As a journalist specializing in travel, I pack and unpack for dozens of trips a year. As a result, I’ve learned a thing or two about packing smarter, packing less, and traveling with travel technology.
Clothes are easy: Two pants. Two shoes. Four shirts. Something dressy. Fleece for cold. Layers for hot. Outerwear for wet. Quick-dry everything. A wrap for the airplane.
Toiletries, too, are a no-brainer: Travel-sized liquids refilled or still packed from the last trip. Nothing over 3-ounces. Nothing sharp. Done.
But when it comes to gadgets, things get more complicated. Cords. Cables. Batteries. Back-ups. Hard drives. iPod. Smartphone. Laptop. Memory cards. More memory cards. It’s too easy, and so frustrating, to head off without the essential bits that make the gizmos go.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
At home or on the go, Skooba wraps are one of the most versatile, lightweight protective packing solutions I’ve found. Whether I’m protecting an extra camera lens in my daypack on the trail in Costa Rica, toting a bottle of wine in my purse to a friend’s party, or bringing home a ceramic bowl from Morocco in my carry-on luggage, the wraps are perfect for adding extra protection without a lot of bulk.
Available in three padded square sizes, the Velcro fasteners on all four corners make it easy to wrap around any shape, virtually eliminating the need to buy custom-sized cases for every gadget. Buy once. Use forever. Nice!
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".