It’s no secret that nearly every traveler has their own travel essentials list.
The funny part is that whether you’re a long-term traveler, or just enjoy the occasional weekend getaway, it’s likely that your bags contain many of the same items.
Clothes, gear, a smartphone with maps and apps, passports, luggage and money are all pretty universal gear when you leave your home and choose to explore this great big world.
We’ve left for year-long trips, as well as overnighters, and everything in between, so it’s almost comical that our list of things to pack for a trip doesn’t vary all that much. Sure, if we’re going someplace hot vs someplace cold our gear will vary.
Depending on our timeframe, the amount we bring grows or shrinks, but the true must-have travel items that we bring stay pretty much the same regardless of when or where we go.
Your needs and ours might not always coincide, but that’s alright. Hopefully, this post gives you a few ideas for next adventure!
If you think we forgot an essential item, please feel free to remind us down below.
Essential Apps for Travel
While my phone is littered with travel apps, there are only a few I routinely use. The five main ones I think every traveler should have.
Google Maps – Offline mode
Yes, good old Google Maps is the ultimate essential travel app for me. No matter where I go, I preload an offline map of my destination. I even have offline maps preloaded when I’m in my home city.
Why? Because you’re never guaranteed when your phone might be disconnected from data and the internet.
Whether you’re paying for an overpriced data connection from your home provider abroad, using a local sim in whatever country you’re visiting, or even using one of the many Wi-Fi data hotspots, the only thing you can somewhat trust is an offline map.
Prefer paper maps? That’s totally fine, but a paper map won’t find a well-rated Italian restaurant, or tell you how to get from point A to point B as easily. If you prefer an alternative to Google Maps, go with what makes you comfortable, but an offline map app is a must have app for travel.
VPN
Never used a VPN? Up until a few years ago, neither had we, but as the world changes, so must we all.
Why should you use one? Well, if you imagine that your connection to the internet is a pipe with 255 holes, then a VPN for travel is a private tube within that pipe that ensures that whatever you send, do or view stays between you and your end points.
Without a VPN, the moment…
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