I love preparing for a trip, sometimes I think I like the prep and planning more than the actual experience. Below are a few things that I’ve learned to pack over years of traveling around the world. This isn’t your common packing list, but a list of unique items that you might not have thought to bring, but will pay off when you really need them.

  • Expandable Duffle Bag – get a bag that can be easily condensed when not being used. Pack this extra bag at the beginning of your trip away in your normal suitcase. Since it is collapsible it won’t take up much space in the beginning, then you’ll be able to use it later in your trip. The collapsible bag I bring serves a few purposes. The first is that it can easily be used if you need a day bag to go to the pool, beach, or other destination. The second is that you can use it to fill with dirty clothes as you use them on your trip. In the end, you’ll have a bag full of all of your used clothes, and your normal suitcase will contain only clean clothes. Often times, I check the dirty clothes bag home, and then can take everything in it right to the washer when I arrive.
  • Bug spray – not just spray for your body, but actual bug spray that you could use for a room or for anywhere else you might be staying. If you are taking budget accommodation, especially in the tropics, you may encounter ants or mosquitos. Spraying areas in the room with bug spray will prevent unwanted pests from entering your room or sleeping area.
  • Extended Phone Charging Cord – Most phone charging cords are only three feet long, why not have ten feet. The extra length will allow you to plug your phone in anywhere and still be able to use it at night in bed, or for extra length if you can’t find a seat right next to the outlet at the airport.
  • A sheet/towel/beach blanket – I carry a thin beach blanket with me that I bought in Mexico. It ends up serving many purposes on the beach, for shade, a towel, to a blanket on a plane.
  • Portable Charger – Having this extends the battery life of your phone or anything else that can be charged by a USB port. I’ve used it multiple times when my phone battery has died, and I couldn’t find an outlet to charge or didn’t have the time to wait by an outlet while my phone charged.
  • Electronic bags – do you, or do you know anyone that drinks Crown Royal? Save and use the soft cloth bags that Crown Royal uses for packaging to pack your cameras, phones, lenses, etc.
  • Water Proof Phone Case – You never know when you’ll want to take a picture of a river, waterfall, lake, ocean, or when you might encounter water and need to protect your phone.
  • Micro Fiber Towel – I usually carry a small microfiber towel with me. I use it from everything to cleaning electronics, to drying off if there aren’t any towels available and I need something that will quickly dry to pack back in my suitcase.
  • VIA Instant Coffee from Starbucks – I have to have coffee, and I prefer it to be good coffee. Instant coffee will never stand up to fresh-brewed coffee, but these are a good substitute.
  • Water Bottle – my favorite brand is Hydroflask, and I carry it with me everywhere. Buying bottled water adds up in cost day after day, and isn’t the most responsible item to purchase and use.
  • Electric Power bar – Grab a power bar you might have at home, or grab one at any store. Having one allows multiple devices to be plugged into one outlet, great for airports, hotels with few outlets, and when you are using a converter. If you only have one power converter in a foreign country, you’ll need to take turns charging each device or using appliances. If you have a power bar, you can plug it into one converter and multiple the number of outlets you have.
  • Shower Caps – take them from your hotel to put around the bottom of your shoes, this will keep them from getting items they touch in your suitcase dirty.
  • Travel Agenda – all things travel, in one place. It is like a giant wallet, and I keep everything related to traveling in this. Passport, immigration cards, tickets, money, credit cards, pen, coins, receipts, and frequent customer cards. I have one that Fossil makes and really like that it zips closed, this keeps any loose items secure.
  • New-Skin Liquid Bandage – I love this stuff, putting a sticky bandaid on a cut never lasts, and this seals the wound usually until the wound is healed.
  • Small Air Mattress – Having a small air mattress is a life saver if you ever end up having to spend the night in an airport, or anywhere else that wasn’t planned (train station, camping, friend’s house, car). I bought a Klymit mat a few years ago and have loved it. It only takes a few breaths to inflate and is super durable. (and a Utah company)
  • Small Luggage Locks – I like to have these to place on my luggage and backpack to lock them shut when I’m on a train, or ferry or anywhere else were thefts might need a little deterrence.
  • Small Cables – Use these in combination with your small luggage locks. I use them in many different combinations; locking my bags together, locking my bags to poles/beds/chairs, or even using them to lock something else shut like a cabinet in a hotel room to make a makeshift safe.

Medicine Kit – I have a few things always packed in case I need anything out traveling. Many of these items are really cheap and easy to receive in the United States, but can be harder to find and more expensive in other countries.

  • Ibuprofen
  • Allergy pills
  • Itch cream
  • Antibiotic cream (Neosporin)
  • Liquid bandage
  • Imodium
  • Rehydration salts
  • Wet wipes
  • Zinc pills
  • Multi-vitamin
  • Emergen-c