After visiting 100+ countries, a tourism expert says these 3 international travel essentials make trips easier

“Crossbody, I tend to wear purses crossbody,” Scott says. “Also for traveling safety-wise. Having the purse in front tends to be better than, let's say, having it dangling on the side.”

Tuning into that idea of choosing practical items for international travel, this one hits the mark design-wise for Scott. “The reason why I chose it was because of its size,” she says. “Pretty compact.”

And despite being small, it keeps her most important essentials tucked away safely. “It's big enough to carry the essentials. So a passport, reading glasses, tissues, wallet, all of that type of stuff.”

Plus, it’s small enough that she can comfortably keep it on throughout the day, from running through the airport to sightseeing at her destination. Scott says, “I like a purse that's small enough that in some respects if I just keep it on all day it's not bothersome.”

The Baggallini also gets points for organization from Scott. “I have another purse that I love because I like it in terms of its design, but in terms of functionality, I'm constantly digging in there trying to find different things,” she says. 

“With this crossbody bag, it's like, the wallet's always in the outside pocket, the passport's always here, the tissues are here, my lip gloss is here,” she says. “It has that functionality. The zippers are useful because, again, just for safety as well as knowing where things are.”

And, for Scott, this bag has stood the test of time. “I replaced one because I had worn it so much and traveled with it so much,” she says. “Over seven or eight years and wearing it a lot, meaning out on the streets in all different kinds of climates and environments and everything.”

“It did start to show a little bit of wear and tear, which again I have nothing against because it served me very well for many years,” she says.

“I’ve had this suitcase for maybe 14 years,” Scott says of her longtime Eagle Creek suitcase. After years with her go-to checked bag, Scott now recommends the brand’s current Gear Warrior XE model.

When she and her husband first started traveling 20 years ago, they kept things simple: She says “we started off with backpacks” as their only luggage. “We had Eagle Creek backpacks and then transitioned, because we liked the brand and found them durable, to the suitcase.”

The real standout for Scott over the years is definitely the wheels. “The thing that I really like about it is it has big wheels,” she says. “When you have to walk from the train station or somewhere to your hotel and it maybe is a little bit longer than you expected, it's a durable suitcase.”

It even passes the cobblestone test. Scott says, “where we live in Berlin is on a cobblestone street. So it's like these wheels are durable pulling it down the street.”

The size is also another sweet spot for Scott. “It's big enough that I can actually fit my hiking backpack in there,” she says. But, it’s still manageable.

“We live on the fourth floor without an elevator,” Scott says. “So it's still small [enough] that I can carry it up the stairs and it's not too overwhelming.”

Scott is also someone who likes to pick things up along the way on her travels, and the expandable design comes in handy for just that. “It has kind of an expandable zipper,” she says. “You start buying some souvenirs, or what we often do is we end up buying food or wine or other types of things, then you can expand it and it becomes bigger for your journey home.”

But not every extra compartment earns its keep for Scott. She says, “there's a side section, which in my opinion is extraneous, just because it makes the bag wider, which it doesn't really need, so I never use that.”

“Even with all the trips that we've taken to all different parts of the world, there's no tears in the fabric or anything,” she says. “It's pretty thick fabric, so it's pretty durable.”

“These are actually a relatively new purchase,” Scott says of her FITRELL compression socks. “I purchased another pair previously, which were good, but almost like a little too tight.”

Long-haul flights can sometimes mean swelling for Scott, and she’s realistic about what this pair of compression socks can—and can’t—do.

Scott says “they're not going to take away all of the swelling that comes from long flights. But I do think that they do help.”

In search of support without an iron grip on her legs, Scott started doing some research. “I actually found [them] on The Guardian,” she says. “They did an article on different compression socks.”

“These, in my opinion, provide that balance of support that you don't feel like your legs are being strangled,” she says. “With these I haven't had any discomfort. They have a little more give maybe.”

Another bonus for Scott is the price. “They’re actually quite affordable. They’re three pairs for $20-something.”

They’ve also earned a spot well beyond her suitcase. “I use them for running, I use them for cycling, and then I also use them for travel days, like flying and stuff.”

If you’re looking for a little more personality, Scott notes they have some playful shades. 

“They also have a lot of different colors,” she says. “So if you want, there's like bright pink, there's green. I have some basic black and other ones, but you can get really colorful with them.”