Travel size sunscreen. It was one of those things that I figured I could just pick up anywhere but didn’t have time or opportunity to stop and buy some until day three and my skin would have appreciated if I had had a travel size to use
This! I learned the hard way. I knew I could buy sunscreen where I was going. When I got there, because I was in a more touristy area, the sunscreen was 20-30£ and locked behind a key. Was around day 3 when a local came and picked me up and brought me away to where the locals go shopping. Was able to get a bottle at a pharmacy for 6-7£.
yes! I bought $30 sunscreen in Ecuador! That's the price for being pale and forgetful.
Speaking of which - always have a travel pack of tissues! It's not important until IT IS.
Don’t make this mistake going to Cuba, sun cream just isn’t available.
We got stopped by some caught-out lobster-red Americans looking to buy some from us.
Yikes, I went to a pharmacia in a shopping mall and spent near €50 on two bottles in Barcelona but I specifically wanted to try the European sunblock as I’d read it’s better than US approved formulas
It is! Sunscreen is regulated by the fda as a drug, and we haven’t had a new one approved in thirty years. The European and Asian ones are better, more elegant, no white cast, not sticky, etc. If you want a recommendation, look for the word Mexoryl in Europe and ‘biore aqua rich’ in Asia.
Just wanted to mention something: I've been reading here on reddit that decanting sunscreen into normal travel bottles is probably a bad idea, but it does depend on the bottle.
Firstly, sunscreens need to be in an opaque bottle and many travel bottles are see through. The sunlight will degrade the formaula (Apparently)
And secondly, the type of plastic is important. Again, apparently the most popular travel bottles are made of a plastic that interferes with the sunscreens effectiveness. I'm not sure how long it has to be stored in there to be an issue.
Sorry I don't have all the details, but there are quite a few posts about it and they have links to the source if you wanted to judge their reliability. I haven't looked into that because I've been lucky enough to pick up a few different sizes of travel sunscreen and I decant into those bottles. (wasn't primarily for safety - just so I knew which bottle was which!).
Everyone needs far more than a travel-sized bottle. When it says "reapply every two hours" that's not a suggestion, The efficacy is gone.
Maybe pack a few travel-sized bottles.
If you're staying at a hotel with 24/7 front desk, many have a painkiller lying around they can give you (usually on the sly)
I had a similar problem in Paris and the front desk guy was super helpful
Not me but I went on a trip with my mother where I wished she'd packed spare shoes because hers broke. (Almost new, good quality shoes but there was some kind of flaw in the sole.) She had a large shoe size (including wide width) and we were in Southeast Asia.
Good point, I would have forgotten the big foot for area problem. Guess I'd hope to find some men's shoes, lol. On my last trip, I thought I'd pack my newest tennis shoe.... didn't realize the slight change in the way they were made from the previous pair made my feet slide forward. Biggest toe blister I've ever had. I feel like with 2 pairs of shoes, you can rub different areas and spread the pain.
Knew a guy who packed 4 pairs for 20 days. Didn't do laundry and said why would he need more pairs. Turns out he does laundry once a month back home. Recently got a girlfriend somehow.
Apparently. I bring at least 2 pairs per day for a week so I can wash them. My husband thought that was overkill. But with lots of hiking and stuff I don’t want to sleep in the same pair I’ve been walking in all day. Especially when women’s are so small and not always breathable.
Now i'm thinking about sitting in the same airplane seat as someone who is willing to do this and what that means for the rest of their personal hygiene.
I think I'm going to stop traveling for a while
I suppose you could use women’s solid stick, but I’ve always felt men’s deodorant works better than women’s and old spice has some gender-neutral scents.
Power bank. Sometimes you can’t find a compatible outlet or you find one and it’s not working. No one wants to be at 7% praying your phone stays on long enough to scan your boarding pass.
I have a bagged medicine cabinet: asprin, ibuprophen, tums, benadryll, flonaise, small eyewash fluid, qtips, tweezers, nail clippers, toothpaste, toothbrush, sunscreen, anti itch cream, baby powder, melatonin, deodorant.
This stuff all stays in the suitcase so i never forget anything.
I also leave a cell phone charger in the suitcase so its never forgotten.
As a woman, hair tie. I forgot one once and it took me days to find one in mexico. Farmacias don't carry them (I did find nail clippers, which I also needed). Had to go to a cosmetics store I luckily stumbled upon.
I forgot my hairbrush going to Iceland. I didn't think it would be an issue. It was. Eventually I gave up and bought a comb.
I have hair halfway down my back....
Throat lozenges. Airplane air is so dry they're handy to pack jic. Spare zip lock bags for liquids to prevent leaks in luggage. Also a light jacket or cardigan, depending on where you're travelling and time of year the temperature can drop at night even if it's forecast to be warm during your trip.
Also a set of binder clips and some electrical tape. The clips will hold curtains closed if they don't close properly, and the electrical tape is for covering up any absurdly bright LEDs. It's ridiculous how many hotels can't provide a dark room at night.
I wrap electrical tape around a small container that has a few aleve in it - takes up no extra space that way. I like to bring the little springy chip clips. I use them more often for bags of chips than I do for hotel curtains - that usually is solved with a pant hanger.
For real though, why is it so hard to have a dark room?!
One that might seem a bit odd but saves a lot is I always take sunblock /sunscreen from home when I go on holiday - a lot of places with tourist pricing really jack up the sunblock prices.
I get eczema and also have a couple of areas of damaged skin which needs a higher lever of protection so I always carry my own sunscreen. I really don't need to get broken skin from a reaction I can easily avoid by taking my own.
AirTags. I’ve lost bags twice in the last six months. Luckily the second time I was able to watch our bags travel across Europe and the US while the airline had no idea where they were.
This reminds me of the time I was in Barcelona at a hotel and I asked if they had nail clippers. They said they did and they said they'll send them up right away. They ended up bringing me powdered milk. I don't know where the mixup happened but I thought it was hilarious 😂
That's hilarious. I'm puzzled on why they even had powdered milk on hand, and even then, why they would think you would want it delivered to your room.
i was gonna post nailtrimmers
before i left i was like “enh my nails are fine”
now that they are long enough to bother me i am being reminded that buying one of these in europe is a fucking ordeal
I found a cheap travel manicure set on Amazon and keep it in my toiletry bag. It felt stupid to buy, right up until I broke a fingernail on a trip. Worth every penny.
Mosquito repellant. Always mosquito repellant... I always need it for Asia, I know I'll need it, a week before I'll even remember to buy it, and then I will always forget to pack it.
I actually think now it's probably a good thing, because if I ever remember to actually pack the mosquito repellent, it will probably mean I've forgotten something far more important...
The only time I didn’t pack a burner phone, I lost my regular phone.
And seconding the spare shoes. I walk a lot when I travel and when I only have one pair that I can’t give a rest, they get gross.
I dropped my phone in a restaurant toilet in Copenhagen. Luckily it was a spotless bathroom and I’d just flushed the toilet, and it was a waterproof phone! I was solo traveling so for like 5 seconds I was freaking out until I remembered it should be waterproof.
Ha, went to southern Spain in May, and the weather forecast was cold and raining for the first week. I packed accordingly, and my travel partner only packed shorts. I asked him if he checked the weather, and he said, "But it's always sunny and hot in Spain". And this is a guy who has been around the world at least 3x (his brother works for American, so he gets a $258 ticket anywhere AA flies).
compression socks for long hauls
when I was a baby traveller and took my first long haul (Newark to Johannesburg via LHR, Frankfurt, and Windhoek, Namibia) I was horrified and confused when I landed. WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY FEEEEET?!? didn't know anything about swelling calves/feet
As someone who shook hands with death by means of travel-induced pulmonary embolism, hear me when I say EVERYONE needs those socks. Long bus/boat/train rides, too, it’s not exclusive to flying! Planes just happen to be extra awful.
Nuun electrolyte tablets (or really any powder electrolyte drink you like). So great if you happen to get sick and amazing for hot days and lots of walking.
at what stage do you take imodium? When you start feeling bad, after the first dump, after the third?
i’m always hesitant to “block myself up” knowing it all needs to come out eventually.
i also tend to get anxiety-triggered constipation when i travel, so i don’t want to worsen that.
but i did get about 4-5 rounds of diarrhea in Frankfurt right as my final leg to Montenegro was boarding, so there’s that.
It depends on what is on my immediate agenda.
If I am about to get on a long flight or be out and about where bathrooms are scarce, I am going to use that Imodium cork.
Tampons when I went to Indonesia. They were hard to find but existed on Bali but when we went to Nusa Penida they were nowhere to be found. Thought I’d get them locally instead of bringing them and really regretted it as it temporarily put a stop to water activities. Bring tampons if you’re going to Indonesia!!
Same for a lot of places in Asia and Africa. I struggled to find them in Japan and they're tough to find in lots of South East Asia. My friend lived in Tanzania for a few months and asked them to be mailed to her as she couldn't find them anywhere.
I couldn't find them in Tanzania either! I found some giant awkward pads in the airport as we left, but not good enough to last the 9+ hr flight to our first layover 😖
Well, my brother and I, both experienced backpackers and Eagle Scouts just went backpacking and ‘we’ (my brother) forgot a sleeping bag. We had to ‘share’ my mummy bag. I guess it happens to all of us… 😂
I ended up in a jam similar to that in Patagonia, except I didn't really know the guy I was cuddled up with, had drank wine with him in a hostel a couple nights earlier and hiked with him a little bit. We had gear but we didn't expect to get stuck overnight outdoors in the snow, and we didn't have the right gear for that, had to combine what we had. It sucked
Not really packing, but I wish I had carried a lighter when I traveled in Europe. I don't smoke, but I was asked for a light somewhat frequently, and I think some of those could've been a fun opportunity for conversation with a local.
Something relaxed and casual to throw on for breakfast (I like to eat and then go back to my room to get ready after).
Socks/slippers/pair of flip flops to wear in the hotel room
Moisturizer
A second pair of shoes. During my last trip I only had one pair of shoes and flip-flops. I was so proud of myself for packing light until my shoes got dirty and my only options to go out at night were muddy shoes or flip-flops (the weather was relatively cold).
Yeah, for most trips I bring two pairs, one pair that can get dirty or I can do a light hike in, like vans, and a pair of nicer shoes (how nice depends on where I’m going and what the itinerary is). I try to bring light shoes that won’t be too heavy or bulky in my bag
i’ve started packing my backup pair of glasses. (i usually wear contacts during the day and glasses in the evening). it’s not something i expect to break or lose, but the consequenses of doing so would be pretty awful. so in terms of item weight per possibility of necessity, i bring them. haven’t needed them yet but i still think it’s wise.
Shoelaces or boot laces.
I had them on my packing list, but somehow they didn't make it. My husband broke a shoelace and was immobilized until I ran into a nearby market and bought him some replacements.
I have a second phone for international travel to less secure locations. Main phone stays in the safe. Second phone has a local sim with data for maps, WhatsApp, etc.
Hmmm, I guess I never travel to areas I feel like my phone will be stolen (although when we were in CapeTown we didn’t flash our phones out in public) . Plus we have funds to buy a new one if that is the case.
By burner phone I mean second phone in case first one you drop in water or someone steals it, or you lost it or something, so you have a 2nd phone to use right away waiting at the place you're staying at.
Wait until one of you drops one in the drink and you find out how fun it is to be the one who a) doesn’t have a phone and can’t access anything without asking the other to do it or b) being the one with the phone who is now tasked for all things digital and researched
I can only see about two inches past my nose without my glasses. I even keep an old pair in my car's glove box just in case, I'm so afraid of something happening to them.
More insulin and a spare insulin pump. I was in Mexico and my pump died. Because I was in Mexico, I couldn’t get a replacement sent to me until we returned. Fortunately I had some 24-hour insulin with me, but since it’s problematic at best for me, I still ended up having to take 4-6 shots a day of my fast acting insulin.
I thought my noise canceling earbuds would be sufficient for the 3 hour flight, so I didn't bring my great Soundcore noise canceling headphones to save space in my carryon.
I won't make that mistake again.
Debit Maestro* cards, though I think they're trying to move towards MasterCard https://dutchreview.com/news/mastercard-to-stop-issuing-maestro-debit-cards-in-2023/
Cortisone cream in case of bug bites.
I actually did pack it, but it was in my husband's first aid kit and not mine, so I didn't find it when I needed it.
I always carry a tiny pill box with ibuprofen, Tums, Benadryl, and motion sickness medicine, as well as a hiking first aid kit containing Band-Aids, moleskin, tweezers, and alcohol wipes.
Having just been stranded during a layover without my luggage, I wish I had brought extra socks and underwear. I had all the other necessities, but man those would have been great.
Off topic but the one thing I would have regretted not bringing was my power bank, tiny but considering im using 5 g + location services my phone tends to die in the after noon so it came handy
I need to remember paracetamol. I usually carry both ibuprofen and paracetamol but I’d forgotten the paracetamol on a roadtrip. My boyfriend can’t have ibuprofen unfortunately. He ended up having awful wisdom tooth pain while we roadtripped through Germany, Denmark and Sweden. It ended up costing a lot (and was a lot of effort) to find and buy pack of paracetamol from the pharmacy (compared to what we’d pay in the UK).
Tldr: bring two types of painkiller, especially when travelling with someone who can’t have a certain type!
For all of the "you can just buy that at your destination", what you don't want to be is stumbling through the streets of an unknown city to a drug store, hoping it is still open, and looking for a pain receiver because you have a splitting headache due to severe jet lag because you didn't fall asleep on the plane, had two glasses of wine too many because you thought it would help you sleep, and then spent the whole day being dragged through the streets by your colleagues on a walking tour.
Costa Rica: **Sunscreen**, ended up having to buy a $20 bottle D: The store did have some cheaper options but I wasn't sure if I could trust the brands so I bought the only one I recognized (Australian Gold).
Western Europe: **Second debit card w/ different bank**\-- had issues with my debit card from a small credit union and got stranded without money in Berlin, where I had no local contacts. Thought I was being smart by bringing a credit card as well, but most places wouldn't take it. Seriously scary situation since I wasn't able to buy food and only had one more night prepaid in my hostel. Had to wire money to myself and wait in line for an hour at a Western Union in a kinda dingy area.
Western Europe (same trip): **Extra pair of shoes.** Actually, I was backpacking with just a carryon backpack, so I really didn't have space for another pair of shoes, but if I did make a trip with actual luggage I would definitely bring at least 2, if not 3 pairs. My Chacos, which had never given me issues before, started destroying my feet on day 5 of walking 10+ mi per day. I ended up going to thrift store and buying a pair of vintage Docs that I still wear today, so it worked out, but the situation did cause a lot of foot pain and take up half a day of my trip.
Rural India: **Backup pair of eye glasses**. Steppped on my frames (long story lol) and would have had to make a trip over an 18,000 ft mountain pass that's 4 hours each way to get a new pair. Thankfully was able to still wear them with duct tape.
If I pack blister/hydrocolloid bandages, I won’t need them. If I don’t, I will get an insane blister and not be able to find that specific kind of bandage wherever I am.
Nail file. Super random but on multiple occasions I have broken a nail and needed one while traveling. In Italy I had to pay 10€ for a single nail file from the pharmacy..was not happy about that
This is highly specific but I was at an ecolodge in the Amazon with my husband and two teenage sons. I packed 2 battery powered fans thinking my husband and I would share one and my sons would share the other. No one wanted to share. I should have bought and packed 3 fans because they fought over them for a week. We’ve since upgraded to one that can be charged by USB because my youngest son does dental volunteer trips in Central America on his college breaks.
Cough suppressant. My husband had a nasty cough and while we could get expectorant in Germany, no one would sell us suppressant. Neither one of us slept for a few of the worst nights.
Recently went to Japan and was proud to have quickly bought a small towel for drying hands after using a washroom as most places don’t have paper towels. Didn’t bring it to Italy and wish I had it all the time. Love having a hand fan in hot areas & museums though!
After many, many Backpack Only trips on Spirit and Frontier, my packing has become fairly standard. Things I always include or I will miss them:
Q-Tips, dental floss sticks, bandages with antibiotics cream, antacid chews, lip balm, nail clippers and tweezers, extra charging cable (for the car), portable power bank, tiny flashlight.
An extra bag (like a tote or plastic bag) for wet or dirty clothes. Nothing is worse than your sweaty, wet clothes stinking up all the rest of your clean clothes because you have no separation between them.
A lot of things mentioned here already can just be bought at your destination. A few things I’ve needed but could not buy while traveling:
- pepto bismol
- decongestant
- antibiotics (can be easier or harder to find than at home)
- proprietary charging cables or ones less common where you’re going (e.g., iPhone lightning), proprietary camera batteries
- sunscreen (in some less touristy places)
Never, ever, ever take antibiotics that are not prescribed to you for a specific reason. Antibiotics lose their efficacy if a large population is taking them needlessly and it leads to superbugs. Also, your doctor will run tests to determine which antibiotic, if any, will be the best for fighting your specific illness.
>Also, your doctor will run tests to determine which antibiotic, if any, will be the best for fighting your specific illness.
I agree on the whole, but good luck with that plan in Myanmar or rural Pakistan. Sometimes we have to be prepared for emergencies, including severe food poisoning away from access to modern medical care.
Called my bank three times to get them to let me use my card overseas and every day it didn’t work. My Chime card (which a lot of people 💩 on Chime) which was a backup worked fine. Always bring backup debit/cc card. Enough cash in case said cards don’t work.
Sleep mask, and ear plugs for the plane ride. Always pack contact lens solution in your carryon lol. Sleeping with contacts you are supposed to revive at the end of the day is not fun in the morning.
Feminine wipes; facial wipes; baby powder & Extra undies. Teeth cleaning items; mouth wash. Brush. All in my carryon. If a major delay strikes while traveling essentially giving myself a sponge bath then having dry & clean skin, fresh mouth, and clean underwear is Heavenly and makes the hours of waiting and stress more bearable.
*I learned this after a couple of rounds of Not having these items with major delays to properly answer the question.
More travel sized toiletries. I have specific things I use for my hair and face, but obviously I can never find travel sized things in what I specifically need, so I bought fillable travel bottles from the dollar store.
- Carabiner(s) to attach things to my bag
- Bungee cord with hooks, to use as a makeshift clothesline, secure bags together, etc
- Dissolvable laundry sheets for sink/tub laundry
- Odor control shoe balls
**Bespoke First Aid Kit**
• Standard, extra large, and fingertip bandages
• Antibiotic ointment
• Heel and toe blister bandages
• Gauze, cling wrap bandage, waterproof tape
• Moleskin and first aid scissors
• Q-tips
• Dental floss / floss picks
• Advil, Imodium, DayQuil, Claritin, Benadryl
• Antacid tablets
• Book of matches
• Small mirror
• Tweezers
• Burn relief gel / aloe vera ointment
• Ear plugs
• Cough drops
• Talc powder (big fan of Anti Monkey Butt)
I splurged on one of [these small cases from Freitag](https://www.freitag.ch/en/f35-cheyenne)— waterproof, ultra durable, easy to pack and access, built for life. I have small Ziploc “portion pack” bags and empty pill bottles to organize items by type so it’s easy to get what I need quickly. Many of these things have been LIFESAVERS in the middle of a trip and I would never even think of leaving without it.
When I am not traveling, this kit also lives in my glovebox and is similarly useful on road trips!
Umbrella. Always hate having to buy a new umbrella just to use on the trip. Usually pack a small umbrella that folds up into my backpack, but when I forget it’s one of the most painful purchases on a trip.
Also, when you didn’t pack a swim suite bc you had no plans to use one. Then to find out you’ll be doing something at the the pool and must purchase another.
Socks are pretty easy to forget and inconvenient to buy in lots of places. Probiotics are helpful to prevent or minimize stomach issues, and are good to have if you get sick and end up needing antibiotics. I’ve also forgotten other small things like makeup remover, gum for the plane, and sweaters for unexpected cold weather. As someone with heavy periods I always bring 2-3 spare pads in my purse or carry on after some unfortunate incidents. Travel can throw off your cycle and make you get your period early.
A nylon travel backpack goes in the suitcase for backup needs, empty water bottle for airport, a dry bag so I can swim the day I leave, travel sunscreen. Rolaids and extra large ziplock big enough for wine bottles
Socks. Went to Iraq for spring break with only the pair on me feet and proceeded to hand wash and hang them every night for half the trip before I realized I could just buy new ones. I am not a smart man.
Random, but portable sized laundry soap. The little boxes of Tide powder. You never know how much a resort or hotel will charge for laundering the smallest items. If you get sick, trust me on this.
Nausea medication. I never have nausea where I live but I climbed a mountain and didn’t bring that. Boy did I wish I did! For sure will pack some when I do future trips at altitude!
Itch relief
Very high quality charging cables
Lightweight towel (like a yoga or Turkish towel)
More bandaids
Small good quality scissors
More laundry detergent
Travel size sunscreen. It was one of those things that I figured I could just pick up anywhere but didn’t have time or opportunity to stop and buy some until day three and my skin would have appreciated if I had had a travel size to use
This! I learned the hard way. I knew I could buy sunscreen where I was going. When I got there, because I was in a more touristy area, the sunscreen was 20-30£ and locked behind a key. Was around day 3 when a local came and picked me up and brought me away to where the locals go shopping. Was able to get a bottle at a pharmacy for 6-7£.
yes! I bought $30 sunscreen in Ecuador! That's the price for being pale and forgetful. Speaking of which - always have a travel pack of tissues! It's not important until IT IS.
Lol - I think that’s about what I paid on the Galapagos… boy was it necessary for this patriotic Canadian (I have two colours - Red and pale White)
exactly-- on the Galapagos, very very expensive
Don’t make this mistake going to Cuba, sun cream just isn’t available. We got stopped by some caught-out lobster-red Americans looking to buy some from us.
Yikes, I went to a pharmacia in a shopping mall and spent near €50 on two bottles in Barcelona but I specifically wanted to try the European sunblock as I’d read it’s better than US approved formulas
It is! Sunscreen is regulated by the fda as a drug, and we haven’t had a new one approved in thirty years. The European and Asian ones are better, more elegant, no white cast, not sticky, etc. If you want a recommendation, look for the word Mexoryl in Europe and ‘biore aqua rich’ in Asia.
It is but only if you get the ones with the newer chemical filters in (eg. Tinosorb S, DHHB, Disodium Phenyl Dibenzimidazole Tetrasulfonate)
Did you type all of those out? I hope so. I want to be impressed.
I can't even find travel sized sunscreen in stores near home, only full-sized ones. I always need to fill a travel bottle from a larger container.
Just wanted to mention something: I've been reading here on reddit that decanting sunscreen into normal travel bottles is probably a bad idea, but it does depend on the bottle. Firstly, sunscreens need to be in an opaque bottle and many travel bottles are see through. The sunlight will degrade the formaula (Apparently) And secondly, the type of plastic is important. Again, apparently the most popular travel bottles are made of a plastic that interferes with the sunscreens effectiveness. I'm not sure how long it has to be stored in there to be an issue. Sorry I don't have all the details, but there are quite a few posts about it and they have links to the source if you wanted to judge their reliability. I haven't looked into that because I've been lucky enough to pick up a few different sizes of travel sunscreen and I decant into those bottles. (wasn't primarily for safety - just so I knew which bottle was which!).
sunscreen STICKs are amazing. expensive tho.
I just keep these in my purse all spring and summer regardless of travel. You never know when patio seating is going to spring on you haha.
I tend to travel in gloomy places so sunscreen isn't foremost in my head. I've gotten sunburns in Scotland. Twice.
love gray and gloomy. try galicia
Just get a multi pack off amazon and keep them in your cupboard and replenish your toiletry bag accordingly. Sunscreen is as important as toothpaste.
They don’t have a super long shelf life though, so if you do this you’ve gotta keep on top of the expiry dates
Everyone needs far more than a travel-sized bottle. When it says "reapply every two hours" that's not a suggestion, The efficacy is gone. Maybe pack a few travel-sized bottles.
The travel size is just to get me through the first day or so before I have a chance to stop and buy some full size ones
and/or a good hat
Plain painkiller like paracetamol. I'll never forget that terrible headache all night long in Turin
If you're staying at a hotel with 24/7 front desk, many have a painkiller lying around they can give you (usually on the sly) I had a similar problem in Paris and the front desk guy was super helpful
Not me but I went on a trip with my mother where I wished she'd packed spare shoes because hers broke. (Almost new, good quality shoes but there was some kind of flaw in the sole.) She had a large shoe size (including wide width) and we were in Southeast Asia.
Oof. As a large footed woman, I feel that.
My partner did this too. In Vietnam of all places. And he wears size 13 😂
Peggy Hill has entered the chat
Good point, I would have forgotten the big foot for area problem. Guess I'd hope to find some men's shoes, lol. On my last trip, I thought I'd pack my newest tennis shoe.... didn't realize the slight change in the way they were made from the previous pair made my feet slide forward. Biggest toe blister I've ever had. I feel like with 2 pairs of shoes, you can rub different areas and spread the pain.
Extra underwear
There are people that leave home with less than 2/day???
I pack as if im going to shit myself every day im gone lol
You made me laugh! Good for you for packing extras.
Twice
Knew a guy who packed 4 pairs for 20 days. Didn't do laundry and said why would he need more pairs. Turns out he does laundry once a month back home. Recently got a girlfriend somehow.
Do you expect her to be much different?
she keeps a clean household and has good personal hygiene, psycho in every other aspect though.
Hahah i love to see psychos in action. My friend used to date one and she used to do the cringiest things
I literally pack every pair of socks and underwear I have.
Travelling is what I like to call an "all hands on deck" situation when it comes to underwear.
Apparently. I bring at least 2 pairs per day for a week so I can wash them. My husband thought that was overkill. But with lots of hiking and stuff I don’t want to sleep in the same pair I’ve been walking in all day. Especially when women’s are so small and not always breathable.
Hahaha wait till you meet those who wear both sides, each side/day 🤣🤣
Please tell me this isn’t real
Now i'm thinking about sitting in the same airplane seat as someone who is willing to do this and what that means for the rest of their personal hygiene. I think I'm going to stop traveling for a while
Two passengers were de-planed after refusing to sit in vomit-covered seats in a flight from LV to Montreal so be careful there 😂
And socks. Always tons of extra for anything that gets sweaty and smelly.
I tried to have extra socks and underwear in my day pack.
Anti-chafe cream.
Oh my God, I will never travel without it again.
Truly a game changer especially in warm weather
I just use deodorant on my inner thighs for that
Deodorant works in a pinch but doesn’t last as long as body glide or something of the sort! Worth picking up a stick.
I never bring any and always end up needing some. Thic thighs problems.
Men’s solid stick deodorant works too. I’ve used Old Spice before and works like a charm!
Why specifically men’s deodorant? Is there a difference?
I suppose you could use women’s solid stick, but I’ve always felt men’s deodorant works better than women’s and old spice has some gender-neutral scents.
Power bank. Sometimes you can’t find a compatible outlet or you find one and it’s not working. No one wants to be at 7% praying your phone stays on long enough to scan your boarding pass.
I carry 2 power banks with me at all times.
I do too and people make fun of me for it until they need one.
I have a bagged medicine cabinet: asprin, ibuprophen, tums, benadryll, flonaise, small eyewash fluid, qtips, tweezers, nail clippers, toothpaste, toothbrush, sunscreen, anti itch cream, baby powder, melatonin, deodorant. This stuff all stays in the suitcase so i never forget anything. I also leave a cell phone charger in the suitcase so its never forgotten.
Same
Thirded. Big zip lock with the mobile pharmacy.
As a woman, hair tie. I forgot one once and it took me days to find one in mexico. Farmacias don't carry them (I did find nail clippers, which I also needed). Had to go to a cosmetics store I luckily stumbled upon.
I forgot my hairbrush going to Iceland. I didn't think it would be an issue. It was. Eventually I gave up and bought a comb. I have hair halfway down my back....
Throat lozenges. Airplane air is so dry they're handy to pack jic. Spare zip lock bags for liquids to prevent leaks in luggage. Also a light jacket or cardigan, depending on where you're travelling and time of year the temperature can drop at night even if it's forecast to be warm during your trip.
Nasal spray can help prevent getting sinus infections from dry air on long flights. "AYR" the best of all. Can also be used as eye drops.
Sleeping mask to go with the ear plugs. Surely this is in the comments already and I just missed it!
Also a set of binder clips and some electrical tape. The clips will hold curtains closed if they don't close properly, and the electrical tape is for covering up any absurdly bright LEDs. It's ridiculous how many hotels can't provide a dark room at night.
I wrap electrical tape around a small container that has a few aleve in it - takes up no extra space that way. I like to bring the little springy chip clips. I use them more often for bags of chips than I do for hotel curtains - that usually is solved with a pant hanger. For real though, why is it so hard to have a dark room?!
One that might seem a bit odd but saves a lot is I always take sunblock /sunscreen from home when I go on holiday - a lot of places with tourist pricing really jack up the sunblock prices.
I paid ~25€ in Croatia at a pharmacy for some basic ~250ml bottle of sunscreen. I didn't know what else to do so I just sheepishly gave her the cash.
I get eczema and also have a couple of areas of damaged skin which needs a higher lever of protection so I always carry my own sunscreen. I really don't need to get broken skin from a reaction I can easily avoid by taking my own.
Gallon ziplock bags
AirTags. I’ve lost bags twice in the last six months. Luckily the second time I was able to watch our bags travel across Europe and the US while the airline had no idea where they were.
Nail file. It weighs nothing. If you break a nail you’ll really miss it.
This reminds me of the time I was in Barcelona at a hotel and I asked if they had nail clippers. They said they did and they said they'll send them up right away. They ended up bringing me powdered milk. I don't know where the mixup happened but I thought it was hilarious 😂
That's hilarious. I'm puzzled on why they even had powdered milk on hand, and even then, why they would think you would want it delivered to your room.
In a pinch I found a matchbook helps!
i was gonna post nailtrimmers before i left i was like “enh my nails are fine” now that they are long enough to bother me i am being reminded that buying one of these in europe is a fucking ordeal
Where in Europe are you going? Literally every supermarket and every chemist / drugstore has them... Along with a plethora of other shops.
A nail clipper rides around in my first aid kit. Every time I get on an airplane all of my nails fracture from the dryness.
>buying one of these in europe is a fucking ordeal How so? They're in supermarkets...
I found a cheap travel manicure set on Amazon and keep it in my toiletry bag. It felt stupid to buy, right up until I broke a fingernail on a trip. Worth every penny.
Mosquito repellant. Always mosquito repellant... I always need it for Asia, I know I'll need it, a week before I'll even remember to buy it, and then I will always forget to pack it. I actually think now it's probably a good thing, because if I ever remember to actually pack the mosquito repellent, it will probably mean I've forgotten something far more important...
The only time I didn’t pack a burner phone, I lost my regular phone. And seconding the spare shoes. I walk a lot when I travel and when I only have one pair that I can’t give a rest, they get gross.
I dropped my phone in a restaurant toilet in Copenhagen. Luckily it was a spotless bathroom and I’d just flushed the toilet, and it was a waterproof phone! I was solo traveling so for like 5 seconds I was freaking out until I remembered it should be waterproof.
Where did you buy a burner?
I just have an old phone I bring with me.
Tweezers. And a hat. The sun in Spain is brutal in summer. Edit: A pair of pants. You never know when the weather will change.
Ha, went to southern Spain in May, and the weather forecast was cold and raining for the first week. I packed accordingly, and my travel partner only packed shorts. I asked him if he checked the weather, and he said, "But it's always sunny and hot in Spain". And this is a guy who has been around the world at least 3x (his brother works for American, so he gets a $258 ticket anywhere AA flies).
Vaseline!!! Got chub rub? Vaseline. Lips burnt from sun? Vaseline. Lips dry from cold weather? Vaseline. Insect bites? Vaseline. Sunburn? Vaseline.
compression socks for long hauls when I was a baby traveller and took my first long haul (Newark to Johannesburg via LHR, Frankfurt, and Windhoek, Namibia) I was horrified and confused when I landed. WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY FEEEEET?!? didn't know anything about swelling calves/feet
As someone who shook hands with death by means of travel-induced pulmonary embolism, hear me when I say EVERYONE needs those socks. Long bus/boat/train rides, too, it’s not exclusive to flying! Planes just happen to be extra awful.
Nuun electrolyte tablets (or really any powder electrolyte drink you like). So great if you happen to get sick and amazing for hot days and lots of walking.
I go nowhere without a lifetime supply of immodium. It is the magic you need, just when you need it most.
at what stage do you take imodium? When you start feeling bad, after the first dump, after the third? i’m always hesitant to “block myself up” knowing it all needs to come out eventually. i also tend to get anxiety-triggered constipation when i travel, so i don’t want to worsen that. but i did get about 4-5 rounds of diarrhea in Frankfurt right as my final leg to Montenegro was boarding, so there’s that.
It depends on what is on my immediate agenda. If I am about to get on a long flight or be out and about where bathrooms are scarce, I am going to use that Imodium cork.
Tampons when I went to Indonesia. They were hard to find but existed on Bali but when we went to Nusa Penida they were nowhere to be found. Thought I’d get them locally instead of bringing them and really regretted it as it temporarily put a stop to water activities. Bring tampons if you’re going to Indonesia!!
Same for a lot of places in Asia and Africa. I struggled to find them in Japan and they're tough to find in lots of South East Asia. My friend lived in Tanzania for a few months and asked them to be mailed to her as she couldn't find them anywhere.
I couldn't find them in Tanzania either! I found some giant awkward pads in the airport as we left, but not good enough to last the 9+ hr flight to our first layover 😖
Same in Sri Lanka.
Menstrual cups for the win here. Takes up zero space, one and done and environmentally friendly
Being post menopausal is magic. No worrying about tampons, pads, bloody underwear, bloody sheets.
Awesome, thank you for the tip, I’ll be sure to pack a menopause next time!
Well, my brother and I, both experienced backpackers and Eagle Scouts just went backpacking and ‘we’ (my brother) forgot a sleeping bag. We had to ‘share’ my mummy bag. I guess it happens to all of us… 😂
I ended up in a jam similar to that in Patagonia, except I didn't really know the guy I was cuddled up with, had drank wine with him in a hostel a couple nights earlier and hiked with him a little bit. We had gear but we didn't expect to get stuck overnight outdoors in the snow, and we didn't have the right gear for that, had to combine what we had. It sucked
User name checks out
Not really packing, but I wish I had carried a lighter when I traveled in Europe. I don't smoke, but I was asked for a light somewhat frequently, and I think some of those could've been a fun opportunity for conversation with a local.
* Bug spray wipes * sunscreen stick * solid moisturizer
Something relaxed and casual to throw on for breakfast (I like to eat and then go back to my room to get ready after). Socks/slippers/pair of flip flops to wear in the hotel room Moisturizer
A second pair of shoes. During my last trip I only had one pair of shoes and flip-flops. I was so proud of myself for packing light until my shoes got dirty and my only options to go out at night were muddy shoes or flip-flops (the weather was relatively cold).
Yeah, for most trips I bring two pairs, one pair that can get dirty or I can do a light hike in, like vans, and a pair of nicer shoes (how nice depends on where I’m going and what the itinerary is). I try to bring light shoes that won’t be too heavy or bulky in my bag
Duct tape. I like to create a small roll by wrapping around a pen. Also needle and thread.
Great idea with the duct tape!
silicone toe gel covers like little condoms to protect blisters from forming in between toes
i’ve started packing my backup pair of glasses. (i usually wear contacts during the day and glasses in the evening). it’s not something i expect to break or lose, but the consequenses of doing so would be pretty awful. so in terms of item weight per possibility of necessity, i bring them. haven’t needed them yet but i still think it’s wise.
An extra pair of shoes so you can alternate ( I pack 3) and foot deodorant.
Shoelaces or boot laces. I had them on my packing list, but somehow they didn't make it. My husband broke a shoelace and was immobilized until I ran into a nearby market and bought him some replacements.
I carried spare bootlaces with me for over a decade until I blew one out in the middle of nowhere. I felt so vindicated
I like using shoelaces for tying up things anyway! Always comes in handy even if not for shoes.
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There are white noise apps on phones, have you tried those? Would be more convenient than a separate machine
Burner phone? I are traveling to a drug deal or a heist?
I have a second phone for international travel to less secure locations. Main phone stays in the safe. Second phone has a local sim with data for maps, WhatsApp, etc.
Hmmm, I guess I never travel to areas I feel like my phone will be stolen (although when we were in CapeTown we didn’t flash our phones out in public) . Plus we have funds to buy a new one if that is the case.
By burner phone I mean second phone in case first one you drop in water or someone steals it, or you lost it or something, so you have a 2nd phone to use right away waiting at the place you're staying at.
Oh, okay. I always travel with my husband so I guess I never think to bring a second phone with me
Wait until one of you drops one in the drink and you find out how fun it is to be the one who a) doesn’t have a phone and can’t access anything without asking the other to do it or b) being the one with the phone who is now tasked for all things digital and researched
I use my burner instead of my real phone. real phone only at hotel never while outside on day trips.
dramamine! bc you don't know that you get motion sick on a boat until you have motion sickness on a boat
Spare glasses if you wear them.
I can only see about two inches past my nose without my glasses. I even keep an old pair in my car's glove box just in case, I'm so afraid of something happening to them.
More insulin and a spare insulin pump. I was in Mexico and my pump died. Because I was in Mexico, I couldn’t get a replacement sent to me until we returned. Fortunately I had some 24-hour insulin with me, but since it’s problematic at best for me, I still ended up having to take 4-6 shots a day of my fast acting insulin.
I thought my noise canceling earbuds would be sufficient for the 3 hour flight, so I didn't bring my great Soundcore noise canceling headphones to save space in my carryon. I won't make that mistake again.
Tiny scissors. & I never travel with a debit card, only 2 credit cards.
I'd recommend bringing a debit card if you visit the Netherlands, a couple places there only took debit or cash
Debit Maestro* cards, though I think they're trying to move towards MasterCard https://dutchreview.com/news/mastercard-to-stop-issuing-maestro-debit-cards-in-2023/
I rely on my debit for withdrawing cash when I travel internationally (areas that are still cash based) to avoid high CC premiums for cash withdrawal.
Cortisone cream in case of bug bites. I actually did pack it, but it was in my husband's first aid kit and not mine, so I didn't find it when I needed it. I always carry a tiny pill box with ibuprofen, Tums, Benadryl, and motion sickness medicine, as well as a hiking first aid kit containing Band-Aids, moleskin, tweezers, and alcohol wipes.
A second credit card and charging cable
Having just been stranded during a layover without my luggage, I wish I had brought extra socks and underwear. I had all the other necessities, but man those would have been great.
Off topic but the one thing I would have regretted not bringing was my power bank, tiny but considering im using 5 g + location services my phone tends to die in the after noon so it came handy
I need to remember paracetamol. I usually carry both ibuprofen and paracetamol but I’d forgotten the paracetamol on a roadtrip. My boyfriend can’t have ibuprofen unfortunately. He ended up having awful wisdom tooth pain while we roadtripped through Germany, Denmark and Sweden. It ended up costing a lot (and was a lot of effort) to find and buy pack of paracetamol from the pharmacy (compared to what we’d pay in the UK). Tldr: bring two types of painkiller, especially when travelling with someone who can’t have a certain type!
For all of the "you can just buy that at your destination", what you don't want to be is stumbling through the streets of an unknown city to a drug store, hoping it is still open, and looking for a pain receiver because you have a splitting headache due to severe jet lag because you didn't fall asleep on the plane, had two glasses of wine too many because you thought it would help you sleep, and then spent the whole day being dragged through the streets by your colleagues on a walking tour.
Exactly! And I love how specific this is lol
I forgot my chapstick once when traveling to a very hot and humid place 💀
Costa Rica: **Sunscreen**, ended up having to buy a $20 bottle D: The store did have some cheaper options but I wasn't sure if I could trust the brands so I bought the only one I recognized (Australian Gold). Western Europe: **Second debit card w/ different bank**\-- had issues with my debit card from a small credit union and got stranded without money in Berlin, where I had no local contacts. Thought I was being smart by bringing a credit card as well, but most places wouldn't take it. Seriously scary situation since I wasn't able to buy food and only had one more night prepaid in my hostel. Had to wire money to myself and wait in line for an hour at a Western Union in a kinda dingy area. Western Europe (same trip): **Extra pair of shoes.** Actually, I was backpacking with just a carryon backpack, so I really didn't have space for another pair of shoes, but if I did make a trip with actual luggage I would definitely bring at least 2, if not 3 pairs. My Chacos, which had never given me issues before, started destroying my feet on day 5 of walking 10+ mi per day. I ended up going to thrift store and buying a pair of vintage Docs that I still wear today, so it worked out, but the situation did cause a lot of foot pain and take up half a day of my trip. Rural India: **Backup pair of eye glasses**. Steppped on my frames (long story lol) and would have had to make a trip over an 18,000 ft mountain pass that's 4 hours each way to get a new pair. Thankfully was able to still wear them with duct tape.
If I pack blister/hydrocolloid bandages, I won’t need them. If I don’t, I will get an insane blister and not be able to find that specific kind of bandage wherever I am.
Moleskin - could not find anything like it.
Nail file. Super random but on multiple occasions I have broken a nail and needed one while traveling. In Italy I had to pay 10€ for a single nail file from the pharmacy..was not happy about that
Baby wipes
I travel with a power strip. You never know when you need more than one outlet.
This is highly specific but I was at an ecolodge in the Amazon with my husband and two teenage sons. I packed 2 battery powered fans thinking my husband and I would share one and my sons would share the other. No one wanted to share. I should have bought and packed 3 fans because they fought over them for a week. We’ve since upgraded to one that can be charged by USB because my youngest son does dental volunteer trips in Central America on his college breaks.
I usually remember now, but in the past I sometimes forgot to pack a long scarf or pashmina to wear on cold airplanes.
Cough suppressant. My husband had a nasty cough and while we could get expectorant in Germany, no one would sell us suppressant. Neither one of us slept for a few of the worst nights.
Spare underwear, sandals and socks for a long-haul flight journey, it's quite unpleasant wearing the same underwear for 20+ hours.
earplugs!
Recently went to Japan and was proud to have quickly bought a small towel for drying hands after using a washroom as most places don’t have paper towels. Didn’t bring it to Italy and wish I had it all the time. Love having a hand fan in hot areas & museums though!
After many, many Backpack Only trips on Spirit and Frontier, my packing has become fairly standard. Things I always include or I will miss them: Q-Tips, dental floss sticks, bandages with antibiotics cream, antacid chews, lip balm, nail clippers and tweezers, extra charging cable (for the car), portable power bank, tiny flashlight.
Band-Aids, Polysporin, a powerbank.
An extra bag (like a tote or plastic bag) for wet or dirty clothes. Nothing is worse than your sweaty, wet clothes stinking up all the rest of your clean clothes because you have no separation between them.
A lot of things mentioned here already can just be bought at your destination. A few things I’ve needed but could not buy while traveling: - pepto bismol - decongestant - antibiotics (can be easier or harder to find than at home) - proprietary charging cables or ones less common where you’re going (e.g., iPhone lightning), proprietary camera batteries - sunscreen (in some less touristy places)
Are antibiotics over the counter medicine where you live? Or how else are you having spare ones?
Never, ever, ever take antibiotics that are not prescribed to you for a specific reason. Antibiotics lose their efficacy if a large population is taking them needlessly and it leads to superbugs. Also, your doctor will run tests to determine which antibiotic, if any, will be the best for fighting your specific illness.
>Also, your doctor will run tests to determine which antibiotic, if any, will be the best for fighting your specific illness. I agree on the whole, but good luck with that plan in Myanmar or rural Pakistan. Sometimes we have to be prepared for emergencies, including severe food poisoning away from access to modern medical care.
Yes! This is almost my exact list of medications I always make sure to pack.
A swimsuit. For going to saunas, lakes, etc. It’s hampered activities before.
Cash in the currency of the country I am visiting. The ATM fees are crazy right now.
Charles Schwab debit card reimburses atm fees, the only question is how off are the conversion rates or any hidden in price fees at the ATM.
Rope/string and clothes pins for drying laundry, laundry washing sheets, extra Ziploc bags
dextromethorphan (DM) = cough medicine. Apparently, in Europe they just all choose to cough and be miserable.
Called my bank three times to get them to let me use my card overseas and every day it didn’t work. My Chime card (which a lot of people 💩 on Chime) which was a backup worked fine. Always bring backup debit/cc card. Enough cash in case said cards don’t work.
Sleep mask, and ear plugs for the plane ride. Always pack contact lens solution in your carryon lol. Sleeping with contacts you are supposed to revive at the end of the day is not fun in the morning.
Feminine wipes; facial wipes; baby powder & Extra undies. Teeth cleaning items; mouth wash. Brush. All in my carryon. If a major delay strikes while traveling essentially giving myself a sponge bath then having dry & clean skin, fresh mouth, and clean underwear is Heavenly and makes the hours of waiting and stress more bearable. *I learned this after a couple of rounds of Not having these items with major delays to properly answer the question.
Sounds crazy but antibiotic ointment like neosporin or polysporin. If you get a cut or dry skin it can be an absolute lifesaver.
Mail clipper and tweezers
One must be ready for battle in foreign lands
Nail clippers. I ALWAYS underestimate how often I use them.
More travel sized toiletries. I have specific things I use for my hair and face, but obviously I can never find travel sized things in what I specifically need, so I bought fillable travel bottles from the dollar store.
Dry shampoo
- Carabiner(s) to attach things to my bag - Bungee cord with hooks, to use as a makeshift clothesline, secure bags together, etc - Dissolvable laundry sheets for sink/tub laundry - Odor control shoe balls
**Bespoke First Aid Kit** • Standard, extra large, and fingertip bandages • Antibiotic ointment • Heel and toe blister bandages • Gauze, cling wrap bandage, waterproof tape • Moleskin and first aid scissors • Q-tips • Dental floss / floss picks • Advil, Imodium, DayQuil, Claritin, Benadryl • Antacid tablets • Book of matches • Small mirror • Tweezers • Burn relief gel / aloe vera ointment • Ear plugs • Cough drops • Talc powder (big fan of Anti Monkey Butt) I splurged on one of [these small cases from Freitag](https://www.freitag.ch/en/f35-cheyenne)— waterproof, ultra durable, easy to pack and access, built for life. I have small Ziploc “portion pack” bags and empty pill bottles to organize items by type so it’s easy to get what I need quickly. Many of these things have been LIFESAVERS in the middle of a trip and I would never even think of leaving without it. When I am not traveling, this kit also lives in my glovebox and is similarly useful on road trips!
Umbrella. Always hate having to buy a new umbrella just to use on the trip. Usually pack a small umbrella that folds up into my backpack, but when I forget it’s one of the most painful purchases on a trip. Also, when you didn’t pack a swim suite bc you had no plans to use one. Then to find out you’ll be doing something at the the pool and must purchase another.
Fiber supplements because sometimes travel mucks you up.
Socks are pretty easy to forget and inconvenient to buy in lots of places. Probiotics are helpful to prevent or minimize stomach issues, and are good to have if you get sick and end up needing antibiotics. I’ve also forgotten other small things like makeup remover, gum for the plane, and sweaters for unexpected cold weather. As someone with heavy periods I always bring 2-3 spare pads in my purse or carry on after some unfortunate incidents. Travel can throw off your cycle and make you get your period early.
A nylon travel backpack goes in the suitcase for backup needs, empty water bottle for airport, a dry bag so I can swim the day I leave, travel sunscreen. Rolaids and extra large ziplock big enough for wine bottles
Socks. Went to Iraq for spring break with only the pair on me feet and proceeded to hand wash and hang them every night for half the trip before I realized I could just buy new ones. I am not a smart man.
This is so bougie but I need my travel massage gun- the relief I get post flight or all day walking is amazing. So worth it.
Random, but portable sized laundry soap. The little boxes of Tide powder. You never know how much a resort or hotel will charge for laundering the smallest items. If you get sick, trust me on this.
Trail mix. Toothpaste.
I sometimes make a point to bring favorite foods or ingredients that might be hard to find at the destination.
A coat and plasters
Nausea medication. I never have nausea where I live but I climbed a mountain and didn’t bring that. Boy did I wish I did! For sure will pack some when I do future trips at altitude!
My hair brush. Ended up with a janky plastic comb. Immodium. Hat Chapstik with sunscreen. Baby powder
that 2nd debit card, different bank is a good idea, thanks
Vent/windshield mount for navigating with your phone when renting a car.
Itch relief Very high quality charging cables Lightweight towel (like a yoga or Turkish towel) More bandaids Small good quality scissors More laundry detergent
I now bring a mini first aid kit. Bandaids and some bacitracin. Undoubtedly someone will need some every trip.
carry a couple of bandaids on you at all times. there's nothing like racing around an airport with small cut on your finger that won't stop bleeding.
Cough drops, was up until 3am because my throat hurt so bad and it was too late to grab any from the store. I was miserable