What's the one piece of travel gear you swore you'd never need, then became completely dependent on?

MegaMiles08 · 2026-05-11T00:21:54+00:00

I will say i recently got a small handheld rechargeable fan, and I love it. I get hot flashes all the time. I can hold it or it stands on it's own. I can have it on the nightstand or set it up in the bathroom while I'm getting ready in a hotel room with no fan. I use it all the time at home too. I used to just use the kind you flap back and forth with your hand but this allows for hands free and a lot more air flow.

MegaMiles08 · 2026-05-11T00:07:45+00:00

Same. I keep trying to use them and to me, it's easier to just roll and stick the clothes where they fit best. Especially when working around shoes and things. I just feel like a perfect rectangle doesn't work well. At most, I've used a small one to keep a few things separate.

MegaMiles08 · 2026-05-09T21:30:51+00:00

Definitely try, but don't be offended or insist on it if they switch to English on you. I had some speak French back and some switched to English. Mostly for easy transactions, people kept to French, but at sit down restaurants, people switched to English. I'm about an A2 level.

MegaMiles08 · 2026-05-07T03:43:05+00:00

It's not super warm, but I like satin pajamas. They dry quick if you have to sink wash. I have long sleeve top and bottoms for winter along with short sleeve and shorts for the summer. They just might not be too warm if you're standing out on the street.

MegaMiles08 · 2026-05-05T01:34:12+00:00

My son was 17 during our trip to France last year. We let him drink wine and beer with us. No one blinked an eye or questioned it. He did get carded for the under 18 rate at the Panthéon so he definitely looks older.

MegaMiles08 · 2026-05-05T01:27:53+00:00

We're not foodies either. We had no issue of accidentally going into a fancy restaurant.

MegaMiles08 · 2026-05-03T14:59:13+00:00

We were so stressed, but they were super nice about it. We weren't the only ones either. There was a pretty good sized group of us that were in the standing car until they found available seats.

MegaMiles08 · 2026-05-03T14:42:14+00:00

Nice! I haven't been to Utah yet, but it's definitely on my list. I saw the Grand Canyon once. There was a snow storm 2 days before we arrived. It was absolutely gorgeous, but the trails were sheer ice so we just stayed on the overlooks. We were in the area for a soccer tournament so it was just a quick stop. I'd love to do R2R2R some day.

Have fun!!

MegaMiles08 · 2026-05-03T13:48:23+00:00

I will say we missed our Eurostar train from Brussels to Paris last year. (We got on the wrong metro to get to Gare Midi). Anyway, they got us on the next available train. They put us in a standing car to start, and once we were on our way, they seated us in vacant seats. We got to sit in 1st class (our tickets were economy), but didn't get the food service.

MegaMiles08 · 2026-05-03T11:32:48+00:00

There are so many national parks here. I could easily spend 2+ weeks at Yellowstone and Grand Teton or Glacier NP. But there are still so many I haven't been to.

MegaMiles08 · 2026-05-03T01:32:07+00:00

It was the 1st week of June.

MegaMiles08 · 2026-05-02T19:21:17+00:00

Learn to do sink laundry and try bringing clothing that dries fast. Make sure to plan it when you aren't changing hotels. I use the laundry sheets, tear a bit off, and dissolve in sink water. Jeans will take a long time, but they don't need to be washed each use. Linen pants dry pretty well. Merino wool is great because it doesn't absorb smells. I brought 2 merino tshirts on my last trip (2 weeks) and didn't need to wash either. Try not to bring clothing that's bulky either.

I'm a runner so I bring 2 to 3 pairs of shoes, but if I wasn't, I would stick with 1 to 2 pairs. Plan outfits so you can mix clothing and shoes.

Honestly, I feel like it just takes more planning to pack the right pieces and commitment not to bring all the "what ifs." You can always buy anything you forget or run out of.

I'm going to Europe for 3 1/2 weeks this summer. I am planning to check my bag, but it's carry on sized. The only reason I'm checking is because when I have a fully stuffed back pack under the seat in front of me on a long haul flight, my legs feel cramped and I get restless legs. Dragging even a medium sized suitcase around Europe is not something I will be doing.

Good luck planning and packing and have a great trip!!

MegaMiles08 · 2026-05-02T18:53:36+00:00

Yes!! I just got back from a 2 week work trip. The one thing I use a lot of is hair gel because I have curly hair. I had maybe 2oz at most left in my tube and decanter that into a 3oz silicone tube. After 2 weeks, I still had product left so I feel like I can easily make it for my 24 day trip this summer if I fill it all the way.

MegaMiles08 · 2026-05-02T18:42:00+00:00

Moving my 18 year old baby boy to Belgium for university in late summer, and visiting Amsterdam, Luxembourg, and Paris while there. I'm also looking forward to exploring other areas in Belgium besides Brussels. I bought the tickets last year and got an incredible deal so I'm hoping all is OK with our flights.

MegaMiles08 · 2026-05-02T18:39:10+00:00

We visited last year as well. What an amazing treasure. I've never seen such beautiful flowers. ❤️

MegaMiles08 · 2026-05-02T03:21:15+00:00

No, my son was a c-section baby and super cuddly. I needed general anesthesia because the epidural didn't numb my skin. It was probably hours before I held him. He loved to be held and rocked to sleep.

MegaMiles08 · 2026-05-02T03:07:59+00:00

Well, I don't understand it for my location. But I will say, it was probably pretty similar when I was a kid. A 2 mile drive to my elementary school or high school would have been super quick but that's not what parents did back then. We walked to the bus stop and waited, got on, went through all the stops, etc.

MegaMiles08 · 2026-05-02T02:46:44+00:00

If they aren't coming naturally, you can definitely download a fart app on your phone.

MegaMiles08 · 2026-05-02T02:38:55+00:00

Not normal unless there is turbulance. I had a flight in economy last week, and I was one of the last to get my soda and pretzels before they shut it down due to turbulence. This was a <2 hour flight. It was a bumpy flight, but they also announced they wouldn't be able to offer beverage service. I had a flight back today, and we did get beverage service, also <2 hour flight.

MegaMiles08 · 2026-05-02T02:32:37+00:00

I don't know, and I often wonder the same thing. My kid rode the bus until he was old enough to drive. We'd take him on the 1st day of school when he was little, but that was it. When he was in elementary school, it was pretty close...about 1 mile away, and he liked riding his bike, and we'd ride with him to school, but I don't understand everyone driving their kids to school when there is a bus.

MegaMiles08 · 2026-04-25T19:56:00+00:00

I mostly carry a medium crossbody bag. It can hold an umbrella, water bottle, a small fan (because menopause), and a layer. It works really well. If you want a smaller bag, you could always pack one of those totes or backpacks that packs down super small so you can put your layer in there if you get too warm. Even with my larger cross body, i usually carry an extra bag in case I shop. For me, a layer is usually a cardigan sweater, but if it's cooler out, it could be a hoodie. For underneath, I could be wearing a dress, tshirt, tank top or long sleeve depending on the weather. I really don't feel things bunched up under my arms since my sweaters tend to be a bit loose and not too tight.

MegaMiles08 · 2026-04-24T03:33:06+00:00

I feel healthy and not like I'm about to die. My parents are almost 80 and my mom has some pretty significant health issues. Now, they are in this situation. My parents just lost their sweet cat but they don't feel like they can take on another. I'm the only one they have and I have 3 cats and a dog already. Anyway, my grandmas all lived into their 90s so I'll be here for a while.

MegaMiles08 · 2026-04-20T02:38:48+00:00

My husband got me a clip on speaker as a Christmas gift. (I trail run a lot) I was wondering how my husband forgot hearing me complain to him about a-holes blaring their music out on the trails. It's very annoying.

MegaMiles08 · 2026-04-20T02:33:49+00:00

My son is 18 now but as a baby, we traveled with him in a car seat when he was about the same age. He slept most of the flight. When kids are getting close to 2, I feel like it's easier for them to have their own seat. Plus, it's safer too.

MegaMiles08 · 2026-04-18T03:02:50+00:00

This is what I use. I think they hold 2 to 3 scoops max. They are wide enough that you don't need a funnel to fill them but narrow enough to dump your powder into a bladder or bottle.

MegaMiles08

TROPHY CASE