Thursday Thirteen #2

Below are 13 things that I can't do without when I travel:

1. Toothbrush/paste: first and foremost, it's important to have clean teeth and fresh breath even when you're travelling. There's just now excuse you know what I mean? And in a pinch, you can also pack some of those Oral-b scrubbers that you put on your finger; they actually work quite well.
2. Flashlight: because you never know if the place where you're staying is going to have some dark entrance that's difficult to find. Also, on a dark bus or train, it helps when you need to search for something in your bag. If you pack one, I'm sure you'll find a use for it!
3. Camera: because if you're travelling up the street or around the globe, it's always important to take pictures!
4. Comfortable walking shoes: This should really be listed at number 1. Something that I learned when marching drum corps; you should have at least 2 pair. In case one gets wet, you'll always have another pair in the wings while the first pair is drying.
5. First aid kit: mine includes band-aids, tweezers, alcohol wipes, gauze, tape, burn gels, antibiotic ointment, immodium, pepto, sinus meds, and nyquil. Because you never know when you're going to get a blister, cut, splinter, scrape, burn, or a stomach ache, diarreah, sinus infection, or a cold. You might as well always be prepared.
6. Q-tips: good for everything, especially keeping your ears clean...and they just feel so gooooooood.
7. Hat: Keeps the sun out of your face and protects your face from sunburn, is also handy for bad hair days. You should always check the weather report before you go. While in South America I wore a winter cap to keep myself warm. A baseball cap would have been rather impractical for me then.
   
8. Journal: I always travel with a journal to write my thoughts. I use it to remember where we went and how I felt when writing emails back home or for this blog. It's also nice to have them as a record months after being back home to remember small details about a trip that are long forgotten. Just remember, don't be like me and write your journals in foreign languages. While in Russia, I wrote my journal entirely in Russian, and now? I can barely decipher it. The German one, I'm still okay with but the Russian? Not so much. Journals also work well as a place to store ticket stubs and other tschochki while moving from place to place.
   
9. Music and Books: these will help to pass the long hours between locations and when you just need to get away. Get an electronic book...that's even better, and saves space/weight in your luggage!
   
10. Passport: This one is key. Don't forget to scan it and save a copy in a safe place just in case it gets stolen. It's pretty much the only way to prove you are who you say you are, and you can't get back into the US without it.
11. Underwear: I always pack "too much." In reality, I think you can never have too much.
    
12. Backpack or tote: this makes moving around within a city much easier. You have something to carry your water, camera, and extra things you pick up throughout the day. It also helps for carrying your snacks, journal etc. It's a lot easier than lugging around a purse.
    
13. Patience and a sense of humor: these are absolutely key when travelling. You'll need it when you start to feel culture shock, or you're generally embarassed because you said/did something stupid. Laughter is universal. It's also important to be patient when trying to understand a new place, custom or environment. It's likely you'll probably spend some time lost or wandering. Oftentimes, this is how you will find some of the 'off the beaten path' gems of your trip. Roll with it, and laugh about it. You'll soon be wishing you could be "lost on a sidestreet in Istanbul" again before you know it.