As I mentioned before we do not travel light. We travel with the utmost comfort in mind that we can manage while not having a permanent home at all. We have found over the years of staying in assorted AirBNBs that there are certain things that we are always needing that is not supplied by the hosts. Since we have started carrying these items, it also allows us to stretch our budget when we stay a few days in a hotel so we don’t have to eat out as much. I also love to cook and there are just certain things I don’t want to buy every single place I go so oddly enough we find ourselves carrying these things. Here are the things we bring for our “kitchen” and also other household odds and ends.

1. A sharp ceramic knife with a sheath. No Airbnb ever has a sharp enough knife. We also use it to cut tomatoes, cheese etc for impromptu picnics.
   
2. A bottle opener – no explanation necessary.
   
3. 2 round plastic tupperware “bowls” – This store things while we are transporting it but double as cereal or soup bowls in a pinch. The kinds that come with your take out noodles is perfect if you have those.
   
4. A couple of days supply of instant coffee. If you are a coffee purist then a cone with a filter which I used to do but over the years I have switched back and forth between that and a few packets of instant. Mark takes sugar in his coffee and I don’t so the 2 in 1 with sugar packets on the side works for us. This is just to get you through the first day or so when you get to a place. We also bring an assortment of teas.
   
5. Spices! I know this is an odd one but I don’t want to do without spices and it is not practical to buy them at every place so we carry a small packet of rosemary, oregano, and chilli flakes. Of course we also have small packets of salt and pepper but most places will at least provide that.
   
6. Portable cups with lids – for coffee or wine in a pinch.
   
7. A UV water bottle – To be able to use regular clear water and “zap” it to remove pathogens, bacteria, virus. This is different from a water filter which removes impurities. We start with clear water and essentially kill anything in it with UV rays.
   
8. A bike lock – for locking all our bags together when we leave it at a hosts, or in the car or if we feel the place we are staying is not the most secure, we will create a “safe” by locking laptops or valuables into our lockable suitcase and then attaching that to a heavy piece of furniture.
   
9. Laundry sheets – we use these at home too as they are kinder to the environment as 40 loads worth of detergent can be held in the equivalent of a thick office envelope. Sometimes hosts will supply enough detergent. Usually they don’t. We do a lot of laundry.
   
10. Beach towels – we have 2 very thin ones which absorbs water off your skin but repels water when splashed on it, dry quickly, and doubles as a blanket or yoga mat or I’ve even used it as a poncho when caught in the rain once.