Greetings from the not-quite-halfway point of my trip, which so far has been really a ton of fun, aside from losing my laptop, which definitely sucked, and (obviously) made it impossible to post anything until I replaced it. Being without one of my essential items for so many days put me in mind of some of the other things I won’t leave home without. Like for instance, a travel steamer. My favorite, most perfect one of all time went missing—I must have left it behind on one trip or another—and I was hard pressed to find a specimen that was both as diminutive and effective as it was. Also, I wanted to spend less than $50. So I took a chance on this Electrolux model, and it heats up super-fast and gets wrinkles out of even the the most stubborn garments.
Packing cubes so live up to their hype: you can easily cram a lot into them, and even if you don’t need the extra space (which I didn’t—the suitcase I brought along on this trip is massive) they come in handy for compartmentalizing your shirts, pants, dresses, cosmetic bags, and etc together so that you’re not tearing through your suitcase every time you need something. I have this cheapo set, but if I had it all to do over again, I’d buy these, because they’re water-resistant.
These synthetic Birkenstocks are cheap, comfy as hell, take up very little room in my suitcase, and ensure that my bare feet will never touch a dodgy hotel room carpet. The watermelon pink hue is pretty cute too.
Love packing cubes. EVA Birks don’t work for me – I have VERY sweaty feet. Not only do my feet slip around(dangerous!), my feet make a lot of farting noise.
Same on the EVAs– I’m always surprised when people say they’re wearing these a lot. Good for in the house for me, or pools.
I need more info on the lost laptop cuz I’m on this ride with you!
Glad you are having good trip but so sorry about the laptop. Also quite happy you posted a steamer (sorry you lost your fave) as I literally started the search for one, yesterday. I refuse to iron but figure I should start taking care of the type of wrinkles I can actually do something about. Andrea posted one last week but I deemed it too expensive for something I am not entirely certain won’t get chucked in the corner and forgotten about, but figured this one is worth the risk. Thanks!
My condolences for your lost laptop. When one of my essential devices isn’t available to make my life work I feel like I’ve lost a limb. But it sounds like you digested this tragedy well, perhaps thanks to a terrific trip.
Egad, what a bummer losing a laptop! And if you are still having a great trip with that kinda bummer…very impressive! If I’m on a road trip I travel with really good coffee and a way to boil water so I can do a cup of pour-over. The bother is minimal and the return is maximal. I love to begin my day with a cup of coffee and thirty or so minutes of quiet. I agree on packing cubes––and I alway keep one in reserve for dirty clothes. On my road trip from Texas to the East Coast I also included a sleeping bag liner and my own pillow so I would not have to sleep on hotel sheets or pillows (this is Covid preventative in my mind, but not at ALL scientific!!)––the liner is warm so I can lay it out on top of the sheets and put the bedcover in the closet or on a chair. The liner folds up tight and fits into a plastic bag so takes up minimal space when not in use. I purchased mine at REI, but they’re available on Amazon and most sports stores.
Ditto. The trip sounds like it’s going very well!! It is wonderful to be able to bounce back. Also I am in awe of people who have the mental energy to steam their clothes. I am trying to work in more wovens, so, some day I might need a steamer too. And same with packing cubes.
The “dirty clothes in packing cube instead of in suitcase” idea is a good one, CW! I usually pack an extra Baggu bag for my dirty clothes, but this would work. Glad you’re having a wonderful trip, Kim! Danged shame about your laptop, tho.
I haven’t been anywhere in a LONG time but I do remembering travelling with a kettle and a selection of tea bags, mainlt for self-protection. Lots of people, including hotels and AirBnB hosts, know coffee, but tea knowledge is far more rare.
I used to travel for work and stay for long periods of time in rental apts or hotels. Back in those days decent coffee makers in those places were scarce. The solution these days is a Bonavita travel kettle and an Aeropress which makes quite decent coffee. I hear it has an expresso attachment now too. The only thing is that it apparently looks like a bomb in your suitcase, but everything does these days. I was recently pulled over in security because I had a bag of granola next to a clip-on book light. My sister was pulled over for a small fruitcake. I guess both of those are more bomb-plausible than underwear……
My carry on was combed over because I had a “pouch” ( I can’t handle adult real wallets with a tiny teeny-tiny change compartment or no zipped section – may I request a “non-wallet wallet” post? ) full of pennies (because, who bothers to empty?) Apparently some nefarious-minded folks hide razor blades amongst their coins – who knew?
I don’t use a real wallet either. I have one and it’s nice, only it seems too large somehow. It is checkbook sized. (Remember checkbooks? ) So, I’d be interested in what Kim comes up with. Small, light, happy colored, and durable would be the goals. I just throw change in the bottom of the purse, but, I could imagine also not doing that.
I use a safety razor and accidentally packed blades in my carry on one time, didn’t even occur to me what I had done until a very unamused TSA agent pulled them out of my bag, ha!
Just got back from 6 weeks in Europe and packed all your items! I purchased a dual voltage travel steamer (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0062ACM7G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) so I could use it abroad. It worked great for the price. I also packed my own silk pillowcase cover (which I left in a hotel by mistake – but it made it most of the trip), a Turkish towel, and my silk sleep mask and Bose noise masking sleep buds.
So sorry about the lost laptop, Kim. I agree that packing cubes are a must —they really help me pack efficiently and make it easier to find things and keep dirty clothes separate. I like the kind that have partial mesh covers so you can quickly see the contents. (I got mine at Container Store.)
FYI: it’s been announced that Eagle Creek is being shuttered by its owner-company, so buy those great packing cubes while you can.
Wow, that’s astonishing. I’ve bought loads of their stuff over the years. The quality is great.
Yup. It is. These are a little “inside baseball” but explains more.
https://www.outsidebusinessjournal.com/brands/camping-and-hiking/eagle-creek-to-cease-operations-by-late-2021/
https://www.outsidebusinessjournal.com/brands/camping-and-hiking/eagle-creek-should-not-die/
Oh no! That’s so sad. Their stuff is great. In addition to my regular packing cubes, I use their Isolate Compression Cubes for longer trips — it lets you squish in more clothes in less space.
https://www.eaglecreek.com/shop/pack-it-isolate-compression-cube-ec0a48xn?variationId=010
Those EVA Birks are amazing. I have two pairs (navy & rose gold) in the Madrid style – one strap – for around the house and they are the best. My husband is really hard on flip flips, he blows out at least one pair every summer, but he’s had the EVA Birk thongs for going on two years and they are going strong.
So people don’t find the thong in the thong-style eva birks to be too large? Some reviewers were saying that (maybe on zappos, I fergit). I have enjoyed my eva Arizonas but I am curious about the Honolulus.
So my husband loves his. i had a pair of the Honolulus and found the piece between the toes to be too wide for comfort. Am a 7.5 – 8 and the 38 is a perfect fit otherwise.
Thanks, eertmeert! This could save me a trip to the PO.
I LOVE my Birkie EVAs! They’re my beach shoes and when I get home, I just hose them off.
Same here! I have the exact watermelon pink Arizona ones as in the post and truly want to wear them all the time, beach or not.
The EVA Birkenstocks are a dream to wear (though I’ve only tried Arizona) and super easy to clean. In terms of travel, they weigh 4 oz each.
If one wants to be a bit chicer, they come in black, olive green, silver, copper, or the very palest rose.
Thanks for posting , that is so sad. I’m glad I just bought some new ones.