Over the last few weeks I’ve been hopping on and off of Amazon buying little things I need for my upcoming trip.

I won’t lie.   Amazon makes it way too easy to buy stuff but, what can I say, they have me hooked.

So, what did I buy, you may ask?   Well, let me list it off for you…

No more locksmiths!

First of all, let’s start with the things from my last trip I wanted to make better on this trip.

Number one on that list is definitely my lock for the dorm room locker where I store my bag and laptop.

Up until the last trip, I’ve always traveled with a generic TSA combination lock.   However, I’ve found the tiny numbers hard to see (especially in a dark dorm room) so I decided to change it up last trip and bring a key lock instead.

If you’ve read my blogs, you’ll know that turned out to be a big mistake.

So, I went searching for a new lock this time around.   Honestly, I was just looking for a combination lock with bigger numbers that are easier to see in the dark.

What I came across was a technological marvel though.

A digital lock that opens with biometrics.

Yup, the lock will open with your fingerprint!   That’s insane!

Wanna buy it?   Find it here.   It’s just under $50.

All wired up

Another thing I wanted to rectify from my last trip was the number of wires and plugs I was taking with me on my trip.

I spent too much time trying to figure out which wires hook up to what and moving wires around to charge things or upload photos.

It’s actually part of the reason I ended up losing two USB cables along the way.

Anyway, this time around I bought a new travel adapter ($28) that has room for a 3 prong plug (for my laptop), a 2 prong plug, two USB-C outlets and a USB outlet.

I also bought a couple of shorter 1 foot USB-C cords ($12) as well as a pack of what I call USB nubs ($11) which will allow me to plug any USB-C cable into a larger USB outlet.

So, this time I have a plan and, dammit, it’s gonna work!

Travel sized

Another thing I needed to fix from the last trip was making sure my toiletries were travel sized this time around.

Last trip was the first time I traveled with only carryon baggage and I overlooked the size of the liquids in my toiletry bag.

This time around I bought smaller travel sized face wash and suntan lotion.

A selfie plan

Before my last trip, I took all my photos on a separate digital camera and my selfie game, if I do say so, was on point.

However, for the last trip, I took all my photos on my phone.

The photos all turned out great except I hated how my selfies always looked.   It always looked like the camera was too close to me and my face would take up a 1/3 of the photo blocking out most of the background.

I decided I would invest in a selfie stick for this trip even though, honestly, I’ve never really been a fan of them.

I bought one anyway and it came with a detachable shutter clicker that connects via bluetooth to your phone.   All you have to do is click the button in your left hand while holding your camera for the selfie in your right.

No more shaky photos, no more countdown timer needed and I could hold the camera further away.

Yay!

This got me thinking though.

Did I actually need the selfie stick?   I mean, all I really needed was the clicker, right?

I ended up returning the selfie stick and purchasing a stand alone shutter clicker off of Amazon ($11).

This one has a carabiner attached to it so I can hook it to my daypack and click it from there whenever I want to take a photo.   I’m actually pretty excited to get out there and take some selfies again.

Canadian pride

It was time to find a new attachment to my backpack that would show off my Canadian pride when I travel.

I’ve always had Canada luggage tags but the ones I had from 10 years ago were kind of worn down so I had bought new ones last trip but, honestly, they were kinda cheap.

They didn’t close properly and I actually lost one while on my travels.

This time around I’m going to be rocking Canada patches ($9) on my backpacks instead!  

The best earplugs

Speaking of losing things on my travels…

My poor earplugs that I left behind in a hostel on my final days have now been replaced.

If you’ve never heard of Mack’s Silicone Earplugs ($13), take a look into them.   Watch some videos and read the reviews – they are awesome!

100% Todd approved!

Stay cool

On to new stuff for this upcoming trip…

Well, I’m traveling to Eastern Europe in August.   Probably not the ideal time to travel there seeing as how the temperatures will be in the mid to high 30’s Celsius (that’s 90’s for my American friends).

Gotta stay cool, right?

Well, first of all, I’m bringing my good ol Nike travel ball cap.   I never wear a hat in my “normal” life, but for traveling (especially with my now shaved head), it’s a must.

This time around I also bought suntan lotion, a stainless steel water bottle ($37) that keeps water cool for 24 hours, and a bladeless portable neck fan ($28)

Sunglasses

Last, but not least, are some sunglasses.

I actually have been wearing reading glasses for the last few years so I needed to find a pair of sunglasses that could also double as reading glasses.

Well, wouldn’t you know it, they actually exist out there!

They’re called Sunreaders ($28) and I found the style I wanted and got them shipped over to me and, may I add, I look pretty fricken suave in them.

I also bought a bag to hold my sunglasses in ($15).   This one also has a carabiner that will attach to my daypack so I can switch between my normal reading glasses and the Sunreaders at ease.

So, yeah, there ya go.   I whole lotta shopping but I feel like I’ve learned from my last trip and I’m ready to tackle this next one more prepared.

Just 4 short weeks to go!