Andddddd I’m back.

That didn’t take long, did it?

Here is part two of my packing for Europe mini-series. In my humble opinion, carry-ons are much more fun to pack than suitcases. It does involve a bit of planning ahead of time so you make sure you’re not forgetting anything. And on a long-haul flight like ours, you definitely don’t want to do that!

This is the backpack I’m taking for my carry-on. We’re flying on Condor airlines, and their carry-on restrictions are very . . . restrictive, size-wise. This travel-safe backpack is from Oscaurt on Amazon. I’ve used the backpack a few times at school and to be honest, I find it very difficult to get into. I’m sure it comes in handy when you’re trying to keep thieves out of it, but on a day-to-day basis, it can be pretty irritating as the zippers don’t work super fabulously. I’m a little worried about it being accessible when I’m squeezed into a tiny airplane seat. 😣

The first two items are my Apple earbuds and definitely-not-Apple headphones.

Tip #1: Even if you wear earbuds/Airpods on a regular basis, bring headphones as well.

Earbuds can become pretty uncomfortable if you’re wearing them for an extended period of time.

Second, my Nook!

Nooks (e-readers) are essential for any trip. If you’re an avid reader like me, the struggle of deciding which books to pack is very real. An e-reader will solve all of your problems, my friends. 😉

Tip #2: Invest in an e-reader. You can download hundreds of books onto a tiny device that will fit easily in a bag.

Since our world is so connected through technology (and since I’m taking like five devices on this trip), I’m bringing a bag for all of my electronics.

Tip #3: Take your chargers in your carry-on bag and not your checked luggage. That way, if you wind up separated from your checked bag once you reach your destination, you can still use your devices without the worry of them dying.

Tip #4: Bring an extra change of clothes! You never know when you could be stuck in a hotel for several days due to a canceled flight. You do not want to be wearing the same clothes the entire time . . . *shudders*

Flights, and airports in general, can make you feel super gross. Plus, they’re germy. 😅

These two are in case of an emergency: a mini first aid kit and a face mask.

An RFID-protected wallet.

A flashlight (another in-case-of-emergency item) and my extra glasses.

Pens! Super important for any writer.

And now the fun part. 😂 As I mentioned in my last post, I always take three bags of toiletries when I travel (and when I say always, I mean this is the first time).

This is the first bag. It’s a TSA-approved quart bag for my liquids, all three ounces or less.

Tip #5: Have your liquids separated ahead of time, so security is less of a hassle.

The second bag is for all of my non-liquid toiletries.

Tip #6: NEVER forget to bring a toothbrush in your carry-on. Smelly breath and dirty teeth are definite no-nos.

And this is the last toiletry bag. This one actually goes in my suitcase, but I wanted to show it to you with the other toiletries. This bag is for everything that I won’t need immediately during our flights.

More hair stuff, a bigger toothbrush, regular-sized deoderant, makeup remover, and my awesome hair bun-makers.

And jewelry, of course.

Please note that does not include any of my makeup. 😂 This is why it’s hard to travel as a girl. I use all of this stuff on a regular basis, I promise!

Not shown:

• Camera (with charger, extra SD card, and extra battery!)
• Laptop (with case and charger)
• Cell phone (with charger)
• Sleeping mask (which I need to find)
• Journal (another thing I need to find)
• Flight pressure earplugs (so my ears don’t hurt)
• Snacks, candy, and gum
• Water bottle
• And anything else I’ll regret not remembering when we’re on the plane! 😉

This will be the last travel post before we get to Europe. So I’ll see y’all in about five-ish days!

XOXO for now,

Morgan

 

Hey guys.

(Why can’t I think of an intro . . .)

Anyway, it’s summer for me! My last day of school was Tuesday and I got A’s on all my finals. 🙂 So that’s exciting. When do you guys get out of school?

(This isn’t very exciting so I’ll move on.) 😂

I finally got around to packing my bags (or bag, rather) for our trip to Europe and I figured that maybe you guys would like to see a little bit of what I’m taking (and if you don’t, feel free to skip this post!)

First off, I’d like to start by taking y’all back in time to when I was just a young child.

Just kidding. This was only four years ago. Remember when Grace was the American Girl of the Year? Or, as someone I know calls her, “The French One?”

Yeah. That’s kind of when I became obsessed with going to France. When I pitched the idea to my parents, I was definitely not expecting them to go for it. And honestly, they kind of didn’t. Instead, my dad made a deal with me.

Our conversation went something like this:

Morgan: Hey Dad, can we go to Paris?

Dad: Um sure.

Morgan: Really?

Dad: Sure. You learn to speak French, and we can go to Paris.

Flash forward four years, and I’ve tested biliterate in French.

Twice.

So now it’s time to go to Paris. But of course, when you live in Alaska and it takes absolutely forever to get there, you may as well swing by a few places outside of Paris. So we’re going to Normandy and London as well. I’ll be taking you guys along with me each day with a new post about what we did, with pictures to go along.

And that’s enough of that for now. Onto the packing!

This is what my suitcase looks like . . . really not very interesting.

This is a sample of the shirts I’m taking. The weather is supposed to be fairly warm, so most of my clothes are lightweight. I’m taking one fuzzy sweater in case we have a chilly day.

(Oops, this one’s a little blurry.)

Tip #1: Always use packing cubes!

Guysssssssss I cannot stress this enough. Packing cubes literally MAKE MORE SPACE in your suitcase! I’ve never used them before, but I tried this time around and I was super impressed. Not only will they keep things tightly together and not jumbled around in your bag, but they keep each type of clothing separated so picking out outfits will be easier each day.

Pajamas. I’m bringing two sets.

Swimsuit.

Tip #2: Always bring a swimsuit. Even if you don’t think you’ll be swimming.

I don’t know if I’ll have any use for this on our trip, but I’m taking it just in case. You never know.

Scarves are iconically French and can really dress up an outfit.

I usually only wear jeans, so that’s what I’m taking. 🙂

This is what all of the packing cubes look like full of clothes. So much neater and more organized than loose in a suitcase.

I’m taking four pairs of shoes.

Black sandals: For dressier outfits.

Flip flops: For use in showers at hotels/Airbnb’s as they are not always the most clean spaces.

Pink tennis shoes: My go-to’s.

Hiking books: In case it’s rainy in London.

(Ugh why is this is so dark.)

Tip #3: Bring a laundry bag with you! It’ll keep your dirty clothes separate.

Other things I’m bringing that are not shown:

• Sunglasses
• Umbrella
• Toiletry kit

There will be more on the toiletry kit later, when I publish my carry-on packing post probably tomorrow or the next day. (And you will discover the real reason I bring three toiletry bags . . .)

Au revoir for now!

Morgan