Ultimate travel essentials guide
What we always pack, what we never miss, and the one thing that makes a long journey feel shorter.
Packing well is mostly about leaving things out. After years of overstuffed weekend bags, we have settled on a short list that fits in a carry-on and covers almost everything.
The short list
- One good jumper that works with everything
- A refillable water bottle
- Headphones and a paper book, for when the battery gives up
- A journal and a pen that does not leak at altitude
Why a journal earns its space
Tickets, receipts, a pressed flower from a café table: a travel journal turns the bits you would normally throw away into a record you will actually look at again. A Pocket Companion slips into a jacket and never gets in the way.
Write it down on the day. Memory edits; paper doesn’t.
Travelling soon, or know someone who is? Everything on this list makes a thoughtful send-off present.