The 20 Most Essential Travel Items (Pro-Traveler Tip!)

Posted on July 11, 2019July 11, 2019 by dev

After 7 years of lots of traveling and 120 countries, I want to share with you ‘My 20 Most Essential Travel Items.’

I usually travel with a 40 liter backpack and I try not to bring too much unnecessary stuff. I want to be flexible and easy moving. However a lot of these 20 travel items are essential for my travels.
I just landed in the Azores after a 2 months trip through West Africa, and I was so happy that I brought my essential travel items on the trip. Everything just got so much easier!

Here in Mali. Essential travel items are important during 2 months in West Africa

20 Most Essential Travel Items (Tips From A Pro-Traveler!)

Every year there are new travel gadgets and gear upgrades coming on the market. If you search “travel” on Amazon you might quickly want to make 10-15 purchases, but not all of these travel items are actually worth packing. I’ve learned to minimize my travel gear, but it doesn’t mean I don’t have a few luxury items in there. There are some things in my packs that you’ve most likely never heard of, and others that are common, but I feel these travels items should be obligatory for long-term travel. Here is the list!

1.Osprey Fairpoint 40 Liter Backpack

I had a lot of Backpacks in my life, some good and some bad. I only had one excellent, which covered all of my needs. This Osprey Fairpoint 40 Liter Backpack is certainly much better than just about every travel backpack. It fits in Carry On on most Airlines, which saves you A LOT OF MONEY and I love its durability, carry, and hideaway harness system. Awesome look, very comfortable to wear. One of my best investment!

2. Zipper Cubes

I purchased Eagle Creek Zipper Cubes and they’re incredibly durable. I had them since 2017 and sometimes I’ve packed them so tight that I had to kneel on them and pull on the zippers just to do them up. To this day, the zippers are still working like brand new. There are a lot of options on the market today, but I’ve only used Eagle Creek, because I know they last. When you get the Eagle Creek, you’ll ask yourself “why didn’t I buy them years ago?!” Trust me! I had that EXACT feeling! So nice to have!

3. DJI Spark

Back in 2014, drones were mostly reserved for professional videographers, vloggers and bloggers who wanted arial photography. These days, drones have become smaller, more durable and a lot easier to fly.

The DJI Spark is so tiny that it can pretty much fit into any backpack or luggage. It comes with a hard foam case to keep it protected and it takes great videos and photos. If you like to get unique photos while you’re travelling, then this thing is perfect. FINALLY a drone that’s affordable, small and easy to navigate!

Check out the drone footage my friend and I did with the DJI Spark in Lake Assal, Djibouti here!

4. Power Bank

If I had to pick only one thing of these 20 Travel Items where you shouldn’t save money, I would pick the Power bank.

My favourite Power bank is by far ‘The Anker PowerCore’ with 20100mAh. After having had a lot of different Power banks, because I usually forget them somewhere or they burn out, I always go back to this one. ‘The Anker PowerCore’ is fast charging, it doesn’t burn out, and with its high power capacity it can usually charge my phone 4-5 times fully, sometimes 6.

When I traveled in West Africa I went long periods without electricity, and you really want to be able to use your phone in these situations. Therefore you NEED a good, powerful and reliable Power bank, which can charge your phone many times and can resist bad weather conditions.

‘The Anker PowerCore’ is perfect for me.

5. TRTL Pillow

I’ve just passed 400 flights and I’ve slept on 95% of them! It’s both a good and bad habit to sleep on the plane, good because I’m then rested when I reach my destination, but it’s bad because I end up sleeping in awkward position, which usually cause a lot of neck or hand pain the day after. Few weeks ago I bought the TRTL Pillow and I’ve been really satisfied. It gives scientifically proven super soft neck support and the day after a flight now feels a lot better for me with the neck support and comfort if offers whilst you sleep.

There is a manual on how to put it on (SO EASY!) and it literally doesn’t take 2 seconds to do!

6. Good Compact Camera

Every traveller needs to be carrying a good pocket camera. If you really don’t care about what your photos look like and never plan to take pictures in low light, then your iPhone or Android device should do the trick (assuming it’s a newer model with 10+ megapixels). I like to bring a small camera that takes no space.

If you want to take some better photos and great videos while you’re travelling, without packing the size and weight of a full DSLR or mirrorless, then I recommend the Sony A6000 with 24.3 Megapixels. To compare my IPhone X has a 12-megapixel camera. The Sony A6000 camera has some incredible features, takes great photos, and produces some of the best video of any camera in its class. EASY to use and it takes no time to connect it to your phone. I’ve connected it to both my Samsung (android) and to IPhone easily!

The Sony A6000 takes some amazing photos! Here I brought it to Cape Town, South Africa. @gustavrosted

7. Luggage Tracker

Ever lost your luggage? I have, and to be honest I promised myself I would pick up one of these things after Turkish Airlines lost my luggage back in 2016. I “forgot” to buy one and in Oktober of 2017 when Air Astana misplaced my luggage, I thought it was the right time.

On both occasions, I was able to get my luggage back in a week, but it’s an absolutely horrible feeling you have that you’ll never see your backpack again. If I just had the Luggage Tracker in my bag, I would have known exactly what airport they were at and I could’ve even told the airline so that they could retrieve it faster for me. I use the GEGO Luggage Tracker, and I got it after the Trakdot didn’t work properly on 3G network any longer. I’ve been satisfied with it, as it’s generally known that the GEGO is best luggage tracker on the market, tracking very precise and fast. Bluetooth connection is great, where Trakdot was always finicky in every way. Still haven’t found a better product than GEGO and the Map View is great too!

8. Polarized Sunglasses

My secret addiction: Sunglasses and especially for Ray-Bans! Why? Stylish look, 100% UV PROTECTION, (protecting the eyes from the harmful UV rays) and just an iconic look, shape, feel, and style. One thing I don’t save money on for sure, and they’re usually a long-term investment, which will always be modern!

My 3 favourite sunglasses are: Rayban Clubmaster, Rayban Wayfarer and Ray-Ban RB3025 Aviator.

9.Travel Back-Pack (Day backpack)

A travel backpack is an ESSENTIAL item. You should invest in a sturdy, comfortable backpack which you can carry all day long. Anti-theft backpack is what I recommend. I use the Affinity USB Backpack as my day backpack to combine with my Osprey Fairpoint 40 Liter Backpack. One of the good things about the Affinity USB Backpack is it can fit in the Osprey Fairpoint 40 Liter, so sometimes I put it in there and bring it in the carry-on, so I don’t need to pay to for check-in baggage – travel like a boss! I know!

This Affinity USB Backpack helps me to store my electronics, travel documents (RFID protection,) powerbank, toilet bag etc, and have comfortable and adjustable straps. I’m a big fan of this anti-theft secured backpack with a USB charging port that fits a 15.6 MacBook.

10: MacBook Pro

I bring my MacBook Pro with me everywhere for travel, and it’s obviously the best computer I’ve ever had! Once you go Mac, you never go back! I have this MacBook Pro (13-inch with a 2.3GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM and with a 256GB SSD in Space Gray.) I bought in on Amazon and its been perfect so far!

The first MacBook I had lasted for 7 years, and it’s always a good investment to get a proper MacBook in my opinion. For me and my Digital Nomad lifestyle it’s an asset I can’t live without, and I need a computer that can go through rough roads and rain season in West Africa, which has been the case with this one!

Of course, always be careful with your computer and don’t do stupid stuff 😉

10. Bluetooth Speakers

Everyone travels with their Bluetooth Speakers. When you’re getting ready to go out for the night or just chilling on your beach hut patio looking out at sunset, having a bit of music playing in the background can really set the mood. If you’re traveling solo like me mostly, it’s usually a very good way to make new friends to bring a Bluetooth Speaker, put on some good music and get the vibes going!

Not just any bluetooth speakers do it for me. Had plenty, but I love a nice mix of durability and excellent sound. I currently have the JBL Splashproof Portable Speaker, and it has amazing sound. Plus, I use it with wet hands at the beach and it hasn’t been damaged yet. The latest model, the JBL Waterproof Flip 3 Speakers are so waterproof that you can even submerge them in water and not ruin them, and they’re lightweight and very durable. You can take them to the beach and not worry about them getting wet or sandy and they sound crystal clear. For just $99.99 on Amazon, they’re also an excellent deal.

11: Dock & Bay Microfiber Towel

A travel towel is key – and I usually recommend a basic microfiber travel towel, cheap and easy in your local shop. But last year, I learned about Dock & Bay Microfiber Towel, which is one of the best Quick Dry Towels and said to be the most original SAND FREE Beach Towel there is. These towels are honestly awesome and more lightweight than other microfiber towels, but are also amazing for the beach. They dry really fast, more than 3 times as fast as a normal towel. I pack mine in the bottom of my personal item backpack and never know it’s taking up space but it’s always there when I need it.

I like this the model in Bondi Blue! Sand free, quick drying, odorless and colorful too!

12. Baseball Cap

Like here in a small village Senegal and most of the hot places I travel, I like to wear a Baseball Cap to protect my face against the sun. Absolutely convenient and a must-have for me to bring on every travel! They don’t take up any space and are perfect for hiding your hair when it looks absolutely terrible! 🙂

13. Toilet Bag

My toilet bag broke on my long journey through Africa and it really sucks when that happens! To be honest everything was a mess in it, so maybe it was meant to happen for a reason. I just bought this Premium Quality Organized Travel Bag, and it’s an absolute game-changer! Now all of my toilet things are where they should be! Love it!

14. Multi-Port Cables

With all the electronic items that you will be carrying on your travels, keeping them charged and up to date is essential. I swear by this multi port cable. I was given a sample of this cable years ago when and it’s an AMAZING item to keep forever. A charging cable, with multiple ports like for your iphone, Kindle, camera, or a battery back-up.

You might be aware each of these devices listed above use different ports like the micro USB, USB and lightning cable, etc. Using this cable you can charge all of them. Yes – at the same time if you like.

15. Universal Adaptor

As a frequent traveler, a universal adaptor is a MUST. I still remember my first big travel where I didn’t thought of bringing this before it was too late, and had to buy a super expensive universal adaptor for $40 in an Airport. This multi-country adaptor is only $12,99 and has 2 USB ports to plug in and charge the electronic item in over 150 countries. So definitely a good investment. You will be carrying some electronic device (a phone, camera, tablet or laptop) with you on your travels. Universal adaptors will help you to plugin your device in any power outlet across the world to charge its battery for use. So important!

16. Collapible Water-Bottle

Waterbottle is an essential item on your travels. Whether you are hiking or on a full day tour and exploring, you SHOULD stay hydrated and carry a waterbottle. In countries where water is expensive, fill it up from the hotel. I use this LEAK FREE, vacuum insulated Alpha Armur Bottle, because I HATE to get water in my bag where I have my electronics and because I don’t like the concept of buying plastic bottles all the time in countries where they don’t know how to recycle the plastic properly.

This waterbottle is totally a Win-Win! And it definitely saves you money in the long run..

17. Travel Organizer

Travel Organizer for documents are so handy! They are a MUST have to organize and secure your credit cards, printed boarding passes, passport, any quick notes like hotel address, emergency contact information, etc. I know you might think, in the age of technology why bother with printed boarding pass? Trust me, not all airports will accept barcode/digital boarding passes and what if your phone is frozen and cannot be scanned, especially in Africa!

Also, your passports and credit cards are not digital, you will need a wallet with RFID protection (to protect against identity theft) or a travel organizer like this one. I use this travel organizer, to keep all the travel documents in one place. Invest in a piece that is not bulky, yet has enough rooms for passport, credit or ID cards, money, paper, pen and boarding pass, with RFID protection.

18. A Day or Two of Toiletries

I can’t count how many times I’ve had a Sun Lotion, Perfume etc. over 100 ml taken from me in the security control in Airports. It was first after I discovered these small Go Tube Travel Bottles this finally ended! Really good to have for personal hygiene. Very durable and don’t leak despite being repacked daily as I stayed in many different hotels and places! I’m a big fan of these! The other travel bottles I had were usually leaking and it sucks to open your toilet bag and find out a shampoo is now all over your toothbrush!

These ones are honestly very good to have!

18. Travel Insurance

No one wants to buy travel insurance. I get it. We all think the incident doesn’t happen to me. But what happens when a monkey bites you in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and you need to get a quick rabies injection or you get malaria in Ivory Coast. Then you’re screwed! Unless you have a good Travel Insurance-

I prefer Worlds Nomads. Honestly, I hate worrying about my stuff while I travel. World Nomads gives me the peace of mind I need when it comes to gear. When my bag got stolen in Argentina, we took the proper steps by filing a police report and submitting our paperwork and they covered our losses. No muss, no fuss. It was great.

Plus, their One-Call 24-Hour Assistance Services offer multilingual pros to help you find a local doctor, dentist, or hospital abroad, and they can even arrange transportation to get you there.

19. First Aid

When it comes to travel first aid, think of anything you might have trouble hunting down in a foreign pharmacy and bring at least one. I’m not a big fan of taking pills, medicine and whenever I can avoid it I do. But I do like to have a little medicine for emergency situations and what I personally bring for my travel is:

1: Imodium (Stomach problems, anti-diarrhea.) After drinking the wrong ice cubes in India these are absolutely life-savers!

2: Systane Eye-Drops. I have dry eyes, and in countries where you deal with a lot of dust etc, I need eye-drops, otherwise I can’t see properly, my eyes get scratchy and sometimes red. Systane eye-drops helped me so much in Africa.

3: Paracetamol Tablets. For me they are the most important. Every time I’m about to get sick, it usually helps taking one of these and drink some water. I use the Danish brand Panodil and like to take one when I feel bad, because they usually better the situation.

4: Zyrtec Allergy Relief.I have allergy for grass, dust and some special perfumes and when it’s worst I use Zyrtec Allergy Relief to recover from sneezing, runny nose, itchy and watery eyes. Also relief from itchy throat or nose.

5: Band Aids. I never travel without these. You never no when you’re going to hurt yourself! 🙂

20: Windproof Travel Umbrella

While other umbrellas get easily flipped in the wind & break, the this Compact Travel Umbrella has a vented Double Canopy that allows the wind to pass through, preventing it from flipping over and breaking in strong winds. That’s one feature I really appreciate. I can’t count how many umbrellas I have watched die in strong winds, but this one is a survivor! And it doesn’t take a lot of space!

A Last Remember

Last but not least remember to bring copy of your passport, proof of vaccinations and maybe some small passport photos! You now have all the Travel Essentials and remember the only IMPOSSIBLE journey is the one you never begin, so pack your bag and go! ✈️

Gustav

gus1thego.com

My 20 Best Travel Tips From 7 Years Of Traveling

Posted on January 10, 2019July 15, 2019 by dev

1: Try travelling alone

I believe that everyone should try solo travel at least once. It builds your confidence, shows you what you’re capable of, improves your social skills, gives you time and space to think, and helps you learn more about what you like and need in life.

2. Eat the local food

Food is one of my absolute favorite ways to get to know a place better. I love trying new things, and I’ve found a thousand amazing dishes that I never would have discovered if I’d stick to the normal stuff from the supermarket. Trying new food isn’t scary, and you’ll build your confidence up as you fall in love with more and more things. Try everything, even if you have no idea what it is. I promise you won’t regret it.
Some of the most interesting foods I tried were balut (a developing duck embryo) in the Philippines, living mopane worms in Zimbabwe, snake blood in Vietnam or tuna eyeballs in Japan (that one was a bit creepy!)

3. Plan as little as possible

One of the first lessons I learned on the road was that your plans will nearly always change. I still make the mistake sometimes by booking multiple flight tickets and trying to plan my trip from home, but it’s honestly better to just go with the flow.

Sure, you should have a rough plan for your trip, but don’t book everything in advance or you’ll likely feel too restricted and end up regretting it. Book a one-way ticket and your first few nights of accommodation — you’ll figure the rest out along the way. It’s not as intimidating as it sounds. If you’re in a tourist destination there’ll always be someone who’s willing to take your money by giving you a place to stay.

An improvised day in the surburbs of Djibouti, Djibouti

4. Travel insurance is everything

Seriously. If you do only one thing before you leave, make it getting travel insurance. I’ve heard far too many horror stories of travellers injuring themselves in remote places and ending up in hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of debt. Don’t think that it won’t happen to you, because you know those travellers they thought that, too.

5. Keep everything important in your daypack

I have had lost luggage before and had my big backpack ripped open in Barcelona one time on a bus trip. I’ve also been on dodgy buses in Africa where we’ve arrived at our destination and people have had valuables stolen from their backpack by someone hiding out in the luggage hold while we were transit.

If there’s anything I’d be upset to lose, I keep it in my daypack, which is always by my side on travel days. For me, that’s my passport, laptop, camera, external hard drive, a debit card, and some spare cash. As long as I have all of those, I can survive indefinitely. I use the Anti-Theft Secured Affinity USB Daypack.

The good thing about the Affinity USB Daypack is I can put it inside of my Osprey Fairpoint 40 Liter Backpack, which is the the best travel backpack in the World, according to travelandleisure.com.

7. Take more photos of yourself

I talked to one guy in Tbilisi, Georgia 2 years go from Uzbekistan and he told me: “Don’t be so shy. Go and ask for a picture” with some Georgian people in traditional clothing. There have been so many times when I’ve been too shy to ask someone to take my photo in a place and I’ve almost always regretted it. Photos of the beautiful places you visit are great and all, but when you get home, they’re not all that different to the ones everyone else has taken there, too. Photos with you in them are special and they’ll come to mean a lot more. I recommend the Sony A6000 with 24.3 Megapixels. To compare my IPhone X has a 12-megapixel camera. The Sony A6000 is a compact camera and doesn’t take too much space. It takes BANGER photos!

Or maybe I’m just a narcissistic millennial. Who knows?!

8. Learn a few words of the language in every country you visit

You’ll gain more respect from the locals if you can at least say hello, please, sorry, and thank you. It can be a cool ice breaker, which can lead to new adventures. On the note, remember: if you don’t speak the language, it’s your problem, not theirs. And please don’t start speaking louder to make yourself understood. Try miming instead, or using a translation app on your phone. Google Translate is a life saver!

Salaam! Views of the marina in Dubai, Abu Dhabi

9. Bring several debit and credit cards with you

I always bring at least 3. Sometimes your bank will block your card, sometimes your card won’t work in an ATM, and sometimes you could even lose it or have it stolen. Bring at least three debit/credit cards with you that are all linked to different accounts (with money in them!) Keep one in your backpack, one in your daypack, and one on your person. I need to practise this even more myself, because it’s so stupid and risky to keep them all in the same place, especially if you’re traveling in Africa or South America. Don’t do that!

10. And a stash of emergency cash

I carry a spare 300 USD that’s split up in various places in my backpack, daypack, and occasionally, my shoe when there’s a chance I might get robbed. Like when I went walking around to the slums in Cape Town, South Africa myself. It means that in a worst case scenario, I can pay for some food, a dorm bed, and a call to my family to get an emergency wire transfer until I can get back on my feet again. I go with U.S. dollars because it’s the most widely accepted currency around the world and easy to change.

11. Expect everything to go wrong

I’m the living proof of that! I expect the worst, but hope for the best. Expecting everything to go perfectly on your trip is only setting yourself up to fail. Nobody goes traveling and comes back without any stories of mishaps! No matter how prepared you are, at some point you’re going to get lost, get scammed, miss your bus, get food poisoning, injure yourself… the list is endless! I was really mad, when a guide stole my Rayban Sunglasses in Zanzibar, Tanzania, because I kind of expected to have the best time there, relaxing on the beach. Expect bad stuff to happen, and don’t beat yourself up when it does. In a month’s time, you’ll find it funny rather than frustrating.

12. And don’t lose your temper when it does

It achieves absolutely nothing and makes you look like an assh*le. I was taught that the hard way, when I got pissed off at the border from Uganda to Rwanda (I was exhausted and treated unfairly – but that’s another story), in fact they rejected me to enter Rwanda and I had to take a horrible bus 15 hours back to Uganda’s capital Kampala to grab another flight back to Tanzania, where I was at that time.
Instead, calm down, put a smile on your face, think of how this will make a great story one day, and rationally figure out an alternative plan. This too shall pass. Caaalm down, Gustav!

13. Visit the touristy stuff in a city

The main tourist attractions are popular for a reason. While getting off the beaten track can be fun, the things you’ll see are rarely as impressive as the popular sights. Don’t be a travel snob — hit up the famous stops as well as the lesser-visited stuff. Going to random places normally just shows you that they aren’t well known for a reason. That being said freestyling is fun, and I enjoy doing that too exploring other cultures, but sometimes there are reasons why tourists haven’t ventured to some tiny village before: Maybe there was nothing to do. I personally wouldn’t go to Paris for the first time without seeing The Eiffel Tower. Maybe that’s just me? I bet not.

Check out My 3 Favorite Travel Watches to keep track of time at the touristy spots!

14. Have a routine when checking out of a place

Advise from the person who lost a looot of stuff while traveling.

Checking out is when you’re most likely to lose something. CONFIRMED! Whenever I check out of a place, I now check the bathroom, I check under the beds, I check the desks, and then I make sure I have my passport, laptop, camera, money, phone, and external hard drive + Powerbank. (Forgot 5 of these at least!)

My favourite Power bank is by far ‘The Anker PowerCore’ with 20100mAh and I always go with this one. I’ll be fine if I leave anything else behind. Having a routine that you go through every single time will help you keep track of everything. I learned my lesson when I lost my newly (expensive) bought microphone for my IPhone in Marina Bay Sands, Singapore back in 2016, or when I forgot my passport in Surfers Paradise in Australia and some random Australian dude came running with it 5 minutes before I was moving on with the bus, asking “ay mate, is that yours?”. Talk about being lucky!

At that time I had only 1 passport, now I fortunately have 2!

6 years ago in Egypt wearing my fake Real Madrid shirt. (6$ bargain in Sharm el Sheikh!)

15. If you’re not sure if you should bring it, don’t

The lighter your backpack, the better. If in doubt, leave it behind. Trust me, you can buy pretty much anything you could possibly need in most places around the world. You’ll soon learn that all you need when you travel is a change of clothes, some money, and a passport. Everything else is adding to your comfort. Furthermore you’re able to fly very cheap to many destinations with small luggage!

I travel LIGHT, but I bring most of these things when traveling: The 20 Most Essential Travel Items

16. Travel in shoulder season to save money and avoid the crowds

Shoulder season is my favourite time to travel. The weather is usually mildest, everything is more affordable than in high season, and there are fewer people visiting, too.

Even in low season in Eastern Asia you will meet plenty other tourists, like here in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

17. Use a VPN

You’ll be connecting to a whole range of unsecured Wi-Fi networks on your trip, so you need to a use a VPN to protect yourself from hackers, malware, and all that good stuff. It’ll also allow you to change your location so you can watch your favourite TV shows online! I use ExpressVPN, which is 99 bucks a year. When my social media platforms literally shut down in Malawi, I realized it was a good idea to set up a VPN.

18. Leaving your comfort zone is the best thing you can do for yourself

I cite leaving my comfort zone as the number one way in which travel has helped me. It was leaving my comfort zone that gave me confidence in my abilities as a traveller. It helped me to overcome anxious situations and it introduced me to new experiences — most of which I unexpectedly loved!

During the World Cup 2018 in Seoul, South Korea. Flag is the opposite way, but whatever! Fun times!

19. Don’t change your currency at the airport

That’s where you’ll get the worst exchange rates.

20. If there’s no internet, embrace it

Play a card game with someone in the hostel common room, read a book, lay on the beach, go for a walk or go swimming, talk to a stranger, think about life. Some of my favourite travel memories are from times when I didn’t have an internet connection to suck me out of the moment.

If you’re still not feeling 200% prepared, then check out My 20 Most Essential Travel Items Here!

I hope you’ll think of my 20 travel tips for the next time you go exploring!

– Gustav

gus1thego.com

Follow me on Instagram @gustavrosted