Today I have a guest post from my mom, Claudia. She writes about her travel adventures on her blog, www.travelwritingpro.com.
Simplicity comes a long way. It takes years of struggling, discovering, accepting and forgiving to achieve an attitude of abundance and freedom. Your style, your countenance, your attitude…your carry-on bag tells a lot about you and your traveling style. There is no right or wrong…be you! Many years ago, I was the one with three books, two notebooks and lots of ‘stuff’ in my carry-on. Only to read a quarter of one book and use only one notebook. I had those ‘just in case’ books and two notebooks. Could it be I had an attitude of lack and fear of not having enough in my carry-on?
Now I have been liberated and am presenting you my 10 carry-on essentials for local and international air travels:
#10 Hat
To me, a hat has two functions. One is to provide shade outside, the other is shade on the airplane so I can sleep and not have sun shining on my face or lights disturbing my rest.
#9 Notebook and Pen
No more huge notebooks or five pens. Usually I travel with one small 6×8 notebook with three pens. I write at all times and even carry a notebook to our local grocery store. I get most of my notebooks from Marshalls.
#8 Kindle Fire
No more thick hard cover books. Just a Kindle Fire, lightweight and filled with books and PDFs. This is so liberating and hip. I’m way past physical books! Amazon provides lots of book choices for any budgets on Kindles.
#7 Cardigan
Airplanes can be cold sometimes. That’s when a little cardigan comes in handy. I prefer darker colors when traveling because they attract less attention. Lately, I’ve been thinking of replacing my carry-on cardigan with the Scottvest Women’s Q-zip, great for long-term travels.
#6 Thieves
Thieves is a blend of essential oils that defend and protect us from dangerous airborne bacteria. I apply it on the bottom of my feet and a little on my neck and behind my ears. It keeps me safe when breathing in bacteria on an airplane.
#5 MacBook Pro
Few months ago, I upgraded to a 15” MacBook Pro and love it. It is one of the best tools I’ve invested in for my writing business and travels. It’s like my office in my carry on.
#4 iPhone
I still have an iPhone 4S. It is almost time to upgrade. However, this iPhone has been doing a great job for me. It is my alarm clock, camera, video recorder, calendar, calculator, Bible, apps, email, Facebook, Hootsuite, and eBooks reader.
#3 Ibuprofen
Yes, I must admit the change of time and schedule does affect me and I tend to have headaches when I travel. Ibuprofen usually helps me with instant relief.
#2 Bottled Water
For me, bottled water is more important than snacks or foods. To keep my energy levels up, the first thing I will do after an airport security check in is buy a bottle of water. One huge bottle can last me an entire five-hour flight.
#1 Gum or Peppermint
Gum and peppermint essential oils are must haves when traveling. Additionally, peppermint essential oil can help digestion, ease tension and fight physical and mental fatigue. The use of peppermint has also lessened the frequency of headaches for me.
P.S. I am an affiliate with ScotteVest and Young Living Essential Oils. For all of their high quality travel and everyday essentials please visit these links:
ScotteVest
Healthy Travels
Photo credit: Young Living Essential Oils
Not everyone has the same needs like mine. These are just 10 of my carry-on essentials. What are your carry on essentials? Leave your comment below.
Photo Credit: unsplash.com