With over 30 years of travelling to over 110 destinations, I’ve learned all my lessons the hard way when it comes to packing for a trip. Packing is an art. When you’re spending weeks on the road, you must travel light and be super organized but also cover all the different scenarios you can face.
You learn to become extremely creative and ruthless when making that final cull of items which make the bag. While I’ve learned to be efficient and pack light, I’ve also built up a list of items I couldn’t travel without. Here are my 10 travel items which make every trip:
1. Packing cubes
I’m obsessed with packing cubes. Packing cubes are small zipper bags that group and compact your clothes. For example, I’ll use one for t-shirts, one for button shirts, one for long pants, one for short pants, one for underwear, and another for socks. It makes it super quick and easy to reach into your bag and find an item without turning it upside down.
If you haven’t used packing cubes before, they will be a total game-changer in how you travel. Even if you are doing a one-destination trip, packing cubes make packing, unpacking, and re-packing much faster and easier, giving you more space and keeping your clothes and items neatly separated. Gone are the days of riffling through my suitcase for a pair of clean underwear, unpacking and repacking every other day of a road trip.
2 & 3. Ear putty and eye mask
Maintaining a good sleep schedule is important to your mental and physical health when travelling. This is even more true when you are on a long trip, jumping from place to place and crossing different time zones. You’ll have moments when you need to sleep during a flight or bus ride. You might have nights in a noisy neighbourhood or a bedroom with wafer-thin curtains. For me, having good ear putty and a blackout eye mask are essential and the first things I pack.
I’m a light sleeper. I found that standard earplugs never quite work for me, But when someone put me on to silicon ear putty, I was hooked. It blocks out so much more sound and is incredibly comfortable. Similarly, I find most standard eyemasks uncomfortable after an hour of use. Recently I tried a £6 blackout eye mask, and it’s been a revelation. It blocks out all light and feels extremely comfy.
4. Noise cancelling headphones
I spend much of my travel time listening to podcasts and music or watching videos. Having a good pair of lightweight, high-quality headphones has always been essential. For the last 5 years, I’ve had Bose QC35 ii noise cancelling headphones, which have become one of the first items I pack.
Not only is the sound quality deep and crisp, but they are extremely snug. The noise cancelling is so good, I will often wear them on a flight to help me sleep, even when I’m not listening to anything. They do an amazing job dulling down all the background noise, making for such a good relaxation aid.
5. Apple AirTags
This is a new addition to my travel kit, which is now classed as essential. Where ever I go, I now take a set of 3-4 AirTags tracking devices. During travel, I place one in my check-in bag, which allows me to keep tabs on where it is during the flight. Not only can I check that it has arrived with me to the new destination, but I can track its arrival at the carousel. I’ve not had to use it for any lost luggage yet, but I can see it offering some valuable info should my bag not arrive with me.
Once at my destination, I use the AirTags in various ways. I have one on a key ring, which can attach to any accommodation or vehicle keys. Another fits into my travel wallet, and another in my money wallet. I’ve even handed them to friends when travelling in a group and needing to split up. It’s an awesome backup should someone in the group get lost and uncontactable.
6. Universal Travel Adapter
A decade ago, I remember carrying 5 or 6 plug adapters to cover every combo I might need on my travels. Not only did it add so much unnecessary bulk and weight to my luggage, but even then, it only allowed me to charge 1 or 2 devices simultaneously. Now I have a simple, lightweight, universal adapter which does the lot. And with a socket and 4 USB slots, I can charge all my gear in one go.
7. Dual sim phone
While roaming charges are getting better, nothing beats having a local sim. In most countries, you can pick up a cheap pay-as-you-go sim from the airport or phone store, allowing you to take advantage of local rates. Having a dual sim phone allows me to keep my UK sim active to receive calls and SMS while running off a local network at local rates. I also have a local number I can give out when needed.
I currently use an iPhone 13, with my UK sim activated as an eSim leaving the physical slot for travel sims. Alternatively, I also use the Airalo app, which can act as a second eSim and allows me to connect on a local tariff when I can’t get a local pay-as-you-go solution.
8. Snood
The versatility of a good snood will serve you well on your travels. In cold places, it can warm your ears, nose, and lower face. In the heat, it protects you from sunburn on your neck or head. On flights or other journeys, it can act as an eye mask. It can even work as a makeshift face mask when required.
I’ve become such a snood snob that I now have a thin one for warm destinations and a thicker one for colder climates. One, or both, will always make my travel bag.
9. Painkillers & Electrolytes
I’m counting this as one item. I always keep a basic medicine kit with me on my travels. This usually includes bandages and bandaids, diarrhoea medicine, and something to tackle heartburn. But the two medicines I’ll always check for first are painkillers and electrolytes.
Painkillers are an obvious one and regularly come to the rescue. Travelling can cause additional mental and physical stress, so it’s not unusually for me to get a headache or some pain and discomfort during a long trip.
I also need to include a tube of SIS electrolyte tablets. Whether struggling to adjust to the local cuisine or feeling run down, electrolytes help to rehydrate and aid my recovery. As a bonus, having a large glass of water with an electrolyte tablet before bed also helps avoid a nasty hangover.
10. Laminated copy of passport
In many countries, it’s mandatory to always carry an ID. For many of us, our passport is our only ID, but it’s not something you want to risk losing. Instead, I will always carry a credit-card-sized, laminated photocopy of my passport in my wallet. This is widely accepted as ID and allows me to leave my passport locked in my hotel room.
I’ll often get a new one made when I enter a country. This can be done at most photo stores. Getting a fresh one allows me to get a copy of my latest/relevant visa printed on the reverse side.
Bonus: Always pack a change of clothes in your carry-on.
It’s estimated that 28 million bags are mishandled by airlines each year. In most cases, lost luggage is found and shipped to you within 3 days. Knowing that can be some comfort, but if you aren’t prepared, that can leave you wearing your travel clothes for the first few days of your trip (or having to do emergency clothes shopping).
I always pack at least one change of clothes in my hand luggage. Usually, that will include my toothbrush, 2 t-shirts, 2 sets of underwear, and a pair of joggers. Not only does that cover me in case of a delayed bag, but it also allows me to freshen up after a long flight; while waiting for my luggage to arrive, I’ll often have a quick wash, clean my teeth, and slip on a clean t-shirt.
