Essentials for Travel

I am newly back from a trip to see my little (big) brother for Thanksgiving. This is the first trip I've taken out-of-state since I moved back to Arizona, and it was an adventure! (Recaps to come.) As I took this trip, I realized some ways that travel has changed for me, for the better. So I thought I would share some of the essentials that made this go-round one of the best trips yet.

1) Papaya enzymes: My mom turned me on to these, and they work! They help combat stomach distress, especially nausea when chewed. When sucked on like a lozenge, they help relieve sinus pressure, aka the painful ear popping that occurs as the plane takes off and lands. These are the tablets we buy.

2) Comfortable shoes: You never know how far you will need to walk (or run) to catch the plane. Plus, I like to walk through the larger airports as a way to pass time and to get some exercise. This trip, I wore Fila Trail Day Hikers like these.

3) An empty water bottle: You can't take water through airport security, but you can take an empty bottle. (This is another trick I learned from Mom.) Once through security, fill up the bottle at the nearest water fountain or bottle filling station. (More and more airports have those now.) Voila! "Free" water. 

*I confess that I bought one water bottle on this trip, but that was out of duress because I couldn't find a water fountain close to my gate.

4) A zip-up jacket: Airport gates vary in temperature from hot to cold. The airplanes themselves are cold. I recommend a lightweight zip-up jacket for temperature control. Why zip-up? Because it's awkward to try to wrestle a sweatshirt over your head when in close proximity to others. Also, pulling one shirt over your head can lead to, ahem, wardrobe malfunctions.

5) Snacks: Airport food is expensive! And you never know what you'll find. I like to bring granola bars, whole apples, nuts, and carrot sticks for starters. The food needs to be sturdy since it will jostle around as you walk (or run, see number two!) to your next gate. The food also needs to be non-perishable, which these snacks are. In a pinch, they can stand in for a meal, or at least tide you over until you find "real" food.

6) An ergonomic backpack: I have a High Sierra backpack like this one, and I use it as my personal carry-on item. It not only holds a lot, but doesn't hurt me due to the padded straps and backs. When needed, it carries my laptop in the inside compartment. The padded back can also act as a headrest for napping. I have had these backpack since graduate school, and it's still going strong!

I am not a travel expert by any means, so please share your travel essentials with me in the comments section below.