Little things you do for your comfort or safety when you travel?

There are a few things I do that make me happy and feeling safer on the road especially since I travel for months at a time.

1) Pack an immersion heater, cup and tea bags. I like something hot first thing in the morning to get the heart started. Not all hotels have these facilities.

2) Wear a money belt. Hidden pocket type.

3) Stay in a comfortable hotel. If I am trying to do a great deal, I need my down time to rejuvenate. A hotel is not just a place to sleep for me. It's a lot more. I want quiet, a comfortable bed, A/C if possible and decent wifi.

4) Travel as light as possible but don't obsess over it. I utilize bags that in most cases qualify for carry on, but occassionally the weight gets me. I don't lose sleep over it.

5) Utilize a packing list. After every trip I go over it to make modifications especially if I haven't used something or have found something better to replace what I already have.

6) Dont' overschedule. I never know what may be around the corner or how I may feel. I have been known to change my entire itinerary halfway through a trip.

YMMV

I clean my apartment and change the sheets before I leave so I come back to a tidy home and inviting bed.

I use a master packing list.

I pack a travel set of equipment that allows me to do my home physical therapy exercises on the road. it takes up about 25% of my single rollaboard suitcase but worth it to stay feeling as good as possible.

I aim for carry on only and continue to try and reduce weight, but have started to check my 22 inch bag rather than have the chore of managing it through airports. I don't stress about checked luggage, if it is free.
I pack my carry on for quick switches should I need to gate check it, with vital stuff in pouches that can just be transferred to my personal item quickly. I also always lock my carry on that will go in overhead bin or luggage shelf if a train. I know they can just take the whole thing, but as a solo traveler, it gives me that tiny extra peace of mind when I am either asleep or making a toilet stop.
Canada doesn't offer many 'no foreign transaction fee' credit cards, but I applied for one that is travel oriented. No foreign transactions, travel back credits, and the best part - 6 free lounge passes a year. Hanging out in a comfy lounge, getting a meal, having a shower on a long haul flight itinerary is so much better than gate seating.
I prepurchase my seat. No way do I want that middle seat. I may cheap up and go standard economy but I want control of where I am located.
For short to mid length flights, my common airline doesn't offer free food, but you can buy meal vouchers; which I do. I used to pack food, but not so much now. The vouchers are cheaper than the food costs if bought on the plane and I get it before the standard meal service.
If free meal included, I order a special meal. I get it before standard service, so for those 6 hour overnight flights to Europe, I can eat up and then don my eyeshades and get sleeping before the rest are even served.
I know I travel best when I can keep some at home habits. I don't 'travel on my stomach' as some do, so meals out quickly become a chore. I prefer apartments for my morning coffee and internet catch up while still in my PJs and a reading chair or couch for a feet up at the end of the day. I tend to shift my meals to a large lunch and dinner is more a snack or picnic that can be eaten in apartment or hotel room.
I still haven't found the perfect solution yet, but like Sarah Murdoch, I try to bring a pillow from home. I need a thin one, so barring a down pillow fitting in the suitcase, I at least bring a pillow case or two and use some outer wear (down puffer jacket or polar fleece) inside the pillow case so I can scrunch it to the most comfortable proportions.
Lastly, I carry my mother's Saint Christopher medal and my 'lucky' Tanzanian shilling that I found on the street in Arusha.

I bring my travel size down pillow with me to use on the plane as well as in the places I sleep. I also stopped stressing about not checking a bag although i have a carryon size and it’s packed very lightly.

We take long trips to Europe, 1-2 months.

Before the trip

• Manicure, pedicure, and brow tint.
• Prepare some meals for the freezer. I want some easy meals for a few nights when we return and are jet-lagged for a week. Soups and chilis and individual turkey meatloaves will greet us. All I have to do is heat them up and make a salad or veg.

On the trip

• Pack a lightweight robe and slippers. Only a few ounces but I use them EVERY DAY so not an indulgence.
• Make an appointment two weeks in for another manicure. Gives me a lift and gives hubby a couple of hours on his own.

I spend the evening before the flight cleaning the house from top to bottom. Burns off nervous energy.

Well, after a week of walking cobblestone streets or hills, I give myself a foot massage with Aveda foot relief. It is a fabulous feeling and my feet are happy again. For the hips and knees, I pack Voltaren gel.

For assurance and call me old school, but after I arrive in a foreign country, I am sure to grab my hotel business card just in case I get turned around and need to hail a cab. Address on the card

My solo combined with RS tour trips are averaging close to four weeks.

For security:
- Always wear a Stashbandz money belt
- Download maps because I am always lost
- Take €. £ or ? so I don't have to find an ATM upon arrival.
- Book flights, trains and hotels early because I want to know where I'm staying and how I'm going to get there.
- Write a detailed itinerary, have travel insurance

For comfort and piece of mind:
- Call my hubby every night (he won't travel so is at home)
- Text or email pictures to a couple friends to share my trip
- Take toe protectors and blister bandaids for my problem feet
- I still wear a face mask everywhere when out and about; one bout of covid was enough.
- Feed my sweet tooth with lots of desserts, gelato and pastry, which I try not to do at home.
- Make a detailed packing list since packing light is still a struggle.

I like to come home to a clean house, so I make sure that it is tidy before I leave. I wear a money belt if I'm traveling internationally....it is comfortable and I really forget that I have it on. I always bring very lightweight house slippers as I don't like to walk on carpeting in my bare feet in a hotel room. Another must have is a small, lightweight travel blanket. When I took my first solo international trip last summer, I took along a whistle like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077LHLQVP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and a little squeezable flashlight like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B086PW8TW3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and wore them as a necklace under my shirt.

I'm with Maria when it comes to checking bags. There is nothing that feels quite as good as handing over a large bag and not having to deal with it till your destination. I still pack light - after all, more schlepping follows, but for getting there (and coming home), there's nothing like it.

For my comfort, I stop once every day, usually mid-afternoon, for a pastry and a cappuccino. That's my time to enjoy a snack, get off my feet, relax and reflect on what I've seen that day, and write in my journal. I never eat like that at home but for travel, it works well and I certainly am able to walk off the calories. :)

I received heightened security on a flight out of Prague, and the authorities required I check my carry on bag. The bag never made it on our flight and my electronic car key was in it. We had to wait 2 days in an Atlanta airport hotel before our 200 mi. drive home. We now make sure the wife and I are both carrying car keys. And I refuse to check a bag.

My wife always carries her own wash rags. European hotels don't always furnish them.

We often stay in apartments that have washer/dryers. That allows us to carry fewer clothes on the trip.

I returned 2 weeks ago from Israel. I carried my 21" bag on the plane, however the suitcases for the other 4 in our party didn't show up at our home airport for 2 days.

Our home airport is mainly serviced by small and medium size jets. Our flight out of Frankfurt was late leaving, and we missed our connecting flights at Dulles. All flights on the smaller jets the next 2 days were 100% booked, so we had to fly to an alternative airport and drive home by rental car. Future trips will be on the two airlines that fly full size jet planes into our city as they're seldom 100% full.

I don't like not knowing how to get somewhere in a strange place and I'm fanatical about mapping out my route from airport to hotel. Ask me how many times I've mapped my route from FCO to Sorrento for my trip in 12 days, I don't have enough fingers and toes to count how many times.

I also need to have at least a general daily idea of what we'll see and some background information about it. I'm not one for surprises and spontaneity.

For physical comfort: I take an electric toothbrush on my trips and a small electric heat pad for back pain.

For emotional comfort: I wear my mum's wedding ring on my trips. She died aged 94 in 2021 and didn't get to do much travelling in her lifetime so now she comes with me on my travels.

Linda, good advice on the hotel card or at least knowing the address. I got hopelessly lost on an early morning walk in Paris and only through dumb luck found my way back. I didn't have any money or cards with me.

@AussieNomad, ”For emotional comfort: I wear my mum's wedding ring on my trips. She died aged 94 in 2021 and didn't get to do much travelling in her lifetime so now she comes with me on my travels.”. When my mom passed at 90, I wore her watch for several years and took it to European countries that my mom would have loved to see. And, I brought her small binoculars to view the stained glass at Chartres Cathedral (and a picture holding her binoculars outside the church is in my photo book). Your comment brought back sweet memories!

S J, very nice topic! I am enjoying reading the answers.

I can relate to the cleaning beforehand. Although our home is always clean, it is a great way to use some of that excitement energy the day before the trip.

I begin packing mentally a month ahead. I have my printed packing list and suitcase on the guest bed. I lay out options for clothes after trying them all on again and set aside a few hotter/colder options depending on the final weather forecast. It makes me happy to walk by the room and see a trip coming soon!

I like to bring a personal item that I can see in my hotel room. I started doing that when I was traveling for work. It’s usually my collapsible silicone cup that I use for my bathroom cup and also if I’m making “make do” coffee in my hotel room - the instant coffee sticks.

I’m allergic to a lot of fake scents, colognes, etc. so I save a nice smelling soap I find at home or on a trip to bring a small bar (or I cut one down to a small size). I keep one in my suitcase, even when it’s empty at home on the shelf, so my suitcase doesn’t get a funky smell. I’ll use the soap at some location during the trip. During the week on work trips, it was nice to open the hotel room and smell something pleasant & familiar.

I prefer the small family-run hotels in the center of the historical section of cities, but for my first location, I’m looking for a hotel where I will get a great night’s sleep to get over the jet.

I spend a crazy amount of time researching & planning ahead of time, but during my trip, I give myself full permission to do whatever I want - no “must do’s”. I review the options on the train ride for the next location and then do what sounds fun in the moment. When my adult daughter came with me last September, we loved the fun of reviewing options together on the train and then the spontaneity each day.

Lots of good ideas!
Sometimes I buy flowers for my rental apartment if I’m there for a few days, to give it a home-y feeling.
I bring my own tea bags with me.
Unless I’m in the UK, European ones don’t taste good to me.
I’ll buy a big mug in a Euro store for my rental apartment….can’t have a good cup of tea in an espresso sized cup!
I do the soap thing too, Jean.
I also move any fake flowers, air fresheners, potpourri, and piles of decorative cushions out of the way in rental apartments.
There always seems to be so much of that stuff.
I put it all back when I leave.
I too clean my house before leaving…..it’s so nice to come home to clean sheets and bathrooms.

Great thread. I love reading others responses.

Before we (hubby & I) leave home, we change the sheets and towels, put all the dishes away & vacuum and wash the floors so when we get home everything is clean AND since we usually get home around midnight (we travel through a regional airport with crummy connections) having fresh sheets on the bed is great.

We always check our roll aboard size bags but carry on our backpacks and we pack at least two days of clothes and pjs just in case. I pack my own pillow in a compression bag and my slippers. We pack a washcloth, but I've noticed more and more hotels will provide one if you ask. I might pack a few tea bags. One cotton grocery bag. My hubby is less concerned about creature comfort, so he doesn't have many little extras.

Since we have been experiencing more early AM arrivals and long layovers at our arrival airport, I've started taking advantage of the day use hotels at the airport (usually AMS) for a quick shower and for me a quick nap before we head on to our connecting flight.

I like the idea of a content list & taking photos of the bag tags. We leave May 12th so I might adopt this practice.

@AussieNomad & @Jean, I totally relate to taking things that remind you of a loved one. My mother got a passport in the anticipation of taking her dream trip to China. She was diagnosed with a terminal illness shortly after the passport arrived and passed away soon after. She never even signed the passport . She was 58 years old. I take it with me on every trip out of the country. She didn’t get a chance to travel in her lifetime, but her passport can go on adventures with me and I can always feel her presence and imagine what she would think about the places I go.

@Andrea, that’s a beautiful tribute to your mom! Since the passport is no longer official, you could even sign & date a page of it during each trip to have the memory of where it traveled & maybe a highlight of that trip.

"I don't like not knowing how to get somewhere in a strange place," Allan, don't worry about it. It is always easier than you can imagine. And so much easier, that it isn't a concern to us any more. There is always a way, on to the B plan and then, if needed the C plan. Though we've never gotten to Plan D. Cause there never was a Plan D that had to happen.

Plan C always worked. But i will admit these were Hail Mary passes that all worked some how. :)

Plan D is get your butts back to your country of origin as fast as possible. And just forget all that money in play.

I always give myself permission to take a cab or Uber if I feel like I need to. Most of the time public transport and I get along quite well. There are moments, however, when I just perceive the need to do something different and I do it without guilt.

I take a picture of my passport info page & email it to my husband when I travel alone. My travel purse is the Travelon anti-theft crossbody and that makes a huge difference because the zippers lock & the material of the bag including straps is slash proof.

When I arrive at the destination airport, one of the first things I do after I go through immigration is buy myself a cup of coffee which is just heavenly!

Box wines have a bag to them. These are very useful. You can make them in to pillows or back supports. And well.. you know you have a few empty ones around. :)

I do the same as Carol, now ret. I can certainly do public transport with no problem but permission granted for a taxi from/to the airport or train station. I’ve particularly found that since Covid I am ready to get out of a crowded public transport situation and into a private taxi after getting off an international flight and making my way through an airport.

I take separate socks to sleep in. I wear Injinji toe socks with toe separators during the day but at night my feet need a rest. They are always cold when I get into bed so I pack some brightly colored socks to sleep in. My feet are snuggly and the bright color means they don’t get lost in the hotel linens.

Btw, for those that pack a small bar of soap in your suitcase, if you get foot or leg cramps put your unwrapped bar soap between the sheets and it will stop the cramps. Makes no sense but yes it works!

@Pam, I had to look up the bar of soap/leg cramps idea! Try explaining that with a Google translate to the housekeeping staff when they find a bar of soap in the bed - LOL! I do take a few Rolaids tablets with me for the occasional leg cramps which are caused by a shortage of magnesium.

Love this topic thanks.

When I'm cycle touring in Europe I use the excellent Komoot app. It has a feature where I text a link to my family at home, and they can live track me through the app. It's comforting to know they know where I am.

I have to have some open toe sandals for taking it easy. Neither bare feet nor airy shoes will suffice.

At some point on every trip I'll pick up a 200ml of schnapps at the supermarket check out. Goes to the bottom of my bag. Some trips it doesn't get touched, but I like knowing it's there in case I'm pinned down in a lonely bus shelter in a 3 hour thunderstorm.

very sweet Aussienomad

For emotional comfort: I wear my mum's wedding ring on my trips. She
died aged 94 in 2021 and didn't get to do much travelling in her
lifetime so now she comes with me on my travels.

I take my husband.

Everytime I arrive at the hotel, I sanitize first the bathroom before using it, because they look clean but when you wipe it using tissue paper, it's not that clean. After showering, I take tea before taking a rest. :)

I sometimes get calf cramps while sleeping. I learned that standing up and pressing the foot flat into the floor gets rid of the cramps immediately. And they are painful.

cotton socks. They are the most comfortable (and healthy) fabric. Since I rarely sink wash anything anymore (hotel service preferred) I don't worry about them drying. And if they get wet in the rain, well, there are worse things to deal with.

@Jean, that’s a great idea for the passport. I’ve been meaning to stick post it notes for each trip with the locations, but have still not gotten around to it. Writing directly in it makes more sense. It’s gone on 6 international trips with me since I received it in early 2016. I wish I had received it sooner, but I didn’t know it existed until my sister passed away in December 2015.

Carry on only, no matter length of trip.

Door jamb, flashlight, xtra AAA and AA batteries, mole skin, bandana, well worn shoes ( 2 pairs) crossword puzzle booklet, gum, key chain, earplugs, pencil from a golf course, St Christopher medal, Altoids, wash cloths, coffee, cone filters and small Melita one cup brewing cone. Airborne tablets, Nivea tins. SLICE safety cutter. Chums for my glasses and sunglasses. Glass cases. Travel Johnson and Johnson waxed dental floss. Cortizone easy relief roll on. DayQuil. Travel tissue packets. Hand sanitizer. Nail clipper. Twist ties. Zip lock bags. Coin purse. Moneybelt or leg wallet. A few safety pins. Pack of matches. Couple of scented tea candles. Lightweight Nightstand travel tray for keys, coins, etc. Have learned that a plastic tray that contained Hillshire salami, cheese and almonds tray works perfectly.

Inexpensive pairs of sock from 99 cent store to wear walking about my accommodation. Bigalow decaffeinated teas bags. Advil PM. Reading glasses from the 99 cent store. Bitty Boomers Yoda Bluetooth speaker. Air pods. Mini iPad. Roll of Scotch Tape. Bic pens. Thin travel booklet where I can tape restaurant, accommodation, cafes, bookstore business cards. Set of plastic utensils from my local Chinese restaurant.

If my hotel/motel has a business card I take a picture of it as well as take 2 cards. One goes into money belt. One is taped into my travel booklet.

EDIT: Always take my down pillow which I’ve had for decades. Few feathers left but just enough that I can enjoy a restful sleep with it.

I take slipper-socks with the grippy spots on the soles. Hate having cold feet at night and don't want to slip and fall if I get up during the night.

In the US, I take a nightlight for the bathroom. Some hotels have hairdryers that have a nightlight, but many don't.

Before travel I get my hair cut a little shorter to make it more wash and wear.

I also trim my nails on the shorter side. Less likely to break one handling luggage if they are shorter.

We bought a European night light in Italy years ago, but it's comparatively big and heavy. Last year, I tried the recommendation of some smart person on this forum (Jean, was that you?) to take battery operated tea lights and appreciated them! They didn't last "forever," but they were Walmart cheapies.

Posted by Frank II

I sometimes get calf cramps while sleeping. I learned that standing up
and pressing the foot flat into the floor gets rid of the cramps
immediately. And they are painful.

This is how to get over one. I've even pressed my foot against an adjacent wall while still in bed.

To prevent them, take magnesium.

Last year, I tried the recommendation of some smart person on this
forum (Jean, was that you?) to take battery operated tea lights and
appreciated them! They didn't last "forever," but they were Walmart
cheapies.

Love this idea! Thank you Jean and SJ.

Less space than a plug-in, light-activated night-light.

Plus no plug adaptor/conversion thingy if travelling abroad.

I can’t take credit for the battery tea lights. I do remember reading that comment last year, too. I bring a small flashlight and have it next to the bed.

During the evening, I have it in my pocket to see the key hole for old building entrances or to not stumble on uneven pavement.

Linda why do I have a feeling that that Aveda foot relief smells and feels so good?? You have me looking on their EU website...

As for my comfort item, I guess the most important one is my tea (and an immersion heater if necessary- I check to see if the place(s) I am staying has/have an easy means to boil water before departing for my trip). And I do confess that after staying some places where the mugs didn't satisfy me, I often take my own tea mug. That definitely doesn't help me in the "light packing" part of things.

In reference to a comment upthread, I can promise you I do NOT have any empty box-bags of wine in my home.

Fun fact: that mylar bag inside of a box of wine is known as a "space bag" to college kids and alcoholics sleeping under bridges. The college kids at at least seem to take some delight in removing the bag from the box and squeezing it like a giant bota. I have also been told that they have "Tour de Franzia" parties, where in all wear Lycra and drink wine spurted out of space bags.

I must say sometimes I'm glad to be old ☺️

Just thought of a safety one. Lately when I travel with my family to developing world destinations I bring a small carbon monoxide detector.

As a single person, I always get a haircut before I leave and make copies of my passport to give to my family and one to bring along with me. I always contact my family overnight even if it's just a hello. Just so someone knows where I am.

On planes-One take one carryon bag-with a couple shirts and sweaters and pants. Comfy flats and tennis shoes. No one will care what I look like and even the theatre patrons dress down these days. I also try and fly PE or Club World. I'm too old to be squished in the seat and have someone in my lap the whole flight. Plus I can actually get some sleep.

Hotels-I need a decent room in a safe neighbor. I usually reserve a double as I haven't slept in a single since college and I move around a lot at night. Plus I've been sick for a day and there is nothing worse then feeling terrible in a tiny cramped room. I know people say hotels are only for sleeping but not for me. I wake up, write blog to friends, etc. I also immediate check the beds for bedbugs first thing.

Finally, if I'm tired or lost, I take enough money to get a cab back to the hotel.

American toilet paper. I bring a few rolls. A guy got to have a little pleasure on the road.

And i wear dog tags with name, passport number, emergency contact and the name of the 2 meds that keep me ticking.

But later this year I am going to upgrade. You can now get that into on the tags and a QR code. Mine will be to a pdf in the cloud with passport copy, prescriptions, etc.

A little extreme, but I mostly travel alone and mostly out of Western Europe. Cheap and doesn't hurt. Not bad when not traveling either.

Fascinating, useful, creative, pleasantly sentimental, fearful, intrepid travelers. A good list of ideas to embrace, consider, avoid or simply remember for a future trip.

Kim, YES the Aveda products have really pleasant scents. They are not inexpensive, but a little dab goes a long way.

OK, I'll get weird for you all. My airplane outfit always is 90%, at least, made of natural fibers. if the plane catches fire and I need to run through flames to get away...I'm not going up in melt instead due to man-made fabric. This is the risk manager in me. But I have a problem now: For my Camino trip I'm struggling with the fact that my hiking pants are man-made fabrics. I've got the top in Merino wool and a silk or cashmere scarf, but gosh, I'm in a dilemma. Do I strip off my pants before I run and/or wrap in a natural fiber? LOL

Wray, cotton leggings under the pants....that is if 95% cotton is sufficient content for your risk management. 😉

Rest assured that very few die in fire, most die upon impact. Cotton has little advantage at 300 mph straight down. But American toilet paper may be the answer.

I use the neck pouch and the hidden pocket, separate my credit cards. I bring 3 but they are not all together, passport is separated from the credit cards, as is cash, which is separated into 4-5 different places. The key here is dispersal.

I wear a waist belt, right up front. below the belt. Always carry coins. Pack some good white cotton socks. Bring along all sorts of odds and ends, ie, safety pins, rubber bands, twisters, paper clips, a small mirror, some thin plastic bags, bits of masking tape, pocket flash light, The two pieces of luggage have 3-4 ID tags.

My luggage includes tea bags, in case the room has a tea maker., only in England.

I am on my way to buy Fortnun & Mason teabags at La Grande Épicerie. I use loose-leaf tea at home but have started using teabags on my trips.

And since Brexit, F&M no longer ships to EU addresses. I bought and had shipped a ton of loose-leaf teas to my Scottish hotel in October, but didn't bother with tea bags. Hence the metro trip.

Love this thread! Having traveled annually for over 50 years (my love for travel started by being a TWA flight attendant) - I already follow the majority of these tips. Re: flashlights - is it silly to ask why your mobile phone is not used? IPhones have a flashlight and there are free apps available to add one.

BTW- refreshing to see so many who are checking luggage. I can’t ever recall doing carry on. The only time my luggage has been lost was Paris to Nice but it was delivered to Theoule-sur-Mer at midnight same day. Another way to reduce likelihood of lost luggage is. To only take non stop flights. I realize this is not always possible.

flashlights - is it silly to ask why your mobile phone is not used? IPhones have a flashlight and there are free apps available to add one.

I can only tell you why I carry one. It's a small but very powerful flashlight that charges via USB. It weighs 1.5 oz.

https://www.amazon.com/Flashlight-Keychain-Handheld-Rechargeable-Emergency/dp/B09V57TWPN/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=2JCOX6D6Z72G9&keywords=B09V57TWPN&qid=1681226787&sprefix=b09v57twpn%2Caps%2C110&sr=8-1

I have been in a couple of blackouts while traveling. Had I used my cellphone, it would have drained the battery. Since I didn't know how long the power would stay off, I didn't want to have a dead phone without a way to recharge.

Regarding using the flashlight feature on a cell phone, I turn off my cell phone during long flights. Having a separate little flashlight is so helpful when I try to find something in my personal item when the lights are turned way down inside the plane.

MariaF: I didn’t know cotton leggings were a thing. I will investigate this. Although I bet they weigh several ounces…

MisterE: LOL But RM is managing what you can. Generally, you can’t fly the plane or work on the engine.

It is a small flashlight that uses 2 AA cells, very handy when needed.

Wray: I get mine from a Canadian chain at 95% cotton, but Eddie Bauer has some at 88% cotton. Yes, they will not be lighter than air.

We have two small clip on reading lights that we use for reading in apartments or hotel rooms with insufficient lighting. We leave them on our bedside tables so they can be turned to low power and carried with us to the bathroom at night. We have also used the battery powered tea lights, but the reading lights do double duty.

I have a reading light as well, but not a clip-on, that I use for nighttime flashlight when needed . . .

The reason I have the small flashlight by the bed is that I also bring it to carry at night. It’s in my coat pocket. I like to stay in small hotels, and there’s been several where the key hole in the huge old door is difficult to find without a light or there’s a stone hallway that sometimes doesn’t light up even if the switch is activated. I’m walking a few blocks on cobblestones and don’t want to trip on uneven surfaces. For all of those, I don’t want to pull out my phone and accidentally drop it; the flashlight is much cheaper.

I place it next to the bed, so I don’t need to put on my reading glasses to see my phone to turn on the flashlight app.

I pack very light, and this small flashlight still stays on my packing list.

Instead of a flashlight I bring a small head lamp I picked up at Amazon for less than $10. I brought it to Europe first when we were going to Greece and planned to climb down into a cistern. I wanted to my hands free as opposed to holding onto my iphone like my kids did.

I later used it to go to the roof top deck in Athens. There were motion sensor lights but they didn't go on as quickly as you would expect.

When we were in northern Italy a few years later, we lost power in two different apartments. The advantage of the head lamp is you can pack and do other things more easily than you would be able to do with a flashlight.

Day before flying I drink a liquid IV and
Pack some IV packets.
I set my watch for arrival time when I get on the plane. On my iPhone I add all the destinations with different time zones in the clock /world clock app.
Make sure I have access to my lip balm during flight.