8 Noteworthy Travel Essentials
Written by: Nina Grace
Packing for the long or short haul can be a bit stressful at times and many of us (although we hate to admit it) are last minute packers! I recently stumbled upon Gather & Dwell's Traveling Checklist and decided to create a list of travel must-haves to go along with my new checklist!
1. Passport: If your travels take you abroad this is an obvious necessity, but it also serves, somewhat, as a souvenir! Everyone likes getting their passport stamped to see and showoff where they've been.
2. Cross-body Satchel Bag: Functional and stylish. Enough said.
3. Camera: Most of my gifts after a trip are personal photographs taken with my DSLR.
4. Map/Map App: I tend to use my cell phone and a couple of handy-dandy apps to keep me abreast while exploring a new city. If I'm taking public transportation (metro/subway/tube) I'll snag at least two metro maps as well (a back-up in case I loose one, which is bound to happen). I love City Mapper & the ever loving Google Maps. Both are utilized to tell me EXACTLY how to get to my destination and approximately how long it should take me to get there by foot, public transport, or car. *
5. Snack & Water: It's important to eat, however, some of us get so wrapped up in exploring that we forget to recharge. Carrying a snack like trail mix or fruit and a water bottle will instantly give you a boost. The water also helps during those long commutes on the London Tube during hot summer months!
6. Scarf: This stylish accessory also serves as a piece to keep warm. Especially useful on long flights or train rides when traveling. Pick a scarf that is light or heavy depending on the season in which you're traveling.
7. Hand Sanitizer: Keep those germs away and avoid getting sick on your trip.
8. Cash - We live in the age of plastic and internet, meaning we normally pay with our credit cards or via some online payment method. When traveling, be it in your home country or abroad, always be sure to have cash on you. Incidentals, city taxes that are not included in your initial hotel booking price (this is a common practice in Rome, Italy), the restaurant you've chosen only takes cash, etc. You just never know when you'll need it and in this case, it's better to be safe than sorry.
* Tip - for those who are unable to use the apps on the spot due to lack of phone data: find wi-fi, search your destination, screen-shot the instructions & save to your image gallery. Refer to the image(s) as instructions.
