I’ve talked before about the ‘art of packing’ and how I really enjoy trying to fit all my luggage in a carry-on!  This doesn’t always work however – sometimes I have to choice but to check a larger bag, and when I do, everything goes in there so I have very little to take with me on the plane.  Basically, I only take anything that I would need or that would cost me $$ if it was lost, stolen or damaged.  All electronics (including my DSLR camera) end up traveling with me.

Despite all the packing, there are a few things that I never leave home without!

Lately, I’ve been discovering gems around Colorado using www.vrbo.com, a member of the HomeAway, Inc family.  So far I have stayed at condos in Keystone, CO, a wonderful cabin in Garfield, CO, and a four-bedroom house in Rico, CO.  I’m looking forward to my next HomeAway adventure in Pagosa Springs, CO!

The folks at HomeAway were kind enough to send me a graphic of my top 5 essentials when packing for any trip – into the mountains, south, or around the world! I’ve added a few more below.

1. Water bottle – Always carry a water bottle with me. I’m doing my part to prevent unnecessary waste because I can refill it at water fountains along the way. When we’re camping the water bottle is accompanied by a MSR water filter. We take the water from the streams along the way!
2. Tea travel mug – Too easy.  I drink loose leaf tea (most of it from DAVIDsTEA, based out of Montreal, Canada) and the mug I have has a built in tea infuser! Wherever I go, I can add hot water for a great drink. Most coffee shops will fill your mug with hot water for free.
3. Sunglasses – never leave home without them. Even in the winter when the sun glare reflects off the snow, polarized sunglasses are absolutely essential!
4. iPod – For me, music is a must-have when I travel. While hiking, or on the plane, I bring my iPod or put music on my phone for listening to.
5. Sunscreen – In the past I have forgotten to bring sunscreen and either find myself burned beyond recognition, or frantically searching for sunscreen in second and third world countries. Now, I always bring it with me.  When I’m kayaking, I keep a stick of waterproof sunscreen in my lifejacket.
6. GORE-Tex® jacket – I love my Patagonia Super Alpine jacket or my Outdoor Research Revelation jacket. Takes up very little space in my luggage and provides a windbreaker, rain jacket, fall jacket – all in one!  Couple that with a light down jacket, you can be prepared for any weather!
7. Waterproof camera – This can be your smartphone with a waterproof case, or a waterproof point-and-shoot like my Olympus TG-4. The TG-4 is shockproof, freezeproof and waterproof. When doing any outdoor activity, I don’t leave home without it!

Here’s a picture of what I took with me on our hike up to Kroenke Lake, Colorado for a week. You can see a few of my essentials – things that I absolutely must take with me either on a backcountry camping trip or on a touristy hotel trip!