What’s in my travel bag?
As a tennis aficionado as well as a regular tennis player, I enjoy watching the Tennis Channel in my leisure time. Regularly, the Tennis Channel has a segment called “what’s in my bag” which features a pro tennis player detailing the contents of his or her tennis bag. Seeing what the players consider essential to their professional playing can be fascinating but it also provides insight into the dynamics of successful tennis.
Well, I thought that as a professional travel blogger, I would do the same for my “travel bag”, which in my case actually consists of two items, a travel vest and a cross shoulder day pack. Every item on my list of contents has proven its value over the years or I wouldn’t be lugging it around with me all day. What’s in my “travel bag” has a history of making our travels more comfortable, more efficient, safer, and ultimately more satisfying and enjoyable. And isn’t that key to savvy traveling?
Both my cross shoulder day pack and my travel vest accompany me on every day of touring and together contain what I want to have with me at all times. The one exception is my “valuables”, such as wallet, credit cards, passports and cash, which are safely stored in the deep hidden pockets of my Scottevest hidden cargo pants. See our related article on the five travel essentials of a frequent world traveler.
So let me invite you close up and personal to have a look at the contents of my Travel Vest, which is a 26-pocket Scottevest travel vest.
1. Notebook and pen, the indispensable tools of the travel blogger, even in the digital age.
2. Compact long zoom wifi digital camera. In my case, the Canon Powershot SX720HS 40x optical zoom camera.
3. IPhone
4. Skyroam Global Hotspot, for data and Internet access around the world
5. Ventev Mobile portable battery charger with integrated IPhone/IPad cord, for re-charging the IPhone or the Skyroam Global Hotspot during a long day of touring
6. Replacement camera battery
7. Micro USB cord for re-charging Skyroam Global Hotspot. The Skyroam Global Hotspot will usually last about eight hours on one charge, which is often only a half-day of touring for us.
My Cross Shoulder Day Pack is an anti-theft bag, with slash-proof strap and anti-theft zipper pockets. Here’s a close-up of the contents:
1. A small case containing:
-Two USB electric plugs (eg used for charging our IPhones or IPads on an airplane)
-Two IPhone/IPad USB cords
-Car lighter adapter USB plug (eg used for charging our IPhones or IPads in a car)
-Earphones
-USB cord with lightning, micro USB and a third type
-band aids and tooth picks
2. Telescopic mini camera tripod
3. High capacity Ventev Mobile portable battery charger
4. Press ID cards
5. Lens wipes
6. Sunglasses
7. A key ring, with our house key and also a mini-screwdriver, bottle opener, whistle and the IHere IPhone locator
8. Two Clif energy bars (in case there’s no time for lunch during our day of touring)
9. BonVoyageurs business cards
10. Spare pens
11. Printed detailed trip itinerary
12. Two IPads (Lynn’s and mine)
13. Two bottles of water
14. Portable umbrella (if rain is forecast)
15. Two ponchos (if rain is forecast)
16. Airline toiletries kit (you never know when you might need to comb your hair or brush your teeth!)
17. Pack of wet wipes
18. Pack of Kleenex tissue
That’s about it. The above describes what you will find on me when I am out traveling the world. We don’t need all of those items all of the time, but all have proven their value over time. I will spare you the listing of what is in my carry on bag and in my suitcase back at the hotel. What’s in YOUR travel bag?
Stay tuned to BonVoyageurs.com for more Countries of the World as we share our joie de vivre from around the world. Luxury escapes, cruises and city breaks to Quebec City, New York, Washington, Buenos Aires. In Europe, places like Paris France, Nice France, Provence and the Cote d’Azur (French Riviera), Tuscany and Florence in Italy, Rome, Napoli and the Amalfi Coast. In Asia, countries like China, India, Nepal and so much more!
Reine Gagnon says
La photo montre bien ta ‘JOIE DE VIVRE’. C’est super!
Je suis toujours aussi emballé de vous suivre et de lire vos blogues.
Merci à chacun des membres de votre équipe.
Janice Chung says
I guess because I LOVE gadgets that I was intrigued to see what was in your bag and not surprisingly, have almost the same items. It’s crazy how many electronic cords and devices we bring along with us. I was (slightly) envious that you had a small camera. I”m getting tired of lugging my DSLR, wide angle and zoom lenses along. They weigh way too much!
Carole Terwilliger Meyers says
I carry most of the things you mention but also include Neosporin to put in my nostrils via q-tip in order to ward off illness. It seems to work. Before I used it regularly, I would often get sick after a flight, but now I only rarely get sick and I have almost always been able to blame it on something that happened before the flight. Perhaps I should do this every day, even when I’m not flying.
Tom Bartel says
Detailed trip itinerary? That takes all the fun out of it.