5 Easy Travel Packing Hacks (to Vastly Improve Your Next Trip!)

Plus: Greece's Flora, Candombe Music, & Cape Town

Apr 05, 2024

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I took notes of all the feedback. One massive trend was a desire for more travel tips.

I hear you loud and clear, so here we go:

A couple of weeks ago I was at the San Francisco International Airport feeling absolutely devastated.

Why?

Because a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer had just opened my carry-on. In seconds, my container of almond butter was tossed in the trash. I was saddened because it was going to be a gift.

Also, I felt down because my once-organized suitcase was now a mess.

It made me think, how can I pack my bag better next time?

Well, friend, here are a few travel packing hacks for your next trip.

Some inspiration came from personal experiences and help from the website Solo Female Travelers.

Replace liquid toiletries with solid ones

According to the TSA’s website, airplane passengers can bring liquids that are a maximum of 3.4 ounces in carry-on bags.

However, you can avoid the hassle with a solid shampoo bar and body/facial soap bars.

Use plastic wrap for any small liquids.

The worst feeling (besides having your almond butter thrown away at the airport) is opening your suitcase and seeing that one of your liquid containers opened.

You can prevent this by wrapping all the tops of your liquids in plastic wrap. Small effort goes a long way.

Invest in compression bags

Compression bags are the best way to pack clothes in a suitcase. I’ve used them on many trips. They’re extremely useful.

They’re available online or at large department stores. Travel & Leisure has a good list of compression bag options.

Weigh your luggage at home

You can buy a special mini scale to weigh your baggage at home. This avoids the stress of walking up to your gate and hoping desperately that you won’t have to ditch some items at the last minute. No stress at the airport means you’re starting a trip in the best headspace possible.

Stuff socks in your shoes, and other clothes in a hat

You can repurpose packed items to be an extra layer of storage. It maximizes your bag’s space and looks cool too.

Bonus: Remember peanut butter and almond butter are liquids!

Even though my almond butter was rock hard, it still was considered a liquid and was triple the 3.4oz weight limit for carry-ons. Knowing TSA’s rules beforehand will make you a travel guru.

⚓️ Travel quote of the week

‘Don’t adventures ever have an end? I suppose not. Someone else always has to carry on the story.’

– Bilbo from Lord of the Rings

🧐 Did you know?

pink and white flower tree near blue and white concrete house during daytime — Photo by Dimitris Kiriakakis on Unsplash

Greece’s flora is among the richest in all of Europe. According to Greece Is, there are approximately 6,000 species of plants.

750 of them can only be found there. Among them is the Micromeria acropolitana. This colorful pink blossom is found around the Acropolis of Athens.

⛩ Culture corner

a group of people walking down a street holding flags — Photo by Nigel SB Photography on Unsplash

I recently finished a fun read from

Ashleigh Bugg

about her trip to Montevideo, Uruguay. In her article, she described this traditional dance called candombe.

World Music Central says the candombe originated in Uruguay from Africans brought to the country as slaves and their descendants. Candombe involves a large parade of drummers (tambores) and drum leader (escobero).

As they perform, dancers do energetic choreographies. Two important characters lead the candombe. The old mother (la mamá vieja) represents the spiritual leader. The herb man (gramillero) signifies the African people’s healer.

Candombe represents resistance and celebration. Modern Camdombe incorporates multiple musical influences like jazz and pop. It is a UNESCO-recognized cultural heritage event. In Uruguay, it’s common to see these dances during carnival.

Fun fact: Uruguay’s carnival is famous for being the longest in the world!

🌆 City Showcase

aerial view of city near mountain during daytime — Photo by Tobias Reich on Unsplash

Cape Town, South Africa

My cousin Josh and his family live in Cape Town (hi, fam!).

Also, Cape Town consistently ranks as one of the best cities for expats to live in Africa.

This is according to Quora, Travel Noire, and Business Insider Africa.

Rome2Rio says it takes approximately 25-45 hours to fly from San Francisco to Cape Town. The best flights I found have a layover in Dubai.

Why should you visit Cape Town?

Some of the best wine in the world: Cape Town is a wine-lover destination with anywhere between 200 and 900 wineries. I tried to find the exact number but reports varied!
Abundance of nature: On top of being a vibrant, multicultural city, Cape Town embodies nature at its finest.

You can take a hike up the majestic Table Mountain which is the iconic natural landmark of the city. Also, you’ve got plenty of nature reserves and rugged coastline for many fun activities. Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden is one of the best on Earth.
Lots of interesting events: Wise Move says Cape Town has fun festivals like the Cape Town International Kite Festival, the International Jazz Festival, the Woodstock Winter Beer Festival, and the Knysna Oyster Festival, to name a few.
Visit Robbin Island: From the V&A Waterfront in downtown Cape Town, you can take a ferry to Robbin Island. It’s a former military base and prison. It symbolizes the country’s somber apartheid history and former government. Nelson Mandela and many others were imprisoned here. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and you can learn more with a tour.

These are just a few ideas. There is a lot to discover in Cape Town!

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