My Essentials List - For Travel Lasting 1 Month or Longer

Introduction

Traveling for a long period can be daunting, for me anyway. My first thought is always something like "How do I manage packing as little as possible, while still feeling like I have everything I need", which can be difficult if I plan to be away for a long time. However, traveling for extended periods is enjoyable for me because it allows me to live in a place, rather than just "travel" there. This way, I can get a sense of the culture and what day-to-day life is like without rushing to fit in activities.

While each trip lasting a month or longer can vary widely depending on your plans, I have a few things that I don't like to leave behind if I am away for a month or longer.

The Essentials

I usually start making a to-do list a few months before my trip. Oftentimes, I need to schedule appointments (typically I only do this if I am traveling longer than 3 months) and get a variety of things done that may take a few weeks. Often, I start by making sure my annual/bi-annual appointments are scheduled (physical, dentist, etc.). At these appointments, I also make sure to ask my doctor to prescribe any meds I may need in bulk so I can pick them up from the pharmacy (e.g. birth control, malaria pills, etc.). This is usually the most time-consuming task so I like to do it with some advance. Oftentimes, there are restrictions with insurance, and you may have to pay for things out of pocket, so beware of that! A few months before your trip is also a good time to make sure you're up to date on all of your vaccines or have vaccines that may be relevant to your trip.

Next, I think a little about the weather and activities I might be doing on my trip and if the gear I own is sufficient. For example, if I am going somewhere tropical, is my rain jacket sufficient, and if so, do I need to waterproof it again? Or perhaps, am I going hiking, do I have the right gear? This one is always really tricky for me because I like to pack light, but at the same time, I like to take random trips that may require my hiking clothes (I don't always know the types of activities I will do in advance, so I often bring my boots and light gear in case).

Clothing Essentials

Rain jacket - this is pretty essential anywhere for me, and packs down relatively small
Underwear/bras/sports bras
Socks - usually I bring a few pairs of hiking socks and then regular socks
Sweater / light jacket - I typically always bring my Smartwool long-sleeve top with me because it's small, but warm too
Dry-fit t-shirt / long-sleeve shirt - since I like to hike and am generally very active, I always bring at least one of each with me - these also dry quickly and are easy to wash in case I do anything adventurous
Sandals - if I am going somewhere that it will be cold, typically I don't bring these - though I could have used them in the public showers on my road trip recently in NZ
Sneakers
A pair of lightweight joggers - usually I will wear these on the plane, I just generally think they are good to have for any scenario, mine are almost a dry-fit type material, and are lightweight
At least one pair of workout clothes - leggings + one of the dry-fit shirts above usually will suffice
Oftentimes I bring my hiking boots, this is also because I am pretty spontaneous when I take trips like this

Toiletries and Personal Care Items

Hairbrush
Toothbrush/toothpaste - can always bring a travel-sized one, there are usually decent toothpaste options abroad
My retainer - yeah, embarrassing, but hey, it is what it is
Basic make-up - this varies by person, but there are a few things I like from specific brands that I prefer to take with me
My favorite facial sunscreen
Travel razor - recently, I got a really compact travel razor, and I love it!
Leave-in conditioner spray - this is essential for me because I can't usually find anything like it abroad
Travel shampoo/conditioner/ oap - to hold me over until I arrive and scope out options wherever I am traveling

Typically I will bring a small travel soap with me, however it's usually really easy to buy this abroad as well, so how long I am in a specific place will depend on the type of soap I buy (e.g. sometimes I will buy a bar if I am in a place longer, or sometimes I will buy a travel-sized bottle if I am moving a lot, it depends on what your itinerary looks like).

Tech and Accessories

Laptop - this is only if I am working abroad - otherwise I prefer not to have it
Kindle
SIM card/international data access activated - I typically always ensure I have access to international data before I leave the airport in a new country, usually I will at least buy a 24-hour international data pass with T-Mobile until I buy a SIM in another country, or sometimes I will just do the month-long international data pass with T-Mobile
Chargers - I always have extra too - I like one to keep on me at all times
Fanny pack
A small day-pack or purse - whatever you prefer, but I do like to have a bag that I can carry a water bottle and a sweater in if I need it
Speaker - I have a mini travel speaker I always bring with me
AirPods
Hair ties
A few extra pairs of earrings/necklaces

Health and Safety Items

I would say this one varies depending on where you are going and the type of travel you'll be doing. If it's going to be a more adventurous/remote trip, I usually am a lot more prepared in this category, however, if it is more of a trip where I will have access to basic items/healthcare e.g. in cities, I don't worry a ton about this. However, below, I have included a list of things I usually have regardless:

Mini First aid kit - usually I have my makeshift one with bandaids, wipes, etc. I don't find every item necessary, so I usually kind of make my own which usually has: the essential meds I mention below, bandaids, a wound cleaning solution, and hydration salts
Essential meds - ibuprofen, pepto, tums, allergy meds, cortisone cream, a few electrolyte packets, and sometimes malaria pills (depending on the trip)
Usually, I also try and learn the local emergency numbers just so I have them
Ideally, have your first destination in the new country in a photo/written somewhere you don't need access to the internet to view. You may not have service going through customs and they almost always ask where you'll be staying
Check if you can drink the water - in some places, you absolutely should avoid the water or anything that may have been washed with it
For the reason above, sometimes I bring my life straw, you can also buy a soft-sided bag to sort of filter your water, essentially, I will fill this bag and push it through the filter in a glass. However, this really depends on where I am, sometimes I just go for bottled water.

Financial Essentials / Documents / Accommodation

Everyone has their ways of traveling, for example, sometimes people like to book things far in advance to save money or generally like to mentally prepare themselves better/maximize their time. This certainly works for some people, but this is not how I travel. I prefer to have accommodation booked for maybe 1-2 weeks to get a feel for the location. I don't like booking so far in advance because I have been in situations where I have booked something and not liked the area / Airbnb. So if you plan to stay in one city for a few weeks or longer, I recommend considering this because, during your first few days there, you will learn more about the direct location of your accommodation. Of course, the drawback to this is, that you could love it and then end up in a situation where you can't extend, however, I prefer this over being stuck somewhere that I don't like. Sometimes, I also prefer to stay in hostels to get a sense of the areas other people might like. In this category, I typically bring:

Passport
License - another form of ID in case you lose your passport
A travel credit card - this is essential for me to buy stuff without incurring transaction fees for being abroad, I use Chase Sapphire Preferred
I usually like to take out a little cash at the airport in a new country
Debit card
I always ensure I have photos of my passport on my phone / google drive (in case I somehow lose my phone and passport)
Yellow fever card if you have the vaccine

Cultural and Social Considerations

This is something really important to me. First and foremost, my suggestion is to always enter a new place with humility. I see way too many modern travelers expect people in other countries to bend to their customs. Oftentimes, throughout Central and South America, I see people expecting to speak in English. I get it, it's embarrassing and hard to speak in Spanish when it's not your native language or perhaps you know very little, but this is what comes with traveling to other places. While you may not understand anything someone is saying to you, at least attempting to communicate in their language will make people much more welcoming. You can even use a translator app for this, or perhaps just memorize a few important phrases (e.g. how to order food, how to say thank you, etc.) anything to show that you're trying is better than simply speaking at someone in your language in their country and expecting them to understand you.

Additionally, I like to:

Research what the locals typically wear - this is important, especially in more religious countries where showing parts of your body may be deemed disrespectful - this also can come down to safety, it's generally safer for you to not stick out if you can avoid it
If you're speaking another language - try and see if there are awkward or offensive things in the language that you can avoid saying

Conclusion

This is just my essentials list! In the future, I can provide more information on the types of trips I do, and what sort of things I pack depending on the specific activities I plan to do. In the meantime, I hope this can help on whatever trip you may be planning to take. Be safe and enjoy yourself!!