Hi everyone! We find ourselves on a long train ride and were talking about how we’re closing in on four months of travel. FOUR MONTHS!! Someone asked us the other day what had been the most useful items and we thought others might be interested in our answers as well. So here are our nominations for our travel MVPs.
MVP Nominations from Jen:
- Backpack: (Osprey Farpoint 40L) When we see other people dragging around suitcases and multiple bags, we are very thankful that we are able to just strap everything to our backs and go!
- Clothesline: (Sea to Summit Lite Line Clothesline) Being a compact clothesline, it doesn’t use the normal clothespins. So it did take a bit of time to get the hang of how to properly hang it in the hotel room and make sure the clothes hung evenly using the beads to keep them in place.
- Water bottle: (LifeStraw Go Series Stainless Steel 1L & silicone base) Although we’re not drinking nearly as much water as we should be, it’s definitely given us the option to have it when we want it. It’s also great to have in the hotel where we don’t necessarily have access to drinking glasses. The silicone base is great for protecting the bottom from dings and dents but we also appreciate the non-slip effect, too.
MVP Nominations from Greg:
- Portable sink: (Sea to Summit Kitchen Sink 20L) Without this we would be handcuffed to laundry facilities and would not be able to travel as freely. Handwashing clothes is quite simple and can be done in less than thirty minutes in our hotel room. We do so any time that we have a couple of days to allow clothing to hang dry.
- Rewards cards: (both Chase and AMEX rewards cards) We’ve used our rewards cards so much that we’ve built up points that we’ve been able to use to completely avoid paying for hotels in a couple of the bigger more expensive cities. We’ve also really enjoyed the free room upgrades that we get when booking through a rewards card. Plus, both of the rewards cards have built in travel insurance for purchases made with it, though we thankfully haven’t had to use it yet.
- Travel CPAP: (Resmed Airmini) This level of travel literally could not happen if we had to lug around distilled water and a bigger CPAP machine. This mini one uses humidifier discs, instead of distilled water, and is small and lightweight.
MVP Winner: Resmed Airmini
It may not be glamorous, but the travel CPAP is the easy winner here. Sleep is vital, and this makes it possible for both of us to get much needed rest - Greg for sleep apnea, Jen for a quieter night.
So, thanks for checking in. And we’ll see you at the next stop!
- J & G