TRAVEL ESSENTIALS TO MAKE YOUR TRIP EASIER
Are you headed across the pond for the first time? Maybe you’ve been before, but it’s been many years? I’ll share with you some travel accessories that are “essential” to me as well as some niceties that make my travels easier and more comfortable.
Before The Flight
1. Luggage
Having high quality, durable luggage is very important. You certainly don’t want to be pulling your bags and a wheel falls off, or having a cloth bag that isn’t waterproof while you’re walking to the train station in the rain. That wouldn’t be any fun! Investing in some quality, essential travel items – luggage being one of them – will not be regrettable.
If you are in the market for new luggage, I HIGHLY recommend AWAY luggage. It is the best luggage we have owned and I recommend it to anyone who asks my opinion and I’ve not heard of anyone being disappointed yet. The Carry-On Flex is the one that both my husband and I have. BONUS: You can get $20 off your first AWAY purchase using this code.
2. Compression Bags
This is one of the best packing tips that I can share. My travel hero, Rick Steves, introduced us to these compressions bags many years ago and I don’t travel anywhere without them. They are the bees knees when it comes to packing efficiently.
Personally, I prefer them over packing cubes any day. I have only purchased mine from the Rick Steves site, but you can find a number of them elsewhere. I don’t have experience with any other brands out there, so I cannot comment on them. Traveling with only a carry-on (yes, only a carry-on regardless of the length of my trip), these are THE BEST secrets to efficient packing. I can’t recommend them enough. Simply load them up then roll to squeeze out the air. No vacuum needed!
3. Apple AirTags
I put these Apple AirTags in my carry-on luggage as well as my personal item. Although the plan is to always have these two pieces with me at all times, you never know when you may get separated from your bags for some reason. Using these tags, you can look up on your mobile device to see where they are. You can also give someone else access to track these tags in case your mobile is in one of those “missing” bags. These are small enough and fairly economical to have extra assurance that I know where my bags are at all times when I travel. (We also put these on our dogs’ collars and on my parents’ key rings). There are so many ways you can use them to keep track of your items; not just while traveling.
4. Cincha Travel Belt
If you don’t already have a travel bag that fits over the handle on your luggage, might I suggest a Cincha Travel Belt? I love mine when I need to take my laptop bag instead of my AWAY Everywhere Bag. I can just set my laptop bag on top of my roller luggage, put the Cincha belt on, and voila! My laptop bag isn’t going anywhere!
5. Small Accessory Bags For Cords & Other Small Essentials
I don’t have a fancy bag that’s made specifically for cords and electronic devices. I use this cute little pouch I found several years ago as well as the “free” L’Occitane bag to keep my cords and plugs organized so that when I need the necessary items on the plane, I can quickly grab it out of my hand luggage.
6. Stainless Steel Wire Cables
These are great to put through your luggage tag. Sometimes bags can get tossed around a bit – especially the ones that are checked. I’ve had numerous tags get lost in the shuffle. I found some metal tags that work great. They don’t bend or break. I also add these stainless steel wire cables for better security (much better than the thin piece of leather that came with the luggage tag case). Just a little extra “muscle” to keep the tag and the luggage together. (NOTE: These also work great for securing your room tags to your luggage for cruise lines).
During The Flight
7. Scarf or Travel Wrap
It often gets chilly, or sometimes down right COLD on airplanes on long flights. I always bring along a large scarf or wrap that I can use as a small blanket to avoid using the blankets that are available on the plane, so a wrap works perfectly. It also doubles as another layer when you’re out and about on your vacation.
8. Dream Water
If you find it a little difficult to sleep on a plane, might I suggest Dream Water. It is a sleep aid containing melatonin that comes in both powder form and liquid drink form. You can decide which form suits you best. If you would rather have the ready-to-drink option, it is within the airline-approved limit, so no reason to worry if you are wondering if you can take it on the plane or not.
9. OLLY Sleep Melatonin Gummies
My husband and I always take OLLY Sleep melatonin gummies for long-distance flights. I don’t sleep very well at all on a plane, but these do help me fall asleep and I can actually get some sleep.
10. Lip Balm
I don’t know about you, but I always feel like the air in a plane is so stagnant and dry. I always feel like my lips get so dry if I don’t have some type of balm or moisturizer on them. My favorite is “Sugar Advanced Therapy Treatment Lip Balm” by the brand Fresh. It is very moisturizing and doesn’t leave my lips feeling sticky or waxy. This one is my favorite of all the ones I’ve tried so far. (NOTE: They are having 25% off all items on their site through March 12th + free shipping! Great time to give this a try).
11. Reusable Water Bottle
I have my good ‘ole trusty water bottle that I’ve had for years. It’s a simple “reduce” brand bottle that I got from Kroger a while back, but I love it. There are tons of options out there with all sorts of price ranges. Bottom line is, I always bring mine with me so I always have my water with me wherever I am. Just be sure not to have any liquid in it before going through TSA security or else it may get confiscated. Once you are through security, most airports have water fountains where you can fill your water bottle before you board your flight.
Electronics
12. Airpods / Noise Cancelling Head Phones / Earplugs
There are numerous options for distracting from the noise of your surroundings. My personal favorite way to limit the noise is by using my Apple AirPods Pro (gen 2) earbuds. If you’ve not figured it out by now, I am an Apple consumer, so I like to keep my electronics to Apple and also Apple-compatible. Regardless of your electronics preferences, we can still be friends! 🙂
13. AirFly Pro Bluetooth Wireless Audio Transmitter/Receiver
I recently purchased one of these AirFly Pro devices and used it on my recent trip to Paris a few weeks back. It allowed me to use my AirPods to connect to the airplane entertainment system via bluetooth (so no more hassle of the wire from the airplane-provided headphones). I am very pleased with this item and highly recommend it.
You may also opt for over the ear headphones or even go as simple as ear plugs. Regardless of your preference, having something to cancel a bit of the noise around you may help you catch a few zzz’s during your flight.
After The Flight
14. Slippers
I always have a slim pair of slippers in my luggage. I am a bit of a germaphobe, and it makes me cringe to think of getting out of the shower and putting my bare feet on the floor. These are essential to me. PRO TIP: When we stay at hotels that offer the “disposable” sleepers, we always keep them to ensure we have some for every trip. Although they are “disposable”, that doesn’t mean that you just wear them one time and throw them out. Each pair lasts us for several trips. I kept these from our spa resort in Rome from a couple of years ago and they even came in a cute bag to keep them in. Win!
15. International Travel Adapter
When traveling abroad, the most essential travel accessory you must have is a travel plug adapter. The reasons are obvious (unless you plan to REALLY disconnect and not have any electronics with you. If that’s the case for you… kudos to you!) 🙂
There are numerous adapters on the market today, but the one that I have used for the past few years is this one. It is a 220 Volt with 3 USB ports + 1 Type C port. It should work with most smartphones, laptops, iPads, power banks and other small electronic devices. Please be sure to check the specs of the adapter with your specific electronic needs.
Note that this type of adapter is NOT compatible with many small appliances including hair dryers, curling/flat irons and clothes irons. Most hotels, Vrbo’s and airbnb’s accommodations provide hair dryers. I purchased a curling brush iron in Estonia with a European plug. My only regret is that I didn’t purchase it years earlier.
Confession… I learned my lesson in Venice when I plugged in my curling iron – into an adapter – and blew the breaker in our apartment. I was sooo embarrassed when I had to go to the front desk and let them know what had happened. You can save yourself from a cringe moment and learn from my mistake. You’re welcome! Hahaha.
16. Portable Charger / Power Bank
If you enjoy taking lots of pictures (like me) or you use your smartphone often, you may want to invest in a portable charger to charge your electronics while you’re out and about during the day. I have the Anker Power Bank 5200 and it’s one of the most important travel accessory we keep with us at all times.
17. Anti-theft Bag
You may have seen this hot new travel bag on Instagram and Facebook. It is all the rage right now as far as anti-theft bags go. It can be worn under a coat or sweater and you can put all of your travel essentials in it. The best part is that it is anti-theft with hidden, metal zippers and a very durable and waterproof material. This will help deter pickpockets and send them on their way empty-handed. This bag is suitable for men or women.
18. Moneybelt
Another item suggested by Rick Steves that is perfect for traveling – a money belt. My husband always wears the Essential Silk Moneybelt around his waist under his shirt. This is the most secure way to protect your most important items such as passport, license, credit cards and cash. It is so thin and is very comfortable to wear. He says he can barely feel that it’s on.
I hope you found some of these essential travel accessories to be beneficial for your next trip. What are some items that are essential to you that you can’t travel without? Please share them in the Comments section below so we can all learn about new tips and accessories.
~ Merci et à la prochaine…
Allons faire un tour…
*This post may include affiliate links. I make a small commission if you purchase items from these specific links. Thank you in advance for enabling this Francophile to keep researching and sharing! 🙂
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