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Our 10 Must Have Travel Items
As very well seasoned travelers we have lived through every packing mistake imaginable and now have our must-haves down to a tee when getting ready for our next journey. Remember you want to be as minimal as possible to avoid overweight luggage (ouch, that hurts the wallet!) and keep your things tidy, organised, and easy to find for a more enjoyable trip. Here’s our top ten must have travel items we recommend as professional tour guides!
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1. Lifestraw Water Bottle (or similar)
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Water is life! Like, seriously. We cannot recommend bringing a water bottle with a filtration system enough. In most countries of the world you can not drink the tap water (we’re so lucky in Australia!) so it is a constant search to find places to refill your bottle or alternatively buy plastic bottles, which of course no one wants to do! With a lifestraw bottle, you can drink the tap water anywhere. This one from Lifestraw and these bladders from Katadyn are top notch. Well worth the investment to have clean drinking water on hand wherever you go!
2. Battery Pack
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This one doesn’t need much explanation. Finding power whilst traveling can be a challenge so it’s good to have a couple of charges on a power bank as back up. A dead phone is no use when you want to snap that amazing photo or look up directions to that recommended restaurant!
3. Eye Mask & Ear Plugs
From planes to sleeper trains, traveling will see you getting some much needed shut eye in non ideal places. Having an eye mask and ear plugs means you get to improve the quality of your sleep wherever you are (or actually just sleep!), which will make you more clear headed and in a much better mood to enjoy your destinations. It’s hard to have fun (and stay safe) when you’re sleep deprived from that baby screaming during the whole journey. We’ve all been there! Shout out to parents traveling with their kids, it’s impressive and brave.
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4. RFID Safe Wallet
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They may seem slightly nerdy and like something your Dad would waffle on about, but from personal experience this is a must! There are far too many scammers and hackers out there these days and there’s nothing worse than being on hold to your bank whilst on the trip that you’ve been waiting to go on for so long. Our wild women guides have had multiple cards hacked so block those electronic scanners with a sturdy RFID Safe Wallet, like this one or this one.
5.Bank Account without international fees
Another money related thing that’s not necessarily an item but you’ll be glad you organised before leaving. International Fees can really add up and we’d hate for your hard earned dollars to be wasted. We recommend ING or Wize, but do your own research and find the bank that will work best for you during your travels. You’ll be much happier shopping and dining plus have more money to spend!
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6. Head Torch
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This is a huge one for both safety and convenience, especially when hiking or camping. Even if you’re only hiking during the day, it’s recommended to carry a headlamp on you in case you get lost or have to trek in low light conditions. Plus, it’s nice to have a reading light in the evenings too, if there’s a good book you’ve been itching to read! When you’re camping these are a must so you have both hands free to do what you need to do; whether it’s cook, go to the bathroom or simply duck into your tent to grab something you need.
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7. Quick Dry Towel​
Honestly the best invention ever! If you’ve ever had to pack a damp towel up in your bag and deal with the stink at your next destination then you’ll be over the moon to have a quick dry towel like this Tek Towel on your next trip instead. 10 minutes of hanging time and it’s dry as dust, plus it folds up super small and weighs next to nothing so you’ll have extra space.
8. Packing Cells
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These are a game changer! Never empty your whole backpack in search of that one top again. Packing cells mean you can categorise your belongings and easily find what you need when you’re on the go. Spend less time getting ready and more time adventuring in the epic location you’re in! You’ll never pack a bag without these ever again.
9. Bum Bag
You might be getting the ick at the words ‘bum bag’, but don’t knock ‘till you try it. Whether you’re hiking in nature or exploring a city, having your valuables in front of you and within easy reach is both super convenient and also gives you peace of mind. We love this one from Patagonia for having our phone, bank card, passport and chapstick plus room key (if relevant) right on hand whatever we’re doing.
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10. Wool Socks and more undies than you think!
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Okay so this might be a bit of an overshare but always pack double the amount of underwear you think that you need. Travelling can be very active and you might be changing clothes throughout the day so you want to make sure you’re feeling fresh downstairs too. No one wants to be hand washing their dirty undies in the bathroom sink halfway through the trip! LOL.
And then finally, we always travel with a pair of good quality wool socks no matter where we’re going. This is because airplanes can be super chilly, and even if you’re visiting a warm climate you just never know how you’ll feel in the evenings and nights. Wool regulates with your body temperature so you’ll have perfectly cosy feet. Sounds weird that we care so much about feet, but they’ll be carrying you throughout your journey so you want to keep them comfortable!
So there it is, the ten must have travel items that we cannot live without when going journeying with you wild women. For each trip we’ll give you a specific packing list too so you won’t need to keep this all in your head, we’ve got you covered! Head to toe ;)