top 10 travel essentials!

Here's my top 10 items that I would never travel without.  It's always true that less is more and whatever you forget you can buy on the road, but these things particularly can be difficult to come by in many countries, especially if you want good quality items that won't fall apart!

This is a list I wish someone would have given me before we traveled!

• sunscreen:  SPF 50! Your face will thank you!
• travel undies: Exifficio all the way!  Don't leave home without two pairs!!  They're great!
• pocket knife: scissors, toothpick, knife, can opener all in one - perfect in a city or on an island!
• bug spray: because bugs are EVERYWHERE!  and they get BIG and MEAN!!
• set of utensils: so you can eat anywhere you want!  Fruit stands are awesome everywhere!
• light weight clothing:  They dry fast, they're cool in hot weather, easy to carry and sometimes, you look ok!
• laundry detergent: something small and strong with a lot of punch!  It makes life a little less smelly!
• camera:  this is the one item we would run off of a plane with!  Well...and our passports.
• comfy shoes/sandals:  This is a must or life is hell!   One pair of each only though, or backs will hurt!  Make sure your shoes look all right with all your outfits though, or you'll just look laaame.  People have more style in Yogyakarta, Lampang, Lusaka, Mbeya and Zanzibar and Cairo then I ever will!
• Charles Schwab debit card:  Or any kind of VISA debit card with no ATM fees and interest on checking!  This saves a LOT of money and takes the stress off of taking out as much as you can in a transaction.  Do you really want to carry $400 around with you at once?

Other items we've learned to love:

•  beach sarongs - good for more then beaches!
•  sleep saks - good for skanky-ish motels
•  small sized laptops - good for typing blogs/photos!  ;)
•  black ball point pens - great for emergencies/entry forms into countries and sudoku puzzles on planes!
•  baby towels - unlike the special travel towels - they're soft, they wrap all the way around and they dry in the same week!  Plus, they won't start smelling funny!  Grr....evil travel towels!

Girl things I've learned to love:

•  the Diva cup - saves space, money and time trying to find lady products in other countries!
• arm cloth bracelet wallet - it has made me feel beyond safe carrying money in any country and disappears under your shirt!
• nail polish - it's silly, but it's sometimes the most relaxing/girly thing I can do in the middle of nowhere!