Five Things to Pack for Travel
I’m on my way to Stockholm, Sweden to organize PodCamp Europe, and I’m a little anxious as I’ve never traveled outside of North America before. Within my country, I’ve put on thousands and thousands of miles over the last several months, and I’ve come to realize there’s a few things I want to take with me every time I head out for a trip. Here’s my plan: I’ll tell you five things, and you add your must-haves in the comments section. Deal?
Power Strip- As a geek/business traveler, I’m often surprised that hotel rooms aren’t tricked out with 100 free plugs for me to stuff my gadgets into for a charge. I think this PowerSquid Surge Suppressor is cool, because if your chargers have bulky ends like mine, this fixes that issue.
Quart-sized Plastic Zip Bags- I use these for a lot of things. I keep one for my expense receipts. I use another to store extra business cards. I keep a few energy bars in a third. In a pinch, these zip bags can come in real handy for a lot of reasons.
Baby Wipes- Not just for babies any more, a few of the unscented “just like cloth” type found in any baby products aisle at a grocery store tucked into , wait for it, a one-quart zip bag make a million useful saves for me while on a trip. Use them to wipe up after snacks on the run, or to clean up spilled coffee. Use them to spot clean clothes. Plenty more uses, I’m sure you’ll find on your own.
Duct tape- I don’t mean that you should take a roll, but instead take about 10 feet wrapped upon itself into a little rectangle about the size of a wallet. Use this for instant lint brushing, for hacking curtains shut to better darken the room, for hanging signs, for taping down your laptop cord at a conference, for mending damaged luggage, and about 3,149 other reasons, as well. (**Caution: taking a full roll on your carry-on might cause a security issue.)
Energy Bars- Meal replacement bars, or cereal bars, of whatever kinds of calories you can store simply and access when you need a boost is what I’m talking about here. Once, my plane was delayed after we’d boarded, and the delay stretched past an hour. I’d rushed to catch the plane, skipping breakfast, and here we were without any service (because they weren’t getting out those food carts in case we miraculously were cleared to get out of there). Energy bars to the rescue. These also save you from eating something horrible, nutrition-wise, just because you’re a captive somewhere. I don’t o anywhere without a few energy bars in my bag.
Your Turn!
What are a few MUST-HAVE travel items that you pack away every time you go on a trip? Hack my suitcase, people! I’m heading overseas tomorrow, and I might just need your help.
Chris Brogan blogs at [chrisbrogan.com]. He is co-Founder of PodCamp, and community developer for the Video on the Net conference.
Tags: 
Loading ...
Comments
Alex Kink says on June 10th, 2007 at 12:03 am
Keep in mind, that European power sockets are different from North American. So the power stripes we use here are useless there.
D T Nelson says on June 10th, 2007 at 12:15 am
A photocopy of the data page of your passport, carried someplace else on your person than your passport.
Linda Mills says on June 10th, 2007 at 12:41 am
Two-ounce plastic water mister. The finer the spray, the better. Invaluable quick fix for wrinkles in clothes (without ironing) AND for hydrating the air in arid hotel rooms.
Deb Harris says on June 10th, 2007 at 12:50 am
1. We bought a pair of battery-operated speakers at Bed, Bath and Beyond for $5.00. They stay in the luggage and travel with us wherever we go. I use them with my iPod and with the computer (bring a patch cable) when necessary.
2. My husband keeps a corkscrew in his toiletry bag - we ended up buying them every time we traveled for that bottle of wine we’d pick up to have in the evening, so we finally figured we would just bring one.
3. Cheapie plastic plates and some flatware.
elysa says on June 10th, 2007 at 1:10 am
I was going to say portable speakers for my ipod as well, but my ultimate must have is camera and it’s charger. I would love it if you could get mini febreze to take to freshen up hotel rooms.
Tina P says on June 10th, 2007 at 1:16 am
Here’s what I luckily had on me when I got stranded in the Buenos Aires airport overnight:
1. Baby wipes. After an overnight flight, or a night in the airport sleeping on a bench, it’s the next best thing to a shower.
2. A change of clothes in my carry on. Clothes get wrinkled after hours of traveling, things get spilled, etc. And honestly, after wandering around an airport in a foreign country for 24 hours, a fresh clean pair of socks and undies can do wonders for your outlook. Plus, they can double as a pillow if you’re sleeping on a bench.
3. A book and notebook. There’s only so much laptop time you can take.
4. Small amounts of cash stashed in several different places. If one of your bags gets stolen, you don’t want to loose all your money by keeping it in one place. Similarly, keep a photocopy of your passport and driver’s license in a separate bag from the originals.
John Collis says on June 10th, 2007 at 2:01 am
So, buy an International power plug converter, use that to power your power strip and then plug all of your stuff into the strip. This way you don’t need a converter for all of your devices. Make sure however that you only plug in items that can be powered from 240V as that is the standard in Europe. Most mobile phone chargers, laptop power supplies etc. are multi-voltage capable. You surge-suppressor may not be any good with a higher voltage. A simpler power strip could be the go here. If you have room, even take an extension cable.
If you are travelling with a laptop and you may need to use a modem - make sure you have a phone adaptor for the country you are going to. Most countries do not plug phones into the wall with an RJ-11. Also watch out in Europe, often phone systems are ISDN so your normal laptop modem will not work. If possible, plan to use WiFi - though you may need to be sure where to go for cheap access. If you can find a good Cafe with free wireless - this can be an absolute winner. Often Hotel Internet connections are slow, expensive and awkward to use.
Make sure you have a couple of copies of your itinarary - one in your handluggage one in your suitcase. If something gets lost or delayed in transit, you still need to know where you are supposed to be and after a long flight, if you’re a bit stressed, details can fly out of your memory.
The little bags that they may give you a travel kit (mainly if you fly business class) can be useful. The bags themselves often make great cable and accessory carriers for inside your suitcase.
Be prepared with foreign currency. However be aware that sometimes you may find it easier to use a Visa card. In general most other “western” countries are much more likely to use electronic point of sale, ATM machines than the U.S., so be prepared, but be keep it safe. Visa is more likely to be more useful, American Express will not get you very far in Europe.
Good luck. Europe is really great.
andrew silk says on June 10th, 2007 at 2:56 am
An alarm clock is great to have.. REI has a few different choices, but i like the Lewis and Clark night light clock, as it doubles as a flash light in a pinch. Which brings be to #2- a flashlight.. its really nice to have when you are in a unfamiliar room and wake up at night. I also like to travel with a moleskin notebook its great for a travel journal, expense report notebook etc.. Eagle Creek travel cubes and travel organizers also make a breeze of packing and unpacking. think of it as a one time investment. And finally, if you are traveling for more than a few days, a sink stopper and woolite, or laundry detergent & clothes line will keep the laundry bill down.
Jay says on June 10th, 2007 at 3:54 am
Extra meds are a must, especially if traveling overseas. Depending on what they’ll let you bring these days, OTC meds like cold tablets are also nice, especially when dealing with compressed air and confined space. You will breathe in germs, there’s no getting around it.
One other thing: photos of your family and where you’re from. People I’ve met overseas really seem to value this and helps them put you in context against an America they might only know through the media.
Bon voyage and godspeed. — Jay
Laura Athavale Fitton says on June 10th, 2007 at 3:55 am
Can pack some items of clothing in gallon sized ziplocs to keep suitcase neat, clothes less wrecked by the packing, etc.
One item that is totally impractical but will make you very happy. When I hitchhiked Ireland for 3 mos with just a 20 pound backpack (including sleeping bag & bivvy)this was my cutoff cowboy boots.
Something with which to carry drinking water.
Dean Johnson says on June 10th, 2007 at 4:06 am
We always pack camping silverware sets, one for each traveler. It makes it much easier to eat stuff in our room (and save money) if we don’t have to contend with plastic knives and forks.
Mary says on June 10th, 2007 at 4:49 am
I’m a bit of a minimalist when I travel, but I try to make sure I bring my “McGyver Kit” (or so I call it):
In a medicine vial (or small, durable container, like a mini altoids box):
* Roll of waxed dental floss (mini roll from the dentist, removed from it’s bulky casing)
* 2 or 3 safety pins
* 2 or 3 paper clips
* Duct tape wrapped around the outside
* a Hair band (more versatile than a rubber band), wrapped around the outside of the container
* One dose of pain reliever (prepackaged or put in a tiny bag)
* One dose of chewable pepto-bismol/pink bismuth
* A short, single edged razor or mini xacto knife
* A golf pencil or pencil stub
* a sewing needle
* 2 or 3 sewing pins
Now you can save the world.
evilbrent says on June 10th, 2007 at 5:49 am
my wife and I found this out the hard way today - if you’re travelling, no matter HOW far…
always
take
nappies.
your 2 yr old kid will poo.
Dani says on June 10th, 2007 at 7:19 am
I always pack a spare set of clothes in a gallon-sized zip-top bag in my carryon, including underwear. If my luggage is lost or delayed, I’m not stuck in the clothes I flew in.
My other emergency items:
-stain wipes
-needle and thread
-salt and sugar (peanuts and granola bar, or something similar)
-dramamine
Kate says on June 10th, 2007 at 8:34 am
i can’t believe no one said…
a towel!
Andy says on June 10th, 2007 at 9:02 am
I now take a mug so that I can have a decent sized cup of coffee in a hotel rather than the tiny cups you normally get offered.
For the geek side, I take a 4 way extension lead so I can plug my laptop, charger and mp3 in and make sure I have a long cat5 and a telephone cable so that the laptop can actually reach the phone/internet socket on the wall. For really long visits away from home in a hotel on business I may even take the playstation too (but that’s not really a must have!)
Oh - and a good book.
Larry Wright says on June 10th, 2007 at 9:21 am
@Kate: That’s really a good idea (HHGTTG reference aside). There are a number of lightweight “pack towels” for sale for. Campmor and Amazon sell these: http://www.campmor.com/webapp/.....;image.y=0
If you get stuck in a rainstorm, you’ll be thankful you had it.
+1 on the flashlight. Inova makes some nice small ones, as does Gerber.
For me, the definitive reference for what to take on a trip is the Onebag website: http://www.onebag.com/. There’s some really, really good ideas there, particularly if you don’t want to have to check a bag.
Michael Greene says on June 10th, 2007 at 9:33 am
Hand sanitizer and an output cable for my Zune that plugs in to hotel TVs.
abbey says on June 10th, 2007 at 9:33 am
Use the baby wipes to wipe down the TV remote, telephone and door knobs to help decrease your chance of getting sick.
Marie says on June 10th, 2007 at 10:40 am
a space cell phone charger lives in my suitcase
Also for long trips, a duffel bag. At conferences always collect more materials than you can pack in your original bag. And on vacation you can pack your clothes in the duffel to free up room to pack your breakable souvenirs.
AND, because airline travel is so fun and restricted- a self-addressed pre-posted padded envelope. That way I can mail myself any items that won’t make it past rigorous airport security but that I can’t bear to throw away.
and a caution- pack your house/car keys in one of those small outside poackets of hte suitcase, with any parking tickets or notes of where you parked. You don’t need the stuff during the trip, and it’s all together when you do need it.
pelf says on June 10th, 2007 at 11:57 am
I’d say bring a couple of plastic bags - to bring home dirty clothes, socks, wet towel.
Dave Anthold says on June 10th, 2007 at 2:41 pm
I bring my trusty Mac Computer, iPod, running shoes and of course a great rolling garmet bag because I am so lazy now that I hate to carry things :).
Jesse says on June 10th, 2007 at 3:15 pm
I’ve found the small, microfiber towels they sell at sporting goods stores to be incredibly helpful in a pinch. They dry quickly and can double as a pillow, a blanket, or a curtain.
A short, braided elastic clothesline (again, sporting goods stores) with hooks or suction cups on the end–include a few personal-size packages of Woolite packed in (ahem…) a quart-sized Ziploc. This drastically cuts down on the amount of clothes you have to pack, as you can do your laundry in your room. It will usually dry overnight. This changes everything, as it makes longer-than-a-week trips much more manageable and practical.
Finally, earplugs, for the love of all that is good and right in the world. Earplugs.
Don Hatlestad says on June 10th, 2007 at 3:38 pm
Ear plugs. I never travel without a pair. Good defense against wierd hotel room noises and screaming children when the plane is below 10,000 feet where headphones are forbidden.
Cynthia says on June 10th, 2007 at 4:33 pm
Definitely a towel. Highly recommend MEC.ca’s full size Adventure towel. Roles up to impossibly small size in it’s own mesh bag, highly absorbant, quick drying.
Steve says on June 10th, 2007 at 4:58 pm
Extra pair of shoes. It’s healthier for your feet and you’ll always have a dry/clean pair.
Get USB charging cables for everything you can. I went from carrying a power strip and 5 wall warts to 5 short cords.
I have a smallish padded bag that I carry:
- All my cords/cables/batteries, etc.
- Basic toiletries (including a new toothbrush.)
- A small first aid kit (band aids, pain killers, allergy medicine, blister care, cotton, hydrocortisone creme, antibiotic creme)
- High SPF sun block.
- Small scissors
- Piece of cardboard with a needle and several different colors of thread wrapped around it.
One advantage of this is that almost everything Airport security is interested in is in this one bag.
If traveling internationally:
- ~$100 in local currency
- Power/plug adapter if needed
- Skype phone.
- Photocopy of passport (just in case. Can expedite things at the American embassy if you loose your real one.)
If I’m going to be in a place for more than a few days I’ll usually buy a real towel. Yeah, I know, but I travel so lightly that a nice full sized bath towel takes up about 1/4 of my luggage. And hotel towels… ugh.
lilalia says on June 10th, 2007 at 5:02 pm
Empty plastic bags. If a mess collects around your airplane seat (empty cups, old newspapers) just pack it all into a bag and place in under your seat. They are also good for separating clean clothes from those not so clean.
We always carry two or three days of clothes essentials (e.g. change of underwear, t-shirts, bathing suit, and pjs) in our carry on luggage. We’ve lost our luggage enough to know this is a wise step.
Richard says on June 10th, 2007 at 5:54 pm
On both business and holiday travel, I’ve found the following helpful: Take half as many clothes and twice as much money as you think you need.
crispyking says on June 10th, 2007 at 6:30 pm
can’t believe no-one has said …
a power adapter
yes, “European power sockets are different from North American” so just get an adapter you can plug the strip into … and in turn all your gadgets
Charlie says on June 10th, 2007 at 9:48 pm
Rather than taking a charger for a digital camera, I take several fully charged extra batteries. I keep them with me so that once a battery is depleted, a have a spare handy. I’ve discovered that you can get third-party batteries on the cheap on eBay ($5 or so). Take a look.
Christopher Bowns says on June 11th, 2007 at 12:15 am
I find the Monster Power “Outlets To Go” to be hyperportable and very useful. Found a four plug version at Best Buy for about 20 bucks.
marcus says on June 11th, 2007 at 12:45 am
Bring a pair of bathing-trunks and sunglasses! This may not be a tip for all travels maybe, but right know it’s really warm weather here in Sweden! Also you can bathe in the middle of the capital if you like, there is a lot water. I live on the west coast thou, but the clock is just 6.40 here (I just woke up), and it’s warm outside!
Välkommen till Sverige!
Claire says on June 11th, 2007 at 11:09 am
Regarding power adaptors in Europe - I recommend checking this out before you leave, as often it’s hard to buy adaptors once in the country. In general adjacent countries in Europe often have need same adaptors but you can get caught out - e.g. in Switzerland where they use a standard European 2-pin socket, but in a recessed hexagonal socket which it’s impossible to get most standard adaptors into! This site http://kropla.com/electric2.htm is a really good resource for checking voltage and plug requirements. Oh, and I do sympathise with anyone heading to the UK where I am - yes, our plugs are possibly the biggest, ugliest and least convenient in the world.
Oh, and my travel essentials are a ball of string (saved my boots on the Inca Trail in Peru) and scissors!
Rajhesh says on June 11th, 2007 at 11:31 am
The power points (plug types) are very different in the US, Europe, UK and India. I am traveling in the US now and I come from India. The plugs never worked. I bought this TravelSmart multi-power plug types adapter, which can be used everywhere, in US, Europe/UK, Aus/NZ so works everywhere. This is one buy that I will recommend.
http://www.azriona.net/overseas/allinone.jpg
Rick says on June 12th, 2007 at 10:52 am
I have three power supplies my laptop. One is in my home office, one is in my office office, and the other is permanently stored in my suitcase. That way I never hit the road without a power supply. The same goes for my cell phone and any other essential piece of electronics.
Someone mentioned taking coffee. I can’t believe I never considered that until I went on vacation in Japan a few months ago. My Mother in Law (my wife is Japanese) suggested I bring some coffee because Japanese coffee is “normally” stronger than American coffee. Of course she didn’t realize that Cajun’s in Louisiana drink some of the strongest coffee’s around, Community Coffee. Now I take Community Coffee on all my business trips. REAL Coffee has Chicory in it
AEL says on June 12th, 2007 at 4:43 pm
I just want to add:
rubber band
mp3 player
extra batteries
I also use a
USB keydisk
with U3 installed and firefox, so if I have to log in to a public PC I am a little more protected, and I have my bookmarks and Documents.
tony says on June 13th, 2007 at 11:45 pm
slippers.. I find my feet get cold and a small pair of slippers always is worth the extra weight. Just don’t leave them there!
David says on June 14th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
1. Small container for change. Helps to get through security without dumping your loose pocket change into your larger carryon at the last minute.
2. Aspirin - take two before long air trips to be prophylaxis for clots in the leg veins. (more common that you think even in young people)
3. Consider sleeping pill for transoceanic flights, so you can sleep before you arrive, especially if you arrive in the am - really helps to have taken the aspirin so your sleep doesn’t add to the leg blood clots by inactivity in the sitting position.
Geedos says on June 16th, 2007 at 9:43 pm
I know you lot are all talking about high tech gadgets but whatever happened to an old fashioned good book?!? You can read it on the train, you can start conversations with it, and when you’re done you can swap it for another one with travellers you meet along the way. Perfect.
Oh - and don’t forget a pen for scribbling with. Pens on the road are like cigarettes in prison! Highly prized!
Wendy Perrin says on June 17th, 2007 at 6:19 pm
A few items that I don’t think have been mentioned yet but are particularly important if you’re bound for remote/exotic/developing regions: gifts for the children, such as pens, stickers, and postcards of the place where you live (these are great “conversation openers” with locals); your expired passport (good for those bizarre tourist sites in, say, China, where you’re asked to leave a passport at the entrance desk); a small container of stain remover to eliminate those clothing stains that don’t come out when you’re washing stuff with Woolite in the hotel-room sink; and a few Aveda Comforting Tea Bags.
M says on June 23rd, 2007 at 10:15 pm
If you head a bit off the well-beaten path:
Bring your own straw if traveling overland through Central America, especially southern Mexico. Coca-Cola is sold in baggies through bus windows (you *will* want a Coke, whether you like them now or not). The brittle, ancient straw provided cracks when a tight knot seals the opening around it. You suck more air than liquid. I learned to bite a hole in a bottom corner of the baggie and hold it over my mouth. A strong straw, thin enough to fit through the provided straw, turned out to be a lightweight luxury.
Hand sanitizer is heavy and bulky but puts your mind at ease. Just don’t insult people — use it discretely.
Oh, and keep an eye out for toilet paper or a reasonable substitute.
Take several gum-machine trinkets — kids love them. To win over adults on the bus, pack small packets of Neosporin or such. Antacids like Tums are a big hit. Ration them, but always appear to run out.
Patriot says on February 5th, 2008 at 8:22 am
I always take:
A Swiss Army Knife and my to-do list(pen included).
That’s all really.
Jodi says on March 23rd, 2008 at 7:46 pm
My cell phone. It has an alarm clock, camera, music player, calendar, and calculator; the screen doubles as a flashlight; if there’s cell service, it shows the local time; and you can use it to write down notes in a pinch. Oh, and it’s even been known to be useful as a telephone.
MaggieMae says on April 21st, 2008 at 4:17 pm
When traveling overseas to different areas with different currencies, I pack a very small calculator. It makes it easy when shopping and pricing items. (and much less mental effort)
AzzaMatt089 says on July 8th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
1. Some Pain Killers.
2. Coffee/Tea.
3. Mobile Phone
4. Laptop ( If Needed )
5. Clock.
6. Money ( WELL DURR..)
7. Pen And Paper.
8. Under Pants
9. T-shirts and pants.
10. Watch
11. Towel
12. A Book
13. A Games Console
14. Some Games
15. Toliet Paper
16. Mouth Cleaner
17. Pillow ( If You Like Loads Of Pillows )
18. Mini First Aid Kid ( always handy )
19. Sun Cream And Sun Glasses.
20. Some Sweets And Crisps ( for the ride there )