Hello Gallivanters!

It’s that special time of year again when it seems everyone on your Instagram is on a month-long European vacation. You might ask yourself, “How in the world did they have the PTO for that?” Or, “Surely they aren’t having as much fun as that #hotdogsorlegs #amalficoast picture suggests?”

Chances are they are probably having the time of their life, but it doesn’t mean they aren’t wishing they were up close and personal to an AC unit right about now.

I’ll be the first to admit, late July and early August European travel isn’t for the faint of heart. Especially when you forget that one, “I didn’t even think of that,” item that seems oh-so imperative right about now.

Luckily for you, I made a point to document everything I wish I had brought with me to Europe.

Medication

This might be #1 on your packing list, but unfortunately for me I was more focused on packing cute tops and 3 too many pairs of shoes. Trying to bring some medications can be tricky going through TSA, but over-the-counter stuff should be okay. Remember to consult TSA guidelines for where you are flying, but if you can remember to bring basic allergy meds, Tylenol, and ibuprofen you’d be doing yourself a favor.

Eye Drops

If you are going to a new country and/or flying for the first time, you simply don’t know how your body will react. The local pollen and allergens that cause you to have a seriously poor reactions. For me, it was dry eyes and a stuffy nose for several days upon landing. Not to mention how dehydrating flying can be, so I wish I had had eyedrops accessible to me right away.

Nasal Decongestant/Spray

To make a long story short, I left the U.S. with dreams of international travel, historical sites, and lifelong memories. I came back to the U.S. with lifelong memories and a severe sinus infection. This probably could have been avoided if I had brought allergy meds and a nasal decongestant with me. Needless to say, I won’t be leaving U.S. soil without some next time.

High Quality Eye Mask

I had the pillow, the blanket, and an extra blanket. When the lights dimmed on our 10-hour red eye to London, I readied myself for a dark, dreamless sleep. Then, the blue aisle lights of the plane turned on. *sighs* *opens notes app* bring. eye. mask.

Chewing Gum

At the last minute, this could easily be grabbed at a kiosk inside the airport, but you better have access to some before the airplane takes off. Like I said before, you don’t know how your body will react the first time on an airplane, so it’s best to just be prepared. Chewing gum can help your inner ear adjust to the change in elevation on both the ascent and the landing.

Hard Luggage Case

Others have different opinions, but I wish I had just had a hard luggage case over a cloth one. Ironically to this post, it’s because I overpack. Soft luggage cases will tend to allow room for more, but the Italians don’t mess around when it comes to restrictions on the size of your luggage, so I had to check my bag. For many reasons, it’s just best to avoid checking a bag. For me, it was the anxiety of not having my eyes on all the souvenirs I had carefully packed away in the luggage tote. The downside is the potential of the luggage case cracking under the weight of other bags. With a higher-quality luggage case, this shouldn’t be an issue.

Carbon Monoxide Detector

I wish this didn’t have to be stated, but other countries don’t have the same safety regulations as the U.S. You can get a wall plug-in Carbon Monoxide Detector on Amazon for about the same price as a universal charging outlet, which you’ll need anyway, for all one shipping and handling fee. At the end of the day, it’s about safety while traveling, which I simply can’t put a price on.

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Thanks for checking out the blog! If you are heading out on international travel soon, I wish you a safe and fun trip. Bring an eye mask! And meds! And your carbon monoxide detector! I’m officially “mom-ing” you, aren’t I?

-Allison