Shoutout to @destinymcclain_ for interacting with my story and suggesting this topic!
So let's get right into it. I am a budget traveler. Some of you already know that, others may be new to this life. I am always looking for good deals (and even help my clients get good deals - so hmu if you wanna book my services for your next trip). And that doesn't mean I stay in trash properties, it just means I rarely ever pay full price for anything I do (flights, hotels, excursions, you name it). It also means that I avoid having to spend "unnecessary" money when traveling (ie: bag fees, seat upgrades, etc) so I can spend my money on fun experiences.
For this blog post, I'm going to be writing about my travel essentials. Because I travel relatively often, I usually keep a couple things pre-packed and ready to go (and those are usually the most important things):
In the black "rich auntie energy" pack, you'll find unscented bar soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, a face towel (wash cloth, rag, whatever you call it lol), and a floss pic for my braces.
In the blue "Weekend Vibes" pack, you'll find: scented body wash, deodorant, shampoo, leave-in conditioner, and backup contact solution.
In the purple "coin purse", you'll find: an abundance of feminine products and a backup lip gloss.
In the red "coin purse", you'll find: extra contacts, and eye drops.
About 60% of the time, I'm traveling with just a backpack (because #teampersonalitem) - so I don't have the carry-on luggage like in the picture; but when I do, those feminine products and extra hair ties (scrunchies? idk) stay in there because you never know what you'll need. The Pandora bracelet only travels with me on special occasions.
Now in addition to those essentials, there are five other things that I will almost always travel with - no matter where I'm going or for what:
Blanket: last year for my birthday, my boyfriend got me this one that latches to your bookbag or slides on your luggage handle, and it is hella clutch; but even before that, I had a designated throw that was affectionately referred to as my "travel blanket". Not only will it keep you warm if the plane is cold, but it's also good for covering your eyes to nap during long layovers and laying under when napping/sleeping in lodging rooms between activities (when you don't want to take your outside clothes off and get completely under the covers).
Reusable water bottle: for one, who wants to buy water from the airport, it's always mad expensive; but beyond that, it encourages me to stay hydrated, contributes to sustainable tourism, and can double as a prop to hold my phone & get good photos on solo trips.
Neck pillow: honestly, this joint is not always the most comfortable, but it does 100% come in handy for sleeping on the plane (which I'm probably doing 80% of all plane rides I take).
Fanny pack: Mine is navy blue (so it blends in with most outfits), and it sooo convenient. Inside, it always has:
Neosporin to-go spray (never know if you'll get a cut/scrape)
Lip balm/chapstick (good especially now that we have to wear masks)
Lip gloss (which I love, but don't want to get my mask sticky all the time)
Pen (learned my lesson on my first trip to Mexico when I had to fill out the paper customs form but didn't have a pen handy smh)
Backup credit card
Passport Card or Global Entry Card (if I'm abroad)
Airpods
A few tampons
Cash if necessary
Hand sanitizer (well its attached, not inside, but still)
An extra jacket/sweater: Idk about y'all, but I get cold, quick. Even when I'm traveling to places that are warm, I bring some kind of jacket because inside places like that like to have the AC blasting smh. And sometimes it might be nice during the day, but freezing at night (ie: the desert oasis of Huacachina in Peru). Gotta have it!
Honorable mention is probably my portable charger. That joint has three usb ports, a usb-c port, and a flash light. It 100% comes in clutch for me and anyone I might be traveling with!
You might have noticed I was missing a couple things, lotion being one of them. I actually don't like lotion lmaooo, but I do usually bring it - it just stays in my book bag so I don't have to actively pack it. I don't really wear makeup, so makeup wipes are not a necessity for me; but if you do wear makeup, don't forget that! Sunscreen, extra masks (since the panoramic of course), and miscellaneous jewelry items (earrings, extra belly ring, etc) are also usually somewhere in the bottom on my go-to travel bookbag. And I think the regular phone charger is a given, because who goes anywhere without one of those these days?
But yeah, those are really my travel essentials that are critical to almost every single trip I go on. They fit easily into any personal item or carry-on luggage that I might choose to travel with, and I def recommend adding them to your travel checklist if you have one. I can honestly count the number of times I've ever checked a bag in my life on two hands, that is notttt for me!! So soon, I'll write about how I mastered the art of the personal item (mainly so I don't have to pay extra for baggage when I fly budget airlines). Until then..
Ciao for now,
DejaTheExplorer ✨