The “to pack” list rolls down the page. Quantities line up with each item. One alarm clock, 2 sets of hiking poles, 2 pairs of pants (zip-offs?). Should we take the larger day pack or the one with the camel pack? Do we each need one, or can we share?

Preparing for a vacation abroad isn’t an easy task. At one time I was tempted to believe that I could never replace my brand of toothpaste or find a shirt in the right size at my destination of choice, so I absolutely had to pack the larger tube and an extra t-shit or sweatshirt (or both).

I check the list again. Flight information (2 copies), 3 pens, hiking boots, sunscreen (travel size).

On a trip to Norway I ran out of floss and went on a hunt to find the tools I needed to maintain good dental hygiene throughout the rest of my trip. After finding a supermarket down a side street in Oslo, I wandered the aisles, in awe with the unfamiliar brand names and packaging. In the health section, I scanned the labels—all written in Norwegian. I made my best guess, purchased my item—and discovered I bought toothpicks instead of floss long after I’d left the store. Nonetheless, I enjoyed my excursion into the local culture, and my teeth escaped Scandinavia intact.

One swimsuit, 2 travel towels, sunglasses.

Six weeks into our stay in Kenya, my husband declared that he needed a pair of jeans. Stacked on a table at a market that same week, he found a barely worn, second-hand pair made by Abercrombie & Fitch. We bargained in our broken Kiswahili, laughing with the mama selling the pants, and walked away having paid only a fraction of the price we would have paid for the same item in the United States. It was cheap—and fun—to dress well in a developing country.

Bug spray, extra batteries (lots!), 2 money belts.

The list drags on, but at the end of the day, I know I can leave all of that stuff at home and be just fine on the road. There are only two things that every traveler absolutely needs when embarking on a new adventure: an open mind and a smile.