Must Have Travel Items for Travel Around the World

Traveling around the world in any regard requires quite a lot of preparations, accommodation reservations, tickets, budgeting, currency conversion, and the list goes on. For many, the hardest part is packing for a trip, what to bring and what to leave at home, which varies so greatly depending on where you are going and what you are doing. But what to bring for use in transit never changes, some items are just always great to have when stuck in a seat aboard a plane thousands of feet in the sky or in a random airport anywhere in the world.

A Handful of Must Haves A Handful of Must Haves. Photo by Elsa Thomasma

Passport Holder. The perfect place to keep essential documents all in one place. These handy organizers will also save you time searching for miscellaneous documents when you venture through security checkpoints or check in counters.

World Plug Converter. Don’t arrive at an airport for your layover with a dead battery and no way to charge your electronics, bring a converter for the country you are traveling to or one for the whole world. Nowadays there are compact ones that fill fit easily in any carry on too. If you can’t charge your phone or computer upon arrival you could be left with no way to communicate with loved ones or be left bored out of your mind on a long layover.

Neck Pillow. Save your neck on long flights and bring along a neck pillow. Blow up neck pillows offer comfort and convenience since they don’t take up as much space in your bag. This simple travel accessory will help you sleep soundly on aboard and arrive without horrible kinks in your neck.

Crosswords, Word Searches, & Sudoku. All of these will help work your brain, distract your mind, and help you fall asleep on board. You can even get mini puzzle books so you don’t use up much space or weight. They are also great for airports where you might only have a few minutes or a few too many hours of waiting. Onboard movies are often old or ones you’ve already seen, so puzzle books can become a go-to form of entertainment no matter what.

Fuzzy Socks. Keep you feet warm while flying with warm, comfortable socks. Ideally, you should slip rubber soled socks in your carry on which allow you to walk about the plane without slipping your shoes on.

Toiletry Bag. These organization bags can provide you easy access to all necessary toiletries throughout your trip. You can keep your toothbrush, face wipes, glasses, and anything else you might want on board, right under the seat in front of you instead of fumbling with over head bins. Especially on long haul flights, toiletry bags are an essential component to having a comfortable flight and arriving at your destination without feeling like you are in complete disarray.

Nutritious Snacks. Plane food is not always very nutritious and delicious, and the food in airports can often leave you feeling greasy and bloated. So it it always a great idea to pack nutritious snacks like nuts, dried fruit, granola bars, or anything else with real nutritional value and energy. Keep your body running well and your wallet a little fuller by preparing for hunger ahead of time. A little something sweet stored for a moment of grogginess never hurts either.

Melatonin. Whether you are on the place over night, or you arrive at your destination right before bed, melatonin is always helpful to have at hand. This over-the-counter supplement will help you wake up feeling refreshed no matter what timezone you end up on. It helps your body adjust to the right sleeping schedule and fall asleep at the right times.

Chewing Gum. Useful for not only bad breath, gum can help with ear popping and filling in the blanks when searching or waiting for food to eat. As usual, gum can also help pass the time by keeping your mouth busy for a while.

Shawl. Planes and airports are frequently all over the place when it comes to temperature. You can get on and be sweating and half way through get chills down your spine. Therefore, it is a good idea to pack a shawl of some type to keep you warm on board, on layovers, or upon arrival. Shawls are easy to take on and off when crammed in a small seat, which inevitably happens throughout travel abroad. They can also double as a scarf upon arrival to cold destinations.

About the Author
Elsa Thomasma

Elsa received her Bachelors degree in Psychology and Sociology from Grand Valley State University in Michigan. Between semesters of undergraduate study Elsa embarked on the biggest adventure of her life, when she decided to volunteer in the Philippines. To this day that decision stands as the most pivotal choice of her entire life. Elsa developed a close relationship with the nonprofit she worked with, the local people she came in contact with, and the fun-loving culture that surrounded her. After returning multiple times she began her own community center project in 2013, in a rural village called Cangumbang. She believes with a heart full of passion and a dedicated mind the future is truly limitless for anyone. Now living full time in the Philippines, Elsa works as Content Manager for the GoAbroad Philippines office, she works to expand the quality and quantity of information on the site, so everyone can find the resources they need to explore the world.