Essential and Useful Bits and Pieces for Your Travels

Essential and Useful Bits and Pieces for Your Travels

With weight constrain in mind, I usually make two lists and tick each off as I go when I pack my bag. The first list is the most necessary or essential stuff and the second one is the “not essential but useful” stuff. My lists look like this.

Necessary/essential items

1. Passport. A passport needs to be in your hand bag or in money pouch and keep it concealed under your clothing.

2. Air ticket. The air ticket needs to be in the same place as the passport. It is easy to take them out from one place at check-in counter.

3. Traveler cheque or credit card and some cash. Carrying some small notes makes it easy when you need to buy things on the go like bottled water and snacks. Put cash in money pouch preferably in different section from the passport and the ticket. This is to prevent the cash being messed up unnecessary when you take out the passport and the ticket.

4. Your medicines (if you’re on medication). Keep your medicines in their original packages and put them in your hand bag or your carry bag so you can have them whenever you need.

5. Toothbrush, toothpaste, and dental floss. Teeth are the road to wellbeing. They need to stay hygienic and healthy. Some upper market hotels provide toothbrush and toothpaste but it’s best to take your own.

6. Shampoo. Most hotels provide shampoo, but changing from your regular shampoo can cause hair loss. Avoid it if you can.

7. Sun Cream. In most parts of Asia, the sun is always shining and it can be very strong so it is necessary to wear sun cream to prevent sun burn.

8. Shades. When the sun arrives you need sunglasses or a hat/cap. They shield your eyes, make sure you look decent at all times and are appropriate for all places.

9. Underpants. Make sure you take enough (at least one clean underpants per day) for a certain period of time until you get a chance to wash them or get them washed if you travel for a long period. They contribute to healthy living.

Not essential but useful

1. Books. Books are good for time killing. Break tedious extended journeys up by reading a junk of books. Any book will do, but those you enjoy reading will do a better job.

2. Hair dryer. You can go by without one, but if you have some space left after putting everything in the bag, then it is useful to throw in this extra item. It is a good practice to blow-dry your hair every time after washing it. It makes your hair look better, smell fresh longer and healthier.

3. A nail clipper. Nails grow long and sometimes can break. It can hurt to tear broken nails. The nail clipper is just a small item that doesn’t take much room at all, but it is very useful at times like this.

4. A pair of flip flops. For long journey especially if it involves walking, it is nice to change to different foot ware once in a while to put the feet at ease. Flip flops are good alternative. Again you can go by without them, and you can buy some at your destination (they are cheap in Asia), but it’s always nice to have everything ready for use whenever you need them.

5. Mosquito repellent. In tropical countries dengue fever caused by mosquitoes is common so apply/spray mosquito repellent when you spend time outdoor to prevent mosquito bite.

6. Antibacterial ointment. You will want it for all sorts of events. Tropical infections kill even from small cuts.