Packing for an International Adventure

So when I began planning for my Eurotrip in June, I really had no idea what to pack or how to pack it. My friend's Kit and Andie had gone on International Adventures before and gave us a quite a few tips and ideas however I was still left a little overwhelmed. I wanted to write a blog on how I packed for Europe and what exactly I packed. I give credit to my always list ready friend Andie for several of the items that were in my pack and on this list.

Items you will definitely need

-Plug adapter
          So most items that you will need to charge already convert over to the proper voltage for other countries, therefore I did not need to bring a power converter. However when traveling to other you will need a plug adapter which switches your american plug to the appropriate plug. Different countries use different plugs so just make sure you do a quick google search to assure you are using the correct plug adapter.

I personally bought this adapter. It is an international adapter and should cover you for most locations.

http://www.amazon.com/eForCity-Universal-Travel-Charger-Adapter/dp/B000YN01X4/ref=sr_1_6?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1408071341&sr=1-6&keywords=plug+adapter+usa+to+europe

Now the exception to this rule can often be hair products such as a curling iron. I was not 100% sure my curling iron would convert to 220V so I simply went on Amazon and typed in 220V Curling iron. It was 30 bucks and worked great.

http://www.amazon.com/Ceramic-CT155S-Voltage-Professional-Curling/dp/B00092M36I/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1408071613&sr=8-2&keywords=220+v+curling+iron

Shower Caddy (Assuming you are staying in a hostel)

Now I want you to go back to a time where you had to share a bathroom with a large group on people.  You have no idea who most of these people are nor do you know their showering habits. That being said you most definitely want to bring a shower caddy. A shower caddy will allow you to bring all of your showering goods into the bathroom with you without having to put all your items on the floor or hold on to the. Personally the shower caddy I bought was lacking but it did the trick. Make it a light one so you don't weigh down your bag unecessarily.

http://laundrybagsusa.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=43&item=Dorm-Shower-Caddy

Shower shoes 

See above. Seriously don't be gross.

Map

So I am a little torn on this one. On our European adventure Kit and Andie brought detailed maps of the city (rainproof) which just really saved our butts quite a few times. You never know when you will encounter a random rainstorm and still need to navigate the town. So I do highly recommend a waterproof map, however that being said most hostels do offer free maps at the front desk. So if you are on a budget you could probably survive just fine on the free hostel maps. IF YOU ARE DRIVING don't risk it, buy a map!! We were stuck in a crazy crazy crazy traffic jam somewhere in the middle of Germany and if we had only had the GPS we might still be there trying to get to Luxembourg. So don't skimp here!

http://travelstore.ricksteves.com/catalog/index.cfm?fuseaction=catalog&parent_id=179


Microfiber towel 

Per Andie and Kit's suggestion I purchased a microfiber towel and they generously send us an extra towel they had purchased. They are super light and pack nicely plus they try extremely fast. Trust me if you are staying in a hostel you will want to purchase this towel. If not most hostels charge for a towel.  I also purchased a microfiber washcloth.

http://travelstore.ricksteves.com/catalog/index.cfm?fuseaction=product&theParentId=150&id=158

 
Locks 

If you are staying in a hostel when you get to your destination often it is morning and you cannot yet check in. Therefore instead of carting your bags all over town most hostels will have a luggage room. Instead of leaving your bags fate up to traveling strangers the best thing to bring is a bicycle lock. You can wrap it around your bag and whatever wood or metal stands are in the room. On top of that it is a great idea to bring a few smaller locks to keep people from getting into your zippers. Lastly you will want to bring a locker sized lock for inside the hostel. Check beforehand however several good hostels have lockers that allow you the opportunity to put any valuables away when you are out on the town. 

All this being said if someone really wants in your bag they are simply going to cut it open. So this is more to deter someone rather than completely stop them.

http://www.meritline.com/anti-theft-steel-bicycle-security-password-lock---p-94084.aspx?source=fghdac&gclid=Cj0KEQjwvLGfBRDfkrr19KDS-7YBEiQA8CoFJxGPzbEk9Mx1b8ot_02Z5cCFBT9DscqsB4ZfPiQU4OgaAnpQ8P8HAQ

http://www.rei.com/product/714382/eagle-creek-tsa-lock

Compass

Trust me you will need this when you are in a foreign city. Just bring it.

Headlamp

When staying in a hostel you will find yourself in situations where your roomates go to bed earlier than you or perhaps you are the one in bed early. Chances are you are going to come home late one night and don't want to turn on the light just to find your sleep clothes then waking up the sleeping monster across from you. A head lamp came in handy more than once during my trip.


http://www.rei.com/product/839967/black-diamond-cosmo-headlamp

Money Belt

So something you discover while traveling abroad is some of the things you thought 100% necessary became completely overkill. So this applied to a money belt. Luckily for Shawn  and I our lovely traveling partners sent us an extra of theirs so we didn't spend the money. Once we got to Europe we found we never were in a position where we needed to put our money under our shirts.

Purse

Since I do not recommend a money belt I do instead recommend being smart about your day bag. You really need to consider what you will be doing most days, whether you will need a packback or if a simple purse will do. I decided I could carry most of what I needed in a purse.

I personally decided to purchase a new purse that was simple and not an easy target for pick pocketers.

The purse I ended up going with slung across my chest and was water resistant. Another perk I found was that it had a spot on the inside for a water bottle. When traveling it is such a waste to continue purchasing water throughout the day. Instead bring a Nalgene bottle or even purchase a bottle of water before hopping on the plane and keep refilling it throughout your trip.

Luggage

If you are backpacking across Europe I highly recommend using a backpack instead of a regular suitcase. You will be quickly surprised at how much you walk with your bag even if it is just to and from the airport. Being able to have a backpack that you can carry instead of a roller bag makes the transition so much easier and definitely helps lower the stress. I personally decided to purchase a higher end backpack simply because I plan on traveling so much over the next few years it only makes sense to invest my money in a bag that will last and be comfortable. If you do not have the funds or simply do not want to spend $300 on a bag there are several other choices which will definitely get the job done.

http://www.rei.com/product/809322/gregory-deva-60-pack-womens

Now Something I HIGHLY recommend purchasing for your trip is packing cubes. I purchased this exact set from amazon and I am SO glad that I did. What is great about these cubes is you can separate your undies, shorts, and shirts so that you don't end up forgetting about an outfit or have to empty your entire bag to find something. Personally I put undies/bras in the small container then bottoms/dresses in the medium cube and shirts in the large cube. Do not skimp on this, I promise your life will be so much more pleasant when your in your tiny bunk bed trying to find something to wear.

http://www.amazon.com/eBags-Slim-Packing-Cubes-Black/dp/B0014DSUQ8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1408847142&sr=8-2&keywords=ebags+packing+cubes+-+3pc+set




Overall these are my must have items.To my experienced traveling friends, what would you add to the list? Let me know in the comment section!