Traveler: Danielle Gervalis

Traveling is all about the experience. You meet people along the way, try different foods and flavors, and see things for yourself that you’ve only read about on the internet. However, there are certain creature comforts that make life easier if you bring them with you on your journey. Here is my list of travel gear that has helped make bearing delayed flights, broken down buses and rainy city exploring effortless!

Vuori Clothing 

There’s nothing like settling in for an overnight flight in a comfy outfit. I don’t know how people sleep in jeans sitting up for 10 hours. They should be studied. So if you are looking for a cozy pair of athleisure wear that won’t make you look like a schlep once you get off the plane/bus/train/donkey, then I urge you to check our Vuori. While not cheap, this California based company stands by their products and offers hassle free refunds. I love the soft and breathable fabrics that make up their joggers and hoodies. Best of all, they have POCKETS!

Kindle

I was beyond late to the Kindle show. I finally purchased one during a 2018 Black Friday sale and haven’t looked back! I thought I would miss flipping paper pages but all of that nostalgia has been replaced with the ability to download a book in seconds instead of dragging my butt to the library. Additionally, it’s only one tiny object instead of hauling around multiple, heavy hard copies.  Finally, you can still get TONS of free books through your local library on the Kindle! It’s a seamless process and you have access to as many books as you want right at your fingertips.

Inflatable Solar Lantern and Charger

This dual purpose lantern not only lights up your campsite it will also charge your devices! Just let it charge in the sun during the day and it will last 14 hours when fully charged. I got this for my trip to the San Blas Islands and loved that it deflated so it didn’t take up any precious bag space. When you are ready to use it, you just blow it up and turn it on!  You can find this device at REI by MPOWERED Luci Lux Pro Inflatiable Solar Lantern.

Cord Organizer

This is one of those products that I didn’t know how badly I needed it until my friend and fellow WTU writer, Breonne, gifted me one from BagSmart! Since then I’ve been even more ultra organized! All of my electronic plugs are in one location and not in an impossible jumble of knots. It’s flexible with storage and takes up minimal space in my bag.

Camera bag

I decided to upgrade from iPhone selfies and purchase an entry level Nikon DSLR camera to really capture the beautiful scenes I was experiencing on my travels. The flip side of that was that I had something that didn’t fit in my back pocket anymore and was a little bit more delicate to falls. So I hunted for a camera bag that could still haul my day stuff and protect my lens. I found two I loved:

1. Lo and Sons – If you are looking for a sleek design that doesn’t scream “expensive camera inside” for exploring city life, then this is the perfect leather bag. However, it is $300
2. ZLYC – This was the camera bag I ended up purchasing through Amazon. At a $60 price point, this canvas bag fits everything I need (chapstick, small wallet, phone, sunglasses, passport, extra battery) and keeps my camera safe. It fits in well on the metro and hiking trails.

Scarf

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention having a scarf as an essential piece of travel gear. It is the most multifunctional item you can bring along. It serves as a blanket, pillow, eye mask, towel, keeps you warm, and can help get you into places where you need to cover your hair. It doesn’t matter the brand, color or style, a scarf is a traveler’s best friend!