## Packing - When it comes to packing for international travel, it's usually best to follow a few principles. Look for clothing with the following qualities: - **Less is more.** We tend to overpack, especially clothes. But, you need to eliminate items unless you know you need them. Hypothetical uses and concerns should not cause you pack additional clothes. Instead, think multi-purpose with your clothing. Find things that dress up and down instead of single use items. Also, when you pack top layers, find one item that serves as a jacket and a sweatshirt, don't take both. - **Light weight and packs small.** Space is a premium when traveling, and all clothes are not created equal when it comes to packing. Depending on the material used, your pants can fit in a space smaller than a Pringles can, or they can take up half of your bag. The same is true with shirts. - **Dries quick.** Quick drying clothing is crucial in two scenarios. First, if your traveling and get caught in the rain, you will need clothes that dry quickly. After all, it's hard to pack up wet clothes in your backpack with all your other clothes when you're moving from place to place. Second, you may need to wash your clothes. More often than not, I will hand wash some clothes when I travel. If they dry overnight, then I'm good to go the next day. - If you ensure that all of your clothes pack small and dry quick, it makes a world of difference. - **Things to avoid:** - Blue jeans are almost always a bad idea. They break all the rules above, and they are usually uncomfortable in places where air conditioning is rare. Blue jeans take up way too much packing real estate, and they dry slowly. - Single use articles of clothing. Do not pack that one shirt, jacket, dress, etc. that is for that one event, unless you're going to a wedding or a black tie affair while you are there. Instead, your clothes need to pull double duty. - Don't bring a neck pillow. You think you need it. You almost never do. It's only for the plane, but then you have it for the remainder of your trip. They are very bulky, and usually have to hang off your bag. If you are moving from place to place through your trip, you'll wish you didn't have to drag it with you. Instead, bring a hoodie for the plane. The hoodie can be rolled up if you need a pillow or worn if you're cold. ## Tech - **Mobile Data and Connectivity** - Let me start here: you don't always need internet connectivity. International travel is often a reason to unplug from social media, and the internet generally. Furthermore, many places you will stay overseas now offer internet connectivity. So, you can always send needed communication in the evenings or mornings before you activities for the day. - However, if you need cellular connectivity on your phone while you're there, consider a service like Airalo. Airalo allows you to acquire an eSim for your compatible phone before traveling. Once in country, you can activate the service and your phone is good to go. - Your phone must be carrier unlocked to use it, but it is loads cheaper than using "international data plans" through US carriers like Verizon. Those often run $5-10 per day of travel. An Airalo eSim will usually get you through an entire 7-10 day trip for about $20 total. - It is also possible to purchase sim cards to use in your phone on the ground in most countries. This is the cheapest option, because these can run as cheap as $5 for the entire trip. However, it varies from country to country how easy it is to secure a card and activate it. - >[!note] Note: If you're interested in purchasing an Airalo sim card, you can use [this referral link](https://ref.airalo.com/NJXE) to get a few dollars off your purchase. - **Luggage Tracking** - When traveling internationally, having some way to track your bags is a good idea. Luckily, these is fairly cheap and easy. - Luggage trackers are inconspicuous and inexpensive for what they are. You connect them to your phone by with an app, and then hide them in your luggage, your wallet, your backpack, or wherever you need to use them. Your options are tied to the tech ecosystem you use. - If you're an Apple user, then [Air Tags](https://amzn.to/4e9ZA4N) are your best option. I do not use Apple products anymore, but my friends who do say they are easy to use and work well. - If you're an Android user, there are quite a few more options. I'm personally using [Chipolo One Point and Chipolo Card Point](https://amzn.to/441w4el). However, other brands ([Tile](https://amzn.to/4jRphbv), [Pebblebee](https://amzn.to/4kWJNZW)) exist, and some phone manufacturers ([Samsung](https://amzn.to/4jUZAqv) and [Motorola](https://amzn.to/4kOKlkc)) make their own proprietary versions. - I'm particularly fond of my wallet card from Chipolo. It slips in my wallet like a credit card, and provides me with some peace of mind when on the road.