2emptynesters

There were various items of clothing, luggage, tech, first aid and cosmetics that we took away with us on our whizz round the world. This is a round-up of the products that worked for us.

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Clothing

Nigel invested a little more in some lightweight zip-off trousers than Jane.  He was really delighted with these:

Columbia Men’s Silver Ridge zip-off trousers

They are available for women too, and Jane is planning to get a pair for our next trip:

Columbia Women’s Silver Ridge zip-off trousers

Jane loved these soft, comfy yoga pants: the fabric felt warm in cooler climates, but breathable when the temperature went up. They felt dressy enough for a nice restaurant, when teamed with sandals, and a smart or strappy top. Best of all was that they were soft enough to sleep in on long flights, without creasing. And sustained several washes along the way!

This top pretty much delivered on all its promises. Jane wore it in all temperatures, and it felt cosy with a fleece or jacket when she needed it to be, and somehow, cool enough for her to hike in 100% humidity in the Sapa mountains. Jane ordered hers in coral…not a colour she normally wears but once she got a tan…it felt good and it was good value! It’s currently available in black, blue and green.

Mountain Warehouse Isocool Top

Luggage

We both wheeled our trusty soft wheelie bags around the world. They were definitely the right choice and easily survived our 16 flights and countless miles of dragging. Nigel reviewed the bags here  Here is a link to the 50L version, which we thought was the perfect size:

Mountain Warehouse 35L Wheelie Bag

We also loved our packing cubes and will never do a trip without them again:

Six piece G4Free Packing Cubes Set in Purple

Tech

We found a brilliant universal adapter and took two of them away with us. With 2 USB ports, as well as the main plug socket, between us we could potentially charge 6 things at the same time. Absolutely invaluable and they work worldwide:

Universal USB Travel adapter/charger

We wanted robust earphones that were comfortable for long periods, had great sound and were cheap. The last bit was important because they are a prime thing to lose whilst travelling … in fact Nigel did leave his on a plane. Testament to these earphones, Nigel ordered a new pair as soon as he got back to the UK.

Nigel bought a camera for the trip and wanted a balance between portability and quality of results. He was delighted with the usability, features and results with his final choice. You can see some good examples in his post about faces in Sapa, Vietnam. If you want more details, Nigel would be happy to explain his choice. Just contact us. Or take a look at this:

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G7

First Aid

We knew we were going to need a good insect repellent. We took two – one packed to the gunnels with Deet and a natural one. The natural one worked perfectly, comes in a range of formats, including moisturiser (clever!) and smelled a lot better than the Deet one. It would be our recommendation:

Cosmetics

Before we travelled, Jane laid out her daily beauty must-haves on a tray, and asked friends and followers how on earth she was going to whittle the list down. She got some great advice and tips on which products to pack. Jane’s already a huge fan of Aussie hair products, and it turns out many of her friends swear by it too.

Jane bought as many Aussie hair sachets as she could, and decanted sample sizes of Miracle Moist into little plastic bottles…and her hair behaved…most of the time, even in searing, tropical heat and high humidity in the Vietnamese mountains. When she ran out….her hair turned to candy floss (her words …Ed.). Next time: more plastic bottles !:

Jane’s lucky to have fairly good skin (again, her words … I think she’s got amazing skin … Ed.), which stayed soft and clear with all of the basic moisturisers she packed or tried. But anyone who knows her will have spotted that lippie is *her* thing. Much of her travel gear was black, and so often she longed for a splash of colour. Lipsticks from MAC came with her all around the world. She found the matte finish of Russian Red and Lady Danger stayed with her in the heat, and kept her lips moisturised. Even when we’d been trekking, or on our feet all day, and she felt exhausted…a slick of MAC cheered her up and drew compliments from women from Vancouver to Cambodia!

MAC Russian Red lipstick

MAC Lady Danger lipstick

What’s your favourite travel product? Any we should try out for next time? Drop us a line below …