Whenever planning a big trip the first thing that comes to mind after organising all of the logistics is ‘What do I pack? what do I REALLY need?’.
We’ve been on the road for 7 months now and feel we have a pretty good idea of what we would call handy essentials. All of the items we are about to share, we have been so glad to have at different times on our trip so far.
Individually, what you and I might call essential may differ depending on our own needs but all of the following items which we have compiled into a list will suit all types of travellers! We have added some links to the same or similar products to the ones we have been using to make your pre-trip shopping a little easier!
Collapsible Water Bottle
Perfect for contributing your part to a more sustainable environment by reducing use of single use plastic bottles and super handy for free or cheap water refills. We’ve used ours at airports such as London Heathrow once passing through security and at hotels where a large drinking water fountain has been provided. These water Bottles are light in weight and collapse, saving space when they’re not in use.
Dry Bag
A dry bag comes in handy when spending time on the beach, by waterfalls or on boat trips where your valubles are more at risk of getting splashed. We have used ours to carry valuble items shuch as mobile phones and cameras. You can purchase Dry bags in a variety of sizes to suit your needs and lifestyle. A 20L bag has been about the right size for us!
Quick Dry Compact Towel
Quick Dry Towels are perfect for outdoor water based activities such as the beach and also tend to take up less room than a traditional style towel. As they dry more quickly these are perfect for when you’re constantly on the move, preventing you from having to carry a damp towel in your bag with other belongings. They also make a great back up towel if your accommodation does not provide one.
Bumbag (& money belt)
Bumbags have been a daily essential on our trip, they’re probably our most used item! Much easier than carrying around a handbag/shoulder bag we can keep our money, phone, keys and sunglasses on us at all times and hands free! Not only can they be worn around the hips but also across the body and on the shoulder like a handbag so they are versatile. They’re also great at preventing pick-pockets in busy tourist areas where these petty crimes are known to take place.
Another good item to have for situations where you want to hide your cash, bank cards, ID and passport is a money belt. These are designed to be worn close to your body under clothes so they are concealed and not noticeable. We use an RFID money belt to protect our contactless cards.
Documents Wallet/Folder
Perfect for keeping all important documents together, a document folder will easily slip into a carry on backpack. We use a doucments folder to hold our passports, travel insurace documents, spare ID photos for Visa’s, vaccination records and more! Not only do they stop documents from straying away, it protects them from getting crumpled, damaged and stained.
Gadget Bag
A protective ‘Gadget Bag’ is really useful for keeping all electrical accessories together and safe. Gadget bags have a layer of padding keeping things protected similar to a camera bag and usually have lots of pockets and sections to keep everything organised. In our gadget bag we keep things like charging cords, SD Cards, a Hard drive, Travel Adaptors and Camera Accessories. when we get to our destination we just pull out the bag from our carry on an put it on the side so everything is in easy reach and does not get jumbled up with our other belongings.
Hanging Toiletries Bag
A hanging toiletries bag can be taken out of your luggage and hung on hooks, rails or doorknobs in your hotel room so that you can easily access all of your products without having to lay them out on the counter or dig through a traditional style toiletry/make-up bag.
Packing Cubes
Packing cubes have been super helpful for compressing and keeping similar items together in our backpacks so that when we’re looking for an item we know where it will be straight away. They also keep everything tidy and if you wanted to unpack in takes seconds as you can just remove the cubes and pop them on the shelf in the hotel wardrobe! We live out of our bags as they open like a suitcase but the choice is yours!
Packable Rain Jacket
Perfect to storing in your backpack, in the car or under the seat of your motorbike, you never know when you might get caught out in a shower and we have used packable rain jackets multiple times whilst exploring South East Asia. They take up much less room than a bigger coat so they’re also ideal for fitting in your luggage.
Carabiner Clips
Small and super useful we have used carabiner clips to hang shoes, bags, water bottles, groceries and all sorts to the outside of our backpacks when travelling between locations. We recommend these carabiner clips which have a security catch, preventing the clip from being pushed and items falling off accidentally. (Note: We know you have common sense but these CANNOT be used for climbing so please do not try this!!)
Antibacterial Wipes/Hand Gel
Perfect for cleaning your hands on the go, especially in high contact areas such as airports, buses, and before tucking into some tasty street market food. Wipes are handy for when alcohol gel is not enough or for wiping down a surface. (Note: Please be a respectful traveller and dispose of Wipes responsibly in bins and not down toilets.)
Multitool
We have used our multitools multiple times on our trip, from opening packaging, adjusting things, opening bottles and filing our nails. A multitool usually has many uses (as it says in the name) so you never know when it might come in useful! Make sure you put this in your checked baggage as most airlines do not allow them in hand luggage due to having a blade.
Power Bank
Ideal for long journeys and travel days where one charge might not be enough. We have used our power bank so many times either during long trips or on days where we have used our mobiles for navigation and capturing video. GPS and camera Apps use the charge much more quickly.
Airlines do have a restriction on the size you can take on board so make sure you check this before flying. These must also be carried in you hand baggage with you onto the plane. Our battery pack is 10,000 mAH and has been just fine for us! This charges an iPhone around 2 times on a single charge.
Black Biro Pen
Make sure you carry a Black Biro around with you in your bumbag or carry on luggage. We have had to fill out different forms on the go for immigration, hotels, at bus stations etc and it saves having to wait for or find a pen from somewhere.
Ear Plugs and Sleep Mask
For bus and plane journeys, noisy hotels and hostels. Or a snoring roommate, you never know when these might come in handy!
Head Torch
Sometimes areas are dark, there is no street lighting or maybe there will be a power cut. In 7 months we have had 4 power cuts and we have used our Head torches to light the room in the evenings! An LED torch uses little battery power and preserves you from using precious battery life on your mobile.
World Travel Adaptor (and multi plug)
A world travel adaptor prevents you from having to carry multiple country adaptors with you! We just have one adaptor which has worked in every country we have been to so far. You may think one adaptor is not enough with all of your tech but we have a solution for you! Bring a multi plug from your home country that has both USB and standard sockets and you can charge multiple items at once!
RFID Card Holder/Wallet or Purse
We have an RFID Purse/Wallet for everyday use and also a Card Wallet to store our back up emergency cards. RFID protects your cards from having their information stolen or money taken from them remotely (if they have a contactless feature).
Collapsable Tote Bag or Backpack
We use a collapsible tote bag and backpack for when we pop to the shops to get a picnic for lunch or to grab some essentials. They both store small, prevent plastic bag use and can be placed inside a bumbag or backpack for whenever needed. A separate collapsible bag could also be used for laundry!
Waterproof Sandals
Waterproof sandals have been a game changer for us on this trip. We both wear Teva’s which are ideal for walking as they’re super comfortable but they can also be used in water meaning that they protect you feet when walking through water, entering the sea or waterfall when its stony and rough or when you’re caught out in a downpour. Laura has had her Teva’s for 3 years, this year they have been worn daily and are still going strong! Tom also has some loafer style crocs which have the same purpose, it just depends on your preference!
TSA Travel Combination Locks
For keeping your luggage secure without having to remember where you have put the key. TSA locks are useful as they allow airport officials to open the locks if your bag is selected for inspection which is very common when travelling in the USA (the cut the lock off if you don’t have a TSA lock).
*Please note, links in this blog post are affiliate links. This means that by clicking on the links provided and buying a product there will be no additional cost to you, however the company (Amazon) may reimburse us a small amount for sending you to their site – Its a Win-Win in our opinion!
