Travel Gear

Traveling can be a highly emotional time.

And unless you keep a travel checklist, many times you may be trying to remember what to pack, oftentimes at the last minute.

Here are things not to forget on your next trip.

If you are a frequent business traveler, you may be exhausted from traveling, and perhaps aggravated or even bored.

It’s different when you travel for work and not for pleasure.

These emotions can be just as strong as the giddy excitement vacation travelers experience.

Whenever strong emotions are involved, you can make mistakes.

Little things are forgotten, left behind, or remain unattended.

Many a house has been lost because excited travelers forgot to turn off an open flame on the stove top or to unplug small appliances.

But it doesn’t have to be quite as dramatic to put a damper on your vacation, even if it is some place as exotic as Phuket.

Those once in a lifetime vacations are the ones you especially don’t want to ruin because of some little thing you never even thought of until it was too late.

To ensure that your travels go smoothly, be sure to make a checklist.

This will also help you to pack light.

Do this well in advance when emotions are not so high.

That way when emotions are at their most volatile, you will have a note from the steadier version of yourself to get you through the packing.

Things Not to Forget When Traveling Checklist

Mail Service

When you are going on a long trip, you always want to have someone you trust to pick up your mail and newspapers so that your mailbox does not overflow.

You also want to ensure thieves don’t have an easy and visible indicator that you are away.

Another reason you need to tend to the mail is that life does not stop just because you are away.

There might be important business to tend to and sensitive information that can fall into the wrong hands.

But not everyone has trustworthy neighbors or anyone to ask to help while they’re away.

Halting your mail is not a good solution when there are actionable items that can’t wait for you to get home.

What you need are digital mailbox services that can handle your mail for you while you are away.

These services include a real street address where you can forward your mail and packages.

They will scan your unopened mail and notify you of what you have received.

From there, you can have them open your mail and scan it so that you can read it when you have time.

They can securely shred it, and even deposit checks for you.

A digital mail service provider is like having a good friend take care of your mail for you while you are away, only more reliable and useful.

Local Sim Cards for your Cell Phone

Right now, you have a great smartphone plan for your family’s multiple iPhones from Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, or Sprint.

You might even have some add-ons like options for plenty of high-speed tethering.

All of that goes away the moment you leave the country.

If you don’t take care of that before you leave, you will return to a bill worth thousands.

The solution is to acquire a local SIM.

The downside is that you will have to use a different phone number.

But that can be solved by giving your contacts your Google Voice number which is free.

It is not always easy to find a SIM provider depending on where you are going.

Keep a sharp eye out for vending machines that sell something other than sugar water.

Rather than scurrying from place to place to find a provider, cover that detail in advance.

Have them mail you your SIM before you leave if at all possible.

This slight inconvenience can save you thousands.

VPN for Privacy and Security

You will never forget your trip to China.

Just remember that you will be behind two great walls.

There is the one that can be seen from space, and the one that blocks you from your favorite content on the Internet.

You’ll want to do some research to learn the policies of the place where you are going.

The best way to ensure access to the Internet you are used to is to secure a VPN service before leaving home.

While some VPNs are free, the best ones cost a little money.

What you get in exchange is the ability to access the entire Internet rather than the subset permitted to the locals.

You will also have a private and secure connection to the Internet so that you will be free from snooping and worse.

What to remember before your trip

For a great vacation, don’t forget the little things.

Those little things include, but are not limited to, mailbox services, a local SIM, and a good VPN.

When you can plan ahead on some of things which take advantage of the technologies available today, you will be prepared, no matter where you go and how long you will be away.

Round The World Packing List

Our Round The World Packing List – There comes a time when you need to take a look at your current travel gear, throw away the stuff you don’t need or use anymore, and swap it for something new and fresh.

Now that we are on our way to travel around South East Asia again (we will be in THAILAND) we feel it’s a good time to remix our gear list and upgrade everything.

We have spent the last year traveling around Europe – so now it’s time to ditch the warm jackets, jeans and thick shirts.

Also from now on we’re traveling a little differently:

we will be taking with us more high-tech gear like the Canon 550D DSLR Camera, a Tripod, Wireless Microphones and a Macbook Pro laptop – all to be used for our up-coming online weekly Travel (TV) Show, as we travel around exploring Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia for the next 4 months.

We will still be using 40 Liter backpacks, although we threw out the old ones and got ourselves two matching new backpacks.

Checkout our Round The World Travel Guide and you can buy it here

Sofia’s Packing List

Clothes:

– 2 t-shirts
– 3 Sleeveless tops
– 2 Bikinis & 3 Bras
– 2 Pairs of socks
– 3 Pairs of panties
– 1 Button up shirt
– 1 Dress
– 1 Pair of leggings
– 1 Skirt
– 1 Pair of shorts
– 1 Pair of Loose Workout Pants
– 1 PolyPro top

Gear:

– Lundhags Dovre 40L
– Sea To Summit – Pocket-size Foldable Daypack
– 1 Silk sheet
– 1 Travel towel

Toiletries:

– Lush Solid Shampoo & Bodywash bars
– Deodorant
– Face Wash & Makeup
– Tangle tweezer hairbrush

Accessories:

– Earrings & Sunglasses

Shoes:

– Merrell Continuum Shoes
– Havaianas sandals

Nathan’s Packing List

Clothes:

– 3 t-shirts
– 3 long-sleeve shirts
– 1 pair of shorts
– 1 pair of boardshorts
– 3 Pairs of underpants
– 1 Thin jacket
– 3 pairs of socks

Gear:

– 1 Silk sheet
– Lundhags Dovre 40L
– 1 Travel towel

Toiletries:

– Toothbrush
– First Aid Kit
– Deodorant

Accessories:

– Sunglasses
– Cap

Shoes:

– 1 pair of Columbia Cruzado shoes

Shared Tech:

– 13.3″ Macbook Pro with case
– Mono Tripod
– 11.6″ Asus Eee Pc laptop
– Zoom H2 Microphone
– 2 Audio-Technica Omnidirectional Lavalier Mics
– iPod Shuffle
– iPod Touch
– 2000GB External Memory
– Canon D-SLR 550D
– Kodak Zi8 Video Camera
– Travel Power Adaptor

Personally I think it seems like a lot of stuff once you add it all up, but believe it or not, it all fits into our 40 liter carry-on backpacks, and that’s all we ask for.

Hope this gear list is helpful for you guys as well, remember you don’t need all that extra stuff – keep it simple, keep it light and it will make life so much easier!

That Extra Stuff I Can’t Travel Without

For me, one of the toughest things when backpacking around the world is having to resist the temptation of buying every pretty and new thing I see.

There have been so many things I have wanted to buy, but since I don’t have much space for it in my 40L backpack and honestly the PAIN from having to carry it around outweighs the PLEASURE – I simply promise that I will return one day and buy it.

When you settle down for a while, you really get used to having an abundance of choice to wear ANY clothes, and as much make up and jewelry as you want.

But when out traveling you are really forced to learn how to live with only a few important things.

I’ve done pretty well I think, but there are still a few things that I simply won’t travel without:

Hair Ties

I always, ALWAYS have a few of these on my wrist, because even if I don’t need one now, I know that at some point during the day it will come in handy.

The worst thing I know is having your hair sticking to your sweaty back…. yuck!

Hair ties are also useful for so many other things, it’s amazing how many things you can tie together to save space and when organizing stuff.

Earrings

I know I don’t need them, but wearing long dangling colorful earrings is my way of making myself feel extra pretty on those ‘bad’ days.

Also they seem to just make any boring old travel outfit that much nicer!

Concealer

Using concealer is pretty much the only make up I wear or take when traveling.

It is great to touch up a few random spots etc.

Gift From Home

For me this is about having that little bit of certainty – I like having something from home, a letter from a close friend, a special photo, or something I bring with me which I can look at and feel that warmth and safety, remember that there is always a place I can go back to where people miss me, and feels like home.

Good Face Wash Product

Yes, another face product.

But for me the skin is really important, and when traveling you often travel under pressure, stress and in so many different climates.

All of this can cause bad skin, so using a good face wash/soap is a must for me.

It’s better to prevent than treat.

Tester Sized Perfume

I don’t use perfume very often when traveling, but I like to have it there in case.

Have you ever sniffed that ugly smell only to realize it’s your own shirt that smells?

That’s what this is for – a quick spray and the shirt is like new again…! 😉

This round the world gear list will see you through for months.

Depending on the climate, you can find in-season clothing and gear at secondhand shops once at your destination.

Preparing for a Cruise – The Technophile’s Checklist

When Preparing for a Cruise, there are several elements that go into successfully planning a vacation, and it can seem like there are countless considerations along the way.

You must decide on the perfect destination, time and length of the trip, as well as each individual activity on you vacation.

Additionally, you you must plan for transportation to get there and secure the necessary accommodations upon arrival.

On the other hand, you could choose a cruise and knock and all of these aspects in one go.

If you do choose to go the cruise route, the majority of your preparation may come down to packing.

Especially for technophiles who are not particularly used to leaving the comfort of civilization and high-speed internet connections, this can be a challenging prospect.

Not to worry; this guide has collected all of the major gadgetry that any tech fan should not be without on a cruise.

Preparing for a Cruise – Technophile’s Checklist

The basic necessities should go without saying.

You will need to pack the bathing suit, flip-flops, sunglasses and any items that would be brought on any beach vacation.

The following checklist consists of the gadgets, devices and accessories that would make any tech geek feel at home while on the ship.

Waterproof Smartphone Case

For the majority of modern individuals, our lives are in our smartphones.

Not only are they necessary for most of the basic elements of everyday life and work, they hold personal and vital data, some of which cannot easily be replaced.

Especially if you are on a cruise, the phone itself cannot be replaced; there are not that many Best Buys located in the middle of the ocean, but there is a lot of non-gadget friendly water there.

Unless you plan to pack a bowl of rice and a lot of patience, you would be safer with a waterproof smartphone case.

Many modern devices like the Samsung Galaxy Note8 and the iPhone X have some level of water resistance, but it is better not to take your chances.

Aside from the basic protection they provide, a waterproof case would allow you to take photos underwater without spending more on a waterproof camera.

Wireless Accessories

Depending on your needs and what you plan to do, you may need to pack several wireless accessories.

Wireless earbuds and/or small speakers can be a necessity for lounging around on the ship.

Additionally, a wireless keyboard would be necessary if you hope to write anything but do not want to bring your computer.

A Bluetooth headset may be helpful if you plan on being on the phone a lot.

The one thing to remember with all of these: buy water resistant if possible.

Power Strip

We can get so caught up in purchasing and packing all of the cool, new gadgets that may come in handy that we forget about some basic, simple necessities.

If you are planning to bring multiple items which need to be plugged in– which you probably are– a power strip can be absolutely critical for a successful cruise.

Even though the cabins rarely provide enough outlets, some cruise lines do not allow power strips; in this case, a small two- or three- outlet strip with USB outlets should do the trick.

Waterproof Pouches

Going back to the idea of protection, at least one or two waterproof pouches will be definite necessities aboard a cruise ship.

In addition to protection for any digital gear you may bring along, these can also be useful for your cash, passport, wallet and other important items.

Some come with lanyards, giving them the additional benefit of being easy carrying cases.

Selfie Stick

Although they can be annoying in the real world, a selfie stick can be an invaluable tool on a cruise.

You certainly want to take plenty of photos of yourself with your significant other and/or children enjoying the fun and the sun, so bring one of these to avoid repeatedly asking strangers for help.

Essential Gear For Your Adventure Ski Holiday

As many of you probably know we are currently in the Bavarian Alps in southern Germany enjoying a ski season.

Now that spring is approaching, we’ve had some amazing days of sunny warm weather lately, but this also affects the snow and makes it more dangerous if you go skiing off-piste.

Many people who go for ski holidays think it sounds cool to ski off-piste, not realizing the precautions they have to take, and end up getting trapped in avalanches.

If you’ve planned to do some off-piste skiing this spring, take a look at this gear guide to make sure you have everything you need for your trip to the mountains.

We’re going to assume that you’ve already figured out that you need a ski jacket and pants, gloves and base layers, and consider some of the less obvious items that can come in handy while you’re away.

And don’t forget, as the season draws on a lot of the gear you need will be available at a discount, so look out for a good ski sale before you buy.

Powermonkey

This is an awesome tool which lets you charge your phone, ipod or other 5V device without having to find a plug socket.

Which can be tricky on a mountain.

The latest version is solar charged, so you can top it up when you stop for a rest. Solar PowerMonkey

Thermal insoles

This will make your fellow skiers or boarders really jealous – a battery heated insole for your boots – not recommended for late season sun, but if you’re on the mountain in early January they’re worth their weight in gold.

Toko Hot Wax

Ideally, your board or skis need to be serviced after every trip away.

So rather than paying for someone else to do it, buy some Toko hot wax and a file and do it yourself.

It’s easy (as long as you haven’t been hitting too many stones) and has the added advantage of letting you give your kit a quick once over half way through the trip.

Pocket Screwdriver

This is one for the snowboarders; a pocket tool lets you adjust your bindings, or more importantly tighten them up if they get loose.

This can happen with surprising ease if your set up is new.

And if you’re set up for freestyle and hit a huge downhill, then you can change the angle of dangle in a couple of minutes.

Two Way Radios

A phone signal can be hard to find in more remote parts of the mountain, so a couple of radios are the ideal solution.

There are a lot on the market, so take your time and read some reviews before you decide which set to buy.

Avalanche transceiver

A lot of good ski and board jackets have an avalanche transmitter built in these days, but if your friends haven’t got a transceiver they won’t find you.

Essential for deep off piste conditions high up the mountain.

 Avalanche Probe

Avalanche Probe is essentially a lightweight stick that collapses to fit in your pack.

It has one invaluable purpose – finding someone when they’re buried, and can literally make the difference if one of your party gets caught under the snow.

Avalanche shovel

Does what it says on the tin, and once you’ve used the transceiver and probe to locate the buried person, it will help you get them out a lot faster.

The fact that it can also be used to build small kickers is an added bonus.

If you’ve got the transceiver, probe and shovel in your pack, then statistics say it should take no more than 16 minutes to find the avalanche victim.

Without them, it will take over an hour – so choose your mountain equipment carefully.

What gear would you recommend bringing on a ski trip?

How to Pack

Humans used to be a nomadic race, going from one place to another in search of better food and water.

There are still some communities in the world, which retain their nomadic beginnings.

We can just imagine the very first humans, who inexplicably bring up an image of the Flintstones, deciding to take their first journey.

That is when they would have come face to face with the most difficult of things:

How to pack correctly?

Like everything with traveling, it is best to prepare for your holidays in advance.

Frankly, how do you pack for a trip?

We can understand the urge to take along everything, but unless you live in a big RV Bus, it is quite impossible.

If you do live in a huge RV, even then taking everything along on your trip to overseas would be impossible.

So, now having established the need for packing, let us finally move towards the methods the can be employed.

PACK SMART NOT HEAVY

Just as you should work smart and not work harder, so is the case with packing. P

acking smart is only possible if you have a proper system in place.

You can take the following steps to ensure that you pack smart for your next trip.

SELECTING THE RIGHT BAG

You start your packing by selecting the right bag.

If you are packing for a hiking trip then a bag form North Face would be more appropriate than your regular duffel bag.

On the other hand, an overseas trip would warrant an upright trolley suitcase, which is easier to carry around.

BE ORGANIZED

Being organized is the key to packing everything you need for the trip.

We suggest that you should start by making a checklist of all the things that you will need.

If you are traveling overseas, then it would be better to have all the things in separate sections.

The documents need to be present in a very accessible place, so that they can be taken out at a moment’s notice.

On the other hand, if you are packing for a stay at a hotel, there is no need to pack every little accessory.

PERSONAL COMFORT IS IMPORTANT

Your handbag should ideally contain things which you need to keep yourself comfortable during the actual travel.

If you’re traveling by air then this could include your neck pillow, a sleeping mask, your favorite pair of headphones, etc.

It should also have your travel documents, just in case you need to show them.

THE CHECKLIST

Perhaps, it would be better to make the checklist before you start anything else.

Start with making a list of all the things that you may need on the trip.

This should include your clothing, shoes, laptop, toiletries, etc.

After you have made this first draft, it is highly advisable to revise it removing anything which has been included purely because you are attached to it.

The main thing to understand here is that when packing, space is at a premium.

For example, you don’t really need those three pair of shoes for just a weekend.

THE ACTUAL PACKING

Packing a suitcase properly is an art.

However it can only be done after you decided what you’re going to carry with you.

So, traditionally this step would come after you have made the checklist and revised it to leave out any unnecessary things.

To pack efficiently, please use the following tips.

Tips for packing

When packing a suitcase, especially a vertical one, it is better to put the heavier things at the bottom.

This will prevent it from twisting and falling at every turn that you make with it.

Pack all your toiletries in a small plastic bag and make sure that even if something untoward happens, the bag won’t leak and ruin all your beautiful clothes.

If you’re going to carry jackets then it would pay off to buy reusable compressor bags.

They can save up to 75% of the space originally taken by outerwear apparel.

For your regular clothes, the best way to pack them is to use the time-tested roll method.

To do this, simply fold the items using the regular method and then roll them into a tight bundle.

Contrary to popular perception, it will actually help in reducing the number of wrinkles on your clothes.

Also, using this, items can be stacked one over the other without taking much space.

It is highly un-advisable to pack any sharp objects for an airplane ride.

Just go over the list of common items which are not allowed, to be sure that you do not have to deal with the hassle of parting with your favorite knife.

More packing tips

It would be better to carry any valuables on your person rather than in the luggage.

You never know what is going to happen to it and the insurance will not cover the cost in case your items are misplaced.

Using wheeled upright bags can save you a lot of trouble, especially if you are traveling alone.

Sometimes, it is better to skip common accessories like shampoos and other toiletries which can be easily bought for nominal amounts from the place you are traveling to.

This is it. These are our tips for packing smart instead of having to lug around all the heavy stuff.

And what’s more, we have summarized all of this into the following infographic:

How to Travel with a Laptop and Keep It Working

Having a laptop while traveling can be such a great asset – you can connect with your friends, upload pictures, save money by booking flights and hostels online etc.

But when traveling around the world, by nature you are forced to put your laptop through so many challenges that it can be really hard to keep it in a good working condition, especially if you don’t know the best ways to look after it.

On my first big trip, I took a small laptop which broke down halfway through and I was forced to purchase a new one – I had no idea how much pressure I put on my little 8 inch laptop, and that cost me a big portion of my travel budget.

Here are some lessons I learned:

Use a good protective laptop case:

This is probably the most important issue when traveling.

You move around a lot, and it will get bumped into things no matter how hard you try to avoid it.

If you have it in a big backpack/suitcase it can get hit when someone throws your luggage in the bag storage on the bus, or handles it badly.

Never leave your laptop in a cold environment:

If you do, and then bring it into a warm environment, condensation on the circuitry will build up and cause the laptop to short itself out.

Never keep your paperwork between the screen and keypad:

Paper is pretty sharp and will eventually cut into the screen or scratch it.

Use good virus software:

When traveling you never know how safe the internet connection you’re using is, so always make sure to keep your laptop safe with a good firewall.

And make sure you update it and clean your data every few weeks.

Avoid placing your laptop on soft surfaces:

This will block the air vents and overheat your system.

Doing this too often isn’t good for the laptop.

Don’t pick the laptop up by the screen:

I did this way too many times, and eventually the screen cracked…

I followed none of this advice, and as you can imagine every single consequence mentioned – happened…

One Last Tip:

Even if you follow these rules there is still a risk that your computer will break.

If this happens, you can lose everything on it.

Make sure that you have saved your photos (and other important documents) somewhere else too, like on a USB memory or an external hard drive.

If you have an iPod with a lot of memory which you don’t use, you can even save them there.

Since both laptops and hard drives run high risks of breaking, I recommend you to store your photos online as well.

This way you have at least three places for your photos.

I’ve learned this from past experiences.

Our hard drive was full, and we hadn’t uploaded our photos from parts of our trip online.

Of course the laptop broke and the photos were gone.

Learn about studying a language while traveling and tips for e-learning success.

How to plan a round-the-world trip?

Tips for Smart Travelers

Whether you’re traveling for work or play, or whether you’re a newbie traveler or a seasoned pro, everyone could use a few travel tips.

Sometimes we pack too much.

Other times we don’t pack correctly for the weather.

Maybe you forgot your phone charger or didn’t pack enough reading material for times off-line. Sometimes it is fun to just take things as they come on a trip.

But sometimes, just even taking a few minutes to research a brief itinerary, makes things go more smoothly.

Take a few moments to plan ahead.

It can make all the difference when you can enjoy some of your comforts and conveniences from home as you travel. Tips for Traveling Internationally

Stream content from your phone and watch it on the TV in the hotel room.

You can watch your favorite shows or movies without paying the high rate that most hotels would charge.

Just make sure to pack an HDMI cord that attaches to both your phone and a regular HDMI port, which most TVs have.

If you have an unlocked phone, pick up a SIM card at your international destination.

It’ll be much more cost effective than paying for roaming charges on your regular account.

You can use the data to call home, upload photos to Instagram, check Google Maps, and whatever else you would normally use your phone for.

For a few weeks before your trip, chat with travel vendors on social media.

When you connect with hotels, tour operators and restaurant owners, you may be able to snag some perks before you even leave home.

You’ll also learn more about traveling to Rome or whatever destination you have your heart set on.

A lot of vendors are happy to offer a freebie because it means you may help spread the word on social media.

Some diet experts suggest fasting for 16 hours before getting to your destination.

Then, you should eat as soon as you arrive, or as soon as possible after arrival.

This will help reset your circadian rhythms so you can get on track with the local time at your destination.

Since you won’t be expending any energy during the flight, you may be just fine without eating.

You should, however, drink plenty of water.

Since the air in an airplane can dry out your skin, consider applying a hydrating overnight mask and wear it during your flight.

You can find masks that are clear so you don’t have to be self-conscious about the mask.

Never pack the following items in your suitcase: jewelry, ID cards, credit cards, cash, travel documents or keys.

These items can be stolen or lost, which will leave you practically stranded when your flight lands.

Always keep these items in your carry-on bag.

As soon as you get to your hotel, unpack your bags.

Ten minutes now will save you loads of time later, when you’d otherwise be digging through your belongings to find your mascara, earrings or socks.

After a long flight, your eyes may look extra puffy.

Roll on an eye gel, which will work quicker than a cream gel, and put in eye drops to reduce redness.

If you wear contacts, take them out during the flight and wear your glasses instead.

If you fall asleep, you won’t wake up to dry, uncomfortable eyes.

Don’t let your trip be a drag on your diet, budget or mood.

By planning in advance, you can have a seriously memorable trip, whether you are traveling for pleasure or for work.

Use these tips for smart travelers, and you’ll find traveling easier and more relaxing.

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Easily Forgotten Travel Preparations

Easily Forgotten Travel Preparations – With any trip, there comes a number of things that need to be sorted and organized before you go away.

But if you’re travelling abroad for an extended period of time, there are some really important things that you must not forget to sort before jetting off on your travels – and yet it’s these obvious little details we so often forget to do!

Here, to help any of you venturing off to new and exotic locations, is a checklist of things not to forget when you’re preparing to leave.

Confirm your passport expiration Date

I actually made this mistake myself when I was 15 and was going to travel abroad without my parents for the first time.

Two days before the bus left to Bosnia I realized my passport had expired – not a fun situation to be in!

There are last-minute solutions like an Expedited Passport but they are expensive and are only valid for a short period of time.

Make sure that your passport is valid for at least 6 months after your planned return date.

Some airlines and immigration controls require this and it will also give you room to extend your stay should you wish.

Get your visas sorted well in advance

Forgetting to sort out a visa is another can’t-do mistake that many of us make.

Visa application processes can take up to several months to be approved and granted so make sure you research well in advance whether you need a visa and if so, which visa you should apply for.

Then apply accordingly as soon as possible.

For more information on visa requirements, check with the country’s embassy or have a look on visa application service websites link this one here.

Refill your prescriptions

This is yet another mistake I’ve made, realizing that a prescription I had was running out in the middle of my trip.

Many prescriptions can be found world-wide but it’s such a hassle and time-consuming to find the right place to go and book an appointment when you should be out enjoying yourself.

Clean the fridge and empty the garbage

The last thing you want is to return to a stinky home with angry neighbors.

It’s always best to turn the fridge off completely when you’re away, so clean it out!

Get insurance

Taking a big trip abroad without getting travel insurance really isn’t worth the risk.

You never know what’s going to happen when you’re away in an unfamiliar country.

You certainly don’t want to find yourself paying for medical bills abroad should you fall ill, replacing valuables if they are lost or stolen, or paying for legal fees incurred by someone suing your for injuring them or damaging their property.

Taking out insurance will save from having to pay such unanticipated and excessive expenses.

Check here for more information on travel insurance cover.

Budget carefully and realistically

If you’re planning a big trip is important that you budget properly.

Make sure you do your research checking how much you’ll need to spend before you go on flights, visa applications, travel insurance, luggage, clothing, etc.

Then look into how much money you’ll need for when you’re on the road, making sure you’re realistic with how much you will actually spend.

Rule of thumb is that you will likely spend more than you think so make sure to have a buffer in your budget, including a certain amount set aside for emergencies.

Be prepared

If you are traveling to medium-to-high-risk destinations, it might be wise to plan for two things: a water emergency and preventative illness.

A Lifestraw will enable you to have safe water to drink anywhere you go.

It weighs just ounces and makes water safe to drink.

Another preventative that is good to have is something for travelers’ diarrhea (also known as Bali Belly or Montezuma’s Revenge).

Travelan contains naturally occurring antibodies, the proteins that prevent and fight infection.

If you consume food or water that contains diarrhea-causing bacteria, these antibodies will target and neutralize the bacteria before they can make you sick.

Take one Travelan tablet before each meal with water.

No prescription is required.

Let your bank know you’re traveling

This is important for a couple of reasons.

First, they might find it suspicious that your cards are being used in random places abroad and will block it, leaving you stranded.

Secondly, they might have some great offers for clients who are traveling, such as a special card that has zero transaction fees from ATM’s abroad.

In my opinion, this is a MUST – and yes I’ve made this mistake myself too, wasting a ton of cash on expensive transaction fees.

Get immunized for vaccine preventable diseases

When going on a big trip, the last thing you want is to come down with disease, only to find out it could’ve been prevented.

Depending on your destination, you may need to get immunized to protect you from contracting certain illnesses.

Check well in advance which (if any) vaccines you need and contact your doctor.

Your doctor should be able to help you here should you have any questions.

Often treatments need to be made several weeks, even months, in advance to be completely effective so make sure you check and sort this well in advance.

What are some easy but important travel preparations that you have forgotten before?

(photo credit:  1 –  2 –  3 –  4 – stuartpilbrow – ed yourdon – Rebateszone & Aswetravel – 1 – 2 – 3 – 4)

Best Apps For Travellers To Europe – In a world practically ruled by technology, it’s only right that we utilize it as much as possible. Gone are the days of battling with oversize tourist maps or jumping on a train and hoping we get off at the right stop while traveling to Europe.

Best Apps For Travellers To Europe

There’s not even a need to fill in a paper e111 card renewal anymore, with the internet making it easier than ever to apply.

There are countless apps available on Android and iPhone that can make our travels easier than ever, and we’re here to introduce you to some of the biggest and best to make your holiday just that little more stress-free.

FlyEurope

While most of the apps on our list can be used while you are travelling, FlyEurope is ideal for before you even book your holiday.

In fact, this app will search airlines and compare the prices to find you the best and most reasonably priced flights for you!

You can save time, money and patience by using this app, and trust us – all three of those are valuable to keep!

Fly to any of the major European destinations with the cheapest flights and if you have a little more flexibility to go with it?

You never know just how little you could spend on your air fare!

GoEuro

For those of us who are seasoned travelers or have been abroad at least once and experienced the horror of not having a hire car, you’ll already know how difficult it can be to understand public transport when you’re travelling.

Luckily, GoEuro is here to make catching a bus, train or flight so much easier!

With easy booking on over 450 travel companies and the best prices, traveling your destination doesn’t have to be a stressful experience.

You have all the times, fares and booking you need, right from one little app on your phone!

TheFork

The foodies among you – or, you know, anyone that needs to eat! – will love TheFork.

This app helps you find, book and gather special offers for a whole array of different restaurants in Europe.

This app is completely free and simple to use, and you could even get up to 50% off of your meal!

Look for the right deals on the food that you love using this app and not only will you satisfy your stomach, but your bank account too – after all, saving a little extra cash on food gives you more spending money for those cheesy souvenirs!

OneFineStay

OneFineStay is an app for those of you who like the finer things in life.

If you’re looking for a unique way of staying in the countries you love, this app will help you find the ideal luxury accommodation (usually an apartment or home!) and will even help you settle in.

You can browse their selection of homes, check the booked dates, set the address to make it easier to get back there while you’re exploring, and you’ll even have access to plenty of other information like location restaurants and sights to see!

TripLingo

TripLingo is everything you could want in a travel app.

As the name suggests, it can help you out with the ‘lingo’ of the country you’re visiting with the voice translator feature, and there’s a phrasebook too for those need-to-know features – but the uses don’t stop there!

There’s a WiFi dial to let you make international calls when connected to WiFi, a tip calculator so you don’t have the awkward ‘too much or too little’ fiasco, and there’s plenty of culture notes, learning tools, safety advice and so much more to make getting around your destination easier than ever!

TripLingo really does have a bit of everything!

Oh, and did we mention it was free?

Alternative Digital Substitutes To Heavy Travel Guide Books

For us, as for many other travelers, taking a travel guide book with us on trips is a thing of the past.

We haven’t traveled with a proper guide book for years, the first reason is that they’re often really heavy, bulky and take up a lot of space in your bag.

Secondly, guide books give you so much information about each place, but for us MOST of that really isn’t needed.

I don’t want to know EVERYTHING about a place I’m visiting before I’ve even arrived – doesn’t that take away from the excitement?

Where is the fun in knowing everything before even arriving?!

Guidebooks are great tools to keep yourself updated about the places you’re visiting, and of course you want to know a little bit about the places and what attractions and sites you’ll find.

To get all that, you still don’t really need a proper paperback guide book.

There are so many alternatives to these that will both save you money and back pain.

Here are a few ways to be able to travel without the guide book but still keep yourself updated with the right info:

Downloadable eBook Guides

These days traveling with a laptop is pretty much common place, and although it might seem like it adds on a lot more weight than a guide book does, you know you can store 500 of them and still keep the same weight (among all those other things you would use a laptop for).

When traveling, you won’t always have access to the internet to browse online, so guides you can download to your desktop and read whenever you want, are great.

You can get a whole guide for only a few bucks, and even the bigger guide book companies are starting to sell their guides in PDF format.

The Hostel and Local Tourist Center

Alternative Digital Substitutes To Heavy Travel Guide Books

Normally the owners at a hostel know everything there is to know about the city for a tourist, and can tell you what there is to see around the place, all from good eats to temples to clubs.

You can also take a visit to the information office, where they’ll be able to help you with all planning and information you need to know about the city – usually you’ll also get a free map which is very useful 😉

Smartphone Apps

I don’t actually have a smartphone myself, but I have an iPod Touch and that works great.

What’s great about these apps is that you can bring them with you onto the street, and many of them don’t even need an internet connection to work.

Just search for guides or the places you’ll be going and see what you can find.

Many country tourism authorities have created great free apps for cities and places, this is becoming more and more common place.

The Internet

Just a click away, the internet is probably the easiest way to find out what you need about the city you’re visiting.

Websites like Travelfish are great for finding things to do, restaurants and places to stay – and finding out the truth about them by people who have actually been there.

There are also tons of travel blogs that have heaps of great guides and information about places.

Random Walks – Find Out Yourself.

Some days, it’s better to just take a look yourself on what there is to do and see around you.

Take a walk down the street and you’ll most likely end up somewhere you haven’t been before, and see something new that you haven’t seen before, whether it’s a market, some shops, a river or a temple.

Sometimes the best attractions aren’t those mentioned in the guide books, but those experienced by a random moment on a random street in a random city – somewhere around the world.

How do you get around new cities?

If you have any tips on places to get some good guides and information, we’d love to hear about it!

What Lonely Planet Guide Books And The Bible Have In Common

I’m not a religious person, in fact, I quit the automatic-at-birth church membership they sign you up for in Sweden last year.

However, I’ve always enjoyed visiting churches, I feel that there is something special about them, something very comforting.

I feel safe and calm when I’m sitting in a church.

For me it is the same as with guide books – they’re comforting and it makes me feel slightly safer with one in my hand, but I never really read them.

It’s not the guidebooks themselves that are the problem for me, but the way some people read them – as if they were the bible.

Now I kind of like the bible as well, it shares some really amazing stuff for living a happy life, but just as with the Lonely Planet guides (and other guides), many people misread and/or read too far into it.

So, what they both have in common, The Bible and Lonely Planet – is that they’re both guide books.

They’re there to share with you some guidelines to help you on your way, not for you to follow strictly from point A to point B.

We see people all around the world, sitting in cafes, walking down the street with their heads stuck so deep inside a Lonely Planet guide book, that they seem to forget to simply just look around at where they are and enjoy.

Guide books are there to give you hints, but it’s your task to make up your own way of doing it – there are no ‘must do’s’, or ‘must-see’s’.

I especially remember this one man who counted with his fingers all the things he had managed to tick off the ‘must do in New-Zealand-list’ in less than 3 weeks:

“I did the dolphins, I’ve done the bungy jumping, I did the skydiving, I saw the glow worms, I saw the wales, I went to the Glacier etc etc…”

He never once mentioned HIS personal experience, and when I asked him he didn’t really have anything to say about it – for him it was all about the list.

Now just to make things clear, I don’t think that there is anything wrong with having bucket lists, in fact I love them!

If it’s a list of things you really want to do, rather than a list of things you feel that you must do because everyone says so, then go and enjoy yourself while ticking off your personal bucket list.

But if you’re running around stressing to see everything, I don’t think you’ll get the most out of your stay, even if you saw more things than me.

What’s the point of living a life if it’s already decided by somebody else how you should live it?

Same goes with guide books and travel:

What’s the point of exploring if someone else halve already told you all about it and what to expect?

What adventure is worth doing when you already know what’s going to happen?

It’s like opening a Christmas present you knew you would get.

It’s still fun and nice, but not very exciting…

What I love about online travel guides and guides written by fellow bloggers is that they’re brief, straight to the point and only write about the most necessary information.

They give some examples of things to do, places to eat and stay, but only enough for you to go and explore a little yourself…

So, let yourself go, trust and have a little faith in YOURSELF, not in the book – who knows maybe you will have fun!

I love the way Paulo Coelho talks about this in his book ‘Warrior of the Light’:

”One can often ruin a good pilgrimage by reading all the leaflets, books, guidelines on the internet, friends’ comments, and arrive at the place knowing everything one ought to be discovering for oneself, not allowing room for the most important element of any journey – the unexpected.”

Things I Learned From Happiest People In The World

You learn a lot when you go traveling, especially from the people you meet along the way.

Out of all the places I’ve been, there is no place where I’ve learned so much about human beings as when we were in Vanuatu.

Despite being one of the poorest countries in the world, these people have been rated the happiest in the world.

You shouldn’t believe everything people say about rankings, so we went there to check the out and have to admit that these people really do have something that most of Western society seems to have lost.

The way they lived reminded me of many things I already knew but so rarely actually saw, or did in real life, so for that I am so very grateful.

Travel Photo – Vanuatu Wall Of Graffiti

We came across this wall in the middle of nowhere, while explore an island in Vanuatu – I think it really sums up the mindset of the Vanuatu People.

Happiest People In The World Vanuatu

Things I Learned Trust:

These people will trust anyone and everyone for no apparent reason.

For example when we were going to buy some bananas from a market lady, she was lying under the table on a mattress fast asleep.

We had to wake her up, show her that we wanted to buy the bananas, but even then she just waved her hands towards the table and told us to put the money somewhere on her table, and fell back to sleep.

That kind of thing would never happen in a Western country, where the focus seems to be more on let’s make more money and trust nobody until they prove it.

Smiling And Saying Hi To Everyone All The Time:

My mouth was literally aching after spending a few days in Vanuatu.

When you walked down the street at night, everyone would walk past saying ‘Goodnight, Sweet Dreams!’

This wasn’t just because we were tourist either, they also acted the same to each other.

They were polite and friendly without wanting something back.

Here in Europe, people often are only polite if they get something out of it, and they get very confused and at first a little suspicious  if you’re friendly and talkative to them for no ‘reason’.

There it was more strange if you DIDN’T talk to the person sitting next to you in the bus van.

Take The Time To Enjoy Moments:

In the Western society I often feel like people judge you if you’re not always doing something, or always busy.

The first thing people always ask me is what I’ve done lately and what my plans are for the future.

The vibe in Vanuatu was so chill.

It really felt like time stood still, and you could find people just sitting under palm trees, laughing or sleeping by their food stalls in the middle of the day – enjoying life.

Take Your Time To Help A Stranger:

Taking the time to help a stranger is something that is so valued there, and I’ve never seen people putting in such a big effort to help you without asking for something back in return (like some tip).

In many other places you will find people are simply way too busy with their own lives to stop and care for someone else’s.

Being Curious Of You As A Person:

Coming from Sweden, we ‘need’ a very large ‘personal space bubble’.

Often we feel uncomfortable even when someone sits in the seat next to us on a bus.

Unless the bus is full, you will rarely see two strangers sitting next to each other when there are other free seats.

I did it once to test, and the person next to me was very uncomfortable, and moved away.

Here in Vanuatu people sit right down in the seat right next to you in an empty bus, look at you with a big smile of their faces and starts a conversation right away.

They are honestly curious about you, and really care to get to know you as a human being.

Melanesia – Amazing Things To See and Do

(photo credits: sunshinecity – savioseb – vanbest)
(photo credits: grandvelasrivieramaya)

JooJoobs Leather Travel Front Pocket Wallet – Whether you’re fashion conscious or not, you’re bound to like the looks of JooJoobs front pocket wallet.

That’s because this ultra-slim walletkeeps all of your necessary cards accessible.

When you spend a lot of time on the road or in airports, you know how critical it is to be able to get to your ID, debit card and credit card without any fumbling.

That’s exactly what this offering from JooJoobs gives you.

Advantages of a Leather Travel Front Pocket Wallet

There are many advantages to using a wallet that fits in your front pocket.

It’s smaller and slimmer than a traditional billfold, but it holds more than a money clip can.

This product from JooJoobs has the added benefit of looking simple and stylish without sacrificing ruggedness.

Smaller Size, Better Style

Each of these wallets is constructed from the company’s signature distressed leather.

They are available in dark or brown with a choice of natural tan or brown thread.

The wallet has two compartments, one for cards and one for cash.

The card compartment can hold as many as four cards, as demonstrated on this video, and the cash compartment can hold additional cards.

With dimensions of just three inches by four inches, it’s easy to see how this wallet can fit into the front pocket of any pair of jeans or shorts.

This is a huge advantage, because experts suggest that it is more secure to carry a wallet in a front pocket.

This cuts down on the risks of pick pocketing.

Simplify Your Life

What’s more, a wallet that’s carried in your front pocket has to have a slimmer profile than one that is typically carried in a back pocket.

This means that you’re forced to pare down what you’re carrying to just the essentials and maybe one travel credit cards.

Why are still carrying around that student ID from college anyway?

It’s time to go with something that offers more of a hip, minimalist vibe.

Protect Your Cards

Actually, your cards will thank you for making the switch.

This may come as a shock, but it isn’t good for you to be sitting on your cards all the time.

When they are bent repeatedly, they begin to weaken, eventually leading to cracking.

Additionally, the encoded stripe on the back of each card will start to wear away from the constant bending and friction.

No one likes to have to replace a credit card before its expiration date just because it got worn out in your wallet.

You can avoid it with a new wallet from JooJoobs.

About our only complaint with this wallet from JooJoobs is that it is not equipped with RFID-blocking technology.

Maybe this will be a later addition from this relatively new venture.

Excellent Craftsmanship

Another reason to choose this wallet is that each and every one is handmade.

That’s the kind of craftsmanship that you just don’t normally see in any kind of wallet.

Getting a fully hand-crafted product like this for such an affordable price really is an amazing deal.

Are you going places? The Carry-On Checklist: Make sure you don’t end up paying more for your baggage than you paid for your airline ticket.

We’re all guilty of overstuffing our checked-in luggage and then shoving all the extras into our free carry-on baggage. Nobody needs a hefty excess baggage charge after months of preparing for our travels.

Some airlines are considering scrapping free carry-on baggage altogether, so figure out how to pack wisely now before you learn the hard way. You can start by reading our ultimate carry on checklist of everything you really need by your side while in flight. 10 Cute Carry On Luggage You’ll Want for Your Next Trip

Carry-On Checklist:

Light Travels

Before you start working on your carry on checklist, find out exactly what your airline allows you to board with. Most of them are pretty generous when it comes to carry-ons. The average restriction is one bag of 15lbs measuring 22inx16inx8in.

Experienced frequent flyers have mastered the art of packing a year’s worth of gear into their carry-on baggage. We have restricted our carry on checklist to include just the essentials (and a few extras) for a long flight.

It’s in the bag

Effective packing begins with a good bag. Choose something lightweight and durable with enough pockets to keep key items separate. Best Travel Handbags and Anti Theft Handbags For Travel

A 40l pack weighing in at under 3lbs is a good choice. You may want to choose one with a separate section for a laptop or lose the extra compartments and go for the lightest weight.

You can fit more into a square bag than one with rounded corners. Compression straps will reduce the amount of cabin space you take up.

In-Flight Entertainment

It’s going to be a long, possibly bumpy ride. If you battle to sleep on an airplane, we recommend slipping a mild sleeping pill into your pocket in case you need it.

There are times when sleep is out of the question and books are the answer here. If you don’t have a Kindle or can’t take one on the flight, a small stash of magazines is just the trick. You can always donate them to someone else afterward.

Several airlines are starting to offer in-flight Wi-Fi nowadays. If yours does, a tablet or iPad could save you hours of boredom. You could also stock up on movies before you leave and watch them during the flight.

Don’t forget a pair of lightweight headphones to avoid alienating your traveling companions.

Electronics Carry On Checklist

The amount of electronic firepower you should pack is a matter of preference and need. All electronics should be transported in your carry on bag for safety’s sake.

A Smartphone is Essential

If you want to update your social media profiles and stay in touch with family and friends at home, a smart phone should be sufficient. Make sure you have it all set up for international roaming and sim cards in advance to avoid stress on arrival.

Cameras

Unless you really want high-end photographs, your smart phone will do a great job of recording all your memories. Other options are a GoPro, compact waterproof camera or Mirrorless. Pack a tiny tripod into your camera bag and don’t forget the selfie stick.

A Laptop, Tablet or Notebook

Those who need to work online while abroad or perform more complex technological tasks will need a lightweight laptop or notebook.

A laptop sleeve is an added bonus if you are traveling with one of these devices. You don’t want to lug your carry-on bag with you wherever your laptop goes. Slip a compact USB with high storage capacity into a side pocket for storing photos and backing up your work.

Chargers

Do not forget a compatible charger, there is no guarantee that you will find one at your destination. You can purchase a suitable adaptor on arrival to save space now. A USB battery pack is an optional nice-to-have device.

If you are traveling with a friend, discuss which items you could share to save space. A laptop is a likely contender for this.

Airport regulations

TSA is changing the screening process for electronics.  These will have to be screened separately in future, so make sure they are easily accessible when you check in.

Comfort Comes First

You don’t want to be miserable during a 12-hour flight. Small items like lotion, earplugs, an inflatable neck pillow and a few of your favorite hard candies can do much to alleviate the discomfort of air travel.

Any essential medications should already be on your carry on checklist so that they are nearby when needed. Make sure you have enough medication for your entire trip and get permission in advance for any liquid medications.

A change of clothing can be a great source of comfort in the event of a long layover or delay. Roll the items instead of folding them to save on space. Wear a warm lightweight jacket onto the plane to avoid packing it anywhere and so that it is close at hand.

If they are allowed in your carry-on luggage, a couple of snack bars are a must, especially if you don’t like airline food.

Valuables

Keep your credit card with you, some airlines don’t accept cash for in-flight purchases. Your passport and other important travel documents are also essential carry on checklist items. Anything irreplaceable should be kept with you at all times. Lost luggage happens. I always use a front pocket travel wallet.

Zip It Up

Good quality Ziploc bags are great for keeping your toiletries from spilling all over your bag and keeping small items separately.

Always carry only the most essential toiletry items in your carry on. The airlines have strict policies when it comes to liquids and you will be able to buy most of your requirements on arrival.

A small tube of toothpaste (under 100ml), some face wash (50ml) and a disposable toothbrush also come in handy. Pack a comb instead of a hairbrush.

Other essentials include sanitizing hand wipes, a small medical kit containing painkillers, plasters and burn medication, and a compact sewing kit.

Get Packing

You’ll be surprised how much space you save by following our carry on checklist. Now all you have to worry about is how to beat the jet lag. Bon Voyage!

Here we have reviewed the latest and best travel gear for your next adventure. These are some of our staff’s favorite pieces, depending on where you are going and what you will be doing.

You should also checkout our Gift Ideas for the Traveler and Adventurer in Your Life

Best travel gear tote for weekends

Travel bags, totes, backpacks and suitcases.

We love traveling and are always looking for practical, lightweight and multi-functional pieces.

Here’s why we love the Classic Weekender Bag from Moleskine.

Moleskine’s Classic Weekender Bag

Going on a short trip for 1 – 4 overnights?

The weekender bag is a lightweight, versatile tote that will fit your belongings and easily transition with you from your business meetings to the airport.

In timeless black, it is neutral in styling and color.

Moleskine’s Classic Weekender Bag is one of the newest additions in the Classic Bag Collection and designed to match this line.

I carried this bag several times for 2-3 nights away and each time was able to fit everything I wanted to bring.

It was the only bag I carried when I was gone 5 days/4 nights when I traveled from Boston to Phoenix for a 2-day conference.

I was able to bring several changes of clothes and packed two additional pairs of shoes with accessories with a bit of room to spare, even after packing toiletries and reading materials.

What’s good about this bag

I love that the bag extended vertically for when I needed more space, like for my 5-day trip.

While I didn’t use it for my laptop, it easily fit my tablet. (It fits laptops with screens to 15 inches.)

It’s great that you can use this bag for an overnight or two or expand it to pack for a few more days.

The bag doesn’t look like a suitcase yet fits easily in the overhead compartment as a carry-on when flying.

Before being packed, its cabin size is 15.75″ x 16.5″ x 6.25.” The base itself is 6.25″ but it expands to much wider.

Some of the other standouts include the large pocket on the exterior of the bag that opens to a space that can hold stuff you need easy access to.

It has a place for a smart phone, IDs and credit cards and pens.

I really like that I was able to have that zippered side facing me so that it was protected.

What is helpful also is that Moleskin’s large compartment bag opens wide and has a secure spot for your laptop or tablet on one side.

On the other side, there are two zippered mesh-type/easy-to-see-through pockets for other important items.

The rest is open space to fill as needed.

There is a sturdy base at the bottom that surprisingly enables me to place the bag on the ground, and it remains upright.

Versatile travel bag

What I love MOST about the Classic Weekender Bag is the versatility I had while carrying it around.

The handles are long enough so that I was able to loop the handles over my shoulder.

I was also able to carry it lower (like I might carry a bag of groceries to give you an idea).

There are straps on the back of it that enabled me to carry it as a backpack as well.

Surprisingly, and even better, I could un-clip that “backpack strap” and clip it to the anchors on the side of the bag for a longer strap (to sling it over my shoulder or back).

Having so many options for carrying this bag, especially when walking and traveling long distances, is one of the best things about this bag.

And because the bag is lightweight, depending on the weight of your items inside, it is easy to tote around.

The straps were comfortable.

I used it as a backpack when the bag was fully extended and also when it was smaller, and it worked well each time.

From a distance, this bag appears to be leather but is actually made from water-resistant polyurethane.

I can carry this no matter the weather and not worry about it getting ruined.

When traveling, it is so important to not be bogged down with multiple bags, totes, and luggage.

Not only does it keep you on high alert trying to keep track of everything, it also physically wears you down by having to carry it all, and it takes a greater toll on the environment.

Best travel gear for camping and hiking

There are many must-haves to bring while camping and hiking.

Water is one of the most important things.

Sometimes you just can’t physically carry or tote enough water with you.

Many portable water filtration systems are impractical.

This one is easy to use.

Here’s what we love about the Potable Aqua Pure Electrolytic Water Purifier and how it revolutionizes and simplifies the water filtration process.

Potable Aqua Pure Electrolytic Water Purifier

Wow!

They really got this right.

A direct quote from my husband after he tried this:

“What a great idea!

Why didn’t I think of this?

Making my own virtually unlimited water treatment solution on the go!”

My husband loves hiking and camping.

Now that we have children, our hikes are shorter, but living in the southwest US, it is hot many months of the year.

We can only carry so much water, especially for those all-day day hikes we want to do but are restricted by the amount of water we can carry.

What would we do if there was an emergency?

No matter where we hike now — a long or short hike, for minutes, hours, all day, or overnight — we bring this Potable Aqua Pure Electrolytic Water Purifier with us.

It is so small that it easily fits in our day pack.

Weighing 4 ounces, it fits easily in your palm.

It is affordable.

It is revolutionary.

And it can really help you or even save you when you really need it.

Best travel water purifier

This little water purifier exceeds the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Guide Standard and Protocol for Testing Microbiological Purifiers.

It is very easy to use and only requires a small amount of water and salt (self-made brine solution) that the device will then purify for you into a mixed oxidant disinfectant that you add to your water to purify your water.

It’s scalable, so you can treat from one – 20 liters of water per disinfected brine cycle, but you can purify larger amounts of water by simply using multiple disinfected brine solution cycles.

It kills bacteria, viruses, Protozao, Cryptosporidium, and Giardia so that you can safely drink the water.

This disinfection process will help protect water that you store for later use.

• It’s scalable to any reasonable amount of water
• No batteries to replace – USB charging or built-in solar charger
• Will treat 150+ liters when fully charged
• Weighs 4 ounces
• No pre-filter or pre-treated water necessary
• Sustainable – No replacement parts or filters
• Cost effective – Buy the device and you only need regular table salt

We love the convenience and its “earth-friendliness.”

It is solar rechargeable (also includes a plug-in charger).

It simply requires salt to operate, nothing else to buy or replace.

Also, it comes with pH strips so you can use to confirm the disinfected brine solution before you add it to the water you are purifying.

This is lighter than most.

My husband has used other water purification systems before.

They all had tubes, were cumbersome and not compact, and required pumping; this one does not.

My husband would rather carry 15-20 pounds of water, than a traditional water filter.

Best water purifer

This is a great product for those traveling to other parts of the world where clean drinking water isn’t a given.

It is also ideal for those who enjoy hiking and/or camping for extended periods of time as you can only bring in and carry a limited amount of safe water.

This is also great to include with your survival packs and disaster preparedness kits.

It barely takes up any space and comes with a small tote to keep everything together.

It even has a built-in flashlight.

The Potable Aqua Pure Electrolytic Water Purifier can purify and treat up to 60,000 liters of water without having to clean, change or buy a new filter or other replacement parts.

We think it is just remarkable.

Best travel gear for gifts or yourself

Travel smarter with the best travel gear for your particular journey or adventure whether you are going for a day hike, a road trip for the weekend, or camping for a week or more.
You know how important it is be smart about what you pack when you travel.

Many of you have seen our previous recommendations, including Ultimate Video Camera For Travelers, Travel Pillows and Portable Travel Digital Luggage Scale.

What to bring and what to leave at home?

We’ve been testing some new travel products and have put together a list of some of our favorites.

Here are some unique gift ideas for travelers. Top Reasons to Travel Alone

HubPlus 6000 mAh Portable Charger by myCharge

We really love this portable charger by myCharge. It offers up to 45 hours of power for your iPhone and iPad. It even came pre-charged!

We’ve seen a few different portable chargers on the market and what makes the HubPlus Portable Charger unique is that it has its own self-contained wall prong to charge the battery.

It even has a built-in micro-USB cable so you don’t need your own. That’s great because so many cords become misplaced when they are used for several devices.

I absolutely love that this unit has everything included to do what I need it to do, when I need it.

Unfortunately, so does my husband, who collects and owns many portable chargers.

It seems that this is also becoming his favorite as well, it mysteriously disappears from my bag on occasion and finds it way in to his.

Even more: It can charge two devices at the same time, and it’s a rapid charger too.

It is gender-neutral in style, color and design, and it easily fits in a backpack, briefcase or tote.

It’s nicely packaged – perfect for a gift – and it’s sleek in anodized aluminum. It measures approximately 4″ x 2.25″ x .8″.

I brought this with me for a convention where I wasn’t going to have access to my charger until the evening. I used it twice, and it worked great.

I’m looking forward to bringing it and showing it off at my kids’ all-day sports’ tournaments and math competitions where we sit around all day.

I’m sure I’ll be helping several grateful parents who have smart phones that run out of battery!

I love this portable charger!

Chic Buds Clutchette Power and Chic Buds Slim Power Phone Charger

We do love portable chargers.

I couldn’t decide which of the Chic Buds products to choose, as there were so many colors and style choices.

I didn’t realize these portable chargers were now becoming fashion accessories too. Who knew phone chargers could be so fun?

The Chic Buds Clutchette Power is a carry-all for your smart phone, credit cards, and keys.

I love it.

It comes in 16 colors; I chose it in plum.

I like that it’s a wristlet so that I can use it as an easy way to carry my phone when I don’t want to tote around a purse.

Since receiving it, I’ve used it every time I pick up my kids from school.

I usually have to walk at least a block away, and I always bring my phone and car keys with me.

Now I’ve been putting both of them inside this clutch.

I never owned a clutch before, so this has been a great way for me to protect my smart phone from dropping.

I wanted it for the technical features and am so surprised by how much I am enjoying using it for everyday living.

The Chic Buds Clutchette Power zippers all along the top and down one side.

Mine opens to reveal a fun black polka dot lining on a white background.

I’m not sure if this is the lining for all the color options.) Inside is a zippered pocket which holds the battery.

It is easy to charge.

There is a USB cable included to plug into your computer or wall adapter.

You keep the battery inside and just plug in the cable right from this mini-purse.

After the battery is charged, you can use it wherever you are and can charge your smart phone.

You do need to use/bring the charging cable that would have come with your smart phone.

It’s unbelievably convenient as so many times I’m running out the door with a low charge to my phone.

I often forget to plug it into my car adapter, or I’m just going on a short jaunt so it’s not worth it.

Now I can charge for however long I need right from this clutch.

I imagine it would charge tablets too – I haven’t done that as I don’t tote my iPad around.

I also wanted to try the Chic Buds Slim Power Phone Charger. This one is portable also.

It is a stand-alone battery, not in a clutch or any type of purse.

It’s small and mighty!

I love the chevron pattern I chose.

It comes in 14 colors/patterns so you can pick one that will be easy to spot in your purse, backpack, etc.

I keep mine in my purse to always have an extra charge when I need it.

It is basically the same idea as the clutch in that it enables you to charge your smart phone wherever you are, as long as you have pre-charged the battery.

It comes with the power cable to charge into the wall adapter or computer.

You just need the charging cable for your particular device.

What I didn’t realize about this Slim Power Phone Charger before I ordered it is that it has a way for you to see how much charge the battery has.

There is a button on the side of it that you press and there are three small lights that will indicate if you have a 0 – 33% charge remaining; 34 – 67% remaining; or 68% – 100% remaining.

I love this feature.

I also love that this is small, the size of a credit card, and about a quarter of an inch thick.

This has been easy to just keep in one of my go-to purses and charge up my phone as well as my husband’s and kid’s devices as well.

We don’t generally rely on it as a power source, but it is sure convenient to have and can be so helpful in an emergency situation if I was ever low on battery.

When the Slim Power battery is fully charge, it provides up to 10 hours of talk time.

I will definitely be bringing it when I go hiking.

I haven’t taken it either the Clutch or the Slim Power on a vacation yet, but I will bring both of them with me from now on.

Blu bags – reusable shopping bags by Rockflowerpaper

According to the Ocean Conservancy, the average American uses 300 plastic bags per year , and a single plastic bag can take 1,000 years to disintegrate.

Wow… here’s a company who is doing something to make a difference.

I love my blu bags.

They are reusable, strong, stylish and fun.

During my years living in Bellingham, WA, they instituted a ban on plastic bags; stores would not give them out, and if you didn’t bring your own, you could buy a paper bag for 10 cents or buy a reusable cloth or nylon bag in some stores.

I became really good at remembering my bags, and felt good about doing it.

The only downside was that the ones I had were all mismatched in color and in type (some cloth, some nylon, all different sizes) and after washing them weekly, they looked even worse.

I love that these blu bags come in chic patterns and all go well together.

These blu bags from rockflowerpaper are offered in colorful patterns which make using them fun.

They are sold individually or in sets of three. They measure 24” by 19” when opened.

I love that they each can hold up to 50 pounds and come with a little pouch to put them away easily.

There is a small elastic loop so that you can fold and secure them.

I like that I can hold them in my hands, looped on my arms, or even on my shoulder like a purse.

What’s also great?

Through March 2018, Rockflowerpaper will donate 20 cents from each blu bag sold to Ocean Conservancy.

Flipbelt

We’ve heard of and used money belts before, and we love them, but this takes the “hands free” concept to a new level.

The Flipbelt is great for when you exercise or travel.

It is form-fitting, comfortable and not bulky.

It is made from a single piece of fabric – no zippers, etc. – and is able to hold your smart phone, keys, money, ID, or other small items you want to bring with you but don’t want to carry.

The micropoly/Lycra fabric stretches to put on, and then once on your waist, it stretches so you can easily insert or access your items from multiple access points.

We like that you have somewhere to put your essential items so you can be hands-free and worry-free.

There are lots of colors to choose from.

Maybe you want a bright color if you will use it more for exercise activities and a more neutral black color if you will use it primarily for travel security.

Available in sizes XS to XL, their sizing chart is helpful for you to get the perfect fit.

We love that it’s easy to machine wash and dry.

We have used this product for hiking and cycling and walking.

We look forward to using it on our next trip for more of a security measure, like we would use a money belt.

We LOVE that the FlipBelt is made in USA.

Pick-Pocket Proof Clothing from Clever Travel Companion

We thought this was one of the more clever gift ideas we’ve seen so we ordered the women’s tank top in gray.

It was a true-to-size, flattering fit, made with 100% cotton.

What’s different and unique about this shirt is that it has a sizable zippered pocket right on the front which can hold a smart phone, passport, and/or money.

We tested the shirt out while cycling, walking, and hiking while toting our phone and keys in the pocket.

It proved to be comfortable to wear. We didn’t have occasion to test it out for actual travel or in a crowded venue but can see how safe and convenient it would be to guard one’s belongings.

This would be great for safely carrying your passport around while abroad.

Locally, it would work for amusements parks (think, upside down roller coasters!) crowded concerts and fests, and for times when you want to be hands-free.

They also offer men’s and women’s tee shirts (in neutral colors) as well as underwear and long johns, all with zippers to hold your essential items.

This shirt is machine washable and should be air dried.

Moleskine Classic Tote Bag

We love the Moleskine line of travel bags and totes.

Their new addition, the Moleskine Classic Tote Bag, is as stylish and purposeful as their other products.

This smart bag comes in neutral black with an ivory interior.

We like it because it is large enough for digital products up to 13” with lots of room to spare without being bulky.

The top of the bag zippers completely so I felt good about carrying it while on public transportation and walking the busy downtown areas in Boston.

Commuting to and from work with this bag has been great with the water resistant, polyurethane exterior.

Living in a diverse climate with rain and snow, I don’t have to worry about ruining one of the leather bags I previously used.

I am actually excited to carry this tote in the rain!

The handles are long enough to carry comfortably as well as loop on a chair, and I was pleasantly surprised when I realized it even stands upright on its own.

I used the Moleskine Classic Tote Bag to carry my belongings to and from work and meetings.

And when I went out to a restaurant directly from work, I was able to use this as my purse.

It held my tablet, wallet, my makeup bag, a sweater, and a few other random things.

I could easily use this for an overnight as well, as it measures just over 14” in height and is just over 16” in width.

There are three easy-to-access interior side pockets, one with a zipper, and then there is the main compartment.

There are two exterior pockets on each side as well but I haven’t used them yet.

They would fit a water bottle, keys, or a smart phone if you needed easy access.

The entire bag can be closed with the top zipper.

What do I love best about this bag?

It can be casual or business-like.

It is versatile enough for me to use most everywhere I go.

I don’t have to “change purses” when I’m running from a work meeting to social occasion to an event at my boys’ school.

It holds everything I need and matches everything.

The Moleskine Classic Tote Bag features a timeless style, is functional and is overall just a classic piece.

The Ultimate Charge – Sync Cable from Lifedge

What makes this a great gift when everyone probably has charging cables already?

The Ultimate Charge/Sync Cable from Lifedge are 100% waterproof and are guaranteed for life.

With past cords/charging cables, I’ve had to discard and recycle them because I twisted them as I tried to connect them to either my phone, the port or the outlet.

These from Lifedge are thicker and tougher.

The connectors won’t fray because they offer extra-strength strain relief.

And again, should something unexpected happen, they can be returned for a replacement with the company’s lifetime guarantee.

I also like that the Lifedge cables charge my devices faster than the chargers that came with my smart phone and iPad and the other chargers I own.

You can purchase them for an iPad, iPhone, and iPod.

These are awesome for travel and trekking when you are sure to be expecting the unexpected.

So far, I only used them for home, car, and work use, not traveling but they are completely sealed, enabling them to be 100% waterproof.

They are also tangle-free. The cables are extra long, measuring 6.5 feet.

They also come with a cable organizer which is fast and easy to use and keeps it together nicely in a backpack or drawer.

Travel Essentials Pack by The Jojoba Company

Just grab and go with this five-piece travel set from The Jojoba Company.

Their Travel Essentials Pack already comes in a sleek travel pouch for easy packing.

The products are perfectly sized and ready to pass TSA screening.

These enriched skin care formulas will keep your skin hydrated and rejuvenated even after a long flight.

The Travel Essentials Pack includes:  hydrating day cream; jojoba bead facial cleanser; lemon & coconut hand cream; intense overnight renewal cream (includes marine collagen and CoQ10 to encourage overnight skin renewal); and 100% natural Australian jojoba.

A little goes a long way with these products as they feature 100% Australian jojoba.

Jojoba is a naturally hydrating antioxidant rich in vitamins A, D, and E.

Violet Love Headbands

Here is an easy way to change up your look and have a little fun while traveling.

Violet Love Headbands take up hardly any space so they are a perfect way to add some flair and to change your look when you are trying to pack light.

These premium headbands come in unique, specialty patterns in bright colors.

They can be worn lots of different ways, and they receive rave reviews for their slip-free fitting.

We love the company’s many green practices.

Their printing process takes advantage of the opportunity to be environmentally conscious from reusing the printing cylinders to recycling the inks.

The best part?

They use only environmentally friendly inks, free from allergens and from hazardous chemicals.

New gift ideas that are unique

We strive to pack light and need the items we pack to serve multiple purposes and to be versatile.

We are always on the lookout for new travel products and gift ideas and are interested in how companies continue to innovate with practical travel items to help travelers pack light and be safer.

Be sure to checkout our Best Travel Gear for Wherever You Are Going

Latest Lewis N Clark Product Reviews

We are always looking for the latest in travel products.

We heard of this company, Lewis N Clark, and found they have a wide variety of travel items that we liked.

We had our staff review their website for items they wanted to try, sounded interesting, and would be something they would use on a trip.

Below are Lewis N Clark product reviews from our staff of seasoned travelers.

How did we choose the Lewis N Clark products?

Our team enjoys camping, hiking, taking cruises, road trips, RV-ing, flying, tours, river rafting, and all out adventuring anywhere.

We love travel products that serve dual purposes, are light, compact, easy-to-carry, and are practical.

We like to travel light wherever we go, so we are prudent about what we recommend.

Many of the items we selected are under $20 and would make great gifts as well.

Roll-Top Duffel Bag – 60 Liters

This is what I’ve been waiting for!

I have wanted a lightweight, waterproof bag to take on our river rafting trips.

It is awesome for other outdoor adventures as well, even in the dry season.

I’ve used this Roll-Top Duffel bag several times, mostly for camping.

My fourth grader took it for his three-night Cub Scout camping trip.

The only piece of “luggage” he owned was his school backpack, and I realized that he probably shouldn’t bring one of my suitcases on his camping trip.

This Duffle Bag from Lewis N Clark fit all his belongings well.

The only downside is that there isn’t a separate compartment to keep smaller things organized and easy to find, especially things like money and a flashlight.

It POURED for one entire day, and while this bag was in his tent, it stayed completely dry, even with the winds and rain coming inside.

This rugged waterproof bag measures approximately 24” wide and 21.5” in height when fully extended.

It folds down to about 12” in height.

The easy roll-top closure ensures the contents stay dry.

There is a removable shoulder strap.

It’s made from durable 600D mesh PVC that is dual-coated.

I will continue to take this for my outside overnight adventures (my husband has already tried to take it for his own use), and even on day trips on my friend’s boat.

It’s lightweight (their website says it weighs just 38 ounces) and folds easily for storage.

This duffel comes with a 1 yr warranty, but I love that their other duffel bags come with a lifetime guarantee.

Comfort Neck Pillow

I have wanted one of these travel neck pillows for years.

Even though they aren’t terribly expensive, I never bought one.

I’ve considered them many times, and I’ve walked past them at stores in airports.

Once on my flight, I always regretted not buying them.

I saw this item on the Lewis N Clark website, and thought, “It’s now or never.”

I soon realized that I have been missing out.

Not only could have I been using this on the many flights I’ve taken, I could have been using this while as a passenger for long car rides.

My kids always want a turn using it as well.

This Comfort Neck Pillow is comfortable and props my head in a good position so that I can sleep while upright.

There are several brands available.

This pillow from Lewis N Clark offers ergonomic support for my head and neck.

It has loop if you want to hang it when not using it and a Velcro strap so that you can attach it to your bag or luggage when in transit.

The only downside is that it doesn’t have a removable cover.

I really wish it did.

However, the fleece (offered in four different colors) is hand washable.

Best of all and surprisingly, it actually enables me to get some sleep while in transit… something I haven’t been able to do in years.

RFID Clip Stash

It is bad enough we have to worry about actually having our wallet stolen, and now we have to worry about electronic pick-pocking too?

High on our list when traveling is feeling safe and secure; we want that in our daily outings too, whether traveling or not.

This little case is meant to block the RFID (radio frequency identification) signals that enable thieves to steal your credit card information.

It is large enough to hold a driver’s license and several credit, debit and insurance cards.

There is room to spare for money, but that would be the most it could carry as it is just 3.5” x 4.5”.

It clips to clothing and comes in black or a tan-ish gray.

RFID Luxe Neck Stash

I love products that help me protect and keep track of my valuables and essentials, like my IDs, credit cards and money.

I have tried money belts and clothes with hidden zippers and like them.

When I saw this Neck Stash advertised, I wanted to try it for my trip to Mexico.

Another great Lewis N Clark product, I like that this Neck Stash is lightweight, weighing only 5.5 ounces.

It is in a neutral, unobtrusive color, olive, with black on the backside. (It is also available in tan.)

I wore this often, sandwiching it between by tee shirt and sweater.

It was hidden yet easily accessible when I needed it.

I love that it wasn’t as visible as a purse or backpack.

My husband wasn’t worried about his wallet getting pick-pocketed because everything he and I needed fit in the RFID Luxe Neck Stash.

There are two zippered pockets and two pockets that open.

There is a clear area (without a closure) to put an ID in though I didn’t use this feature.

The strap adjusts which is great because it is comfortable for whatever your height.

The Neck Stash was larger than I expected it to be, almost 8 inches in height and 5.5 inches in width.

At first I thought it would be too big but it worked out that it fit everything we needed.

I even put my smart phone in it for most of the time.

What makes this neck protective case different from many is that it blocks up to 13.56 Mhz frequencies making it difficult for someone to scan your credit cards or passport.

Flat Cloth Tape

Here is something that is so handy but you never really think about buying it until you need it.

This Flat Cloth Tape is something to tuck inside your backpack or first aid kit.

It will be waiting for you when you need it to repair a leaking canteen or a rip in your tent.

I first used it when my daughter went to overnight camp, and I needed to label her belongings, including her clothing.

I used a Sharpie on the tape as well as a regular pen and was happy with both.

I’ve since used this Flat Cloth Tape from Lewis N Clark several times for various things.

It comes in different colors – including camo — which is fun and also helpful if you are trying to label different people’s belongings.

We asked our staff to pick a few items they would be interested in trying and that they would want to use while traveling.

These Lewis N Clark product reviews include some products that are more unique than others.

Some are items we always wanted to own, just never bought them.

Others are travel products we might already have but Lewis N Clark has found a way to improve upon them.

We always love reviewing the latest in travel products.

What is the Gobi Gear HOBOROLL?

As you know, we travel a lot.

If we are not away trekking or experiencing new cities on long trips we are spending weekends away or visiting friends and family.

We really cannot stay still, so are constantly packing and unpacking.

We are always on the lookout for new and exciting products to see what works best for the kinds of activities we enjoy.

We received the Gobi Gear HOBOROLL and were excited to try it on our trip to Tucson, Arizona.

In the past, if we were going on a plane, coach or train and not planning to hike from place to place, we would take a suitcase.

If we went hiking or camping, a backpack would be the answer.

Today, regardless of where we are going, we normally opt for a travel roll.

It is the new generation of luggage, that is slowly but surely replacing the rest.

Our current favorite is the Gobi Gear HOBOROLL.

The HOBOROLL is made from lightweight and seemingly durable nylon-type material.

It measures 10″ in diameter and 15″ in length.

These packs expand as you need them to and can be opened and secured from both ends.

There are five separate compartments which separate your items.

There is also a hidden zippered pocket which can hold your wallet, phone, etc.

As of now, the HOBOROLL comes in three colors: Mineral Blue, Midnight Lava, and Pinyon Pine.

There is a separate adjustable strap that is sold separately.

This is a unique piece in that — unlike other roll luggage — you do not lie it flat.

You sort of stuff the compartments then secure the drawstring end closures.

What we like about the Gobi Gear HOBOROLL

This compression sack is really a multi-purpose bag.

It works well for going to the beach or pool and even would make a fantastic diaper bag.

It seems like it would be easy to attach it to a backpack as well.

Empty, it seems small, so I was surprised by everything I was able to fit in it.

It folds up to a tiny square and weighs only 3.5 ounces.

Therefore, it is not going to take up much wardrobe space should you pack it to use once on your trip.

The Gobi Gear HOBOROLL will easily fit your belongings.

The first day I used it, I was able to fit my water bottle, a pair of flip flops, sunscreen, bug repellent, a first aid kit, a hat, and a tee shirt.

There was room to spare.

I liked that I was able to keep like items together like the sunscreen, repellent and the first aid kit.

During my trip, I used the Gobi Gear HOBOROLL mainly for easy day hikes but found it useful even for short walks with my family.

I put three water bottles — one in each compartment — along with a sweatshirt in the HOBOROLL when walking at night with my kids.

My kids were happy to not have to carry their water bottles for once!

It was nice the water bottles weren’t clanging against each other.

They fit well with room to spare.

There is a versatile and adjustable shoulder strap available.

This is an extra but a useful one.

It easily clips to the bag.

The padded shoulder piece was very helpful when I carried heavier items, like the water bottles, in the HoboRoll.

I like that you can chose whether or not to buy this item separately.

For my purposes and habits, it was essential, so I’m glad I have it.

I also liked that I could open the sack from either side.

While I didn’t have it stuffed with clothing like I would for a trip or bigger excursion, if I did, it would be very handy to be able to open the sack from one end or the other without having to empty the contents of the bag for something I had packed at the bottom.

The clips are made from anodized aluminum which we learned makes them very strong but lightweight… no plastic here!

The Gobi Gear HOBOROLL is exceptionally well made.

It is a stylish and functional stuff sack.

What we don’t like about the Gobi Gear HOBOROLL

We like pretty much everything about this innovative bag.

The only thing was that it would be nice if there was a way of turning this into a pack that you can carry like a backpack.

This would make it more versatile, and then you really wouldn’t need the strap.

Packing tips for your Gobi Gear HOBOROLL

There is definitely a knack to packing the Gobi Gear HOBOROLL if you want to get the most out of it.

Start by stuffing the secret pocket with sensitive items like your keys, wallet, and other important items you may need access to.

Depending on where we were and what we were doing, we most often would tend not to put our phone or passport in there.

We normally carry those items on us somewhere we can quickly find them and regularly check that they are still there.

Now you just need to fill each compartment.

Shoes will take up an entire compartment or even two, depending on the size and type of shoe.

It is best to fill the compartments with socks, underwear or small toiletry items to maximize the space you have available.

Slot them into a compartment and fill in any gaps with more socks or other small items.

Tee shirts, shorts, swimsuit, fast-drying travel towels, and lightweight pants will fit well too.

We enjoy using our Gobi Gear HOBOROLL and look forward to using it on a longer trip.

In the meantime, I will continue to enjoy it, especially as I continue my trip through in Arizona in the summer, where I am always either carrying or using my water bottle, sunglasses, hat, and sunscreen.

You will be happy with how much you can fit into the innovative Gobi Gear HOBOROLL.

What Items Are A Must For Traveling

Last week we received a great travel question asking: What items are a ‘must’ for packing into a backpack, & what really doesn’t need to come with you?

Well, I can start out by saying that the first time I left for a big trip I thought I needed to bring my whole house with me to be able to survive.

Among a lot of other junk I brought not only one but two pairs of high heels (romantic!)… Obviously, you don’t need that.

My sore back forced me to throw those out – among other things only a few weeks into our trip, and I carried on with my backpack a little lighter than before… however, the longer we traveled the more we realized how little we actually needed.

The Never Bring Stuff

Something you really don’t need to bring that I know many people do is 7-days worth of underwear.

Unless you will be out of water for a week (which you won’t be), you only need to bring 2 or 3 at the most.

Everyday you wash one in the shower and let it dry over night or day, wear one pair and have a spare one in case.

You can also buy light-weight tramping quick-dry underwear, and also underwear you don’t need to wash for a few weeks… not personal experience, but saw them in the shop!

Here is a quick list of a few more things which you don’t really need:

– high-heels, a massive makeup bag, hair dyer, hair straighter etc… more than 1 pair of jeans (if any), a 15 inch+ laptop (instead get a cheap 10-11inch one – for size, weight and cheap in-case it breaks),  a camera tripod, more than one real book at a time – use ebooks instead, because books add so much extra weight to your pack.

Also a common thing you will see around the world is when you stay at hostels you will see a bunch of second-hand books sitting around and they normally let you trade your book for one of those which are left – so at every place you stay, you can just pick up a *new* book, and leave your old one for someone else to use.

The #1 Must Bring Item

This is something that before I left, I had no idea I would need so badly, or use so much – a good pair of walking shoes!

The only reason I bought them was because they were on 70% off in a camping store.

I fell in love with my Teva Dozer Sandals, who walked me through everything, and never let me down.

Without a good pair of walking shoes there are so many things I wouldn’t have done.

I wasn’t used to do much walking, so I never knew how important it was to have a good pair of shoes.

If I would have had to worry about having sore feet or blisters I would never have walked where I did, so I’m glad I had my Tevas.

If anyone has read the book “Yoga For People Who Can’t Be Bothered To Do It” by Geoff Dyer you know that I’m not the only one who is obsessed and praise their Teva’s like a god.

Nathan loved them too, but so did some crazy big animal with sharp teeth… One morning we woke up and discovered that Nathan’s shoes were gone.

We found them later totally ripped apart and full of teeth marks right through the sandal. Someone had eaten half the shoe…

No matter where you are or where you’re heading, all shoes you bring have to be comfortable, because you never know how long you’ll have to walk in them.

Even the flip flops should be nice to walk in, I strongly recommend the Havaianas Sandals.

They’re made of a special material that is really good for your feet and doesn’t rub down the inside of the heel like many others.

I like the ones with a strap going across your ankle, you’ll never risk dropping them!

Now let’s ask our readers – what are some of your travel items which are a MUST BRING and what are some things which you would never take again on your travels?

Packing Essentials For Your Summer Road Trip

Packing Essentials – Thelma and Louise is one of my all-time favorite road trip movies, and every time I watch a clip from the movie I want to take to the road on a new adventure.

There is something about the freedom of being able to turn off on a new unknown road or stop over for a break whenever you feel like it that makes road trips so appealing – all the opportunities for spur of the moment trips.

But if you’re going for a long trip that will last at least a couple of days, you will need a little more planning.

Other than the usual packing list with clothes and toiletries, here is a list of the essentials when packing for a road trip…our Pro Travel Tips

Rags, Wipes and Tissues

You would be surprised to find just how grateful you will be that you brought that rag along in the last moment, or that you remembered to bring the wet wipes and a toilet paper roll.

The only thing you can be sure will happen is that at some point of your road trip you will spill something, you will need to wash your hands and you will need to find a toilet – and the last one will not be the most hygienic..!

Crucial Contact Numbers

Be sure to have contact numbers for your insurance agency for auto and homeowners, in case something happens and you need to reach them.

Also have other numbers handy such as a family member, police and emergency numbers.

Don’t rely on your phone but jot the numbers down in a notebook – if you need insurance, look at WorldNomads, and if you’re road tripping with a caravan take a look at the Caravan Club website as items in your caravan may not be covered by regular insurance.

The Travel Outfit

I always marvel at how classy the girls in old 50’s movies look when they step out of their convertible cars in high heels and wrinkle free skirts.

It’s yet a mystery how they manage to pull that off, and I don’t suggest anyone taking on the challenge.

Instead, dress comfortably, and wear shoes that are easy to slip on and off.

If you are lucky to have a convertible, however, there is one thing you could learn from the classy 50’s girls: the head scarf.

Without it your hair will be a mess and surprisingly greasy already after a few hours.

Trust me I made that mistake once myself.

Many Small Snack Packs

Bringing snacks on a road trip is as obvious as bringing car keys for the trip to actually work.

But there is a risk that you will run out of snacks before you even hit the highway.

To avoid this, repack all your snacks into smaller bags so that you can store some away for later during the day.

Picnic Bag Essentials

The best part about road trips is that as lunch time approaches, you can stop over by a lake or other resting area along the way and have a picnic.

Don’t bother bringing real plates and cutlery, but stick with paper plates and plastic cups and cutlery instead – do bring a proper knife and cutting board though, and a bottle opener. Best Picnic Baskets

GPS and a Map

Whether it’s an app on your iphone/blackberry, or an actual GPS device in your car, knowing exactly where you are and which roads you should be on is one of the best ways to make sure that you stay on track.

Even if you do decide to take a different road than the one your GPS has chosen for you, it will be easy to get back on the right track later on.

However, DO NOT use Apple’s own map, we’ve all heard of how dangerously wrong it can be (read: Apple Map Fails).

We use an app called “Pocket Earth” which has been incredibly useful!

Bring along a normal map of the areas you will be driving through as a backup, since you can never trust technology to 100%.

Road Trip Music

The number one essential is of course to have some good road trip songs, preferably tracks you can sing along with.

One of my favorite ways of finding good road trip music is via ipod, where others put together and share their playlists.

Simply search for “road trip” playlists and you will find some great music for the road!

App it Up

After enough sing-along road trip songs you will want to entertain yourself with something different, and for that there is no better and more travel-friendly thing than apps.

But aside from games, also download some other useful apps like the weather so you know what to prepare for down the road.

Electricity Power Inverter

To prevent running out of battery with your phone, laptop and everything else you bring along, invest in an electricity power inverter.

These devices turn the charge from your car’s battery into electricity to power most small electronic devices like laptops and phones.

Just plug it into your cigarette lighter and it converts in the direct current (DC) from the battery to the alternating current (AC).

An alternative is to bring a portable charger that you have charged up before hand, and recharge it again when you stop for the night at a caravan camping station.

Finally, unless you haven’t already thought of it, make sure you have an emergency toolkit in your car with an orange flag and flares in case you need help, a spare tire and a flashlight.

Take some time to do some road trip planning to have the trip of your life.

Travel Pillow Reviews of the Best Pillows for Comfort

(photo credit: 1 – 2 – 3 – 4)

A lot of travelers prefer to use their own cell phone while traveling to Europe, and some even like to bring their other mobile devices for email, communications, watching videos, browsing the Web and so on.

The good news is, it isn’t that difficult to use your smartphone in Europe (or Traveling to Asia) to access the Internet, make calls or text.

The following explains everything you need to do. Tips for Traveling Internationally

Using my cell phone while traveling to Europe

How to Use Your Smartphone in Europe

If you are from the US or another country, traveling with your smartphone in Europe means additional fees, be it for calls, text or other types of data access.

If you are going to use your own phone, decide first how you intend to use it (for calls only, for text, the web etc.).

You can use your regular plan for calls, text and web browsing, but it will be more expensive.

There are international service plans you can sign up for a lower cost, i.e. flat fee or limiting you to a specific number of megabytes.

Before doing any of these, make sure first that your phone does work in Europe (you can check with your carrier), and then check the international rates.

Before you go to Europe, activate your phone’s international service or call your carrier and ask them to turn on international roaming for data, voice, text or whatever service you plan to use.

Once your phone has been set up, you can access Wi-Fi in Wi-Fi hotspots, which are pretty common in the continent.

Smartphone Data Plans and Texting

If you want to use smartphone data plans and texting in Europe, keep the following things in mind.

First, Europe uses the GSM (“Global System for Mobiles”) system.

All American carriers use GSM except Verizon and Sprint that use CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access).

But this should not be an issue since most smartphones today can connect to both network systems.

The easiest way to use data plans and text services in Europe is to use international roaming as suggested above.

If you find it too expensive, you can sign up for an international data plan which is something your carrier and other services will offer.

The cost will depend on how you plan to use your mobile device, and it’s certainly going to be more expensive if you’re going to watch movies or YouTube videos.

Plan ahead for e-Learning success as well, including a language while you are on holiday.

Using a European SIM Card

The simplest and most practical option is to use a European SIM card, and you can get these from various European mobile carriers.

In most cases you’re going to have to unlock your phone so it can use the SIM card from other carriers.

The majority of US smartphones are locked, and you may want to get in touch with your mobile company for assistance on unlocking it.

If you’d rather unlock your smartphone yourself, download software that unlocks smartphones and use their codes to unlock your device.

There are several services like these available online and the process is fairly straightforward: pay the fee, provide some info about the phone on the website, and the service will email you the code to unlock your mobile.

Once your phone is unlocked, you can look for a SIM card in mobile phone stores, electronics counters and in some cases, vending machines.

These SIM cards cost anywhere from 4 to 8 euros, and they don’t come with any commitment or contract.

If you want a SIM card with data access good for a month, expect to pay around 13 to 25 euros for the card.

Before you buy, take a look at your smartphone and make sure that the card is compatible.

Some mobile devices like the iPhone use a different type of nano-SIM card, so make certain the card fits your phone.

Talk to the clerk and check the rates for calls and to and from the European countries you will be visiting.

Use the same approach for texting.

Once you’ve got a SIM card that works with your smartphone, ask the store personnel to install it and do a test call.

Turn your mobile on, enter the PIN and if necessary switch the language to English.

Don’t forget to record the PIN number and ask how to check the credit balance.

In some European countries your SIM card may have to be registered along with your passport for security reasons.

Follow the instructions and after an hour or two you’ll be able to use it.

If you run out of SIM, you can get one in any mobile phone store and tell the salesperson how much credit you want.

The clerk is either going to give you the credit over the phone or you will be given a voucher with instructions.

Charging Your Cell Phone in Europe

One of the most common mistakes people make is thinking that you’ll need a costly voltage converter to charge your mobile.

In fact, the majority of mobile devices, tablets and laptops have battery chargers that can work on 220 volts used in Europe and countries in the world, as well as 110 volts (the US).

Cell phone chargers can work with different frequencies from 50 Hertz to 60 Hertz.

Unless your mobile device specifically says to use a converter, don’t use it because it could actually damage your mobile because it already has a converter.

If you want to know if your cell phone has dual voltage capabilities, read the words on the charger.

If your cell phone has dual voltage you will see something like “Input 100 – 240V, 50 – 60 Hz.”

If your mobile phone is dual voltage you still need to use a plug adapter, but not a voltage converter.

Before going on a trip, you have to keep in mind that all countries have their own electrical system, and that will determine what type of plug adapters you have to use.

In Italy for instance, the majority of outlets are compatible with two round prongs, but bathrooms have three-pronged grounded outlets.

If necessary you should purchase a multi-country plug adapter if you’re not sure which type of adapter to use.

Better yet, you should research the plug adapters that are used in the countries you’re going to visit.

Thanks to the Internet, this should be easy, and if you’re not really sure you can always send an email to the website and get clarification.

If you’re only going to bring a cell phone a single adapter will do, but if you’re bringing a laptop, tablet and other devices, it’s best to have several adapters as your hotel room might only have a few electrical outlets available.

In some cases you also have to plug an adapter into another before you can use it.

For instance you can put plug a two-pronged adapter onto a three-prong European adapter to make it work.

No matter how many plug adapters you buy, make sure the plug fits in properly.

Prepaid Cell Phones in Europe

There’s no lacking of prepaid cell phones here, but when you buy a GSM prepaid wireless and/or a SIM card, make certain call time is included.

If you’re in Germany you can get a Handy for less than 60 euros which includes a refillable SIM card with prepaid minutes.

The set up is usually pay per minute but the cost varies per country.

Almost always, however, it’s cheaper compared to international roaming.

Another option is to buy a GSM phone before leaving for Europe, but if you decide to do this, check the various services online to make sure you get your money’s worth.

Once you’ve got your cell phone you can take advantage of the free Wi-Fi available throughout the continent.

Many accommodations offer Wi-Fi for free, but in hotels there is usually a fee.

The Wi-Fi signal also varies, as in some places it’s great and in others it is less than ideal, which is the reason why many prefer to get a data plan.

Generally speaking, the speed is almost always good enough to send email and browse the web, but it’s not as reliable for watching HD films or video.

If you have a dedicated data plan however this won’t be a problem.

All these prepaid cell phones can take advantage of Wi-Fi wherever they’re available, and in most cases your best bet will be a café, and Starbucks and McDonald’s also have Wi-Fi.

You can also get Internet access in popular tourist destinations as well as city squares, some public transit hubs and even trains and buses. In some cases you will need to register and get the network password to gain access.

As you can see you can use your cell phone while traveling to Europe in many ways.

With a good data roaming plan plus free Wi-Fi in certain locations, you should have no problem keeping in touch with those around you anywhere they are.

And if you have a prepaid cell phone and need more minutes, you can easily buy more airtime from companies like Recharge.com.

There was a time when using your mobile device and cell phone while traveling to Europe was expensive, but with all the options now available you can save money without compromising signal quality.

Going travelling soon? Make sure you phone camera is up to scratch

If you’re going away on a holiday this Christmas or New Year (or anytime for that matter), you might want to make sure that you follow these top tips to get the very best out of your phone.

N.B, the phone we are using currently is the Samsung Galaxy.

Tap to Focus

As obvious as this may seem, not everyone uses this feature correctly – how many times have you seen your photos underexposed and/or out of focus?

This is usually due to the fact that the snapper hasn’t tapped to focus.

Ensure that your pictures are fully focused and exposed by making sure that you tap on the actual subject of the photograph, this will let your camera know what you are looking at.

Turn on gridlines

What happens when you are attempting to capture those beautiful vistas and views and you look at them later only to find that they are misaligned or skewed?

9 times out of 10, it is due to uneven ground, but on occasion, it can be down to the position of the camera.

Turning on gridlines for those landscape shots can give you a quick and easy guide to keeping your phone at an optimum angle; (Samsung S8 users can find this in the advanced camera options).

Try Pro Mode

Pro mode is a real headache for some people and most of us just want the simplest option available to us.

Do not be foolish with those holiday memories – turning on Pro Mode gives you access to your camera’s finest features.

Users who little or no experience with this mode can try it out pre-holiday; you will get used to it and once you go Pro, the results in your pictures will show.

Selective Focus

As with tap to focus, selective focus also has it’s added benefits – ever have it where there are more than one subjects at different distances in your picture and you just can’t seem to get the right focus or exposure?

Well, this is where selective focus comes into its own.

Phone cameras are renowned for being difficult with this problem and the Samsung Galaxy s8 is no different.

Enable this feature in the advanced options and you will notice a massive difference in the quality of your photos.

Manual Focus

Slightly different than selective focus, manual focus allows you to completely take control and produces you with a drag-slider to focus in on any subject you please.

This is a feature that will allow you to get super close to your subject (or far away) and still have control of your cameras focusing.

Scene Modes

Scene modes open up a whole host of different modes for you to toy with – for taking pictures of those beaches, you have the option to switch to panoramic mode.

Panoramic mode is for those scenes that seem to need a wide angled lens.

From here we can also select 360, food shots and also hyper-lapse for video.

Extra Storage

This may seem like a no-brainer – but with the Samsung Galaxy s8‘s massive storage capacity, it is sometimes easy to forget that this powerhouse of a phone has the ability to take an extra SD card.

With SD cards getting cheaper and cheaper, you can pick a 32gb upgrade for a little under £10 – beware, however – eBay will have cheaper and slower SD cards; ensure that you purchase a well-known brand (like Samsung for example).

Open Camera

If the out-of-the-box options just aren’t cutting the mustard on your Samsung Galaxy s8, then you might want to try this fantastic little free camera app.

The developer has had multiple offers from mobile phone manufacturers and camera app developers to buy his company out, but we at AsWeTravel thank him for holding out.

Open Camera is exactly as it sounds, it will open your camera’s features to the point where you can even use voice commands to take pictures.

Get Creative

One of best features of your camera is you – whatever setting you change, whatever feature you employ, the biggest factor that will make a difference is you.

Don’t be afraid to experiment a little and you will find your own way of getting the best bang for your megapixel.

Above all, be smart, be safe and keep snapping.

My Favorite FREE iPad iPhone Travel Apps

FREE iPad / iPhone Travel Apps – I’ve had my iPod Touch for about two months now, and I’m falling helplessly in love with it more and more every day.

It’s my personal assistant, I use it for just about everything.

From reading books, storing recipes and workout exercises to converting currencies, booking hostels and checking the bus/train timetables.

I suppose you could call me an ‘iPad NERD’ – if there is such a thing… yeah, I admit I have also found some awesome applications which ONLY work for theiPhone, so I won’t lie and say I never wish I had one of those as well – but then again I like my cellphone, it’s pink!

Anyways, today I am going to share with you the best FREE Travel Apps out there right now!

Hostel Hero:

An application that finds you the best deals by searching through every hostel website, all over the world.

You have Hostelbookers, Hostelworld etc. all in one place.

From here you can book your stay from anywhere.

I love it, very easy and simple.

Hostelworld:

If you are an avid HostelWorld fan and just want to book through them, they have their very own application for you to book your stays.

Stanza:

With this on your iPod you’ll never have to carry another of those brick-like-heavy books in your backpack ever again!

You can download hundreds (probably more) of books for FREE on your iPod (yes, in all genres).

EveryTrail:

Finds many outdoor activities (walking, mountain-biking, skiing etc) for you to do, anywhere in the world

WhatKnot:

Shows countless types of knots and how to make them step by step, a skill that can be crucial to know when hiking through the jungle etc… trust me – you never know when you’ll need it!

Skype(only for iPhone):

Now there really is a cheap way for you to call to other countries.

iTranslate:

Translates whole sentences into heaps of different languages.

The good thing about this one is that it doesn’t only translate to or from English but from all kinds of languages: Hebrew to Korean, or Hindi to Galician, it’s your choice 😉

Spending Light:

Keeps track of your spending and income, how much you spend per day/week/month/year, and what you spend it on (food, clothes, Beer etc).

Really good to keep you from asking ”What happened?

Where did all the money go??”

Convert Everything:

A complete currency converter, what more do I need to say?

This way you know exactly how much your paying anywhere in the world.

Kayak:

Now you can search for flights and hotels with the best online travel searchaggregates right from your iPod!

Lonely Planet:

Ok, so the application is free, and you get a Phrase book and one Guide for free.

But the rest you’ll have to buy.

But if you plan to bring a Lonely Planet guide, I highly recommend you to bring it in your iPod.

It sucks having all that extra weight when you could have it all in your hand 😉

Google Earth:

I love looking at the earth globe – it really gets me into a happy state.

I get so excited seeing all these places I want to visit, all cultures I want to see.

So what is better than Google Earth?

Wi-Fi Finder:

This way you don’t have to run around all streets and corners desperately looking for a Wi-Fi connection, the JiWire application does the job for you.

Travee Messaging App

Traveling abroad is a dream come true.

The opportunity to experience far off lands and fascinating cultures is so rewarding.

While the journey itself is a dream, communicating with the folks back home is a lot like a nightmare.

If you’ve taken your cell phone overseas before, then you know what I’m talking about…Enter Travee Voice and Messaging App

The roaming charges on international calls are steep. I’m not talking just slightly inflated, I’m talking surrender-your-firstborn expensive.

Make and receive a few phone calls, send some texts and update your social media empire, and you’ve just set back your plan to buy that first house by a decade.

So what’s the solution? Don’t even think about picking up a cheap throwaway phone at your destination.

Get Travee instead. This amazing free app is a lifesaver.

Download it before you leave home, and you’ll avoid paying oodles of expensive charges.

That’s because Travee gives you unlimited incoming calls for free, and your first 20 minutes of outgoing calls are free too.

Travee eliminates a multitude of communication hassles.

You get to keep your current phone number while you use the app.

That means not having to broadcast a new number to all of your contacts.

Secondly, you won’t pay through the nose every time you get a call.

Thirdly, you won’t be juggling two phone when you’re traveling light.

Lastly, your travel budget will remain on track thanks to Travee’s cheaper rates for outgoing calls.

Even if you think you’re technologically challenged, Travee is the best app for you. It’s super easy and free to download.

When you’re ready to start using it, you tap a box in the app to activate it.

From this screen, it’s easy to review your voicemail options, add money to your account or invite friends to join you on Travee.

When you land at your destination, pick up a cheap SIM card at the airport.

Because your original phone number is already registered with Travee, changing to a local SIM card won’t interfere with your calls and you’ll enjoy much better service.

Call quality with Travee is excellent, and everyone who calls you can leave you a voicemail if you aren’t available to answer or don’t get reception in your current location.

People who call you probably won’t even be able to tell that you’re out of the country.

That’s the kind of overseas communication that anyone can get behind.
If you know of anymore apps which I might find useful on my travels, please link me below in the comments! 🙂

If you are shopping for a sleeping bag liner, you will get some tips and advice in this article.

If you’re getting ready for a trip to the great outdoors, you must know that preparation is half the battle.

And just because you’ll be far from the warmth and comfort of your own bed, this doesn’t mean you can’t be as comfortable as you possibly can, especially when you have the right kind of sleeping bag liners with you.

Whether it’s a mountaineering trip or a few days of camping, having the right sleeping bag liner can save you money and bring you the comfort that you need.

If you get it right, you don’t have to buy an entirely new sleeping bag, or worry about not being warm enough.

You don’t have to bring an extra blanket or added padding.

A good sleeping bag liner is all that you need.

Sleeping Bag Liner A Must Have Travel luxury Item

When it comes to travel, you can never allow yourself to be too unprepared.

There is beauty in spontaneity and just going with the flow, but when you’re heading to unfamiliar territory or climbing some mountains, you wouldn’t want to find yourself empty-handed.

Any seasoned traveler can tell you that when you decide to travel, you never know what to expect.

You don’t know where to buy certain items and how much each item will cost.

This is why it’s best to come prepared, with tried and tested items you have chosen beforehand and purchased at a bargain.

A sleeping bag liner is one of those must have travel luxury items that most people should really come with.

Granted, depending on what’s important to them, people prioritize different aspects of travel.

For instance, some don’t care where they sleep as long as they’re near all the tourist attractions and the best places to eat.

Some people on the other hand can go on days without eating proper meals as long as they have a comfortable bed to sleep on.

When it’s a backpacking or camping type of travel, some would rather invest in good sleeping items (like a bigger tent or more comfortable sleeping bag) even if it means having to forego something else, like a cooler.

No matter what kind of travel you’re doing, sleep is usually a luxury.

When you’re in a new place, the surroundings are always begging to be explored and so many activities are waiting to be done.

You don’t just go to a place to stare at the scenery, because you have to experience everything.

At the end of each day, you will need a good place to rest your tired muscles, and this is why a sleeping bag liner is a must have.

It’s a ‘luxury’ item because it’s something you add to your sleeping bag, which you already have.

Sleeping bags however come in all varieties, and not all of them can guarantee you comfort.

Adding a sleeping bag liner can guarantee you a good night’s sleep even if you’re in a tent.

So it truly is a must have if sleeping through the night is something that you value, no matter where you’re headed.

What’s A Sleeping Bag Liner Good For?

How does a sleeping bag liner work, exactly?

Most travelers are more than familiar with sleeping bags and how they are used, but hearing ‘sleeping bag liner’ might raise some questions.

Sleeping Bag Liner Provides Added warmth

A basic sleeping bag is okay when you’re traveling in the heat of summer, but when you’re heading to the outdoors without being entirely sure about how cold the nights are going to be, then you shouldn’t leave without a sleeping bag liner.

Some sleeping bag liners are created with extra thermal protection, such as this fleece sleeping bag liner from Coleman.

I chose these for my two sons.

They mostly use them without their sleeping bags when we are summer camping and for sleepovers with their buddies.

I also sew on the Cub/Boy Scout patches on them as well.

The sleeping bag liner adds about 12 degrees of warmth, and this means that even in unforgivingly cold temperatures you can sleep comfortably through the night.

Sleeping Bag Liner Provides Added protection

When you’re outdoors, you’re basically exposed to nature and all the elements that come with it.

A perennial problem that campers have is that there’s no stopping the dirt or sand from getting into their sleeping bags, and it’s always a challenge to clean it up when it does.

Having to clean or wash the inside of your sleeping bag is always a pain because there are some that you can’t just toss into the washing machine.

A sleeping bag liner gives you (and your sleeping bag) added protection from the dirt, and it’s way easier to clean.

Some sleeping bags are also made to have added protection from insects and bugs, like this Sea to Summit Coolmax Adaptor Liner with Insect Shield.

This special sleeping bag liner is treated with an insect shield that’s effective in repelling all the mosquitoes, flies, fleas, ticks, and all kinds of bugs that you will definitely encounter as you explore the outdoors.

These bugs are part of the great outdoor adventure, but you can definitely find ways and means to protect yourself from them.

When you find the right kind of sleeping bag liner that gives you enough protection, this also means you don’t have to bring added items like a mosquito net.

Sleeping Bag Liner Provides Added comfort

While some people can sleep comfortably on top of a thin sleeping bag, there are those who after doing so will get plagued by aches and pains everywhere in their body, because it was simply not comfortable enough.

You wouldn’t want to lug a thick mattress with you while camping, so a sleeping bag liner is actually the perfect way to give yourself added comfort without having to bring so much added weight.

Most sleeping bag liners are designed to be very lightweight, so it’s almost like you’re not bringing anything extra.

You’ll hardly notice the extra weight, but your back will definitely thank you for the extra comfort.

Sleeping Bag Liner Provides Adaptability

Another thing a sleeping bag liner gives you is adaptability.

While you can generally predict the weather when you go out for a trip, there are days when the forecast just doesn’t match with reality.

Having a sleeping bag liner handy can give you added warmth for those extra cold days, but when it gets too hot all you have to do is simply use it like a top sheet.

How a sleeping bag liner will save you money

Budget is a very important aspect of planning trips, because you’d want to stretch your resources as much as possible, to get the most out of traveling.

The good news is that whether you’re traveling in cold weather or hot weather, having a sleeping bag liner handy can save you a lot of money.

First, instead of purchasing a new expensive sleeping bag, this means you can work with whatever sleeping bag you currently have and just buy a liner that can give you added warmth and comfort when needed.

Making sure that you have the adequate warmth, protection, and comfort that you need when traveling is also extra insurance against wear and tear, aches and pains, getting sick, and having to go through the hassle of looking for something similar to a sleeping bag liner (and maybe even paying double for it) in the middle of nowhere.

The added protection to the sleeping bag itself will also keep it from wearing out too much and too fast, extending the life of your sleeping essentials for even more camping trips in the future.

Don’t be mistaken that sleeping bags are only good for camping trips, either.

When you’re in an unfamiliar country and don’t want to blow your budget with a hotel, you can book a night at a cheap hostel or inn, even one that doesn’t come with bedding.

Your sleeping bag liner will save you because it can double as a bed sheet, so even if your room doesn’t come with free linen, you’ll be fine.

It could also protect you from pesky bed bugs.

Lastly, your sleeping bag liner doesn’t have to be hidden at the very back of your closet, only to be retrieved during trips.

This Bundle Monster sleeping bag liner for instance can double as a blanket at home, so even if you’re not out camping, you’re getting your money’s worth.

It’s always important to ask yourself whether or not you can use a travel essential not just during travels but also during your normal day-to-day routines.

By having your liner double as a blanket, you’re saving money because that means you don’t even have to buy an extra blanket to use at home.

Sleeping bag liners come in all sizes and varieties, and some can cost you close to nothing while some will have added features that will make you pay a bit more.

No matter what kind of sleeping bag liner you end up getting however, it’s clear that at the end of the day, it will really help you save money while giving you the warmth, comfort and protection that you need for any kind of trip you’re planning.

Sleeping Bag Liner – A Must Have Travel luxury Item

Something I bought as a little extra luxury item on my travels turned out to be one of the best things I’ve ever bought.

I cannot recommend a sleeping bag liner enough.

Both me and Nathan bought one each a few years ago, and since then they have saved our nights more than once.

So, What’s A Sleeping Bag Liner Good For?

Well, first off, if you travel with a sleeping bag you know how bad they start to smell, and it doesn’t take very long until you have to choose between either throwing it out and buy a new one, or even worse – washing it.

There is nothing more difficult to wash than a sleeping bag, and you’ll to have to sleep without it for the next few nights since they never dry!

If you sleep with a sleeping bag liner inside the sleeping bag, all you have to do is to wash the sleeping bag liner, which dries within an hour.

Even if you’re traveling without a sleeping bag, this will be your best friend.

I’ve used my sleeping bag liner everywhere – from the snowy alps in Europe to the tropical rain forests in the Pacific.

What the sleeping bag liner does is warm you up when it’s cold, and cool you down when it’s hot – and it really does a good job.

Saving Money

There are so many hostels in Europe trying to squeeze as much cash out of poor backpackers as possible, and after having payed for an overpriced dorm they want to charge you another 5 Euro for sheets.

Only sheets and pillows are allowed (no sleeping bags), which of course no backpackers carry around.

But a sleeping bag liner perfectly fits in between these two.

A sleeping bag liner is very much like bed sheets, but designed like a sleeping bag.

So for me, I count my sleeping bag liner as my sheets 😉 I’ve also had great use for my sleeping bag liner at dirty hostels.

Sometimes I’ve ended up at some really nasty rooms, and to avoid bed bugs and whatever could be in those sheets, the sleeping bag liner was a blessing.

My sleeping bag liner is truly the one travel item that I’ll never be without.

I love everything that can wrap up to tiny little balls, and this is my favorite.

A sleeping bag liner takes up no space at all in your bag, and you use it every day.

Travel Pillow Reviews of the Best Pillows for Comfort

A travel pillow is essential whether you’re traveling by rail, air or car as it will make the trip more comfortable. The right pillow isn’t just comfortable however, as it must also be easy to transport and can be used in tight spaces and unusual positions.

There are a lot of these available on Amazon of course, but which one should you buy?

No need to spend hours comparing them, as the best are listed here.

Update: We’ve been using a Aeros Pillow Premium Sea to Summit for a while now and all I can say is WOW!

Very compact, easy to inflate with approximately 5-6 puffs and quality construction…and extremely comfortable. This is now my go to travel pillow.

Packing Essentials For Your Summer Road Trip
Sleeping Bag Liner – A Must Have Travel luxury Item
Gift Ideas for the Traveler and Adventurer in Your Life

Davidsbeenhere Inflatable Travel Pillow with Cloth Cover

The Davidsbeenhere (DBH) pillow can inflate in just 7 to 10 breaths, and if you squeeze the valve this becomes even easier.

The section design also provides optimal support for your neck as you rest, and it comes with a Softouch micro fleece outer texture for comfort.

Because of its size, the DBH is easy to carry and won’t be a hassle in the airport and unlike other travel pillows, the DBH has been tested on road trips and flights across the Atlantic, underscoring its efficiency.

The pillow is especially useful when you’re flying because that usually leads to neck discomfort and back pain.

With the DBH you can rest easy during a long flight, and it’s good to know you can convert the pillow into a carrying pouch small enough to fit in a bag.

Figuring out how to inflate the pillow won’t be an issue, but you should check out the instructions to avoid making mistakes.

When you’re inflating the pillow, make sure that the nozzle is pinched firmly and remember to cap the nozzle so the air doesn’t get out.

If you’re tired of those headaches and neck aches after each flight, then the DBH can provide some relief.

The pillow isn’t just comfortable, but with the way the pillow has been designed, it will provide ear cover and minimize noise.

There are a lot of good, practical features on the DBH, but what it comes down to is it delivers on the essentials, that of providing comfort and convenience.

Given these facts, it’s easy to see why people like this pillow.

J Pillow, Travel Pillow – Winner of British Invention of the Year – #1 Best Selling Travel Pillow

There are a lot of things you can say about the J Pillow, but if you had to say just one, it’s that it’s going to keep your head from falling down, at the same providing support for your chin and head.

Like the other pillows here, the J Pillow can be used in cars, trains or planes and makes it easier to sleep on the road.

In fact, the pillow is comfortable enough to be used even when you’re at home, and if you have a medical condition that requires you to sleep upright, this pillow will do just fine.

Size wise the pillow isn’t that big so carrying it around won’t be a problem.

The J Pillow also provides good support for your neck, and if you’re tired and just want to rest during the flight or on a long road trip, the pillow will provide comfort even if you’re not sleeping.

Unlike other pillows, it’s not too tight and more of a snug fit than anything.

And as many reviewers have pointed out, the pillow is just as effective at home as it is on the road or midair.

There’s no question this product was designed for use while traveling, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s also useful in other ways, and that’s always good.

Travelrest – The Ultimate Inflatable Travel Pillow. BEST Travel Pillow Ranked #1 by WSJ

The Travelrest pillow comes with complete lateral support for your upper body so you can sleep and relax for a much longer period.

Furthermore, the pillow leads to the correct neck and head alignment and prevents your head going down.

Aside from providing comfort, the Travelrest pillow is ideal for those who suffer from chronic neck pain.

The pillow inflates easily so it won’t take long to prepare it, and deflating is just as quick so you can minimize the pillow and reduce the space it’s going to take up.

The pillow also has an ergonomic design so there’s proper support for your neck, and it is adjustable as well.

You can set the pillow down your side or across your torso, or put it on like an airline seat tether.

The pillow is also versatile and can be used in different situations such as camping, cars, trains, airport terminals, and even at home.

It’s fully washable too.

If this is your first time to use this pillow, don’t be surprised if it only takes 3 to 4 breaths to fully inflate it, and deflating and rolling only takes moments.

One of the more difficult aspects with most travel pillows is they take too much time, but fortunately this is an exception to the rule.

As an inflatable, the Travelrest is quite comfortable, and the soft cover won’t cause any skin allergies or affect your pressure points.

What’s important is that you use it properly so both your head and neck are supported as you sit on the plane, train or car.

Aeris Best Airplane Travel Pillow – Lifetime Free Replacement Guarantee

This is a memory foam pillow that provides complete neck support as you rest during travel.

The Aeris Travel pillow, which comes with a portable bag, is machine wash safe and even comes with free ear plugs and a sleep mask.

In terms of design the Aeris looks great, but more than that, its visco-elastic memory foam contours to the shape of your neck, so you’re not going to feel any bumps.

With the memory foam, the pillow slowly yields and doesn’t offer much resistance until the weight is evenly distributed.

When you lift your weight off, the pillow will resume its original shape.

Without being too technical, it’s enough to say that the Aeris pillow will allow your neck and head to rest in a natural position regardless whether you’re on a plane or car.

The more you use the pillow the more it provides relief for any pain you’re feeling, and it also reduces the tiredness you feel, thus improving sleep quality.

Furthermore, the Aeris pillow promotes better blood circulation and gets rid of the muscle tension that you may be experiencing.

The pillow is also effective for eliminating restlessness, which is commonplace when trying to sleep during a long travel.

Tips for the Buyers

Pillows for travel come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, and while you want one that’s large enough to provide support for your head and neck, it mustn’t be too large to the point it becomes a burden to carry.

The shape however, is of immense importance because it also determines the kind of support your neck will receive as you sleep.

U-shaped pillows are the most common because they function as a cradle for your neck, and it also provides support even when you’re sitting upright.

The J shaped, like the one featured here, is just as good because the tail of the J supports your neck, and more importantly, provides chin support as well as a cushion for your head and back.

Plus, it keeps your head from falling.

The wedge-shaped pillow is designed primarily to support your spine and back, while the cylinder types reduce the pain on your back and neck.

Furthermore, these pillows can be used in different positions like lying down or sitting.

You will also find pillows shaped like collars so they go around your neck, and there’s a strap that secures the collar’s sides.

As far as material goes there are a lot of options available ranging from natural to synthetic.

When it comes to inflatable pillows however, the most commonly used is plastic, but many other kinds are now employed.

Also keep in mind that just because it’s plastic doesn’t mean it’s not comfortable, as the quality has improved greatly.

As for the inflatable vs. non-inflatable pillow, the best choice for travelers is the inflatable.

There are a lot of good non-inflatable pillows, but inflatables don’t take up as much room, easy to clean and light.

In contrast, non-inflatable pillows can be difficult to carry and too much of a hassle especially if you’re already carrying a lot of stuff.

And in terms of quality, the inflatables are not far off anyway so you really have nothing to lose.

Travel Pillow Conclusion

As to which of the travel pillow products above are the best, the answer is they should all make for a nice travel companion.

Some might prefer one over the other, but regardless which of these you pick you can expect a more comfortable time whether you’re on the road or on flight.

Whether you’re backpacking, taking a road trip, or staying in hotels — be it a long journey or a short one — from my experience of traveling over the years, the best advice I can give is be prepared, but travel *light*! You’ll be surprised as to how little you actually *need* when traveling.

I did half a year around the world using a single medium-sized backpack. It wasn’t a tramping pack, just a normal backpack of about 15 – 20 litres.  Of course if you’re traveling in winter you’ll need a bit more in the way of warm clothing, but still, I’m sure one backpack would do the job.

So when I started putting my kit together for my most recent trip, I was happy to know that everything I needed and wanted to take with me could fit into a backpack.

When I left for our first backpacking trip last year, I didn’t bring my old 90 litre backpack, I bought a brand new 65 litre backpack one. The shop assistant told me that she thought I might find it a little small for the kind of backpacking trip we were planning….our Pro Travel Tips

Basic travel tips:

• Pack an extra outfit in your carry on, in case your checked luggage gets lost.
• Always bring dozens of plastic bags and baby wipes 🙂
• Embrace situations that are different. You’ll always end up with a great story.
• To always expect the unexpected and keep your cool.
• Say “yes” when hostel people ask you to come out with them
• Be realistic about your itinerary & don’t try to fit too much in
• Don’t plan too much, be flexible. Keep your options open.
• Always learn AT LEAST, hello, please & thank you in the local language
• Duct tape and a headlamp: both extraordinarily useful
• Bring several bandannas; they’re the perfect travel tool
• Consider stuff sacks, and my favorite Gobi Hoboroll

Basics of Light and Easy Backpacking

The shop assistant was right. My new backpack seemed small.

The first few weeks were upsetting as I tried to pack my gear in my backpack when we left to go to a new place (which was nearly everyday).

And since we basically walked everywhere (for hours every day) with a 7 kg tent, we started hunching and our backs were really hurting.

It didn’t take us long to realize that we couldn’t continue like this.

I remember how tough it was at first to throw something out – I always had 100 reasons to keep every small item!

But the thought of carrying that backpack around for a year like that was just unbearable, so I had to get rid of my ego and think practical.

It’s actually a really good ‘spiritual practice,’ learning how to get rid of the ego’s “want” for everything. I started asking myself:

Do I REALLY need this?

After that, every time we went to pack our bags we threw something out, and never would we buy something new without throwing away at least one item.  The more you discard or donate, the more you understand how little you REALLY need.

I disposed of 90% of my belongings (i.e gave it away to hostels and second hand shops) but I just didn’t have the guts to give my NEW backpack away, instead I sort of folded it in half since there was basically nothing left inside.

And one of the biggest benefits of traveling light? No checked luggage! Whilst the other travelers were still waiting for their 20kg backpacks and suitcases to appear on the airport baggage claim, I had already cleared customs and was out of the airport.

The weight of my backpack was 7.2 kg before leaving Stockholm, which included a bit of extra food for the stopovers at the various airports, which saved a lot of money!

I always enjoy the reactions from the check-in clerks when they realize the destination of my flight (over 20,000km from the point of origin) and my answer to their question of “How many checked bags do you have, sir?” is “None.”

So here’s some advice of how to travel light:

• Think practical. Ask yourself: ”Do I really NEED this?”
• Bring two pairs of underwear (at the most three). You can wash one when having a shower, wear the clean one while you leave the other pair to dry during the day.
• Make sure everything goes with everything else. All of your shirts have to match all of your bottoms. If you have something that only goes with one other item, it’s not a good idea to bring it.
• Bring a mini-laptop (I recommend about 10 inch screen) with you. It might not sound very lightweight, but in the end it is. You won’t have to bring any books, notebooks or travel guides – instead you can download it all into your laptop and read them from there. Make sure it’s a light one though. A big and heavy one is just trouble. (Nathan took a 15 inch laptop and 2 months later simply gave it away to the Red Cross – too much hassle!)
• If you are a smoker, now could be a good time to quit. You will save money and likely improve your health. But if not, ecig’s and Vaping Kits are a good alternative. They are easy to pack light, save time and money not trying to find and purchase cigarettes in various countries, and consistency with what you are smoking. Traveling is a great time to break the smoking habit because you will be out of your usual routines.
• Don’t bring clothes made of heavy fabrics like jeans and wool. Bring as light clothing as you can. If you’re going to colder places, buy long johns and poly-pro tops instead of woolen jumpers and hoodies.
• Bring stuff that can be used as several things, like a Sari. You can use it as a normal towel, a beach towel, dress, skirt, blanket, fold it to make a bag, etc. Travel and Microfiber Travel Towel
• For guys, instead of bringing a pair of shorts AND a pair of board shorts, try to look for a pair of board shorts that look just like normal shorts (or as close as it can get).
• Don’t bring anything white, since you don’t bring many clothes you’re going to use the ones you have a lot. White clothing will need to be washed more often than dark and colored fabrics.
• Remember the essentials. It’s critical to protect against mosquitoes and to have a small first aid kit. Prioritize space for these.

Some people suggest you cut your toothbrush in half because even small things weigh and they add on. It’s true that everything adds on, but I don’t go that hardcore myself to care about how much weight my toothbrush adds on. Lightweight traveling should be easy, not extra hassle.

Portable Travel Digital Luggage Scale Product Review VIDEO

A microfiber travel towel will serve you well on your journey. Whether you are backpacking, camping, taking a road trip, or traveling across the world, it’s smart to bring a microfiber towel.

While traditional towels take up a lot of space, microfiber towels fold small.

They also dry quickly.

Many are anti-bacterial.

You’ll find many uses for them, even at home. We love using them as microfiber bath towels.

They are great to take to the beach or the pool too.

They are very absorbent and air-dry much faster than other towels.

After washing them, you will love how they dry fast in the dryer.

What is a Microfiber Travel Towel?

It’s a specially-designed travel towel which provides an excellent alternative to traditional towels.

Microfiber travel towels are durable and versatile.

They are light and easy to roll and pack regardless of what you use them for.

The most popular travel towel are ones made of microfiber material.

This material is smooth and soft as compared to chamois leather.

There are a variety of microfiber travel towels. Here are our favorites:

Best Travel and Microfiber Travel Towel

Northbound Train Microfiber Towel

These Northbound Train microfiber towels have been my kids’ favorite travel towels and bath towels.

I asked my 10 year old why he only wants to use this towel, and he said, “You just put it on a spot and the water is gone!”

My older son brings these microfiber travel towels for his Boy Scout campouts.

He uses the larger ones for swimming and showering.

They pack small for his backpacking trips and dry quickly while at camp.

He’s even used them as an additional blanket covering on one campout when it was in the 40s overnight.

I asked him why he likes bringing these towels with him, and he said,

“They are light and when I’m backpacking, every ounce counts.”

He’s had to carry 19 pounds in his backpack for an 18 mile hike over two days, so light towels are essential.

He also said, “It absorbs your sweat.”

I learned he’s using the smaller microfiber towel (12″ x 36″) to wipe his neck and face when camping.

It came in the Northbound Train towel set.

They call it a Microfiber Sport Towel.

It would be great for hiking, yoga, exercising and working out, etc.

Northbound Train Microfiber Towel benefits:

• Soft; it’s not at all scratchy
• Super absorbent
• Dry quickly
• Has a loop for hanging
• Easy to pack, lightweight, compact
• Antibacterial: This is an added bonus that I didn’t realize when I ordered these towels.
• These microfiber towels have a skin-safe zinc oxide coating which repels germs and prevents odors.
• Small measures 12″ x 36″ and large is 30″ x 60″
• Lifetime guarantee
• Packs small

They are all-around easy-to-use towels. These have been our favorite microfiber towels.

I love them because they dry quickly hanging after a shower, especially in one of our bathrooms that is small.

They also dry fast in the dryer if I don’t air-dry them.

When I dry my traditional towels, they take so long in the dryer, I have to watch so they don’t shrink our other clothes.

Shandali Microfiber Travel Towel

The Shandali microfiber towel has been rated as the best travel towel.

Preferred by many for long or short distance travels, the towel is made of microfiber material which is soft like velvet and smooth like a baby’s skin.

It dries quickly and absorbs water quickly.

The Shandali UltraSport Travel Towel – #1 Rated Travel Towel, Sport Towel, Beach and Microfiber Towel. Super Absorbent!

Ultra-Fast-Drying. Perfect for Camping, Backpacking, Showering (Check it out).

Shandali Microfiber Travel Towel Benefits:

• Loop for hanging.
• It is a big towel but when you fold, it becomes compact and you can store it anywhere easily.
• You can carry it around in your gym bag, your suitcase, a bag and even in a purse!
• You can use the towel anywhere.
• Comes in two sizes, small and medium.
• It is lightweight and weighs just a few ounces.

The towel is coated with silver-ion antibacterial.

It offers protection against bacteria.

The silver-ions prohibit the formation of germs and bacteria on the towel.

Sea to Summit DryLite Travel Towel

Sea to Summit DryLite travel towel is an excellent option if you decide to go camping, on holiday or on a trekking adventure.

These towels are made of microfiber material and are extremely fast drying, not to mention highly absorbent.

Sea to Summit Tek Towel Wash Kit (Check it out)

Sea to Summit DryLite Travel Towel Benefits:

• Soft and smooth on the skin
• Made with 70% polyester and 30% nylon Microfiber and detailed with supreme suede linings
• Highly efficient at both drying and absorbing water
• Can be washed in the machine
• Available in different colors, including Kiwi, Green and Berry
• Soft brushed feeling when using it after a bath

You can use the Sea to Summit DryLite travel towel to wipe dishes when on a camping trip.

They are perfectly suited for your travel and are extremely light to pack.

Since they are multipurpose towels, you won’t have to pack 2 or 3 towels.

And the best part is that these towels are available in a whole range of different sizes which makes packing easier and hassle-free.

Sea to Summit DryLite Travel Towel Sizes:

• Extra Small, (30cm x 60cm), Weight 37g
• Small, (40cm x 80cm), Weight 62g
• Medium, (50cm x 100cm), Weight 100g
• Large, (60cm x 120cm), Weight 145g
• Extra Large, (75cm x 150cm), Weight 200g

The Sea to Summit DryLite edition is available in different colors including cobalt blue, outback red and jade green.

If you choose one of these quick dry towels in the small or medium sizes, they are great to use as a hair towel.

They are great microfiber towels for exercise and sports.

Using a microfiber hair towel will be light on your hair when it’s wet and more fragile.

They are great to bring when traveling.

Lightload Towels – The Only Travel Towel That Are Survival Tools

With regards to space and the weight of towels, nothing can beat Lightload travel towel.

You can store them anywhere, even in your back pocket when folded.

Once you unpack them, they turn out to be really big and have efficient water absorbing capability and you can use them anywhere you want to.

Lightload Towels Benefits:

Once unpacked, the Lightload travel towels expand to a large size, measuring 60 inches x 36 inches.

Consider it a large beach towel.

Super water absorbent ability.

The towels are made with viscose fibers which can absorb up to 10 times the towel’s weight.

Dries really fast.

You can re-pack it into its packing size and fit it into your back pocket.

Available in assorted colors.

Lightload towels are machine washable.

Lightload Travel Towels Three Pack  are best used for camping, trekking and general travelling purpose and come in a three towel pack (Check here).

MyQuest Microfiber Towel

The MyQuest Microfiber towel is manufactured using fine quality microfiber material and is a fast drying towel.

It is made with millions of micro-woven rings which are attached to the towel.

The micro-woven rings eradicate the largeness and bulkiness of traditional towels.

MyQuest Microfiber Towel (Check here)

MyQuest Microfiber Towel Benefits:

Fast drying, smooth and extremely soft on the skin.

Can be used and stored anywhere easily.

The towel measurs 30” x 60” and can be repacked in its own packing which measures 8” x 8”!

Antimicrobial treatment on the towel prevents bacteria from forming on the towel.

It also keeps the towel fresh and sterile all the time so you can it whenever you want.

Available in medium blue color.

The MyQuest Microfiber towels can be used for many things including as a hot yoga towel, a yoga mat and it is great when you finish a gruesome cardio workout.

It can absorb sweat really fast and dry off just as fast and doesn’t give out any bad smell.

You can also checkout our Travel Towel Reviews – Best Travel Towel – Which To Buy?

Best Microfiber Towel

When you’re traveling, pack a microfiber travel towel, even if you don’t think you will need it.

A good microfiber towel is essential for any backpacking journey.

Another advantage of bringing your own travel towel is the green travel aspect.

Using your own travel towel is an excellent way to go green. Here is a nice article about Green Travel.

These are some of the best microfiber travel towels you can use anywhere and for anything, whether you are traveling or not.

While regular towels take up space and take a long time to dry, microfiber towels are easy to pack, tote around, and dry quickly.

Basics Of Light and Easy Backpacking and Gift Ideas for the Traveler and Adventurer in Your Life.

These microfiber towels will soon become your favorite towels for traveling and at home.