Becoming an experienced and well-traveled woman did not happen to me overnight. I made mistakes and I learned. On the go. I still do. And when you travel, you know that anything could go wrong, at any time, and regardless of your whereabouts.

So here is my curated list of essentials that go into a specific traveling packing cube to make them handy and all in one place if needed:

• plasters and bandages: you will need them for cuts and blisters. I always have a few of each size, because I cannot foretell which I might need
• gauze: this is very handy to clean or dress a wound and to keep pressure on it
• medical tape: this is practical when you want to keep the sterilized gauze on your wound
• small scissors and tweezers: these tools are fundamental because at some point you need to cut a bandage or remove a splinter
• antibacterial wipes: I am a fervent fan of Dettol and I never go anywhere without a large pack 😁
• condoms: yes, you read right, you can use them as disposable cold packs on the go
• Betadine, in gel or liquid form, is good to have to disinfect a deeper wound, especially if you are in the middle of the woods
• aloe vera: my all-time favorite for cuts, bruises, burns, itches, you name it!
• mosquito repellent is something I have to take with me to almost any destination. Weirdly enough, the little creatures don't bite me in Africa 🤷🏻‍♀️
• natural pain relief roll-on for sore muscles with a light inflammation
• I am not a Pharma fan. And my first aid kit doesn't include paracetamol or antibiotics. I learned how to avoid diarrhea and what to do if I still get the runs...

Don't get too anxious about your first-time DYI first aid kit. You can purchase a ready-made one. And then with time, you will know what to stock up on and what to keep just in case. You don't need the same gear if you are heading to an urban area or the wilderness. If you have missed my previous post about travel safety, you can read it here.

And in the meantime, happy & safe travels ✈️