Less essential travel items that really added value

If you haven’t already, be sure to check out “The essential travel packing list” post for a list of the fundamentals to take with you. In this post, I’d like to share with you, the "luxury" items that proved to be invaluable on our travels. These are the things that you might not think about packing at first, but are worth considering if you think they could also add value to your trip and more importantly, have the luggage space for them! I’ve ranked them in order of value for us and explained the unexpected role they played.

Google Nest Mini

This nearly didn’t make the plane, but we’re so glad it did. This might seem a little techy and unnecessary but hear me out. When we arrived in our Airbnbs/hotels, this would be one of the first things we’d take out and set-up. Firstly, it served as a music player whilst we unpacked, which always made the process a little easier. Then as you unpack, questions about your new surroundings etc. naturally enter your head, and this proved to be such a handy and immediate knowledge-bank. And this was only the start, the Google Nest Mini became our morning alarm, weather reporter and nursed us to sleep at night with bedtime stories, music and meditation. I’m sure an Alexa or other alternative would also do a similar job, but for us it was Google.

Kindle

Avid readers may consider this an essential, but again this didn’t nearly make the plane but ended up providing lots of value on our trip. I’m sure you’re very familiar with the concept by now - one device that grants access to an entire library of books. A fantastic invention for a minimalist like myself, but I’ll admit I did think about going one step further and replacing it with the Kindle app on my phone. But after reading on my phone for ten minutes, I was so glad that I decided to bring it. The other selling point of the Kindle device is that it offers you a book-like experience with a glare-free screen. That technology shouldn’t be under-estimated and my eyes and head certainly thanked me for using it. There will always be down/transit time on your travels, and a Kindle is a great way to entertain and educate yourself!

Multi-Purpose Day Bag

This did make the essential list but I want to give it a special mention because it was so useful! We ended up taking a £10 foldable backpack that we actually got from Topman for Edinburgh Fringe, randomly. You’ll easily find your own version but this was a superstar on our travels. It served as our hiking bag, gym bag and more! And when it wasn’t in use, we could fold it up into almost nothing in size and weight. This takes third place as it seems so insignificant, but it could easily have won our MVP award!

So there we have it! We think these additional items would be pretty useful for most travellers, but like always, it really depends on your plans and how you like to travel. Remember to think long and hard about everything that makes the plane with you, so you can travel as lightly and cheaply as possible.

What special items have surprised you and become your unexpected heroes? We’d love to hear from you!

Safe travels,

Spencer