It’s that time of year again–we’re all rushing off to spend time with our friends and family, and to hopefully relax! I’m off to New Hampshire tomorrow for two weeks for some much needed R&R (Amtrak and the bus both ways), and all those hours of travel ahead made me think of the things I can’t (or won’t!) travel without.

In no particular order, here’s what I always have with me when I travel:

1. A portable charger – We’ve all been there, happily tapping away at our phone, crushing candies, when all of a sudden you  get the dreaded “low battery” notification. With 4 hours to go. On the bus. DRAT. Unless, of course, you have a portable charger! I have a Jackery Mini Premium, which gives you at least one full recharge of your device. A great investment for only $11.99.

2. The corresponding credit card – Always and important one–make sure to bring the credit card you used to make your ticket purchase! Sometimes you’ll need to show the card you purchased the ticket with at the airport. Additionally, your card might have some benefits you didn’t know about:  Delta credit cards get you into their lounges at a reduced rate, and the café car on Amtrak earns triple points when you use their cobranded credit card.

3. A good book – A no brainer in my opinion! And one is the minimum, pack as many as you can cram into your carry-on (or better yet, buy a Kindle!). I’m currently reading Beneath the Lion’s Gaze by Maaza Mengiste, and check out my previous post on good travel reading!

4. Comfy shoes – Also a no brainer, especially if you’re going to be traveling for an extended period of time. I have a great pair of slip ons that I always travel in when the weather is nice. And don’t forget to wear socks when you head to the airport, you don’t want to be in your bare feet while in the TSA security line–yuck!

5. the Pocket App – The Pocket App is FANTASTIC! From their website:  “Pocket…was founded in 2007 by Nate Weiner to help people save interesting articles, videos and more from the web for later enjoyment. Once saved to Pocket, the list of content is visible on any device — phone, tablet or computer. It can be viewed while waiting in line, on the couch, during commutes or travel — even offline.” I’ve saved thousands of articles to Pocket on my phone, downloaded them over wi-fi, and then read on the subway, the plane, or the train. It’s a great alternative if you’ve (gasp!) run out of books to read.

6. Headphones – Always handy to have when you’re trying to block out the world or trying to get some shut-eye. I use the basic Apple earpods, but have considered upgrading to something a bit more robust. Recommendations appreciated!

7. A Water Bottle – Sounds basic, but you’re gonna get thirsty when you travel, might as not have to shell out $$$$ to buy water! I have a simple, battered Nalgene that’s done the trick for 5+ years.

Bonus Item:  A great backpack to cram it all into! Depending on how much I need to bring with me, I either use my Herschel Little American or my Timbuk2 Classic Messanger Bag in Medium.

So that’s my list! What can’t you live without when you’re crammed into 32E on the way to see dear old mom and dad?