10 Essentials for your Travel Bag!

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So why did we choose northern Arizona to live this past summer?  Well, there were several reasons.  At about 7000 feet above sea level, this area of the country does not get extreme heat in the summer.  In fact, evenings are jacket weather!

But the biggest draw of the area has to be The Grand Canyon.  Since neither one of us had ever seen it before, this area of the country was on our “bucket list”.

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But our first trip to the Grand Canyon was nearly marred by the fact that our bodies were still getting used to the change of altitude.  At over 7000 feet above sea level, the reaction of most is dehydration, headaches, shortness of breath and dizziness.  Until we acclimated, we experienced all the above.

Fortunately, I carry some important things in my travel bag and those happened to be Excedrin® Extra Strength and Excedrin® Tension Headache.  We trust Excedrin® for fast headache relief.

It literally saved our day on our first trip to the Grand Canyon.

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Entrance to the Grand Canyon National Park is $30 per vehicle. Parking spaces are plentiful and even include areas for RVs and buses.

Once parked, you can either hike along the rim trail, or take free shuttles to restaurants, stores and view points along the South Rim.

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The Grand Canyon is about 277 miles long. At its widest point it is 18 miles wide. The average width is a distance about 10 miles. The average depth is about 1 mile.

The canyon itself is absolutely breathtaking.  No photos or words actually do it justice.  You have to see it for yourself to understand the magnitude of this amazing Natural Wonder.

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Because of the different altitudes involved, weather conditions vary greatly throughout the Grand Canyon.  Temperatures can range from below zero to over 100 degrees.  If you choose to hike down into the canyon be prepared for the temperature to raise substantially the closer you get to the bottom.

And there go those changes in altitude again.  Fortunately, we were prepared. Here is my list of go-to items for easy traveling!

10 Essentials for your Travel Bag

1. Important documents such as your ID, credit cards, boarding passes, passports, and any park passes.  We have an Annual National Park Pass that gets us into any National Park.  I believe the price was about $80 annually, but as often as we go to National Parks, it has saved us a ton of money.

2. Mobile devices and chargers.  We take photos with my Nikon camera and my iPhone.  Neither do well without their chargers.  Often we are out for a full day when we travel and if you use them all day, you can pretty much guarantee that a battery will give out before the day ends.  Don’t miss that great photo!  Bring your chargers!

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3. Travel Journal and pen.  I love to take notes in my journal.  I guess I’m old fashioned that way.  Hand writing and illustrations make a trip all that more personal to me!

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4. Excedrin® Extra Strength– perfect for headaches from the sun or altitude and Excedrin® Tension Headache aspirin-free headache relief.  I keep them in my travel bag and an extra bottle in my purse for headache emergencies! Excedrin® products deliver fast relief for different types of headaches. For some, relief starts in just 15 minutes! (Use as Directed.)

5. Bottled Water.  We keep an extra stash of bottled water in our car when traveling.  You never know when you are going to be in the middle of nowhere and need a drink.  High altitudes will dehydrate you.  Sometimes a bottle of water is all you need to start feeling much better.

6.  Jackets, layered clothing, blankets.  You never know when the temperature may drop unexpectedly.  In the high desert the temperature changes depending upon the altitude.  Storms come up unexpectedly.  And when the sun goes down it gets pretty chilly.  Dressing in layers is important so that you can remove them when warm and add them when cold.  A stored jacket is always a great thing to have.

7. Comfortable walking shoes.  You never know when you are going to want to take that small hike and see that waterfall, or in our case, see a bit more of that Grand Canyon.  Wear shoes that are not only comfortable, but have a decent tread to them.  Don’t miss those great sights!

8. Hand sanitizer and wet wipes.  Keep the germs at bay and your hands clean!

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9. Sunglasses.  Seems I have a tendency to forget these!  Protect your eyes from the UV rays of the sun and help keep those headaches at bay!

10. First Aid Kit.  Perfect for that skinned knee or cut finger.  We always keep a supply of bandages and disinfectant.  You never know when you might need them!

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And the best part of our trip is sharing it with our family!

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You can find Excedrin® products* and most of your other supplies for the perfect travel kit at your local Walmart!  

Pack a travel kit before your next trip to ensure a fun, entertaining and memorable time!

*Please reference the “Excedrin Warnings of Usage” for all product claims and any product information. Please only use the product as directed.

What places are on your travel bucket list?