12 Travel Essentials I Never Leave Without

Whenever I travel there’s a few must haves I never leave without, those travel essentials I just need no matter where I’m going. We’ve all got them I’m sure, but I thought I’d share my list in case there’s any newbie travellers who are wondering what to pack, or others who are just wondering if what they are packing is right.

I’ve just got home from a busy morning catching up with girlfriends for breakfast (next time I see them we’ll have two babies in our group – crazy!), visiting my nonnas, and doing some last minute shopping before I fly out for the U.S. tonight.

Now comes the fun (or not so fun) task of finalising my PACKING!

Depending how you look at it this can either be super fun, or it can be super hard. For me it’s a bit of both. I mean who doesn’t get excited about packing for a holiday? But then there’s the slight anxiety the task brings on. I like to be prepared for anything and everything so I tend to struggle with the culling process. Because you never know when you just might need that fancy dress, that winter coat you can’t wear in Perth because it’s way too hot, or that pair of boots you never wear at home but could look super cool with this outfit you think you might be able to wear while you’re at this place or that.

Sound familiar?

But, no matter where I’m going, there’s a few travel essentials that always get their use (aside from the obvious clothing, toiletries, money, passport and visas).

1. Camera/s – I’ve grown quite the collection now. I would never go on a holiday without my Canon EOS 550D (my trusty travel buddy since 2012). Since then I’ve grown quite the collection and alongside my SLR I’ve also got my GoPro, a mini polaroid camera, and my Canon PowerShot sx610 (which has wifi connection so links straight to my phone and is great for shooting videos. It also takes decent quality shots when I don’t want to lug my SLR around).
2. Tripod – for all those solo photos in scenic locations, shooting videos, and just getting better quality (non-shaky) pictures all round.
3. Soft backpack – fits everything I need for days out exploring. At the start of the trip this is usually packed in my suitcase but it also becomes a great extra piece of hand luggage (when I need to get my shopping back home).
4. Chargers – something so simple but you’d be surprised about the amount of times I’ve forgotten one charger or another on my travels and had to fork out a fortune to get the right type at an airport or tech shop. On the up side, I now have so many that I keep one in just about every bag so I’ll never forget them again.
5. Portable battery bank – for those nights out camping when you don’t have access to electricity but still need to keep your phone charged. I use a Yellowstone one because it’s thin, lightweight, and has a great battery life.
6. Torch – especially a head torch, perfect for those nights camping.
7. Universal adapter – being Australian there’s not really anywhere else that uses the same style plug as us so this is definitely an essential. I used to buy different ones for each country I was visiting but then I came across the universal ones which are so much better especially if you’re visiting a few different countries in the one trip. This way you can never go wrong.
8. Wet wipes – these are so versatile and I always bring a few packs. Especially great to keep in your hand luggage for long-haul flights so you can keep refreshed and great sanitiser when you’re in locations that aren’t the most hygienic.
9. Tissues – another versatile one, there’s the obvious use, but also come in handy for those less hygienic locations that forget to keep toilet paper stocked (or it just isn’t in their nature to use it).
10. Books – what better way is there to pass time on all those long journeys (planes, buses, trains) than to get lost in a book? I still love to read proper books but from a space perspective I think I’ll need to upgrade to a kindle when I start to travel more permanently.
11. Travel journal – call me old fashioned but I think it’s another great way to pass time on all those long journeys, and it’s a great keepsake. Yeah blogging is great, but you can write in a journal at any time or place without worrying about needing access to internet etc. and it’s always great coming home and reading about exactly how you felt in certain places at certain times.
12. Travel pillow – another must for all the long journeys. If you’re moving around a lot you’ll do a lot of sleeping on planes, trains, buses. A travel pillow is my best friend when I need to get comfortable on travel days.

Well I better go and get packing – gotta sort through all this! And I definitely wouldn’t want to risk missing any of my travel essentials.

Before I go, I’d love to know your thoughts. Do you agree with my list? What are some other travel essentials you always bring?

Back soon.

Jade xo

P.S. If you like what you’ve read feel free to like, comment, or share. Your time reading my post is greatly appreciated. 🙂