Travel Essentials you didn’t know you needed.
A huge smile spreads across your face as you take in your surroundings. Its hardly believable you’re here…
You finally booked that trip to Europe, and currently you find yourself outside of a cute little corner café in Paris.
Sitting at a small, slightly wet wooden table, you indulge in a rich espresso as you people watch and daydream. The air smells like toasted bread, warm vanilla, and fresh rain, just like you imagined…..
The only thing that could make this moment even better is if you had your camera, which unfortunately, you left back at your hotel….but no worries! It’s just a 15 minute walk from here! You dont quite remember your way though…so you grab your phone to get google maps out.
tap tap tap
Black screen.
tap tap, presses some buttons
Black screen x2.
You sit there, puzzled.
Did my phone really die on me as I was sitting here? You think to yourself.
You know the answer; And unfortunately, you don’t know your way back to your hotel, don’t know how to speak French, and don’t have any kind of charger with you…
Has something like this happened to you?
Hey everyone, Christina from Insignia Destinations here! I thought our first blog post could be about something useful for our audience…
Travel Essentials you didn’t know you needed.
I know personally, situations like the one above have happened to me. Just a few months ago I found myself running around the streets of Amsterdam, searching through every drugstore and convenience store I could find for an apple charger! Somehow I had lost mine, and everyone in my life knows I am highly dependent on my GPS to not get myself lost (so much so I still use it in the US…in the city I’ve lived in for years 😂)
Now, no two trips are the same. Some people like to travel by themselves, some like to travel with their best friends or partners, and some with their families! Fortunately for you, I’ve lived and learned through my many different travel experiences, so here are some items no one wants to forget on their next getaway…
#1- Portable chargers
Now, usually one does not forget to pack their normal, wired-to-the-wall chargers. Those are a given. But what if you’re out exploring a new city all day and can’t seem to get to an outlet anywhere? You may find yourself sitting up against a convenience store wall at 1AM, just wanting to get home but cant until your phone has enough juice to guide you there (Definitely not speaking from experience cough cough)
The solution? Portable chargers! Just think. Especially now in this day and age, we use our phones for everything. Our plane tickets, hotel vouchers, ID’s, GPS, music and entertainment, researching ‘cat cafes nearby’, posting to social media and so much more, is quite literally in the palms of our hands. If you book with us, you’d have your entire itinerary and documents in our travel app, which is great but it would be useless if your phone dies. So, that being said, its best to be prepared with some portable juice so you don’t find yourself in a sticky situation.
#2- ESIM card (portable data)
This may just be me, but I know anytime I have ever travelled outside of the country, my mom likes to check up on me constantly. “Did you make your flight? How was it? Do you have enough money? Did you eat? Are you going to eat?” etc. etc. And of course, to put her mind at ease, I always respond pretty promptly (she would argue this) But, getting the messages would take that much longer if I wasn’t prepared with an ESIM card! In our home countries, if we’re not on Wi-Fi, our phone plans usually include data so we always stay connected. Now, think how important this is when we’re traveling somewhere we’re not familiar with!
Some people choose to rely on finding Wi-Fi when they’re abroad, I would know, I was one of them. While that does work in some countries, it certainly doesn’t in others. You don’t want to find yourself in a difficult or dangerous situation on your trip with no way to contact anyone or get help!
I know I used to be wary of purchasing data in foreign countries because of the cost, but recently I found a perfect solution! Which is…
HOLAFLY ❗
I was planning out my first solo trip abroad when I thought this was something I should really look into, and I’m so glad I did. Its simple: purchase however much data you need, install the ESIM in your settings (make sure your phone supports an ESIM before buying the plan) and you’re good to go! Just go in and activate it right before your trip and voila, you stay connected 24/7. Click on the link above to check them out!
#3 Collapsible water bottle
Okay, I can’t tell you how many times my little collapsible water bottle came in handy on my trips. In America, you can get free water most places you go to, but if you’re traveling to Europe, that may not be the case. Oftentimes you have to pay, or you have to go in and sit down to order a glass of water to your table. Maybe you’re traveling to a country where you have to be careful where you get your water as it could be unsafe to drink at random stops. Say you’re on the go, maybe have a tour group to catch up with or a show to catch, but you’re super dehydrated! Then you’re sitting there, barely able to enjoy what you’re doing since you’re so thirsty.
This is where your reusable water bottle comes in to save the day! Either way, having collapsible reusable water bottles are a great thing to have as you can fill them up wherever you’re staying, clip them to your purse or backpack, and be on your way. Plus, they’re environmentally friendly! Here’s a link to my favorite one from amazon. Inexpensive but ever so useful 👉 Water bottle
#4 Lock
Most of the time, people you come across on your trips will be friendly, kind, honest people. No reason to worry unnecessarily! But, I like to live by this rule: better safe than sorry. Its great to have a small lock on hand so when you leave your room, you can lock up your valuables in your bag so you have peace of mind while you’re out.
#5 Wipes
I know. random. But man do they come in handy more often than you would think! Maybe you just enjoyed the best gelato of your life right in front of the Trevi fountain, and you want to take pictures, but your hands are sticky. Maybe you spilled some on your jeans! Oh no! Maybe your kids enjoyed the gelato a little too much and their faces are absolutely covered in it. One word: wipes. You’ll thank me later.
That’s it for now folks! Hope our first little informational article helps you prepare well for your next trip, and you can feel even more confident in your next trip if you book through us. We can book everything start to finish, at wholesale prices. Then, find it all in a convenient little app! So your next adventure is just a tap away.
tap tap tap
Insignia Destinations, at your service.