During a recent discussion with some peers about traveling, we talked about some of our “tricks” when heading out on the road. While I’m trying to travel less each year as I get older (I’m down 15 days this year from 2022 which is a start), I can always use a solid tip to make life on the go easier. Given that our readers usually like lists, here are the five things I always have in my carry-on luggage…..
Change of clothes – If my checked bag gets lost, I’m covered for at least one day. The airline can usually sort things out within 24 hours, so one simple outfit in my backpack will do the trick.
Shaving kit – Related to the change of clothes noted above, if things get off script, I’ve always got the tools to freshen up. If my kit is in my checked bag and it gets misplaced, you are probably not going to like whatever the hotel has, and a trip to a local drug store may be challenging depending on where you are and the time of day.
Snacks – I always carry a Ziploc bag with some power bars and similar type snacks in it. These can come in handy if you get stuck on a runway or need a quick bite on the trade show floor.
Portable phone chargers – My backpack usually contains two or three of them at any given time. You can’t always guarantee the airplane will offer a power source, especially the smaller regional jets, so I’m always prepared if my phone starts fading. The old school “stick” types are okay, but we really like the credit card sized ones that have the charging cable already attached to it.
Thank you cards – You never know when you may need one, so I usually travel with 4-5 of them including stamped envelopes. (Note: I also always have a multi-color Bic pen with me so I can take notes in four different colors, each with its own level of importance).
Here is a bonus item…..
Presentation tools – My computer carrying case always has a presentation clicker, two fresh batteries, and an HDMI cable in it. We do a lot of presenting and we never know what we may or may not find when we get to the location of our meeting. These are the three things we have found missing the most, so we bring our own just in case.
These suggestions probably seem relatively simple, but you never know, maybe one of them can come in handy for you in the future.