No two destinations are the same, but certain accessories will come in handy wherever you are. It is always difficult to decide what to bring on a big journey, and the dizzying amount of travel accessories available often don’t help to ease the process.
While no two destinations are the same, there are certain travel accessories that will come in handy wherever you are. Whether you’re trekking in mountains or train hopping around Europe, these must-have travel accessories will make your adventures easier and more enjoyable:
1. Worldwide travel adapter
Instead of trying to buy plug adapters for every new place you go, get a universal adapter. It will save you money, and give you the chance to clean up the electronics box taking up space under your bed.
2. Power pack for USB devices
Everyone knows that feeling of dread when they look at their phone, tablet or laptop and see that it is almost empty, and there is no charging port anywhere nearby. When you’re travelling, this can be especially problematic, which is why a power pack is essential. The RAVPower portable charger is one of the best for travelling, it is small, has three ports, and can charge a normal smartphone about six times (ideal for travelling in groups, camping, or long flights).
3. Multi-purpose travel soap
You never know what amenities will be available when you travel to new destinations, especially if you are going out of the way, or off the grid. With multi-purpose travel soap, you don’t have to worry because, with it you can wash your hair, body, clothes, and even dishes (helpful in the case of camping or long hikes). Plus, you save space in your luggage and money on continually buying shampoo, detergent, etc.
4. Packing cubes
Once you discover packing cubes, you’ll never go back. They take away a lot of the stress of packing and travel by maximising space in your luggage and keeping everything organised. You save time trying to find items in a hurry, and when you arrive at your place to stay, you can just chuck the cubes in the closet or drawers. Plus, packing cubes help prevent lost or damaged items during travel. Companies like eBags sell them in a range of sizes and colours.
5. Reusable water bottle
Everyone knows that drinking water is important, and this is doubly true when you are travelling. Not only does water help fight jet lag, but it also keeps your muscles happy, helps with digestion and prevents headaches, all of which are essential when you are on the move for long portions of the day. Having a water bottle encourages you to drink more, and it saves you money from buying plastic bottles (better for you and the environment). Depending on your preferences, you can get fancy water filtration bottles, roll up water bottles, or even insulated bottles.
6. Noise cancelling headphones
Whether you want to drown out a crying baby on a flight or simply immerse yourself in music on a scenic train ride, noise cancelling headphones will save you sleep and sanity. The best noise-cancelling headphones can be quite expensive, but you can get affordable pairs such as Noisehush i7 or Lindy NC40.
7. A good travel camera
There’s nothing wrong with taking pictures on your phone, but if you want to really capture your travel experiences, you need a good camera. If you want the quality of a DSLR camera without the weight and price, the Canon Powershot G9X is the ideal travel camera. It’s lightweight, easy to use, and it has wifi so you can upload the photos direct to your phone. If you’re going to be roughing it a bit and want something more affordable, a waterproof digital camera like Fujifilm FinePix is a great option.
8. Travel notebook
It may seem like a simple thing, but a good travel notebook is an indispensable and versatile travel accessory. Not only can you use it to document your experience, but you can use it to store clippings and pictures, plan your itinerary, write down locals’ tips, draw, whatever takes your fancy. At the end of your trip, you’ll have an amazing documentation of the whole journey.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you might want to check out 5 things not to pack when studying abroad.