The Sober Globetrotter

Always Pack a Swimsuit

Whether you’re going to Hawaii or Antarctica, you never know when there will be a pool or hot tub or some random aquatic adventure! Ignoring this one has bitten me in the ass so so many times.

Want to really experience a culture and get out of the tourist traps? Find out what the locals eat, where they go, what’s in season and the moment. Then copy them.

It’s a blanket, a scarf, and a wrap – all in one!  It packs tiny, is thin but warm, and can even block the sun’s damaging rays! This is my favorite thing I’ve bought myself this year, and you can find it here.

Take out the trash, turn down the HVAC and the water heater, run the dishwasher.  Sometimes that last load is miniscule, but it’s wonderful to come home to no trash or dirty dishes.

Travel With Someone Who Matches Your Style…

Do you like to plan every moment in advance, or not plan anything and fly by the seat of your pants? Are you into museums, or food, or physical adventures? Do you want time to just chill with a book, or go-go-go every minute? Are you a sill goose with no social shame, or more reserved? Traveling with someone who travels like you do is the key to a good trip!

I feel like not enough people realize the complete joy and freedom that comes with solo travel. I love traveling with others, but I also think that I am my own best travel buddy.

Whenever I go to a non-English speaking country, I make myself a little cheat sheet with the following phrases: hello, goodbye, thank you, I’m sorry, and toilet/restroom.  It’s amazing how far these few words can get you in the world!

Find my personal pick here.

Always Bring Extras of Essentials

For me, that’s 2-3 extra days’ worth of medications and undies.  I usually have a few days more outfits than I’ll realistically need anyway, but an extra shirt never hurts either.  When my Ex and I used to travel, I’d alwaysthrow a few extra pairs of undies, socks, and t-shirts in his bag, and he almost always ended up needing them!  You never know when a trip is going to go a bit longer than you originally plan (for me it was once a month, because the entire city of New Orleans lost power for that long after a hurricane) and having a little extra padding with the things you can’t live without can be a lifesaver!

To me, that means I have a clean shirt, a pair of underwear, a pair of flip flops, and my overnight flight bag with dry shampoo, face wash, eye cream, face moisturizer, intense moisturizer, deodorant, toothbrush & toothpaste (or at least whisps), and a cozy sweater.  Missed connections or long delays are not nearly so bad when you have what you need to be comfortable!

Going on a longer trip, like 2+ weeks?  For me, the TSA approved bottles won’t cut it!  And as I’m definitely checking a bag, I like a bigger version of the same efficiently-shaped design.  Find the ones I use here!

When you’re finally done with the travel part of a trip, and you arrive at wherever you’re spending the night, it’s so so so much easier not to hunt for all the little things you need by your bedside.  For me that includes chargers for my phone and watch, a tiny tube of Aquaphor, saline nose spray, and a little cloth for cleaning my glasses.

Read a Book Why Doncha!

I love travel guidebooks.  Love them.  They are a wealth of information, both logistically and for specific recommendations and tips!  And you can usually find a digital version, or even a website, from the major companies like Fodors and Lonely Planet.

Like get there 30 minutes to an hour before they open.  You might think it’s a waste of time, but trust me, it’s worth it.  Things like the Acropolis are so much more awesome before it’s wall to wall people!

Just One Day?  Hire a Privet Guide!

AirBnB experiences and the like often offer these guides, especially on Islands (in my experience).  They can show you all the major sights, but with a local’s perspective and tips, transportation included, and the time can be customized to your preferences!  I’ve done this in Santorini, Greece, and Terceira in the Azores, and they were some of my very best travel days!

There’s no guarantee that you’ll have Wi-Fi with strong enough connections to download, say, new books to your kindle, or movies to your tablet.  Download a few extra while you’re still sure of being able to!

A Few Random Useful Things to Pack:

Carabiners, safety pins, clothes pins, hair/rubber bands, super glue, pillow case.  You might not know what you’ll use them for, but these are the things that come in handy for me most often.

Or anything else of similar shape – I also use them for cotton face pads and floss poppers too, but the sky’s the limit!

If there’s a power surge, it’s a lot less expensive to replace a power bank than a phone.  When I went to Thailand, I used this block, which let me keep multiple phones and gadgets charged for days!

I often pack my bag right to the limit when leaving home, whether that’s in fullness or weight limits.  And then I buy things.  This is where a thin/light extra soft bag comes in handy!  Even if you have to pay for the extra bag on your flight home, it’s usually much less expensive than paying for the extra weight.  My favorite versions fold up small but hold a lot, and can even be carried on, like this one.