Travel Necessities (That You May Not Think Of)

As another busy semester drags on, I find myself daydreaming about my upcoming travels. Even at 10 weeks away, I have small piles of necessities lined up in my room and find myself searching the web for the latest and greatest travel gear.

While these may seem a bit random, I will travel with the following items for the rest of my life. These items have become integral to the way I prepare for a trip, and I hope that they can help you too!

Packing Cubes:

I became interested in different packing strategies when I first moved to Ireland. I saw many videos on Youtube of people maximizing their space and packing cubes kept popping up in the conversation. Originally packing in Ziploc bags, I thought the cubes were unnecessary, until my bags ripped and I began to consider the sturdier alternative.

For Christmas, my parents bought me a set of Eagle Creek Pack-it Compression Cubes and I was instantly hooked. Not only do these cubes color-coordinate your belongings, but they make your whole bag more organized and can be compressed for increased storage. I have since added to my collection of packing accessories and insist that cubes (of any brand, because there are many) will change the way you pack and travel!

Electronic Travel Toothbrush:

I know I know I know, who needs an electronic toothbrush when you are traveling? But let me explain. When I was at the Container store last winter, I spotted an electronic travel toothbrush and decided to give it a try.

For smaller trips, this is probably unnecessary. But especially for long trips (multiple months) or trips where you may not keep up the best hygiene, an effective toothbrush is a good way to reconnect with humanity. And for a relatively inexpensive price, it just seems nice.

I have the Slim Sonic Toothbrush and I even use it when I am at home I like it so much. It vibrates (no shifting bristle motions), but really makes my teeth feel squeaky-clean.

Day Pack:

When you are traveling for an extended period of time, there will be instances when you don't want to lug around all of your belongings. Regardless of how light you pack, dragging luggage or a large backpack with you is unreasonable. This is where a good day pack comes in.

When I lived abroad, I used a Kavu Rope Backpack for day trips and it worked great. A bag of this size allows for just enough stuff to get you through the day, is sporty enough for a variety of occasions, and is small enough to pack in larger luggage.

A more stylish alternative would be a bag similar to a Long Champ Le Pliage Tote, one that I also own. While not practical for nature-related activities, more urban activities would benefit from this addition. Not only are these bags of high-quality, durable, and very stylish, they also fold up to nothing and are great to throw in your suitcase.

Charging Brick:

When I travel, I like to spend as little time as possible in my hostel. You are in a new place, and you need to be out seeing it! But you also want to capture the exciting adventures, which is hard when your camera, phone, or other miscellaneous technology is dead.

Cue the portable travel brick! I bought the Mophie Juice Pack Powerstation charger at Target and used it every single day. It is nice to have the comfort of extra power and I never had to limit the number of pictures I was taking.

Noise-Cancelling Headphones:

I get it; small ear buds are handy for carrying around and to save you from awkward situations. But for an avid traveller who spends hours on trains, planes, and in hostels, noise-cancelling headphones are a wonderful investment.

My favorite time to use noise-cancelling headphones is on airplanes. They are great for crying-baby situations, for tuning out your snoring neighbor, or even for just cancelling out the white noise.

While many people spend hundreds of dollars of fancy headphones like these, or these, I saved money by finding an older (but quality) pair of Sonys on Ebay.

I hope these items prove helpful for you on your next adventure! Look for my backpack review and packing videos which will by uploaded soon.

Also, I have a new email! For questions or business contact, email opinionatedlassie@gmail.com.

Until Next Time,

The Opinionated Lassie

Opinionated Lassie Summer Lineup

I have exciting news for my blog and Youtube channel! This summer, I will be traveling and new content will come streaming in! 

Current plans include a trip to Mexico with plenty of sand and sunshine! I hope to make a packing video for this trip, Eagle Creek packing cube reviews, and a blog (if not multiple vlogs).

After that, my summer adventures continue as I head to Europe and backpack for a month! This trip will include time in Iceland, Ireland, and lots of other exciting countries. I plan on reviewing a my travel backpack, posting vlog footage in every country, and plenty of blogs to catalog my journey.

I am thrilled to be planning this adventure as one last hoorah before my senior year of college. I am excited to visit all of my European friends and family, and improve my trip planning and navigating skills even more. 

Although I have had a slow line of travel content lately, this summer will make up for it, I promise!

Thanks as always for reading and your support. I can't wait to share my coming adventures with you!

Your friend,
The Opinionated Lassie

New York City and Philadelphia Vlog | August 8-10, 2015

Philadelphia and DC Vlog | August 5-7, 2015

Wales Vlog | April 17-19, 2015

Copenhagen Vlog | April 10-12, 2015

Rough Transition

When I left Ireland in May, I gave the event very little recognition. I tried not to think about leaving, I tried not to post about leaving. I thought that if I gave as little emotional energy as possible that it would help ease the eventual pain. And this strategy worked, for a while. I was able to sleep, I was able to edit videos, I was able to do absolutely nothing but eat and watch television and felt relatively good about being back.

Now that I am a month out it has finally hit me and it has hit me hard.

This jolt has come very unexpectedly and I am just now concluding that it is, in one form or another, the "reverse culture shock" people predict. And perhaps most confusingly, the stress is in no way about leaving my beloved Ireland but is instead about returning to my beloved Kansas.

Ireland facilitated a glorious lifestyle for me - minimal school work, unlimited travel, social expansion, and a whole lot of self discovery. While I miss that life (and probably always will), that is not the part that I am stressed and depressed about. Instead the turmoil comes from the incongruence of the life I led before and the person I am now. The new me cannot seem to fit in the spot the old  Emily left behind and into her dependable relationships from a year ago.

Not only is this now-world jokingly mundane compared to what I had abroad, but to my ignorant shock everyone did actually move on without me. My presence is now a year old in every eye and the gossip and camaraderie more than a few months expired. The distractions in Ireland made me horrible at staying in touch and naturally (as I should have expected), people learned to live without me and I without them. It is as if I am back in a land of acquaintances and I have to reintroduce myself, regain their trust, and reform opinions of the people walking in and out of my days.

I don't know if this is common for students that return. Today was the first day I became truly overwhelmed and hope that as I force these two lives together some harmony results.

While I try to keep this website positive and lighthearted, I also strive for transparency. I am hoping to fully document the "study abroad experience" and want you, my reader, to realize that it is not all daisies and roses. When you study abroad there is a clear beginning and a clear end. And if the journey was worth taking, the end should always be bitter sweet.

Yours,

The Opinionated Lassie