Pack Smart - Travel Must-Haves

Inclement weather can happen
on any trip - be prepared!

When traveling, I have certain items I always bring which make me more comfortable and also help save money along the way!  Critical to any good trip is arriving rested. For this reason, I use a head pillow and eye mask by Brookstone on long flights. To keep me entertained, I bring along my iPad for reading, watching movies and all things fun!  I also use a travel adaptor by Remington for international trips. 

Once I arrive at my destination, it's important to stay hydrated. But, I get tired of paying obscene amounts of money on bottled water at many tourist attractions. To overcome this, I bring my own small nalgene bottle, which I can clip to my purse/backpack and fill up at the hotel before heading out for the day. Bonus - it's also environmentally friendly!


Luckly, we were ready
for rain in Gdnask, Poland!

Additionally, I try to be prepared for inclement weather, so I always pack a super small travel umbrella, which has saved me so much money on overpriced umbrellas that appear at tourist spots as soon as the first drops of rain fall.  A blue Marmot raincoat, as seen in the picture, has also been a lifesaver! (Money saving tip - instead of getting a women's, check out the kids sizes.  They're cheaper and  run large.)  Since traveling involves a lot of walking, I love REI's coolmax socks, which are moisture-wicking, and prevent blisters! Another clothing item I've found useful is North Face's Apex jacket - which is water resistant, and warm enough for chilly days outside, but not too heavy to lug around! 

To carry all these things, I recommend a special purse by Pacsafe that is waterproof and safe to use when traveling in a big city with enough pockets to fit your wallet, umbrella, tour book, maps and nalgene bottle!  As a cancer researcher I should also say, don't forget the sunscreen!  Neutrogena makes a nice UltraSheer sunblock which protects against both UVA and UVB rays and is a perfect 3 fl oz for carry-on.  If you're interested in purchasing any of these products, they can be bought on Amazon through the links below!