You may have seen that we were recently on a 12 day trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. When returning from trips, I always look at the most useful items that I packed and some of the least useful ones to learn for my next trip.
My five “must haves” from this trip were:
Wander Plus Crossbody Bag – Normally I bring an Arc’teryx crossbody and a small purse. I saw this bag on Instagram and picked one up in black. It has a variety of anti-theft features, a sleek design and purposeful pockets. It looked nice enough for going out and worked for hiking or day trips, too. It’s on sale on Amazon right now for $29.99 with an additional 5% off.
Chico Bags Travel Pack – This handy, sturdy back pack folds into the outside pocket and is easy to stow in another bag. I got one in 2020 for our Mexico City running trip and have been using it ever since. It has to side water bottle pockets and several zip compartments. It also has a chest strap so it’s easy to run or hike with. It’s also machine washable.
Clutch Phone Charger – This lightweight, credit card sized, rechargeable phone charger slips right in your purse or pocket. It can recharge an iPhone, your headphones or even a tablet. The cord is built right in so you don’t need to carry a cord.
Tesalate Sand-Free Towel – This lightweight, quick dry, packable towel is perfect for summer adventures. Two fit into my travel backpack and were perfect for post kayaking in Tortuga Bay, hanging at the beach and post snorkeling, too. They dried quickly so we could use them three days in a row and didn’t get all of our things sandy. Enter to win one here through July 24.
Airalo E-Sim Card – I saw this E-Sim on Ally Case’s Instagram. She’s a flight attendant who travels all over the world. If you have an unlocked phone, you can install a “travel” line on your phone and switch it. I got 2GB of data in Ecuador for $15 (and got $3 off for using Ally’s referral code). I topped it up with an additional 1GB for $8. I spent $20 instead of the $100 I would have spent with Verizon ($10 per day!). Learn more here and get $3 off your first purchase with code ERICA2374.
What’s on your must-have list?
I’m linking up with Darlene, Michelle, Renee, Jenn and Zenaida for Fit Five Friday. Join us!
Have a great weekend!
PS. Don’t forget my great giveaways!
Please note: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you use these links I’ll receive a small commission. To see many of my finds, check out this Amazon page.