New Year's Day, 2019

It is always a good idea to find a little time to reflect on things on the first day of the New Year. Recently I’ve been thinking of the little things that I do when I travel that make a difference, at least to me, and I hope to others. Some readers have asked me what I can’t travel without, what makes me happy when traveling, and what ‘hints’ I have for others. So here are some of the things that I bring along to make my travel experience enjoyable.

What do I always take when traveling?

The most important thing is Cindy!  So, got that out of the way, here are the other things in no particular order:

1. I have always traveled with a wrist watch that has the ability to show the time in two time zones and can be read at night. For the past twenty years it has been a Timex Expedition with a cloth band. This is an inexpensive watch, under fifty dollars, and lasts for about five years. I once tried to change the battery after it died but then the light didn’t work so I just order two or three at a time so I always have one. Nothing is more reassuring than waking up on a long flight in the middle of the night and touching a little button to know what time it is and how much longer you have to fly. 
2. You should always have a very powerful flashlight in your carry-on bag. For me it is a Stealth Angel that can be adjusted to “pinpoint powerful” (enough to temporarily blind someone if shone in their eyes) to wide angle which will light any hotel room. I use this on almost all of my trips; in fact just today the lights went out and it was dark as sin, but with my flashlight I was able to find the circuit breaker and fix the situation. 
3. Cash. I try to never use credit cards when traveling, relying instead on cash. There are places you will go that will not take credit cards and if they do you are never sure how much you will be charged for ‘courtesy fees,’ exchange service fees, or exchange rates. Nothing ruins a trip more than getting home and facing large credit card bills.  ATMs are everywhere and with a little prudence, they are quite safe. I’ve negotiated discounts on lots of things using cash and when the bill comes for lunch or dinner and then the waiter disappears, you can just put down cash and leave.  
4. Walking shoes are a must for me since I walk everywhere. On a typical day I’ll walk six to ten miles and my feet need to stay supported and healthy. I carry two pair of shoes on my trips (not counting cruises where I also carry two pair of dancing shoes).  For years I have relied on Rockports for city walking, and ASICS for the serious morning and afternoon power walks. There are others that are great but these have proven themselves to be winners for me for the past thirty years.
5. I always have a small backpack that packs into itself, weighs nothing and occupies very little space. I use it for shopping, day trips, excess baggage on the way home and sometimes as a pillow on flights. There are lots and lots of brands but don’t spend a lot of money since they all last about the same amount of time.
6. For all the time that we have traveled together we both have carried an LL Bean small toilet kit.  Cindy’s is red, mine yellow and they last forever, carry everything you need for a month of more, and when dirty can be washed, either in the sink, or at home in the washing machine. These things are amazing, well organized and durable. Can’t imagine a trip without them.
7. You should always have a packable rain coat that can be placed in your carry-on for emergencies, like RAIN, SNOW, SLEET. Ours packs into its own pouch, which when open has a large pocket. It has a hood with bill, very important, that is hidden when not needed and fits over most normal jackets and coats so that we can just use it by itself or as a protective layer in bad weather. 
8. A hat - no, 2 hats.  In the winter, a wool cap and a wool Fedora; in summer a baseball cap (for the walks) and a straw Fedora. Nothing says, ‘made man’ than a snappy Fedora!
9. And last, but by no means least, a Swiss Army Knife - with corkscrew, bien sûr!  No further explanation required other than to say that I check my luggage so that I can carry this knife; that is how important it is for me to have when I travel.  

So that is my short list of material things; later this week I’ll write about the really important things about people-to-people travel.  Happy New Year, Cindy and Wm