I don’t travel very often, but when I do, it’s stressful so I want to keep the experience as low stress as I can manage. Part of what helps keep my stress levels down when I’m on a journey is having all my stuff organized and feeling prepared for the things I can prepare for.

This isn’t an exhaustive list, but these are the items that took me the longest to find after a lot of trial and error, so I wanted to share them to hopefully save someone else some time.

I found most of the items specifically for a trip to Japan that I was planning, so depending on your destination, some of the items may not work or be needed. For example, if you speak the same language as the people in your destination, you probably won’t need the translation cards below. If the place you’re visiting has issues with tourists getting pickpocketed, you may want to choose a more secure wallet than I chose for my trip below. Do your research about your destination and use your best judgment.

This content may contain affiliate links for products I use and believe in. If you subscribe or make a purchase after clicking one of these links, I’ll earn some money at no extra cost to you. I deeply appreciate your support so I can keep doing what I love — providing helpful content to readers like you! Thank you!

Allergy and emergency cards

Even if you don’t have food or medical allergies, I always have an emergency card when I travel just in case I’m not able to speak to ask for help.

Get 10% off your first purchase at Equal Eats

Google Fi

Ok, I don’t have anything to compare it to, but Google Fi was so easy to use when we visited Japan in 2019. I didn’t have to do anything special to my plan or get a new SIM card. I just used my phone normally, and the bill was only $30 more than usual for 2 weeks of travel. Here are their options for international travel.

Google Fi works best with Google and other Android phones, but it also worked fine when I was using iPhone for a few months. It takes a little extra time to set up and you have to access voicemail in the Google Fi app (instead of the phone app), but otherwise, I thought it was fine for iPhone.

Get $20 off your first month at Google Fi

Neck pillow

Day pack

I spent months looking for a backpack that was good for everyday commuting and:

• Comfortable
• Durable
• At least mildly attractive
• Padded for laptop (bonus if it also had a spot for an iPad)
• Big enough for textbooks and a couple extra things
• Smaller than 19″ since I’m short

I search and searched for a new backpack in what seemed like a futile effort. The size narrowed my options considerably, but it was a deal breaker since anything bigger would be too big and uncomfortable for me.

As I kept looking, I started remembering my school experience of being annoyed by having a backpack with a U- or J-zipper, which created such a narrow opening to get things in and out of the bag, especially if I had to dig around the bottom for something. I have seen a lot of suitcase-style backpacks that are great for weekend trips, but if you’re in a meeting, class, or on a plane, it’s hard to open a suitcase-style backpack without causing a scene.

This bag was great as a carry-on when I went for a 3-day trip, but depending on what you need to carry, it could also be a great addition to checked luggage. This bag is quite small compared to other carry-on bags, but check with your airline for carry-on restrictions on size and weight. If you need something bigger, I really like my eBags Mother Lode Jr Travel Backpack, which I took as my only bag for a 2-week trip to Hong Kong and Japan.

Wallet big enough for international currency

Neither of these wallets have the cards zipped up or otherwise secured, so I only use these in areas that I’m not too worried about theft. I chose these wallets specifically for a trip to Japan.

Since I was planning to use the wallet mainly in Japan, I knew I needed a wallet that could handle larger (than US dollar) bills plus coins. I found plenty of wallets with coin pockets, but the coin area was always really small and difficult to get into. I found a couple wallets that had a larger opening, but I didn’t like the design. I even imported one wallet from Italy that had a great design, including a wide-mouth coin pocket, but it was so masculine and had an obnoxious embossed design (not shown in the photos) that I didn’t want to use it. I ended up giving it to a friend who I thought might appreciate it might.

Finally, I found the Herschel Quarry wallet. It’s a great wallet and met all my criteria, but it doesn’t seem to be widely available anymore.

Try Zappos for the Herschel Supply Company’s Quarry RFID wallet

If you can’t find the Hershel Quarry wallet, The Sak Iris Wallet is my daily driver.

Multitasking, fast-drying towels

I always travel with a towel. Even if I’m going to a hotel and I know they’ll have bath and pool towels, I still bring one because you never know. The towels I have are from Bali Market, and they are totally incredible. They’re pretty, huge, and super fast drying.

They can also be used as a shawl, sarong or poolside cover-up, or beach blanket to sunbathe on, and multitaskers are always smart to pack when traveling.

Buy Turkish towels from The Bali Market

In closing

Traveling is an exciting adventure! It may not always be fun and games, so it helps to make yourself comfortable and be prepared whenever possible.

A little research goes a long way, so definitely read up on your destination to make sure you’re prepared for the specific needs of that place. Safe travels, and have fun!