As I mentioned before, we don’t travel light. We prioritize comfort while traveling, even though we don’t have a permanent home base. Over the years of staying in various Airbnbs, we’ve identified certain essentials that are often missing from our accommodations. Since we carry these items with us, we can stretch our budget when staying in hotels by cooking some of our own meals instead of eating out all of the time. I also enjoy cooking, and there are certain kitchen tools I simply prefer to use consistently. 

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. Two round plastic Tupperware bowls. They store random  snacks while we are in transit. But they also double as cereal or soup bowls in a pinch. 
   
4. A couple of days’ supply of instant coffee. If you are a coffee purist, consider bringing a cone and filter. Mark takes sugar in his coffee, but I do not, 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 like cooking without spices, and it is not practical to buy them at every place we travel. We typically carry a small packet of rosemary, oregano, and chilli flakes. 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 at an Airbnb, in the car, or if we feel the place we are staying is not the most secure. We create a “safe” by locking laptops or valuables into our lockable suitcase and then attaching that to a heavy piece of furniture. It’s not perfect, but we feel it’s at least a deterrent for a thief looking for a quick smash and grab.
   
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 two very thin, quick-drying beach towels. These towels are highly absorbent, yet they also repel water when splashed. They can also be used as a blanket or yoga mat, and I’ve even used one as a makeshift poncho when caught in the rain.