In the first couple of months of this blog, I wrote about the things to bring in travel. Even then, I was sure that the list would grow soon as travel needs change in time. Fast forward to 2020, almost three years later, I have more items in my list of travel essentials. Check them out below, as you might also need them for your next getaway. (You know, it is quite frustrating when you need something, but it is not there at the moment you need it. It can sabotage an ideal vacation. Of course, there’s no perfect vacation, but you understand what I mean.)
So, without further ado, here are some items that I have added to my travel essentials:
CONTENT AT A GLANCE
Action cam
What I love most about action cams is that they are handy, lightweight, and you can use them underwater. And, if you think you can’t record HD videos with an action cam because they are so small, think again. A lot of action cams today can even record a 4k video. Action cams are a must most especially if you are going for adventure or adrenaline rush activities.
A small tripod
I carry a small tripod every time I travel. It is quite practical to bring one as I tend not to ask other people to take some photos of me. The size of it is about 30 cm, and I can put it conveniently inside my backpack. It is a hand-carry item.
However, if my travel is mainly about taking landscape photos, I bring a bigger one to serve the purpose.
Water tumbler
I have been bringing water tumbler for quite some time now in all of my travel. I even have one when I travel outside the country. And why even bother to bring a tumbler? For one, you can save some amount from buying bottled waters (they add up, really); for another, you are helping, in your little way, for sustainable travel.
Waterproof phone casing
Having your phone soaked in seawater and never to function again is one of the most frustrating things you can experience in your travel. That is true, most especially if you can no longer retrieve the travel photos you save there. Yes, it happened to me once – during my Siargao trip – where lots of my fun memories went into oblivion along with that no-longer-functioning phone. Since then, I always bring with me a waterproof casing.
Unsolicited advice: When you go swimming, wear something that has no pocket. Because, when you do, there’s a big chance that you put stuff in there, and you forget to leave them behind before taking a plunge. That’s the exact reason why my phone got soaked in Daku Island in Siargao. I wore a short with a pocket and went into swimming without checking that my phone was inside it.
Chocolates (or jelly ace candy as an alternative)
Chocolates are my “happy” candy. I always have some in my backpack, most especially if my travel requires a long walk or trek. There is something in chocolates that revives me. Whenever I get tired from a long walk, I take some bites of chocolates, and I get energized again, ready to continue right away.
An alternative to chocolate is jelly ace or jelly candy. They are sweet, watery, and a source for re-hydration. I bring some when I go out for a hike.
So, that’s it! This list may change or may further expand in the near future as, again, things change.