Awesome Travel Stuff

For the last few years, I've been lucky enough to travel to Italy and Greece for archaeological field seasons.  Its been amazing. My first summer abroad, I spent five weeks digging outside of Orvieto, Italy, digging up the Etruscan remains of a road by day, and singing songs with my Italian colleagues at night after dinner. The next three summers, I spent in Arkadia, Greece, mostly in the city of Tripolis, but also in the lovely mountain town of Ano Karyes, which is nestled on the shoulders of Mt. Lykaion, an ancient shrine to Zeus.

Preparing for spending weeks abroad can be daunting. You have to choose your wardrobe carefully, since you'll be limited to what you bring for six long weeks. Stuff gets old after a while. And, if you're like me, you don't want to worry about airlines losing your luggage, so a carry-on is the best idea. That means cramming six weeks' worth of stuff into one (at most) 22" inch suitcase. It can be difficult to select what's worth taking and what isn't, but somehow for the last few years I've managed it, even managing to save room for gifts for folks back home (I somehow got three jars of raw Greek honey packed into my carry-on and they made it home, fully intact!).

This year has been a little different. I am not in Europe this year, sorting potsherds and inventorying ancient roof tiles. This year, my travels took me to Asia for the first time. And I wasn't going to Asia for an archaeological field season. I was traveling for pleasure (imagine that!). My boyfriend's brother was getting married in Bali, so of course we had to go. We also planned a couple of nights in Hong Kong on our way back. Packing for a little over a week was much more straightforward than packing for six, but my choices were no less fraught. What was the weather going to be like? What should I pack for the wedding? What shoes should I bring?? The same has been true for my forthcoming trip to Grand Junction, Colorado to visit my sister. Do I need a jacket? Waterproof or not? Hiking shoes or sandals? Suitcase to backback? Oh the choices!

I'm finding, however, that there were certain travel objects that I have never and would never travel on a plane without, that the destination and purpose of my trip was irrelevant; as long as I have these items, I will be fine. What items, you might ask? These:*

1. My travel wallet - This little Eagle Creek travel wallet is awesome. It holds my passport in a zippered pocket and has various other pockets for organizing other essentials, like cash, ID, and cell phone (if you're traveling with one). It doesn't look like a security neck pouch, which I really like. There's nothing that screams "TOURIST! ROB ME!" like reaching under your shirt for your cash. Instead, its purple and looks like a little wallet purse. If I'm in a crowded subway or train station, I hold onto it (literally, I hold it right next to me as tightly as I can), but for most of the time I travel, its just hanging on my shoulder. The fact that it can function as a wallet or a purse makes it invaluable.

2. My security belt - From Eagle Creek again, this security belt is ACTUALLY A BELT! It has a tiny security pouch on the inside that's just large enough for a copy of my passport and some emergency cash. I wear as I travel and then squirrel it away in my suitcase or hotel room when I'm not wearing it. The beauty of this belt is that it doesn't look like a security belt, so it doesn't draw the attention of ne'er-do-wells. And since I only use it for emergency cash and a copy of my passport, I'm not into it all the time. Wonderful! I get peace of mind and an attractive fashion accessory.

3. My sarong - I was given my first sarong by my cousin, Rica. She had just returned from an international jaunt herself, most of which was in Ghana working for the Peace Corps. I was heading out on a completely different trip, to Greece to see ancient historical sites and archaeological ruins (it was that trip that really got me interested in ancient history!). As she gave me the sarong, she told me hers had been the most valuable travel piece she'd ever owned. That wasn't an understatement. My sarong has been a towel, a beach blanket, a skirt, a head scarf, a dress, a pillow, and a blanket. It does everything! And its so light that it dries quickly and packs down into nothing. Mine is blue, so if I do have to wear it as a skirt, I actually like the way it looks. I wouldn't head out on any trip without packing my sarong.

4. My light scarf - I got this scarf in the Gatwick airport after I had missed a flight to Amsterdam and was waiting for the next one. It was freezing in that airport and I was going to have to sit in it for at least 6 hours. I thought a scarf might help a little, so I shelled out some dough (actually kind of a lot of dough) for this one. I had no idea a scarf could make such a difference! I had been uncomfortably cold before, but once I put my scarf on, I was able to get out my kindle and read, warm and toasty, until my flight boarded. Its really great for warm weather trips too. You can use it as a head scarf (its actually much better suited for this than the sarong) or a sun shade. Its pretty much a smaller version of my sarong and just as versatile.

5. My Kindle - yeah, yeah, I like real books too. But its just not practical to lug around all five of George R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire books. Or the Complete Works of Polybius. Or all seven Chronicles of Narnia (those might not be so bad). Or the new Michael Pollan book on food. Or Patrick Rothfuss's New Infuriating Novel (Confused? see this! And this!!) UNLESS THEY'RE ON A KINDLE. I suppose any e-reader would work, but I prefer my Kindle for a couple of reasons. I can buy books internationally (an option that I discovered mid-trip was not available through Barnes&Noble's Nook), I can store up to 3000 books, and my Kindle weighs 8 oz. Its light and its stores a ton! I opted for the 3G model, which gives you access to Amazon's store pretty much anywhere there's cell service, a feature which came in very handy in rural Greece. Kindle's electronic paper is really nice too, since it doesn't tire out your eyes the same way an LED screen will. I still prefer paper books, but when I'm travelling, my Kindle is a must.

6. My Smartphone - When you're travelling, you really should switch stuff off and enjoy what's around you. But my smartphone has been invaluable to me and to the peace of mind of my mothers (my sister is really a second mother in some respects). If I'm travelling internationally, I don't use it as a phone since its prohibitively expensive, but since its so smart, it does lots and lots of other things for me. Its my international clock, so I can keep track of what time it is back home and where I am. Its my alarm clock. If there's wi-fi (and there was wi-fi most places in Greece and Asia), its my internet connection so I can send a quick email to Mom and Dad (and Mom #2) or figure out where I am on Google Maps. I can play games on it if I'm bored (though usually I just read one of my 3000 books stored on my amazing Kindle). If I ever remember to take pictures (and I almost never do), I can take them with my phone. Its really been invaluable everywhere I've gone.

Of course, its always a good idea to pack things like pants and underwear and maybe a toothbrush too.

*Most of this is really great for international travel, but works for the overly paranoid likes-to-be-comfortable domestic traveler as well.