I cannot believe how quickly time has gone by. It feels like I just booked my flight and now we’re waiting at our gate! If I’m being honest, I’m actually pretty nervous about the trip. I’m not the kind of person that gets homesick, but I’ve never been on a big trip like this before and I know that there will be times when I’ll wish I was back in Canada.
To minimize stress, I’m trying to be as prepared as possible to make sure everything goes smoothly. Part of this process means bringing things that make me feel happy or make my life easier. These travel essentials will be with me at all times to make sure everything is smooth sailing!
01 | My Bullet Journal
My bullet journal has been essential to organizing this trip. I’ve kept track of hotels and Airbnb addresses, the names of restaurants and attractions we want to visit and a calendar that is colour coded (obviously) with our method of transportation for that day. Everything I need to know is written down and organized to I can easily look it up at a moment’s notice.
02 | Water bottle
Staying hydrated is going to keep me going over the next few weeks. I wanted to buy a S’well bottle for the trip because they are so pretty but decided to buy this cheaper one off of Amazon instead! The quality is great and it fits really nicely in my backpack.
03 | iPhone & headphones
When I need a break from the world all I have to do is put in my headphones and press play. Whether it’s a podcast (my favourite are Ladies Who Lunch and At Home With) or a playlist of my favourite songs, I love just zoning out and having some me-time.
04 | Kobo Aura
I decided to buy an e-reader because I’m finally in the mood to start reading again! I love my new Kobo because it connects to the Toronto Public Library and I was able to take out a bunch of books for free! If you’re curious what I’m reading right now, check out my goodreads page.
05 | Camera
My camera collection is getting out of control. I’ll go more into detail about everything I’m bringing in another blog post, but having options for what to use for shooting blog posts and vlogs means I know I’m getting the best content I can. I also want to make sure I’m capturing memories in the best way I can with the tools at my disposal.
06 | Eye mask & ear plugs
Our flight to Europe is an overnight from Toronto to London, and then London to Athens. It’s going to be a really long day and I know I’m going to want to sleep as much as possible. These two things are never going to leave my side and will ensure that I get some shut eye. Definitely two very important essentials!
07 | Sage Wellness headache remedy
I love this all natural essential oil headache remedy from Saje Wellness so much that I actually had to repurchase for the trip! I find that the cooling sensation helps relieve pain and distract me so I can move on with my life if I get a headache. As someone who gets headaches all the time it’s so nice having a natural alternative to Advil or ibuprofen.
08 | Cozy sweater
We all need a piece of home to cuddle up with at the end of the day, and my behuman clothing sweater is my absolute favourite thing. It’s probably too bulky to bring with me considering I’m only bringing a carry-on, but I couldn’t leave it behind! It’s so soft and worn in that it feels like a hug.
09 | Document Organizer
I’m terrified that I’m going to lose something important like my Eurail pass or our plane tickets so I bought these clear organizers from (you guessed it) Amazon! We printed our hotel reservations, flight information and made copies of our passports and other important documents to stay organized and having everything together at all times means those mini panic moments will be few and far between.
10 | Lip Balm
Pretty self-explanatory, but how awful is it to have chapped lips? Especially on a plane. I’m making sure that I have packed one in each bag so I always have one on hand. The Rosebud Salve and regular peppermint Chapstick are my two favourites.
These are the main essentials I packed in my personal carry on bag to ease my nerves about this trip. I’ve wanted to go to Europe since I was a little kid so this trip is really a dream come true!
Keep an eye out for vlogs on my YouTube channel! I started vlogging this morning and am excited to edit the footage on the plane.
What are your travel essentials?
Sincerely, Rowan
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