A few extra items female travelers should bring along.
You’re heading off on the trip of a lifetime. You’ve been shopping for everything you need – you’ve bought your pack, your travel clothes and your earplugs, so you’re all set.
But chicks have slightly different needs than guys. Have you packed these small essentials?
1. Pocket Knife
An absolute essential for any traveler, especially women.
Hostel kitchens aren’t always well-stocked in the knife department, and you never want to get caught without a bottle opener.
In fact, you’ll probably win friends by being the one who can open the beer without having to use teeth. Plus the tweezers and toothpicks are highly useful for grooming.
The Victorinox Picnicker is a great choice – the blade is long enough to actually be useful, and it doesn’t have any useless extras.
2. Tissues or Toilet Paper
Sadly, not all toilets are as well-stocked as the one at your house. Toilet paper isn’t used universally, and if you’re not ready to rinse rather than wipe, having your own supply is essential.
It also comes in handy if you catch a cold or are out in the middle of nowhere when you need to go.
3. Sanitary Pack
You’re a woman so you know how important it is to have the equipment you need for that time of the month.
Prepare a zip-lock bag of pads and tampons, enough to get you through your whole period, and keep an emergency pad in your jacket pocket or daypack.
Traveling can upset your rhythm and you don’t want to get caught short.
4. Plastic Bags
It’s not exactly breaking the budget to throw five or six plastic bags into your pack, but you’ll be amazed at how useful they are.
Keep one in your daypack for rubbish, and you’ll get through the rest of them as waterproofing, or as a place to store your dirty shoes or laundry.
5. Hand Sanitizer
Women tend to be a little more concerned about hygiene than men do. A small container of hand sanitizer will take the place of soap an water after a visit to a less than salubrious public toilet, or before meals in the middle of nowhere.
6. Extra Hair/Head Ties
Don’t underestimate the value of a head tie if you have long hair. Make sure you have three or four extras in your toiletries kit in case of breakages – being able to tie back your hair is important. Plus they can double as elastic bands; use them to tie up bags and keep small items together.
7. Nail Clippers
This is an item men are notorious for forgetting, and as they aren’t something you’ll use every day, many women leave them behind as well.
But it’s no fun trying to cut your toenails with your pocket knife or someone’s kitchen scissors, so chuck a set in with your toothbrush.
8. Sarong
Ah, the all-purpose garment. Being, basically, just a large rectangle of material, a sarong can be used in many ways. As a skirt, a dress, a bedspread, a scarf – the list goes on.
Lighten your load by packing a small towel (a travel towel or handtowel) for drying yourself after showers and swimming, and use your sarong as a beach blanket.
9. Spray-on Deodorant
I’m sure you appreciate the value of hygiene on the road, but spray-on deodorant can also be used as form of self defense. Keep a small container in your pocket if you’re walking alone through dodgy areas, and aim for the eyes if anyone bothers you.
10. A Wedding Ring
You don’t have to actually get married, but invest in a cheap gold band and wear it on your ring finger.
Having a “husband” should deter any unwanted admirers. It might also be helpful to learn to say “I’m married” in the language of the country you’re visiting.
So, before you go, stock up on these ten essential items for female travelers – they’ll ease the way when you’re on the road.
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13 Comments... join the discussion!
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You forgot chapstick
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I was hoping for some real content in this post. C'mon… nail clippers and hand sanitizer?
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Any suggestions?
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It's entirely subjective. Someone walking around Europe will pack a different bag that one hiking in New Mexico. While nail clippers and hand sanitizer seems likely for the urban explorer, they're nonessential in the wild; where I'd opt for the little essentials like a 3" knife, compass, map, bandana, deck of cards, matches, safety pins, and a decent camera.
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Forget sanitary pads and tampons, invest in a reusable menstrual cup like the Keeper or Diva Cup. Not only is it easier to travel with, it's better for the environment, because you can use the same one for 20+ years! You can also take it to places where you can't buy modern menstrual products, and never have to worry about being caught off guard.
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I second the Diva cup/Moon cup – not just for traveling. Very useful and spares lots of money and trips to drug store. I also recommend reusable/washable cloth pads – better for the environment and don’t have to find local stores selling pads everywhere you go (in the US or abroad – where they may or may not be readily available).
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diva cup? i can only imagine…
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The pocket knife, sarong and TP are excellent, but if there's one thing the little towns and villages of the world are abounding with, it's cheap girl stuff. Pack light; if you need anything else you can get it along the way. Bring one or two hair ties max. And just enough TP to get you through to the next town or two, you can usually get more (tissue packets are handy if you don't want to carry a whole roll). Dedicate a plastic bag for used TP because often you can't flush it! Beware of Swiss army knife bottle openers, they can be flimsy and make a mess of your cork. Totally spoils the moment! The spray-on deodorant is more likely to spill in your pocket or purse than save you from predators – unless you keep it in one of those handy plastic bags, but are you really going to go digging for it? Your voice on the other hand is always ready to go. If you get a fake wedding ring avoid jewels and be sure to have a reeaaallly good story as to why your husband isn't with you, because people will pry to no end! Unless you're a salon chick, nail clippers are totally unnecessary if there are scissors around (tiny folding ones are good for the 1st aid kit), though admittedly if you're out for a long time a small file can sometimes be nice. You'll probably bring music along, & decent earbuds make a great alternative to ear plugs – when those 'classy' ladies you share a dorm with come back to the room at 3am after a busy night of clubbing, you can drown out their drunken hollering, stumbling and fumbling with some local tunes. Don't forget flip flops or sandals you can shower in, because those same chicks are going to make an utter mess of the bathroom the next morning! (If you're fortunate enough to be far from the madding crowd they're still handy for sanitary reasons or freezing floors, not to mention dang comfy!) If you want to out-smart the boys, bring a small length of rolled up duck (duct) tape for repairs and just about everything else in the book. As they say, 'If you can't duck it, …!' But most importantly bring yourself – that is to say, unless you absolutely have to, don't leave your heart at home! The amazing experiences awaiting you deserve your full attention.
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In Italy some guys don't care if you have a boyfriend, are married, or wear a wedding ring–they'll still flirt and lean in and aim for a kiss
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A pocket alarm is going to be a lot more help than spray deodorant if you’re in a truly threatening situation, so pack that instead. Also carries the benefit that it cannot be turned against you.
And the wedding ring suggestion is a bit sad. Are modern women such precious flowers that they can’t simply say “I am not interested,” or even “Leave me alone”? Encouraging women to make up a story about why they’re unavailable is diminishing. If you can’t just tell unwanted admirers not to bother you, maybe home is the safest place to be.
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well, as mentioned above, some men won’t take the hint and will keep bothering you anyway. so why not carry a ring just to be on the safe side?
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I’m going straight to Italy.
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