Kate and Josh
We were celebrating 20 years of marriage. With kids old enough to stay home without us and take care of the pets and house while we were gone, we decided it was time to go somewhere special together...
Kate already had a trip planned to hike a portion of the spectacular Camino de Santiago trail in northern Spain with her sister-in-law. Having never traveled to Spain before, Kate wanted to see more of the country than the trail would show her, so we decided Josh could join her in Spain, and together we could have a grand finale tour!
Having both grown up in the Pacific Northwest watching Rick Steves on public television and listening to him on the radio, (and having been regaled with stories by Kate's parents who had enjoyed several Rick Steves tours in the past) we decided it was time to give one a try.
A My Way tour seemed like a great way to let someone else take care of most of the nitty gritty work to plan a trip while allowing just the two of us to spend time together exploring at our own pace. It turned out to be a great fit! The tour guide was available for advice and recommendations, but we had plenty of alone time to spend together and pursue our own interests.
We currently reside in Anchorage, Alaska so the golden warmth of springtime in Spain was a sumptuous experience for us. And traveling to so many parts of this sun-drenched country gave us a broad taste for her culture, cuisine, and beauty. We hope to return again someday!
At our hotel's rooftop bar in Barcelona, preparing to meet our tour guide and fellow travelers.
Our Packing Suggestions
Clothing and Toiletries
Travel Essentials
Tech & Gadgets
Travel Docs
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Comfortable sandals/alternate shoes- perhaps a style that can be dressed up a bit
- Lightweight shirts - about 5
- Sweater or long sleeve layer
- Light rain jacket
- Versatile scarf
- Something comfortable to sleep in (could double as clothes for airplane travel or workout clothes)
- A skirt or slightly dressier slacks
- Comfortable pants or capris - about 3 pairs
- Undergarments, bras, socks - about 5 pairs if plan to wash
- Swimsuit
- Hairbrush and hair ties
- Toothbrush and paste
- Prescription meds in bottles with extra in case of travel delay
- A few basic over the counter meds in a small pill box
- Sunscreen and lotion
- Razor
- Universal Liquid soap (Dr Bronners)
- Deoderant
- Basic make up if you wear any and a few basic jewelry pieces if desired (don't bring irreplacable items)
- Bandaids, blister protection
- Anti-chafing bar or powder, insect repellant, or other special needs
- Reading glasses
- Sunglasses, sun hat
- Reusable water bottle
- Compact umbrella
- Daypack for outings
- Stuffable tote bag for extra purchases on the go
- A travel wallet or belt to keep your money safe from pick pockets
- Neck pillow, ear plugs, eye mask, or whatever will help you rest comfortably on the plane, train or bus
- Laundry cord and universal drain stop
- Plastic bags for wet/dirty clothes
- A few ziplocs for organizing
- Packing cubes
- Sewing kit, safety pins
- Hand sanitizer, face masks
- Small travel towel or washcloth
- European plug adapter
- Portable power bank
- Charging cords
- Ear Buds
- Phone with international plan
- Tablet or e-reader
- Watch
- Passport & Visa
- Travel insurance details
- Flight & hotel info
- Digital backup of IDs
- Cash, credit and debit card with no foreign transaction fees
- Guidebook pages, pocket map
- Itinerary
Here's a photo of some of the things we packed:
A carry-on size suitcase, a versatile scarf with hidden zip pocket, Kate's favorite travel pillow (Foxeon scarf travel pillow), some laundry supplies (drain stop, drying cord and stain removing wipes), Rick Steves travel guide pages (**Kate cut out the chapters and taped the binding so we could easily carry just each day's relevant pages with us - we highly recommend doing this**), a collapsible water bottle, stuffable tote bag, small umbrella, plug adapter, power bank and charging cord.
We are glad we only packed a carry-on size bag each plus a small day bag. It made it so much easier to traverse cobblestone streets, city crowds, and bustling train stations. We never wished we'd packed more, and it was quick and easy to hand wash a couple items here and there and hang them to dry in our hotel bathroom overnight.
