Power bank - this may seem obvious when said, but you’d be surprised how many people I’ve met who forgot to pack a trusty power bank. Having a reliable bank on hand that contains multiple charges is handy for convenience sake and safety. When travelling between Belgium and Amsterdam my power bank helped me keep my phone charged when I was constantly using maps and had no power outlets in sight. Some reliable banks include Belkin, Fresh N’ Rebel and Anker PowerCore.

First aid items - before I went on exchange to Amsterdam one of my mother’s friends made an offhand comment about finding bandaids expensive in Europe. What followed was two-thirds of my amenities bag being stuffed with painkillers, cold and flu tablets, antibacterial cream and six different shapes and sizes of said bandaids. Being a young uni student, none of these sounded like necessities to me at the time. But when you have a splitting headache it’s always better to have the solution on hand than to try to find a pharmacy wherever you are. You don’t need to buy a serious, giant first aid kit and lug it around with you. Just having the basics can save you a world of pain and time. 

Reliable boots - as a person with sore feet who uses orthotics, I find a good boot to be a serious investment. A majority of my time overseas was spent wearing my boots more than any other shoe, especially when it started raining during the colder months. A favourite brand of mine to look at is Merry People, an Australian brand designed to survive all kinds of adventures. My boots fit my orthotics and served me through rain, snow, mud and heat.

Packing squares - Now, this isn’t something that’ll make or break your trip. But it does make organising and packing a whole lot easier. Before heading overseas or on any long trip you have an important step to complete: packing! Packing squares are made from lightweight material and usually come in varying rectangle sizes. They can have labels such as tops, pants, electronics, etc. They can help you organise your packing and maximise the space you have inside your suitcase. If you’re going to live at your destination for a short time, you can also remove the squares from your suitcase and use them to keep track of what’s where on shelves and in draws. 

A powerboard and adapter - You’re going to want a power adapter for whatever region or country you’re visiting. Before heading out I also grabbed a cheap powerboard from Kmart. That allowed me to charge multiple devices at once and only need to buy one power adapter. It was especially handy when I ended up in a place that only had one charging source. As a bonus, getting a power board with a long cord gives you even more options. I had one power point between my bed and the wall where I was staying in Amsterdam. I was able to plug in my power adapter to the outlet and stretch my power board out under the bed, letting me charge my devices on my bedside table instead of crammed between the wall and my bed.