The topic today is travel necessities. I’ve been fortunate to have traveled quite a bit. I thought I would share some of my must haves as I pack my bags 🙂

1. I always carry an extra pair of socks in my carry on. If I’m wearing shoes without socks in the airport, I slip on my extra pair of socks so I can go through security [I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to know what’s on the floors of airports!] They also come in handy if the flight is cold. I have bad circulation in my feet, so it’s nice to be able to slip them on for extra warmth.

2. My kindle always goes with me when I’m traveling. Now I will say, I love books. There is something about actually turning the page of a book [and that book smell, come on :)] However, when traveling, it’s not always practical to haul a few heavy books with me.

3. Three words. Dr. Scholl’s moleskin. Lifesaver. It comes in a roll. It’s self-adhesive, so all you have to do is cut out the size and shape of where your shoes are rubbing and stick this right on it to prevent blisters. Or if you’re like me, and were a tad too late, stick it right on the blister so that you can continue to walk and explore the city. Don’t forget to pack a small pair of scissors or you’ll be headed to the front desk to ask if you can borrow a pair 😉

4. I do bring medicine when I travel, but I make sure to pack some essential oils as well. I like to have the oils in case I don’t feel like taking medicine and just need a little relief from a headache, or help sleeping from the jet lag.

5. Find a great dry shampoo! When you’re on the move, or sleeping on planes/trains and automobiles without the chance to wash your hair, dry shampoo is the bomb. I have tried them all and I’ve found batiste to be the best!

6. Cash. I always make sure to have cash on me before getting on the plane. Especially when going overseas. It’s cheaper to exchange money at your home base than at airports. Plus, when you arrive somewhere and need to catch a taxi or public transportation, they don’t all take credit cards. It’s best to have cash on you.

7. Being a photographer, I always have my camera with me when I travel. My ONA bag keeps everything in one place. My tip is to bring extra memory cards. If you’re like me, you take 10,000 photos when you travel. I never want to run out of the ability to take photos. I have a great case to hold them, here is one similar to what I have.

8. I am a big researcher before I go anywhere. I have lists on my phone and in notebooks of things to do, places to eat and tips. However, I always try to pack a travel size guide book just in case. It allows me extra information when we’re out in case my phone dies or I want to double check something and don’t have access to a computer. Bonus, usually they have a map of the city in them 🙂

9. A basic tiny notebook always goes with me. I like to keep track of what we did every day. We normally pack a lot in every day when we’re traveling, and if I wait until the end of the trip to try to record it all, I’ll absolutely forget things. I like to take a small notebook so I can record what we did when we get back to our hotel or Airbnb.

10. My last tip is to pack snacks. I have low blood sugar, and at times there’s no where to stop or the food cart is not going by on the plane and I need something immediately. Some of my favorite things to pack are packets of almond butter and crackers, homemade trailmix, and Larabars.

There you have it friends, 10 tips of things to pack when you’re traveling. Leave a comment of places on your bucket list! Happy travels 🙂