Not essential, but definitely worth it: Travel extras
Travel extras that make a difference when travelling in resource-limited settings
Like many missionaries, our family spends a lot of time on the road. Sometimes it’s a trip to the capital for supplies, repairs, or paperwork — with no way of knowing how long we’ll be on the road. Other times, it’s in transit on the way to fly home or picking up visitors. We travel as light as we can, but when we have our car, a few extra bits and bobs can make a big difference in comfort, cost, and sanity. Here are some of our favourite “non-essentials” that make life on the move a whole lot better.
Cooking on the Go
If there’s electricity and we have luggage space, we sometimes bring a multifunctional travel electric cooker. We use it to boil eggs, oatmeal, noodles, canned corn, or heat up sauces. It saves money on eating out — and if there are no restaurants, at least you know your food is clean and safe.
Drinking Water
We use portable travel water filters or filter-equipped water bottles. They save money, reduce plastic waste, and give peace of mind when clean water isn’t guaranteed.
If space allows, we also bring a travel kettle with two mugs tucked inside. It’s amazing how hard it can be to find hot water and a clean cup when you need one. Some friends swear by wand-style immersion heaters — less bulky and great for heating liquids in a pinch.
Eating Essentials
A few pieces of cutlery don’t take up much space but are endlessly useful. We pack snacks or dried goods in Tupperware, which doubles as cereal bowls or food containers. Ziploc bags and clip-ons help keep food fresh and organised — especially when you’re juggling leftovers or roadside purchases.
Laundry on the Road
We bring laundry detergent sheets from home — they’re lightweight, compact, and mess-free. A small travel concentrated laundry wash gel (the one we use looks like a toothpaste) is handy for small volume of handwash, and a portable laundry line with pegs round out our kit. It’s a lifesaver when you need clean clothes and there’s no laundromat in sight.
Toiletries & Towels
Quick-drying towels are a must — you never know if towels will be provided. We also use shampoo bars with a small nylon net to help them lather. They’re light, compact, and eco-friendly. And remember to bring deodorant, insect repellent and sunscreen as they may not be available locally.
Our Trusty Oversized Pencil Case
We always travel with a trusty oversized pencil case filled with essentials that have saved the day more times than we can count. Inside:
- Scissors
- Duct tape and Sellotape / Scotch tape
- Marker pen
- Small super glue
- Travel sewing kit
- Stapler and staples
- Elastic bands, safety pins and paper clips
- Measuring tape
- Strip of Blu Tack
- Penknife
- String
- Common medication and pill splitter when the kids were little (in our experience, many developing countries do not stock medicine in liquid form)
- TSA-approved luggage padlock
- Depending on where you are – some people would put a doorstop to increase security, e.g. of the hotel room door
Staying Active
Resistance bands are brilliant for travel. I use two types — one for strength and one for stretching. They’re compact, lightweight, and perfect for keeping joints happy when long drives or cramped spaces make movement tricky. It’s easy to neglect exercise on the road, but these make it doable.