Ciao from the land of pizza and pasta! 🇮🇹
I’m Rissa, one of the Launchspace’s social media managers. So just a little about me, my family loves to travel. They like the idea of taking us away from our busy schedules and just spending weeks on the road. It’s their way of spending time with us and making sure that we have memories that we can cherish for the rest of our lives.
Because of them, I’ve been fortunate enough to have travelled to quite a few places in the world, places I never thought I would be able to visit if it wasn’t for them deciding to take the reins and plan these amazing trips for us to enjoy.
This year is no different, and we’re now exploring Italy!
And as someone who is on her own travels, there were so many things that needed to be finished and sorted before my vacation started.
Admittedly, packing for this trip or any trip is my least favorite thing to do when getting ready to leave for vacation because as much as you want to bring your entire closet with you, you can’t, which means that you have to settle for one or two suitcases of what you feel you’re going to need during this trip. But other than your clothes & toiletries, this is my list of travel essentials.
Money
I know that this is probably a given, but it probably is the most important thing that you need when travelling. Of course you have your budget that you’re willing to spend for your trip, but don’t forget to bring extra for emergencies as well as unforeseen changes in circumstances such as a change of weather or transportation.
Sling Bag
When we travel, we’re always moving around. Whether it be from mall to mall or tour bus to tour bus, we’re constantly on our feet, thus it’s always important for us to bring a sling bag wherever we go. It helps me feel secure in making sure that everything I need for the day is zipped up in a small bag right beside me where I can grab onto it.
Pocket Wifi
As great as traveling is, it also means that we’re a little disconnected from home. Purchasing pocket wifi from the airport or buying a local sim with 4G or 3G definitely helps when I’m home sick. And of course, it also helpful when you need apps like Google Maps or Google Translate, or even Waze to help your journey go a little smoother.
Travel Playlist
For all those long plane rides, train rides, bus rides, car rides. A travel playlist is definitely going to help make these idle moments go a little faster. You might even want to listen to some of the local artists from where you’re going and learn a little more about them.
Book/ E-book/ Kindle/ Audio Book
Picture this, you’ve just gotten back to your hotel or your AirBnB. You’ve had a long day of walking, eating, interacting, and even had a nice night cap before heading back into the calm and serenity (or chaos) of your own space. And all you want to do is to help your brain prepare for a good night’s sleep before you ready yourself for another day of sightseeing. Having a Kindle or my book to help you fall asleep, and of course, to calm your brain and catch up on some reading after the going through the craziness of the outside world.
Journal
It might just be me, but my mind lingers a lot of when I’m out of the country, whether it be thinking about the history of the places, people or things I’ve seen or random thoughts that come through my mind when I’m left to myself. Bringing a journal is a great way to manage your thoughts, feelings and emotions. Especially when you’re on a long trip, living off of a suitcase and have limited personal space.
Research
Yes, it is important to have your itinerary and the checking the weather. But don’t forget to also research on culture, manners, etc. If you’re traveling to another country with a different religion as yours, make sure you know what to wear, what to bring, what you’re allowed and not allowed to eat or drink. Do you need to tip? Do you need to bring a universal travel adaptor? How do you say, “not spicy”? How do you say “water”? Remember, you’re visiting their home, so you should respect it.