Packing Gadgets I won’t Travel Without:

The Scottevest

Betcha can’t tell I’ve got money, kleenex, sunglasses, chapstick, a pen, a kindle, and a phone under that coat, can you?

Osprey Farpoint 55 Backpack
After using a top-loading travel backpack for about 5 years, it was an incredible switch to this Osprey Farpoint 55 pack. I always thought you had to trade ease of carrying with easy of loading, but not anymore. Everything about this backpack is like someone read my travel mind. With this Osprey Farpoint, I’m able to zip the backpack open completely and load my things just as I would a suitcase. No more unloading everything to get at the bottom. Also, for my double-backpack needs, it comes with a separate backpack that you can either zip to the outside or snap onto the front for that double-backpack look. This makes it a piece of cake to check and carry-on half and half, as well as to still have arm movement while carrying both through a city. On top of all that, it’s got a zipper flap that you can use to tuck it’s straps away for when you want to check it, which both makes it look smaller (in case you want to carry it on) AND makes bag-check people happy. I LOVE this backpack. Could not give it a higher recommendation for travel.

Packing Cubes
Travel-Happy Clothing and Shoes

Fast-drying pants
A must while traveling. Especia
lly if you’re like me, and only like packing a couple pairs of pants. You’re going to need pants that dry quickly on those rainy weeks or those weeks you get behind on laundry, and especially on wet hikes.
<–I love these Praha Meme pants because they are rugged, fast-drying, and even pretty cute. I even wore them into work several times. I used to wear some quick-drying, zip-off pants, but they were so baggy I was embarrassed to see pictures of myself in them. These are alright though.
Cold weather: Packable down jacket

For warm weather and beaches: Keens
Space-Saving Tricks and Gadgets
Kindle
*Kindle Unlimited*

Sink plug + Clothesline for laundry

Mini Hairdryer
For a weekend trip, I’d go without it. But for a longer trip when you’re liable to become sick or likely to need some fast, last-minute drying of clothes, a tiny hairdryer can be a incredibly useful thing. I bought this one on a whim right before we left for Europe for this trip, and it’s saved me many times. It’s amazing how little space it takes up. Even my husband would admit that it’s come in handy while traveling.
– UPDATE –
I’ve moved all my writing about travel and living abroad to a new blog called 17 Pockets. If you’re interested in reading more about our adventures and what it’s been like since we moved in September 2017, check it out here!

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Always something to help you do what you do better and happier.
Great! I needed the jacket and sandals to walk the Camino de Santiago this summer!
Ohhhhh, did you do the Camino? Major props!! So intimidating to me!