A Definitive Checklist of Essentials from a Seasoned Traveler

​I have traveled my fair share. You guys know that. From Russia to Spain to South Korea, I have covered a lot of miles around the globe and every journey has taught me a great many things, some of them blissful and some not so much.

Its cliché, but I have enjoyed the part where I meet new people, explore a new culture, and of course, eat delicious plates of local food (Oh, the foodie in me rejoices when I buy a new plane ticket, but my love for food needs a whole other post or more). But, these are the parts that you hear from everybody. What you don’t get to learn about are the small things. How to move around in a new city? How to tackle the language barrier? Or the one that helped me the most – How to pack for a trip?

This is a big one!

When you travel, there are many unfavorable situations that you can avoid easily just by packing right. So, I decided to curate a list that will help you pack well for your next trip. Let’s get into the thick of things.

1. Plug Converter

This might sound like a not-so-important item when you are packing a bag. But, believe me, when you reach that hotel room with a phone battery about to die in the dead of the night, and find a socket where your charger won’t fit, you will wish that you had packed a plug converter in the bag.

So, if you are travelling to a foreign country, always carry a plug converter with you. I cannot stress this enough. You will never find my travel case without a plug converter and my favorite one is the Ceptics World Travel Adapter Kit.

2. Portable charger

Take it from someone who has clocked in over six digit air miles – anything can happen even on a well-planned trip. What if you are stuck on a mountain road due to bad weather or stranded on a desert adventure without any juice or have to go primitive to explore the wilderness or something else. You MUST have backup. That backup is your portable charger.

Depending on where you are going, how many of you are going, and how many devices you are carrying, buy one or more portable chargers. Charge them before leaving town. Refrain from using these chargers until you have alternate sources of power. I swear by the KUPPET 20000mAh Power Bank. This portable charger has never failed me and I never board a flight without it.

3. OTC Medication

When I traveled to Mexico I caught a bad case of the runs. During that time of distress, my small medical kit came to the rescue. It was the Pepto Bismol that I carried that saved me from Montezuma’s revenge (local reference). You will never find my travel case without a full stocked case of OTC medication. You’ll find ibuprofen for fever, Pepto Bismol for stomach upsets, OTC painkillers, and more in my bag.

This small kit is literally a life-saver. Do not forget it. Ever!

4. Extra Bag

You will find this item only with a seasoned traveler. Reason being that you will only ever need an extra bag when you are returning from your vacation. Not when you are leaving and definitely not when you are travelling.

Have you ever shopped to your heart’s content and picked up souvenirs for everyone back home only to realize that you just don’t have the space to carry it back. How heartbreaking is that? You can try to fit everything in your travel bags and either end up breaking something or creating one extra-large luggage. By the way, you will have to pay extra for it at the airport.

You can avoid all that trouble simply by carrying an extra bag with you. I carry my ProCase Foldable Travel Duffel Bag everywhere I go. I keep everything I buy during my travels in this bag. So, when I get home and open the bag, it is nothing short of Christmas morning for me – checking out all the new and exotic stuff I can spoil my friends and myself with is sheer happiness.

5. Travel-size Liquids

Travelling is called an adventure for a reason. You cannot always predict what is going to happen. And this is when you realize how important smallest of the things are – liquid soap, a hand sanitizer, some shampoo, a little moisturizer – the list goes on. You are definitely going to get all these items at the hotel where you are staying. But, what if they stock a brand that you are allergic to, don’t like the smell of, or are generally repulsed by?

A simple solution – carry your own. Some of these liquids come in travel-size and will help you power through. You will not have to spoil your mood over such a trivial issue and instead, enjoy your holiday, irrespective of whatever toiletries are thrown your way.

6. Carry On Outfit

If you ever had your luggage stolen or lost in transit, you will understand what I am talking about. For those who haven’t, I hope it doesn’t happen to you, but the odds are not in your favor. 21.6 million bags are mishandled by airports across the world every year. So, the least you can do is be prepared.

Whenever you are travelling, always keep a carry-on outfit with you. It can be a T-shirt and jeans, a comfortable dress, or anything else that you can store in the cabin luggage. So, if I arrive at my destination and my luggage does not, I at least have something to put on until I get the time to shop.

This list comes from experience. The items that I have listed here are those that I have either missed when I was in a foreign country or those that saved me from ruining a perfectly good trip. Do not pack your bags without ticking off this checklist. You can thank me later. Safe travels!