I’ve seen many people traveling and a lot of people bring everything they could need. I was like that as well, you want to be ready for whatever could happen. When you travel the matra less is more is even more powerful and some of the things that you When rely on most are the most benign.
I think that once you get into the flow of travel you come to understand the difference between what we need, what’s nice to have and what you need to chuck in a bin. When you are traveling long-term you learn that you don’t need a ton of stuff because you can buy stuff when you need it and often you’ll get rid of it when you don’t because it’s the nature of the beast.
Since I’ve been out and about the things I know that matter outside are the following:
Travel Adapter: It’s just one of those things that you need to keep you charged up and ready to go.
Power Banks – If you carry more than one or two electronic devices this can be a Godsend when you are on the bus, trekking the jungles or when the power goes out. Mine only has a low mah but it is small and can fit anywhere and I only use it in a clutch and it has proved itself time and again.
Day Bag: I’ve gone through a few day bags, 5 in the last 5 years and whether you stay in one place for a while or you are doing the tourist thing a nice simple bag you can throw your stuff in is vital.
A lock – This goes in tandem with a bag but a lock so you can lock up your stuff is vital, while most people are OK its just that one in a thousand that your worried about. If a person wants to steal your stuff they can and will, but with a lock you want to make it a little harder so they will go for an easier target.
String and Rubber Bands – I use these to roll my clothing, to hold my shoes together in a bag so I can squeeze one last thing inside, this is all about making everything as compact as possible when you have to pack up.
Needle and Thread – I can’t tell you now many times I’ve had to fix a shirt, pair of paints or tighten a dangling thread somewhere and its much cheaper to fix it than it is to get a new one.
Knife and Bottle Opener – This one I didn’t have till recently and mine looks like a key but its useful to have when I need to open something, cut something or open a well needed bottle of beer.
Quick Dry Towel – I couldn’t live without my quick dry towel, I have a large one now that I often use in dorms to give myself some semblance of privacy when I’m in the bottom bunk.
Water Bottle – Get one or use a plastic bottle for water multiple times but it helps to cut down on waste and when I was in Nepal I could fill it with water and use iodine tablets to make the water drinkable in an emergency.
Covertable Pants – Now these I love, they tend to be made of quick dry fabrics and can work as both pants and shorts depending on the situation, they are my go do option and when I am going somewhere for a few days the only thing I really need to bring no matter the situation.
Since I have to move from country to country regularly keeping the amount of stuff I have minimal has been important. I could go lighter if I wanted to but I’m OK with the amount of stuff I have. I probably have too much clothing if I’m honest and don’t need have of it.
I’ve gotten rid of more stuff than I can count and I probably look like one of those cartoon characters that never change their clothes more than I would like to. I compartmentalize my stuff with small bags, a duffel bag for clothes, one for shoes, another random bag for my muay thai stuff and it goes on and on but helps me to keep everything somewhat organized.
When you are out there everyone is different but we each have those items we couldn’t travel without. The ones that help in more ways than we could have ever realized. The above list is just a few of the things I’ve come to rely on and I wonder what other people do when they need to keep the chaos manageable.