Travel Items that I Never Fly Without
I’d count these as part of the packing “essentials.”
This story includes affiliate links. I earn a small commission from purchases through such links. Not all links in this post are affiliate links but are clearly identified.*
If you’ve been to my Medium page, you know I love to travel. So far, I’ve been to 9 countries, 28 states, and numerous cities. Each time I book a flight, I include these in my Packing List.
They haven’t let me down, and in some situations, I was grateful to have them with me for those “just in case” situations.
Wine Bottle Protectors
I had purchased a set of these (*affiliate link). Taking a work trip to California, I knew that I would be in the vicinity of the Sonoma wine-making region, but I was not sure that I would have a chance to visit any vineyards.
Luckily, I did, and I had my trusty bottle protectors in my suitcase to fly my fermented grape-babies home.
Flying cross country back to Florida, these were excellent protectors. Not only do they provide a buffer against the glass, but they also have a double-zipper protected by Velcro. This is a great safeguard to have if your bottle of wine, champagne, liquor, and/or beer does happen to break; Your clothes will be saved as the contents will stay safely tucked inside the bottle protector.
These puppies have been so trustworthy that I used them to bring wine home from Italy, Virginia, and Puerto Rico.
Anti-Theft Purse
I have almost been a victim of pickpockets. Not just once, but twice!
The first time was on the rail at the Atlanta airport, transporting me between terminals. I felt someone try to pull my wallet from my back pocket. I caught him in the act, and he rushed off, but not before I verbally scolded him until he jumped off at the next stop.
I was site-seeing through Manhattan the second time, and I felt someone messing with my backpack purse. Little did that guy know, I have no problems facing dirtbags head-on. Like the first one, he high-tailed it away from me.
Since then, I have learned to find better ways to safeguard my belongings.
Both times, I considered myself pretty lucky and attributed it to being hyper-aware of my surroundings. However, I cannot always rely on that intuition because I might be caught up in capturing a moment or distracted.
My solution was to purchase a purse that would ward off the most skilled pickpockets: A cross-body anti-theft purse by Sherpani (*affiliate link).
Sherpani has a variety of bag styles if this particular one is not to your taste. They even have backpacks!
Regardless of which one you go with, many have similar features, including anti-cut straps, locking zippers, scan-proof material, and waterproof. I’m not sure about other products, but mine also comes with an anti-theft cable. Now, I can sit down and rest, knowing that no one will be able to snatch and grab my purse.
This was a solid purchase decision to have, especially with my recent return from Italy, where I got to see the Trevi Fountain (notorious for pickpockets).
Hard Shell Suitcases (w/ accessories)
One day, looking at my suitcases, I knew these poor things needed to be put out of their misery. Not only were they the cloth suitcases, but they were also black…like 90% of other bags, you’ll see at the baggage claim.
When I replaced them, I set my eyes on the 3-Piece Lightweight Spinner luggage by Merax (*affiliate link). I also bought flashy luggage labels with a matching passport protector (*affiliate link).
Not only do they nest well inside of each other and have a combination lock, but they also expand and are easy to pull/push. I also opted to go with a bright yellow to make them easy to spot on the luggage carousel. Having a hard shell has also given me another peace of mind with my belongings if I have my wine babies tucked inside!
Travel Backpack
I’ve had my travel backpack for three years, and it still looks like it’s in new condition. My pack is by Solo New York (*affiliate link), and I use it every day when I go to work and when I travel.
It has a separate compartment for shoes, lots of pockets, comfortable, and space for my electronics. I wish I had this during my high school years!
Power Converter
This item only applies if you are flying to another country. During my recent trip to Italy, I was thankful that I had my voltage converter (*affiliate link) with me just in case.
Before, I never thought I would need to learn so much about power converters, adapters, and voltages. In the U.S., power runs off 110 volts while Europe runs off 220–240 volts.
This can prove a little tricky if you’re trying to use something that uses an ample amount of power, like a hairdryer, iron, or curler. I was never sure when I’d need a converter vs. an adapter, so I got one with both and plugged in a few items simultaneously.
As an added feature, I can change out my adapters depending on my country.
Do you have any travel items that you never leave home without? If so, tell me in the comments!
Here’s a shout out to my fellow wanderlust writers:
KL Simmons, Perri Michelle, Gabriel Giella, Diana Bernardo, and Laura Manetta.