I agree with having easy access to important documents. If I’m traveling abroad, I’ll keep a printed itinerary with me, and I’ll make the electronic copies available in offline mode in the event that I don’t have internet. And once I get to my hotel/hostel/airbnb, I make sure to pick up a free map of the neighborhood and mark it up with where I’m staying as well as points of interest. This and google maps in offline mode usually helps me get to where I wanna go. That, and asking helpful strangers.

A portable charger is always on my to-pack list as well. Depending on the length of my stay, I might just opt to bring my smaller charger that’s good for about 1 full charge for my phone. As you pointed out, having the larger battery pack is invaluable when staying in a shared living space with strangers since you can keep it close to you to charge your phone when you’re sleeping.

I haven’t been able to use Global Entry yet since I got it after my international travels, but TSA precheck has been great! Whenever I fly out of LAX, I always make it a point to stop by one of the lounges, even though they’re in different terminals. Having precheck means I can zip through security at one terminal, grab some free food at the lounge, and then walk to the SW terminal, zip through security, and be at my gate ready to board. I can’t wait to use GE.

The collapsible bag is a must if you’re going to do a lot of shopping at your destination. I’m trying to do carry-on only travel, so I usually pack a small day bag in my travel backpack for any extras that I pick up along my travels.

I probably don’t take enough pictures during my travels so I don’t usually run into the problem of running out of space on my phone. However, I will say that you can get a 32 – 64gb microSD card for about $20. If you take lots of videos during your trip, I suggest the 64gb card. (:

I’ve never thought about bringing extra ziplock baggies, but I think it’s something I will try out next time! I usually make sure to wipe dry my travel toiletry bottles at the hotel/hostel. I could probably use ziplock baggies for small miscellaneous items though, like receipts and papers for trip delay insurance claims 😛 Oh, but I do usually travel with a compression bag, so I can more tightly pack my clothes into my backpack.

Communication with travel buddies is key. If you don’t meet up and talk about what you’re doing and when, it can lead to disaster. I remember some classmates of mine had a misunderstanding about lodging, and they ended up without accommodations in Nice. They stayed on the streets that night. Moral of the story? Meet up. Plan. Disagree. Come to a consensus. Travel. Enjoy.

Good tip about letting your banks know about your travel plans. If you don’t get your foreign currency before leaving, I strongly suggest opening an account with a bank that either 1) doesn’t charge you for international withdrawals, or 2) reimburses you for international withdrawals. This way you don’t end up eating the withdrawal fee. Personally I would bring 2 debit cards and 2 credit cards – one of each on my person and the others in my luggage at the hotel/hostel. Also, a credit card without foreign transaction fees is a must. It’s a bonus if your debit and credit cards are chip + pin enabled. I almost couldn’t get a train ticket to the CDG airport because I couldn’t use my chip + signature card at the metro kiosk. Thankfully I was able to speak to the attendant at the counter and pay there.

My go-to treat when I’m traveling is a bar of dark chocolate, because nothing is worse than trying to get to your destination, getting lost, and being hungry at the same time. The chocolate will usually hold me over until I can find somewhere to get real food 🙂 It’s something I started doing when I studied abroad, and now it’s a given. Any time I travel, I always have at least one bar with me.

Man, this was a lot longer than I anticipated. A couple of quick things I’ll add is that if you’re flying a lot, it may be worth it to get a credit card that offers airport lounge access as a perk. No one likes waiting at cramped airline gates. Why not relax a bit in a lounge and enjoy some free food and drinks? For the budget-conscious traveler, I recommend looking into overnight buses between cities if possible, to save on lodging costs. Buses (and trains) are also great because you’re more likely to be dropped off in a city center compared to airlines, which tend to be further away from centers. Also, right before you pack your bag for your return journey, take a picture of all of the unused items on that trip. It’s likely that if you didn’t use them then, you won’t need them for the next trip, either.

If I think of more stuff, I’ll be sure to add it.

Yes, good point! Thanks, John 🙂

Ahhhh have so much fun in Ensenada!!

omg genius. I always get owned by Splash Mountain!