Practical Items in My Full Carry-On: Make Travel Feel Faster

Electronics and Accompaniments

If you have any long flights or layovers coming up, I recommend downloading things now! As I mentioned in my previous post, you can download movies and books from apps like Libby and Netflix. You can download any playlists or podcasts you might want to have from Spotify. I downloaded several flicks and books to make time fly by! I also downloaded some of my favorite playlists for offline streaming. I downloaded them onto my iPad, but you can also download them on your iPhone! I brought my iPad, phone, and AirPods in my carry-on.
I recommend bringing some chargers, portable and plug-ins! I am using this charger that had high recommendations from Amazon. It can charge my phone, AirPods, iPad, and Apple Watch at the same time! I also recommend bringing your headphones that can plug into the screens on the airplane if you think your flight will have those. Some airlines charge extra, but they might provide some for you.

You can bring snacks on most flights, and I recommend you do so! I will have three types of snacks for my 17 hours of flights and layovers: Protein filled snacks, Sweet Snacks, and Salty Snacks. For protein, I have my favorite Original Archer’s Beef Sticks. These are amazing and filling; they’re undoubtedly the best beef sticks I’ve ever had! For something sweet, I brought Oreo Dippers; these are so nostalgic and delicious! They’re like deconstructed Oreos where you can dip the cookie sticks into the frosting. Perfect for mess-free snacking! Finally, for something salty, I brought the classic Cheez-its! I got the Dippers and Cheez-Its from Target yesterday. But I had to order the beef sticks from Amazon. I recommend planning so that you can order anything you want. Of course, you can buy snacks at the airport, but they typically have a high convenience cost. I put them in the front pocket of my carry-on for easy access.

I recommend bringing and wearing clothes to the airport that are easily layered! Airplanes are typically slightly chilly, so you’ll want to bring a lightweight jacket to keep you warm on your flight. You might get a tad hot at the airport, so having the removable coat will allow you some control over your temperature. On my flight, I brought the Dance Studio Jacket from Lululemon. One of the recommendations that I received from many people was to bring an extra change of clothing and what you want to wear on the first day of your trip. If your checked bag gets lost, you’ll still have some clothes to wear! I brought what I plan to wear home from Spain and my first outfit for Lucerne.
Bags!! I brought a plethora of bags inside my carry-on bag! I have a large Duchamp sling bag to carry my jacket, umbrella, and other miscellaneous items. I brought my smaller Lululemon belt bag to hold my phone and other small items. I also obtained a small money bag in Orlando to conceal under my clothes to protect against the ever-present threat of pickpockets.

My grandma’s number one tip for international travel is to bring medicine staples. Many drug stores don’t have the same over-the-counter medicine available in the USA. You might catch a cold or experience allergies overseas, so you’ll want some staples to get by. I brought some DayQuil and NyQuil LiquiCaps from Target if I contract a cold. I also brought Advil in case I get a headache. Finally, I have some Olly Melatonin Gummies for my flight from Dallas to London to ensure I get some shut-eye.