The Items We Leave Behind When We Set Off on Adventures

Many people discuss the essentials they take with them while traveling—bloggers, magazine writers, even celebrity chefs. Why is that? It’s because travelers crave this knowledge, and I’m no different. Travelers come in all shapes and sizes: some meticulously check their luggage, while others venture out without even a single bag. Regardless of their approach, everyone has unique reasons for their travel style. I find this topic captivating, and judging by the engagement with our packing posts, it seems others do too.

But what about the items we leave behind? Everyone has something or someone they part with when adventure beckons, even if it's just a quirky pet rock named Stoney. While travelers often overlook these aspects, I believe they hold equal significance, and the insights gained are as valuable as traditional packing lists. Thus, we’ve identified five things we frequently must leave behind, whether embarking on a weeklong Caribbean cruise or an extended journey across Europe—and how we manage those matters from afar.

Anticipations

After our inaugural trip to Amsterdam in 2011, Beth crafted our travel philosophy: Expect nothing. Enjoy everything. Expectations can be quite amusing, particularly when combined with the mind's intake of all the ‘travel porn’—or rather, stunning images of destinations—that it encounters daily. These expectations can be misleading, leading you to think that the Emerald City is genuinely green or that OZ is truly managed by a wizard. You catch my drift? When we finally arrived in Amsterdam, our excitement was so fueled by everything we had heard and seen that we constructed a romanticized version of the city that no real place could live up to. (As a side note, we returned to Amsterdam last summer for the Pitch Festival, and we finally grasped its essence.) In contrast, we approached Paris with no expectations—perhaps because we recognized there was no way it could meet the towering hype—and we fell head over heels for the city, extending our visit by nearly a week. Remember, managing your expectations can be key to enjoying your trip, so when it comes to travel: Expect nothing. Enjoy everything.

Chachy

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Undoubtedly, the toughest thing we have to part with is our 10-pound hound, Chachy. I know many pet owners feel this way about their furry companions, but he truly is the most adorable little mutt. We strive to take him along whenever we can, but it's not always feasible—at least not yet. Fortunately, we can leave him with Beth’s sister, Bridgette, who he absolutely loves. Still, it’s difficult. He senses changes in our routine, especially when Beth starts trying on clothes or the suitcases come out. His demeanor shifts, and he looks genuinely upset; he often grabs a pair of Beth’s yoga pants to cuddle with and just stares at us with his big, sad brown eyes. That said, we’re grateful to have family nearby to care for him. Growing up, we used to board our dogs in kennels, which generally worked out fine, but I can’t imagine doing that with him; he’s far too sensitive. For some dogs, it’s like a playground, but for Chachy, it would feel like imprisonment, and he just isn’t tough enough for that kind of environment, even if it’s more like a pet country club than a kennel. If we didn’t have family to rely on, we’d probably seek a pet sitter. The silver lining is that more hotels are becoming pet-friendly. In fact, we wrote a piece earlier this year on the Best Pet-Friendly Hotels in the United States, and I’ve heard pet travel is also on the rise in Europe. Who knows, maybe next year will be the year Chachy goes global.

United States

Not every adventure we embark on takes us outside the United States, but at least for me, when I think of travel, foreign destinations always come to mind. I adore exploring new countries and reconnecting with beloved favorites like Italy and Mexico. It’s truly captivating to observe how different cultures live and engage with each other daily. Yet, I’d be remiss if I didn’t admit that I feel a little smile creeping in every time we come back home. Travel has allowed me to experience the world in ways I never imagined as a child. As a result of my journeys, I’ve gained a new perspective on my own country.

Kin

Both Beth and I cherish our families, so whenever we’re away for more than a week, we really start to feel their absence. The great thing about modern travel is that we’re never too far from our loved ones. For instance, while we were sailing in the Caribbean, we managed to keep in touch with our families because today’s cruise ships are equipped with advanced WiFi capabilities. On our Dinogo cruise, the system seamlessly switched between shore-based antennas and satellite data to deliver a faster and more reliable internet connection. Once we were online, platforms like Facebook, Google Hangouts, and Apple FaceTime made it simple to stay connected while on the move. However, our preferred option is still Skype, especially since all our parents use it, including my 82-year-old grandfather, which allows us to easily connect with everyone via video chat. Additionally, it lets us make calls to landlines back home, which is useful when I need to remind my grandfather to log into his computer. One of my favorite voice chats took place in Florence, Italy, where we had a MiFi with unlimited data. We used it to connect with Beth’s parents on Skype through our smartphone and gave them a virtual tour of the city.

They absolutely loved it!

Pro tip: If you have a subscription to Microsoft Office 365, you receive 60 minutes of free Skype calls each month.

Belongings

I don’t have an excessive amount of belongings, but I have enough. In fact, when I start to think about everything I own, it turns into a repetitive melodic hum: Sweaters, beer mugs, Wii U, sewing machines… Sweaters, beer… You catch my drift, right? Traveling is an excellent way to gain perspective on material possessions. If I can fit everything I need into a carry-on bag and still feel content, then it’s clear I don’t really require all these items at home. Simplifying your life is incredibly freeing. We did this in preparation for our first major trip five years ago, and we've managed to keep our desires in check since then. There’s truly nothing like being on the road to help you understand that possessions are merely that—things that clutter our minds in this whimsical world.

This article was created for Away We Go with Dinogo, your go-to source for getting into a vacation mindset.