I stayed in a camper van in Hawaii for 2 nights. Here are 5 things I wish I packed and 5 I'm glad I did.
During my Hawaii trip, I wish I brought my beach towel but was glad I had my water bottle.Ashley Probst I rented a camper van in Hawaii for two nights and tried to pack only the items I needed. I'm glad I packed my portable charger, shampoo, water bottle, and business cards. I wish I had brought my own towel, pillowcase, laundry bag, and bathing suit. Having my portable charger was a life-saver.Having my portable charger saved time.Ashley ProbstI was glad I had my portable charger before I even needed to use it. Though I didn't use it for the majority of my trip, I needed it while I was exploring Ala Moana for the last few hours of my solo adventure.If I didn't have this device, I would have wasted time waiting for my battery to charge at a restaurant or caf.I was glad to have my shampoo and conditioner bars.I'm glad I packed shampoo and conditioner bars to keep my hair healthy.Ashley ProbstMost places I've stayed provided hair-care products in the shower but I was still glad to have my tried-and-true shampoo and conditioner bars during the trip.I love carrying these products so I can potentially inform people about their non-toxic ingredients and eco-friendly benefits as zero-waste alternatives and support a small women-owned business.I was relieved to have a healing salve after getting a few bug bites.The healing salve helped remedy my bug bites in no time.Ashley ProbstThough bug spray would've been more efficient, I didn't want to buy something I'd only use sparingly.I brought this healing salve I already owned just in case I regretted not buying bug spray, which came in handy when I woke up on the final morning of my trip with bites on my arms.I would've had a tough time without my reusable water bottle.I filled up my water bottle many times throughout my trip.Ashley ProbstCarrying a reusable bottle around kept me hydrated and I always stumbled upon a water fountain exactly when I needed to refill.I also bought stickers at various stops along my journey so I'm excited to decorate my bottle to commemorate my travels.Packing my business cards was unexpectedly beneficial.I even handed out some business cards for my tarot-reading services.Ashley ProbstDuring my trip, networking came naturally and I was prepared with my business cards when I met potential clients and collaborators.Having business cards readily available helped make me look and feel like a professional.I wish I used my own towel instead of those provided in the van.I initially thought a beach towel would take up too much room.Ashley ProbstI almost packed a beach towel but I thought it would take up too much room in my suitcase.I wish I'd ended up bringing my own towel from home since the ones in the van I rented didn't seem as clean as I would've liked.I accidentally forgot my travel-sized soap at home.I needed a fragrance-free soap to clean my new tattoo.Ashley ProbstForgetting my own soap was a hindrance because I was traveling with a fresh tattoo. I needed soap without fragrance or alcohol, which meant my options were limited.I ended up using a mini Dove soap bar that I snagged from a friend's hotel room but I didn't think it was as sanitary as bottled liquid soap.I regretted not bringing a bikini.I didn't have a swimsuit when I wanted to use an outdoor shower.Ashley ProbstThough it seems impossible to go on a trip in Hawaii without a bathing suit, I decided to leave my bikini at home since I had a new tattoo I wouldn't be able to submerge myself in the water.However, I regretted it when I was drenched in sweat looking longingly at a beach shower and wishing I could rinse off under a cold stream of water.I think packing my own pillowcase could've prevented some pimples.A pillowcase doesn't take up much room in a suitcase.Ashley ProbstSimilar to my first experience traveling in a van, my skin didn't respond well to the environment and I broke out soon after I returned home.My breakout made me question how clean the camper van's pillowcases were and I realized I would've felt more comfortable if I had brought my own.I was disappointed that I forgot to bring a laundry bag.I missed my drawstring laundry bag.Ashley ProbstI've brought a laundry bag on trips before but for some reason didn't think of it when packing for this trip.Instead, I used a shopping bag to carry my laundry, which wasn't as convenient as using a canvas drawstring bag.Read the original article on Insider
Thursday, September 15, 2022 at 2:10 pm