe (bonus tip: plan your wardrobe around one or two basic colors). You want your feet and back to be comfortable. Two of my favorite brands are Ecco (a European brand ~ can be pricey, but well worth it) and Earth Spirit (available at Wal-Mart). Try to get your shoes ahead of time so you can break them in a bit first.

2) A Re-Usable Water Bottle ~ Personally, I love Sigg's stainless steel water bottles. You will get thirsty. Quickly. And you will greatly appreciate always having a water bottle with you instead of needing to purchase one. With restrictions on liquid on planes, it's also wonderful to be able to take your own empty bottle with you through security and then fill it once you've reached your destination.
Nice water bottles can run a little over $20, but they make a great investment for the future.

3) Change ~ If you're going overseas, go to the bank ahead of time and get some of your destination's currency. This saves ATM fees and allows you purchasing power right away.
Even if you're simply traveling by car in your own country, it's nice to have change on hand. You might want it for toll charges or a small gas station purchase.

4) Eatables ~ Granola bars or homemade trail mix (nuts, dried fruit, and chocolate in a bag together) will help greatly on your trip. Meal times tend to be a bit irregular when traveling, so having something available for an in-between snack (or to eat after a long hike) will make your day much better. If you're flying, make sure to have chewing gum to help you handle the changing air pressure.

5) An Umbrella ~ (tip: don't leave it on the plane, like I did!). You're going to be carrying bags, a camera, and might be far from your lodging... you really won't want to be drenched. You can compact umbrellas cheaply at Wal-Mart or Target. They tend to be much pricier in popular tourist locations, so you'll be doing yourself a service to prepare ahead of time.

6) Small Notebook & Pen ~ You'll want to jot down phone numbers, short shopping lists, memos to yourself, websites to look up later, books to look for, etc. Instead of rummaging around in your purse for a scrap of paper, have a notebook always ready.

7) Postage ~ If you're traveling your own country, buy postcard stamps before your trip so you can get postcards sent off to loved ones easily. Then you can simply write a note to them at your destination and get it sent off soon after. It's never fun to get home and find half-written postcards that you meant to send during your trip, except for the fact that you kept forgetting to get stamps whilst away.

8) Reading Material ~ Delays happen. In fact, I think there are three certain things in life... death, taxes, and travel delays. Don't bring something bulky... a couple magazines or a paperback version of your favorite novel will do. It'll make the delays easier and you'll have good memories tied with your reading material too. I re-read a huge chunk of Jane Austen's Mansfield Park while waiting for my plane at London's Heathrow airport, for example, and now have fonder memories of the book than I did before.

9) Hand Sanitizer ~ Like mealtimes, finding places to wash up on trips can also be irregular. After hiking or touristing, you'll want a way to wash up quickly before eating. You can get hand sanitizer in small travel bottles and it'll make life feel so much better. (tip: maybe also pack a small travel toothbrush to keep in your purse)

10) Wet Wipes ~ Try to keep a stack in your purse or backpack (keep them in a ziplock bag, with another ziplock bag there too - you'll use it later). You'll want easy clean up on your trip and these will make a huge difference.

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You can have all of these things and still have a lousy trip if you don't also have one other crucial component: A Sense of Adventure. Be prepared to have days that don't go as planned, or details that fall through. Enjoy the new experience each day affords and you'll have a wonderful time!