Let’s face it – packing for a trip can be a nightmare. Especially for first-time travelers, it can be overwhelming to look inside your closet and figure out which items will be handy while on the road.
After visiting 117 countries over the last 5 years, I have mastered the art of packing and deciding which useful items I need to bring with me on trips.
But I’m not talking about clothes – since I personally think it’s redundant to pack more than a few outfits (and let’s be honest, nobody remembers what outfit they wore when looking back on a trip). I am talking about small gadgets, or electronic devices that can fit in my hand excluding the iphone (since I am assuming most people reading this has an iphone and it’s the most essential gadget of them all).
Here are 5 Travel Gadgets to Pack in Your Backpack:
1. TEP Wireless – a TEP portable hotspot device is the most useful item in my backpack without question.
Using my TEP at Victoria’s Peak in Hong Kong
It gives me reliable Internet access in more than 100 countries with the click of a button. TEP uses 3G or 4G signals (much like a cell phone SIM card) to connect to the strongest server in any given country. The best part about Teppy is that I can connect up to 5 devices (laptops, tablets, phones) at once! Ever since I got a TEP about a year ago, I’ve never had to stress or worry about not finding wifi on my travels.
2. BOSE QuietComfort 25 - I cannot travel without my wireless BOSE noise cancelling headphones.
Working on a cruise in Antarctica with my Bose Headphones
They do take up a bit of real estate in my backpack, but it’s absolutely worth it for the futuristic quality of sound that these magical headphones provide. They are particularly made for airplanes, where it completely takes away the loud sound of the engine and makes you feel like you are floating on the clouds. They make me work harder, longer and easier in any café as well -- I am actually wearing my BOSE headphones right now as I type this!
3. DJI Spark – Whether you are a beginner or expert photographer/videographer, using a drone really takes your game to the next level. It adds visual perspectives that were not possible to achieve just a few years ago.
The newest product on DJI’s drone line is called the DJI Spark – it’s the cheapest, smallest and lightest drone on the market, and I can attest that it works great! I am addicted to using my drone and I’ve already used it in 16 countries over the past few moths. It’s so tiny that you won’t realize it’s in your backpack, and you can easily whip it out anytime to get the best shots of your dreams!
4. VCOO Universal Travel Adaptor – Sometimes it can be challenging to charge all of your electronic devices at once – especially if you are in a hotel room with only 1 outlet in the wall! The VCOO Travel Adaptor will make your life easier.
Power Adaptor
It can fit ANY wall charger in the world (which I can confirm since I’ve used it in 7 continents) – and it has 3 USB slots on the side as well. Essentially, you can charge your computer, phone, camera and drone all in one single plug overnight.
5. Aukey Power Bank - What happens when you need to charge your devices on the go, but you aren’t near a wall outlet charger? You need to bring a portable one with you like the Aukey 20,000 mAH power bank!
The Aukey Power Bank
I’ve gone through several of these over the years, and I find the Aukey to be the most complete. It can charge your iphone 7 up to SEVEN full charges, and it has 2 USB ports which are faster than you can imagine. It’s a great device to always have in your backpack for charging multiple devices at once!
So there you have it – my top 5 travel gadgets that I’d recommend any traveler to bring with them. If you have any questions, please contact me on my Facebook page, or visit my travel blog for more information!