I’m on the road again! Or, more specifically, on a plane again and this time, I’m headed to Japan.
Mr. C and I will be making the rounds in Tokyo, Gifu (where I used to live), Osaka and Kyoto and it’s certain to be a busy few weeks! Admittedly, I’m a little nervous, as I haven’t traveled this far internationally in quite some time but after my trip to L.A. I think I got the hang of what all I need to pack.
Ideally, I prefer to travel as light as possible, especially since this time we will be moving around a lot and will need to be carrying our things with us often so we are each only bringing a carry-on. Now, if you’re on my email list, I sent out an email last time before flying out with my “must have” list of travel goods but I figured I’d post a public one this trip, as I’ve adjusted and perfected my packing a bit more!
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Now when I pack light, I try to keep things minimal and take into consideration whether or not I’ll have access to a washer/dryer etc. however I also want to allow myself to still be healthy as well as environmentally and economically savvy.
Clothes: I tried to keep things simple and versatile and because it’s currently rainy season in Japan I have a lot more neutral tones than usual (they don’t show wet rain as badly!).
- 5 Shirts
- 2 Shorts/Pants
- 2 Dresses
- 1 Cardigan
- 2 Camisoles
- 3 Sets of Shoes (yup, gotta bring the rain boots!)
- 1 Belt
- 1 Umbrella
- Bras, Panties & Socks
Other: This covers all the goods I need for personal survival and comfort!
- 1 Stainless Steel Water Bottle – I like to fill this right before getting on the plane and will continue to use it throughout the trip- disposable plastic bottles are a no-go in any country!
- Raw Green Super Food – Because you never know exactly what the food will be when traveling, I never travel without these! These capsules are perfect when you’re on the go and easily to provide daily greens and fiber.
- Vega Protein + Snack Bars – Considering we will be on multiple planes with minimal layovers for almost 15 hours in total, having snacks is imperative. I also like to bring these as a breakfast replacement for days when I don’t want to have to go out and buy something.
- Pain Ease Essential Oil– I learned the hard way how painful a redeye can be for neck muscles. This time I’m packing some of this blend with me to massage into what will undoubtably become a sore neck sometime during the trip!
- Snacks in a Collapsible Food Container- We will have lots of melon at home and will be packing some as a plane snack to eat before we arrive! Because the container collapses it’ll take up no room in the suitcase later.
- Reusable Utensils– Because you never know when you might need them!
- Borox- The easiest cleaning tool for traveling!
- Omiyage– Basically, small gifts to give to friends and hosts of where we will be staying.
- Technical Stuff- The computer, camera, phone and all the chargers/adapters.
- Toiletries- No explanation needed here!
Anyway, that’s about it and all this will fit into my carry-on and a purse. I’m looking forward to giving the omiyage, as it will allow for more space in the bag for our return trip.
Is there anything you consider a must have when traveling? Let me know in the comments below!