Real talk: Travel isn’t always glossy airport lounges and cocktails with paper umbrellas. Sometimes, it’s missed meds, broken wheels, and trying to pee while guarding your backpack from seagulls and strangers.
This is for those of us who travel untamed – not filtered, not perfect, but prepared as hell!
Whether you’re a solo wanderer, a parent on the move, or managing chronic illness while chasing your bucket list (my specialty!), this toolkit has been built from real-world experience and ridiculous lessons learned the hard way!
Ready to level up your travel game? Let’s pack smart.
1. Luggage & Packing Gear That Doesn’t Suck!
Backpacking / Hiking Backpack (for adults and kids)
I love this bag! I bought it for my daughter for a camping trip, and a few weeks later I tried it out myself (thanks to the height adjustable back / straps) during a trip to Croatia – cabin bag only!
This backpack is 40l + 10l, so can hold more than enough for a week away, but can also be pushed down to size to fit into most airline cabin bag measurements.
One of the main issues I have when travelling is the carrying of things. It is easy to forget I have heart failure and an ICD, so it is imperative that the backpack straps are comfortable and adjustable.
The straps on this bag were so padded and soft, and just the right distance from each other, that it felt like I was hardly carrying anything. Best of all…the straps didn’t scratch against the side of my ICD! Yay!
Anti-Theft Crossbody Bag
I bought my first crossbody travel bag on TikTok, but although the bag was surprisingly durable, the material was not.
Silly me – I bought it in white!
So, after much ado, I purchased this bag from Amazon. Great reviews, but most of all, great storage! In such a little bag, the amount of space inside is incredible! It has 5 card slots, 2 slot pockets, a button pocket at the front, adjustable straps (we all know I love those), and even a retractable keychain inside the bag, so I can keep my purse safely stored away.
Sorry TikTok, but the material of this bag is much better, too! As it is made from PU material, it is easier to clean and even though it is a light colour, it has stayed cleaner for longer than my previous bag.
Defo a worthy buy for safety, security, and peace of mind! Plus, I HATE carrying things, so it is fab to be able to just wrap this around my waist like a bumbag (fanny pack) and get going.
Compression Packing Cubes
Turn chaos into carry-on calm. These cubes let you fit twice as much, separate clean/dirty clothes, and avoid the dreaded “exploded suitcase” moment at airport security.
I love how easy it is to compress them with the zip – no vacuum cleaner needed! Amazing! Even more amazing for women like me who love to overpack with their children!
These cubes (although not quite cube shape!) are also water-resistant, come in colours white, grey and green, and you can buy them in sets of 3 pieces, 5 pieces or 6 pieces.
2. Travel Comfort + Health: The Real Essentials
Collapsible Water Bottle with Filter
Hydration + clean water = fewer headaches and tummy tantrums from the kiddo!
This silicone, BPA-free collapsible water bottle holds up to 700ml of water and squishes down to only 1.5inches (3.81cm)!
Reduce your impact on the world by being a sustainable traveller, and use a reusable water bottle that doesn’t leak, doesn’t break or scrunch up when it drops. It comes in a choice of six colours, too. My faves are Blue Ice (it reminds me of the beach) and Raspberry (I’m cheesy and like the cute colour).
Motion Sickness Acupuncture Travel Bands
Whether it’s boats, buses, planes, or camel rides, motion sickness doesn’t discriminate or care! Be ready!
These bands claim to minimise nausea related to morning sickness, motion sickness from cruise/car/train/airplanes/VR/3D gaming and three-dimensional rides at theme parks, migraines, hangovers, and even “post-operative and chemotherapy-induced nausea” – although I wouldn’t promote them as doing this, as I haven’t confirmed it myself.
I recently (around a year or so ago) began to get a little car sick on long car rides, so I tried the ginger tablets. They didn’t seem to work a whole lot – maybe due to my scepticism, so I’m considering trying these travel bands.
The bands take 2-3 minutes to work, by applying pressure to the Neiguan acupuncture points on the wrists.
I’ll be honest in that I haven’t actually tried these bands yet, but one of my good friends swears by them! I’ll be giving them a go next time I’m in a car for longer than 30 minutes.
Pocket Travel TENS Machine (for chronic pain relief on-the-go)
Anyone with chronic pain knows how much TENS machines can help!
This machine was a godsend for my pain relief while I was moving around outside or travelling! Unfortunately, now that I have an ICD internal defibrillator, I’m no longer allowed to use TENS machines due to the electrical signals it sends to the nervous system (it could interfere with my ICD).
The flexible pads on this machine are perfect for back pain relief, muscle pain, join or knee pain, shoulder pain and even period pains (the main reason I first began using TENS machines!)
Rechargeable and with no setup needed, this travel TENS machine for chronic pain relief when travelling can make all the difference to how much you enjoy your trips.
3. Safety & Sanity Boosters
Sunflower Lanyard (Hidden Disabilities Scheme)
The sunflower lanyard is more than just peace of mind. It gives subtle but powerful support when travelling with invisible disabilities or illnesses, and is recognised in most major airports, although I’ve noticed it has more clout in the UK!
The lanyard also automatically puts you into the fast-track queue when going through security and customs, and staff are aware to keep an eye out for travellers wearing the lanyard so they can offer extra support without to needing to ask for it directly.
Portable Door Lock (my non-negotiable)
When staying at hotels or hostels that are less than 3*, I always use this portable door lock (my non-negotiable).
It adds serious peace of mind in hotel rooms, hostels, or Airbnbs, particularly when travelling alone or with my child.
Super lightweight but super effective, this portable door lock also prevents the door from being opened from the outside, even by key.
Travel Insurance – I swear by this one for cheap disability insurance!
If you’re in the UK then you may think you’re already covered for travel abroad by the new GHIC card (replaced the EHIC card). However, this would be uninformed and wrong.
The GHIC covers for certain emergencies, but anything more serious will require travel insurance. You’ll need to choose a provider that covers chronic conditions, cancellations, and medical emergencies.
As a single parent with multiple chronic disabilities, including heart, musculoskeletal and neuropathic conditions, I spent years scouring the web to find the cheapest (but best!) cover to ensure both my child and I are covered should anything go wrong.
Despite being referred to a mountain of different, supposedly “affordable” travel insurance companies who claim to support disabled people, I actually ended up using Tesco travel insurance!
They are the cheapest, most appropriate, and most flexible travel insurance company that I have found. I recently had another health issue pop up and they were more than happy to add it to my already long list of health concerns – and it only cost me an extra £4 annually!
Best of all, although I was initially only able to get a single trip cover, I was recently able to “upgrade” to annual cover…likely because I haven’t had to make any claims for around 6 years!
So, if you’re a disabled or chronically ill woman looking for the best travel insurance for disabled people, check out Tesco travel insurance!
Mini First Aid Kit (lightweight & legit)
This mini travel first aid kit comes with a whopping 92 pieces! That said, you likely (hopefully!) wouldn’t need to use all of the pieces in the set in just one holiday, so you can just do as I do and empty what I don’t need, keep what I do, and then toss in some extras (painkillers, antihistamines, plasters etc.)
Don’t assume you’ll find what you need when you need it in another country.
Although I’ve visited pharmacies and doctors in multiple countries, I was nervous about translation and miscommunication in all countries!
I mean, you try telling someone who hardly speaks English that you can’t take certain meds due to certain ingredients, and need to make sure the meds they give you won’t interact with the multiple meds you’re already on. Not easy.
Travel Smart, Travel Untamed
The right tools don’t just save space – they save stress. This toolkit is your backstage pass to travelling bolder, freer, and far less flustered.
Pack light. Pack fierce. Let’s travel untamed!
Affiliate Transparency:
Some of the links above are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission (less than the price of a cup of tea!) if you click and buy through these links – at NO extra cost to you. I only ever recommend things I’ve used, tested, and would throw my money at again – or those that have come highly recommended by trusted sources. Pinky swear!
Photo by Vlada Karpovich
