I have been wanting to write a blog post all about packing to list out everything we are carrying with us in our bags. Eight months into our trip, I still haven’t gotten around to it – there’s always something else that needs to be done when it comes time to ‘work.’ I hope to eventually write that post, but in the meantime, I thought it might be helpful (and interesting) to share a few random items that we packed that have been most useful. I’m not counting the typical things like a passport or camera, as those go without saying. Instead, these are some small and inexpensive things that we are happy we added to our bags.
This was a surprisingly light travel day for us – usually we have another bag in hand filled with water bottles, Gatorade, and snacks!
Twisty Ties
Everyone knows those small ties that are used to keep bread bags closed… usually a piece of wire encased with paper or plastic wrapping. Twisty ties (as we call them) have found a new purpose in our bags; they are used to keep our electronic cords wrapped and tidy. We use these so often that some have deteriorated and been thrown away, making our limited supply very important to us! As we have been traveling, we’ve actually found it hard to find twisty ties. We don’t often buy an entire loaf of bread, and sometimes when we do, it does not come with a twisty tie to keep it closed. This is one of the items that I have requested my sister bring for us when she comes to visit!
This is only a portion of the cords and chargers that we have with us in our bag. Twisty ties have been a great way to keep them tidy and organized!
Copy of our Passports
Before we left home, we made copies of all our important documents – driver’s license, social security cards, birth certificates, marriage certificates, and passports. These copies were all left at home for safekeeping and also scanned so that we could access them while on the road if needed. After reading other travel blogs, I also decided to take a copy of our passports with us in case we would ever need it. As it turns out, this is one of the items that we use the most! Jon has the copy folded in his wallet and we use it frequently, since we don’t carry our passports with us aside from on travel days. We have used this to purchase bus tickets, buy SIM cards, register at hotels and hostels, enter a national park, file a police report when we were robbed, sign up for tours, and so much more. In addition to the paper copy of our passports, I also keep a note in my phone that lists our passport numbers and expiration dates, so that I can access them quickly without needing to get out the paper copy. By now, I have both our passport numbers memorized, but it is still helpful to have the copy for times when someone needs to see it in order to sell us something.
We each have copies of our passports in our wallets, which we are able to use in place of handing over our actual passports.
GorillaPod for iPhone
Most people are probably familiar with a GorillaPod for cameras – the tripod with movable legs that can wrap around various objects to hold the camera stead. Randomly, I found one that was made for a phone and bought it thinking that it might come in handy on our travels. I have to say, it has been very useful! We use this to take selfies (where we can set it up with a timer on the phone, as long as it’s in a safe location), watch movies, or film video of something over a period of time. It’s small, compact, and lightweight, meaning that I carry it around in my purse most of the time. We use it most frequently to watch tv shows or movies, either while in hotel rooms or on buses/trains/planes. It’s been a worthwhile investment, and at only ~$15, not very expensive either!
The GorillaPod is small enough to fit in my purse but get used all the time, especially in hotel rooms and on transit days!
Small Notepad and Pen
A journal is a no-brainer for this type of trip, whether digital or in an actual notebook. But another item that has proven equally as helpful has been a small notebook that fits in my purse or Jon’s pocket. We use the notebook while we are out and about, to jot down whatever we might need. Some things we have used it for include shopping lists (for the few times we go grocery shopping), writing names of buildings or things we see, writing schedules for bus tickets to show the attendant, making a list of things we need to do when we have good wifi, writing the names of the foods and drinks we try, or taking notes while on a tour. I keep one in my purse at all times and Jon will carry one if we are going out on a tour or if we are gathering information for something. Mine is already half full and Jon’s is almost completely finished, so we’ll need to find replacements before too long!
This is my small notebook that I always have with me, along with at least one pen.
Plastic Grocery Bags
Reusable grocery bags are all the rage, and rightly so – they are much better for the environment. However, if you do find yourself in possession of some plastic grocery bags, don’t just throw them away! They have many uses! We threw a few in our backpack randomly before we left on our trip, just in case we might need them for something down the line. Now, we save them whenever we receive them from stores and they are a well-used item! We both use them to pack our shoes in our bags, so that the dirt from our shoes doesn’t get all over everything else. We use them to hold snacks when we get on a bus or plane. They come in handy as trash bags, since not all apartments or hotels have extra trash bags that we can use. We always have a few spare bags in our backpacks, since we never know what we may need them for in the future!
We reuse plastic grocery bags, like these pictured with our shoes to help keep the insides of our bags clean.
Collapsible Shopping Bags
Years ago, I received a couple of nylon bags that fold up into a small pouch. I forget where I got them, but have taken them traveling with us on our trips for the past few years. We have two – one black and one spotted pink – which both fold into a small pouch and have a zipper to hold them closed. Both bags are used frequently, as laundry bags, shopping bags, bags for snacks and drinks when traveling (if we don’t use a plastic shopping bag!), a bag for the beach, a bag to hold shower items (when using a communal bathroom, it’s nice to put your towel, clean clothes, and toiletries in one bag to carry and hang up, especially since some bathrooms don’t have many hooks on which to hang things!), or a picnic. While not waterproof, they are easy to clean up and it doesn’t matter if they get dirty, making them convenient when we are in less-than-pristine situations. I’m happy that we packed these in our bags since they have been useful along our journey!
We have two collapsible bags that zip into a small pouch, which we use for everything from laundry to shopping.
As you can see, these are all small, lightweight, and inexpensive items that we use frequently. Before we left, I had assumed that we would get the most use out of our expensive travel items, but the opposite has proven true. These random items, many of which were added to our bags as an afterthought, have proven their worth and climbed to the top of the list of things we use most often!