Pack Your Bags
I love this little story. My husband and I travel quite a bit. We are sitting in a restaurant in Japan. The waitress asked what we would like to drink. My husband replies soğuk su. I laugh. Definitely he has travel warp. Traveling all over the globe and living in a foreign country , you absorb their culture and language. He laughs too and points to the menu. We hadn’t learned the word for water in Japanese yet. Yep, the next stop will be to learn Japanese.
Traveling globally in the past six years gives you knowledge of what you need and don’t really need for your stay.
Here is my list of “I need” when traveling.
My passport and immunizations chart in a passport cover. I love my passport cover. Not only does it keep my passport looking new, but it has document slots inside that I can carry cards, and other id. This is a must on your list.
BAN DO | Ban.Do I’m Outta Here Passport Holder at ASOS
Tags for your luggage.
You want to tag your luggage. You want to tag it inside and out. There have several trips I made it to my destination and my luggage took the scenic route.
And there have been times when it arrived, you can tell it had been inspected thoroughly along the way. I actually have my home address and contact numbers laminated inside my luggage just in case the tags gets lost .
My favorite tags are
Abas Glitter-Leather Luggage Tag & Passport Sleeve
You can add your initials and with the sparkly tag, it reflects when going around on the luggage run and easily spotted.
A clear toiletries holder.
I learned this from my first adventure. When going through customs, they inspect everything. Some countries are more thorough than others. It holds everyone up when, you have a toiletries bag that has to be rumbled through. With the clear holders, the inspectors see the contents and no need of unzipping and zipping a bag. They appreciate it too. More than once, I have been thanked for having a clear bag.
Anya Hindmarch Inflight Bag | SHOPBOP
Good pair of sunglasses. And you want a sturdy pair. They will get a beating. Between being in the bottom of my tote and ipad on top, I wonder how they stay intact. My favorites are Brighton. Just because. My husband swears by his ray bans.
Noise Blocker
I didn’t think this was important until flights became 18 hours or more. It is nothing more annoying than traveling beside a snoring person or a chatty kathy.
Having my noise blockers on, even with them turned off , you aren’t bothered. They are worth the investment.
Phone Charger
Having to plan travel around charging your electronics is a waste. It is like having to remember to put money in a parking meter. After two times of zero battery left on my phone, I said never again. I just love my Mophie
mophie ‘powerstation’ portable charger | Nordstrom
I guess this must-have is a given and need not be mentioned. But after traveling and watching others , I realized some don’t think of shoes. You need comfortable shoes. It doesn’t matter what brand. What matters is that they are broken in, fit your feet and have some cushion. Buy them before leaving USA. Shoes are more expensive in European countries.
My favorites are
Superga ‘Cotu’ Sneaker (Women) | Nordstrom
Last of all , the best investment is your handbag. This goes everywhere with you and it holds everything together. It needs a zippered top and many slots in inside. I use a shouldered one and wear it in front of me as a cross body bag.I know my bag so well, I can reach inside and feel and know which slots hold what. There are so many to pick from. 
Givenchy Pandora Medium Leather Satchel Bag, Black
Now it is time to pack. Wanderlust is calling.