Traveling can be terrible if you have not planned well.
We are not talking about mapping out every detail of your trip since spontaneity is half of the adventure. It is always important to have your backpack locked, loaded, and prepared for any situation.
When traveling, you should always have a bag packed with your clothes and other essentials; however this list consists of things you should keep in your backpack whenever you leave the hotel.
Swimsuit and change of undergarments
There are many times when you are travelling that you may find a great swimming hole but can’t swim because you only have the clothes you’re wearing and can’t go anywhere afterward if you are wet.
A swimsuit is a necessity if you think that you may possibly go to the beach, pool, lake or other body of water. An extra pair of under garments is something that should be at the top of your list because you never know when that day trip you take may turn into an overnighter because of missed busses or other travel opportunities in the area.
Toiletries
Toiletries are things you would normally keep in your main travel bag with your clothes; however, they can be very useful in your daily travel bag. You should always have a small stash of toiletries in your travel bag.
- Toothpaste, toothbrush, and mouthwash
- Deodorant
- Travel sized soap, shampoo and conditioner
- Travel sized hand sanitizer
- Facial wipes
- Sunscreen
- Small bug spray, mosquito band, cinnamon sticks (the cinnamon sticks are a highly effective mosquito repellant if you keep a few sticks in your pocket)
The list may include feminine hygiene products and birth control if you are a lady. You will find that most of these things can be found in travel sizes at grocery stores and camping stores, but if you can’t find what you need, you could check out online companies which specialize in travel sized products.
Dry bags
You should always carry at least one dry bag with you at all times because they are great for keeping your phone, camera, money, copies of your ID’s, and other small items which you need to keep dry.
The best part is the purpose a dry bag serves, keeping things dry. You use it when you are at public swimming areas because you can attach it to your swimming suit or trunks if you want to leave your bag unattended. An added bonus is that it also adds another compartment for your essentials in your backpack.
Phone or Tablet
You should always carry either your phone or your tablet with you because they can serve as a great source of entertainment, as well as a resource where you can store your travel guides and also have the ability to serve as your source of communication with the rest of the world.
One thing you will find handy when traveling to countries where you don’t know the local language is to take pictures of things you may need as well as locations with their names which you can find online before leaving your hotel. If you don’t know how to get to a local site, you can find it online, get a picture of it as well as a picture of the name, and ask locals where you can find it. This is handy for when you don’t have any internet service.
Medicine
The last thing you will need to keep with you at all times are different medications. While the list will vary from person to person, we recommend that you always keep painkillers, allergy medication (if needed), and any other prescription medication you may need to take. It is also very helpful if you have a prescription in case you run out of the pills or happen to lose them somewhere.
You can find great backpacks online. The great thing is that after your travels, you are able to re-purpose them for everyday use. If you are a smart shopper, you can find discount backpacks that can offer you more bang for your buck.