Tried & True Travel Tips

Here are some tried & true packing essentials from one nomad to another:

1. Depending on where you are traveling, your destination could have a different wall outlet than your starting point. In our modern society, boarding passes, event tickets and emergency contacts are all on our phones, so to stay charged and connected I recommend bringing a multi-country plug converter. 
   

2. It’s likely that at some point during your semester you’ll be staying in a hostel; they are inexpensive and full of like-minded travelers. However, like your freshman-year dorm, it’s better to play it safe and bring a pair of shower shoes for the communal bathrooms. Your tired feet will thank you. P.S. Admittedly, I did not take my own advice on this one -- advice to my past self: Birkenstocks do not double as shower shoes. 

3. Traveling throughout Europe is much easier and less expensive than in the States. If you want to take advantage of this by flying, be sure to bring miniature shampoo and conditioner bottles. If you are checking luggage it’s OK to bring larger bottles for liquids, but if you are flying for a weekend trip and living out of a backpack you won’t have the same luxury. Something I wish I knew ahead of time was to pack travel-sized containers for these quick trips. Plus, you waste less by using reusable bottles -- cheers to sustainability! 

4. It’s safe to assume that you won’t be getting much sleep during your weekend travels. With such a short amount of time to see and experience everything your location-of-choice has to offer, maximize your sleep during transportation hours with a makeshift pillow. They make plane, train and even bus rides more bearable. To save money and space, I usually use a bunched up scarf as both a pillow and a warm accessory. Here's me en route to my next adventure, blanket scarf in tow. 

5. This may seem like a no-brainer, but it can be easy to forget this necessity: your passport! Traveling between countries in Europe is so accessible, you can sometimes forget you're crossing borders. I’m ashamed to admit that I almost forget mine every time. Even though most places in the Schengen Area are relatively lax, it is ALWAYS better to be safe than sorry. 

Bon voyage!!