The Travel Medley

Osprey Porter 30L: Opens like a suitcase and fits all budget air guidelines – aka my travel BFF. This is the only backpack I will ever take on an extended, international trip ever again. {blog post}

Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Soap: Can be used as dish soap, laundry liquid, shaving cream, body soap, shampoo, and supposedly even toothpaste (which is the one thing I’ve never tried, and never plan to).

Eagle Creek Pack-It Cubes: Hello organization! These are a little pricey, but super durable and feather light! And y’all, I need extra weight in my backpack like California Cat Lady needs another kitten.

PackTowl Personal Towel: TBH, microfiber is kind of weird to towel off with, but this lil guy dries quickly and takes up very little packing space. Good for hostels, beaches, or even as a picnic blanket.

TSA Approved Master Cable Lock: The flexible wire ensures that you can use this lock in any situation. The combination style ensures that you won’t spend your trip stressed about losing a tiny key.

Hearos Ear Plugs: These ear plugs are your ticket to sweet, uninterrupted sleep. Even if your hostel roommates are idiots. Or if you’re sleeping next to church bells that ring every 15 minutes.

Sony Rx ii Camera: Easily *the best* compact point-and-shoot. (Well, except the newer version of the same camera.) Incredible travel photos without the weight/expense/stress of a fancy-pants DSLR.

iFox Bluetooth Shower Speaker: Music is a must for me. This waterproof speaker allows me to practice my Beyoncé solos daily – whether in the shower, at the beach, or on remote hikes.

GoPro & floaty backdoor: For swimming, paddleboarding, whitewater rafting, and taking underwater selfies LIKE THE MERMAID YOU ARE. (And other crazy adventures.)

PowerBot Battery Cylinder: If you are as directionally-challenged and overly-reliant on Google maps as I am, extra smartphone juice is vital for in-route planning.

Macbook Air: Small, light, and portable. For blogging, editing photos, researching travel options (with approx 23849 open tabs), and binge-watching House of Cards on Netflix.

Kindle Paperwhite: #TRAVELHACK – check out ebooks from your home library while you’re on the go (including guidebooks)! Frees up packing space, weight, and money.

Chrysalis Cardi: Essentially a fancy, multi-way snuggie that you’re allowed to wear in public without judgement. I’ve worn it 10+ ways in 10+ countries, and I’m totally obsessed. {blog post}

Thinx: Period panties! Winner of the “why-didn’t-these-exist-sooner” award & a monthly staple whether I’m on the road or just eating donuts on the couch. {Plus, $10 off your first order!}

Minus33 Merino Wool Crew: My fav merino wool shirt because it’s super low maintenance and magically transforms me from a sweaty hobo to a chic travelista. {See Woolly for guys}

Ibex Freya Full-Zip Cardigan: One of my FAQs – people linking to a picture of me wearing this multi-way jacket & then asking what it is, so they can also purchase it. (Lol, one time…)

Calvin Klein Double Breasted Trench: Both the hood and the inner wool liner are removable, making this coat super versatile. It’s easily worn across seasons, and a classic piece in your wardrobe.

Goody Spin Pins: I wouldn’t believe it until I tried it, but these things somehow manage to keep my mountains of tangly hair in a reasonably sleek bun all day long. (I suspect witchcraft.)

Beyoncé’s Lemonade: I mean, regular lemonade is good too, but y’all KNOW when it’s Queen Bey serving it up, there’s gonna be ambition, power, and sass in your glass. This album is my everything.

Karaoke: You guys, *anything* can happen on a karaoke night!!! It’s a magical activity. And it’s the easiest way to turn a room full of strangers into BFFs in the span of about a 3 minute song.

Stroopwafels: TBH, the best ones are freshly made from a street stall in the Netherlands. But you can also find pre-packaged stroops online. And/or buy this stroopwafel mug I hand lettered.

Paddleboarding: A day of paddleboarding is my favorite way to relax. All I need is my inflatable SUP, my waterproof speaker (see above), a can or two of cider, and a few hours to hit my mental reset button.

The Spanish language: I took Spanish classes all through high school and college, and I spent a summer as an au pair in Spain. I’m also in love with salsa (both the dance and the food item).

Reading by the pool: If I can’t be paddleboarding, then I want to be reading by the pool. Favorite books include: The Wool Omnibus, Gang Leader for a Day, Fahrenheit 451, and Einstein’s Dreams.

A gratuitous use of emojis: The amount of emojis that I use while texting, Facebooking, Twittering, Instagramming, etc. is completely unnecessary… As is this shirt that I bought to pay tribute to my obsession.

Donuts: Let’s be real. I’m obsessed with all desserts. (Y’all probably know this.) But donuts are something I can make at home! Using this donut pan, and this recipe, I regularly put myself into a donut coma.

Speech-Language Pathology: This is my “real” career. I love neurology cases, and highly recommend The Brain That Changes Itself for a fantastic view on neuroplasticity and rehab.