There are a few little necessities that you should never leave home without when you’re gallivanting around the world. Some of them may come in handy if you get stranded somewhere, others you may use every day! Below are a few things that I always make sure I have in my bag.
(1) A copy of my ID or passport. If (or when!) you lose your ID or passport, you will be so thankful to have a copy because it will make it ten times easier to replace the document. Be sure to store the copy in a different location than the original – you don’t want to lose both at the same time.
(2) Chapstick or Vaseline. Nothing is worse than chapped lips when you are trying to enjoy the view from the mountains, the Eiffel Tower, etc. etc. You can also use Chapstick or Vaseline to moisturize hands.
(3) A bottle of water. Self explanatory, but it is always good to have water available for (most importantly) drinking, and then maybe rinsing off your hands.
(4) An international cell phone. I’ve used mine as a safety net on many occasions – Googling hostels, grabbing a map, or even looking up exchange rates, not to mention actually using the phone part of my cell phone and calling an airline, hotel, or a friend.
(5) A little extra cash hidden away. Very important- for those times when you may be caught off-guard, having a few extra bucks hidden in your sock, shoe, inner coat pocket, or wherever, could get you out of many sticky situations….just plan to use it only for emergencies.
Some of these things may seem simple, but they can come in handy when you least expect it. They are easy to pack and don’t take up much space, so there’s really no excuse not to keep them conveniently at hand.
Feel free to comment on your own top 5 list as well!
