What to pack for your international trip
If you’re a chronic over-packer like myself, it can be difficult to determine what you’ll need for your trip. Regardless of your destination, take a look at my list of my top 5 packing essentials below for an idea of where to get started. For even more ideas, I have a full packing list in my Pre-Travel Checklist blog.
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1. A Power Bank/Back Up Battery (or two):
I never go anywhere without at least one backup battery. I’ve found myself one two many times with a dying phone, needing to find my way home or back to a hotel. The last thing you need at 1 am on a foreign street is a phone at 1% and no way to charge it to get you home! I have a few different banks that I use, but one of my favorites is a fast-charging Anker power bank such as this one.
2. A filtered water bottle
While I purchased my filtered water bottle specifically for a trip to Belize after hearing about potential water bacteria, I’ve started bringing it on even my domestic travels. As someone with a sensitive stomach, I always find it better to be safe than sorry. My go-to bottle is a LifeStraw bottle. During my research of different filters, I found LifeStraw to filter more microorganisms than a brand such as Brita. I also like that the Go series has a carabiner clip to easily hook on my backpack.
After the allotted amount of use, it’s also easy to swap out the filter with their replacement filters..
3. Packing cubes
One thing I swear by is my compression packing cubes. While they may not save as much space as some creators make them out to, I’ve found that at minimum they allow me to stay organized with my packing. I often will pack each cube with that day’s planned outfit, and then squeeze out the extra air. These are especially useful on my trips where I have limited baggage, like taking the train to Machu Picchu!
4. Multi-Port charging block
Even at home, I like to simplify my charging organization. Rather than use one brick per device, I use a brick with multiple USB and USB-C ports. Specifically, I use this fast charging brick. This allows me to charge my phone, watch, portable chargers, etc. all in one outlet.
I’ve also found similar bricks for different countries’ outlets, such as this EU brick, or this UK brick.
5. Outlet Adapter
Even with a multi-port block, you may want to bring an adapter, depending on your destination. I like to use one that has a USB and USB-C port in addition to a universal outlet, like this one. That way, I have some additional space for items requiring cords, and can use tools like my dual voltage hair straightening brush or plug in my camera battery. Always check your destination’s outlet type and whether a power converter is required in addition to an outlet adapter. That being said, a universal adapter is something I always have on hand for my international travels.
Honorable Mention: A packable backpack.
There are days that I’m going on an all-day tour or even just to the beach, where I don’t want to have to empty my carry-on to pack up for the day. I also don’t want to take up too much space; for this, my stowable backpack is perfect! It is lightweight, water resistant, and easily folds into a small cube for easy packing. Bonus: This also helps if I end up needing an extra bag for souvenirs on the way home.
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