Travel Essentials: The Basics. 

I love traveling. 

It is kind of my thing to explore new places, to walk off the beaten path. I don’t really have a plan most of the time. I like it to be spontaneous.

But: I hate it to waste time on anything. So I brought off a small list of travel essentials that I’m going to share with you over the next days. 

So here are some basics I always check before I start my journey. 

Documents:

Pack your passport and check your travel insurance, if you need one extra. In the EU, most health insurances should work, but check in with yours in advance. It’s always better to be safe than sorry. 

Money:

Money rules the world. And even if it doesn’t rule yours, you’ll still need to pay some things on vacation, and you’ll need to pay your travels. Check out your destinations currency and it’s exchange rates to yours. 

 It’s always an idea to get some cash at the bank, weather you’re still home or already abroad. They usually have better rates and lower fees than the guys from the airport exchange booth. 

Transportation:

Getting to location is key. Weather you take the train or fly, you’ll need tickets for that. I use Kayak to find the best prices, but there are different services that do the same. When I know my timeframe in advance (what I do, since I don’t always have time, being an university student), I even set up a price alert to see if there are any changes there. 

You maybe also want to know if you need to hire a car. And if you need you need an international drivers license on location. 

Accommodation:

You might also want to get your accommodation in line before hand. It’s always good to have a place to sleep and take a shower at. It’s not nice when their sold out and you have to hunt around town to get a bed. 

I’m pretty much a hosteling kind of guy. Not just because it’s usually cheaper, but because you can meet new people better than in a hotel. Maybe you’ll find some new travel companions, or make new friends. But off course you could also be out of luck. Then you’re stuck in a room with someone who snores like a grizzly bear for the night. 

Museum/ Attraction tickets:

I absolutely hate it to waste valuable time I could spend exploring. So I always check out the museums/ attractions I want to visit and buy the tickets in advance, if possible. Sure, that takes a bit of the spontaneity, but I’d rather not waste hours in line. Maybe there’s even some kind of discount available:)

Luggage:

Pack light, but also don’t pack to light. Want to go hiking? Pack boots. Just exploring the city? Pack sneakers. Want to do both? Pack both. 

Also check the weather reports in advance, so you can pack accordingly. Nothing ruins a vacation more than the wrong clothing for the wrong weather. 

Airplane luggage is limited. And you could buy the things you need on location. But I wouldn’t want to spend money on something I have at home and could have taken with me. And I don’t want to waste my time on things unnecessary. 

Extras:

Don’t forget to pack your camera, batteries, storage and chargers for your batteries. Also pack your e-reader or a good book for the journey. 

Check out if you need any travel adapter/ power converter. I’ve got my Apple World Travel Adapter kit for my iPhone, but I’ll still pack an adapter for my camera charger. 

Do you have any other basics? Did I forget something? Tell me in the comments down below.