• My dad has traveled throughout his life, starting at six years old. 
• He has a few go-to items he never travels without. 
• He said a portable charger is a necessity while traveling. 

I'm traveling to Europe for the first time this fall, so naturally, I called my dad, Kevin. 

He's one of the most well-traveled people I know, starting with a family trip to Mexico when he was six. On a recent phone call, I asked my dad if he had any go-to travel items that might be good to pack for my trip. 

My dad said he always takes a portable charger on vacations in addition to extra charger cords

A wave of canceled and delayed flights made air travel difficult over the last several months, so he suggested packing a portable charger for my phone and extra charger cords. 

"In this day and age, you do almost everything on your phone, from reservations to ordering an Uber," he said. "So I'm always concerned that I don't have an extra battery." 

He gifted me Poweradd's $16 slim portable charger several years ago, and I still use it today with no problems. The ability to charge my phone makes me feel safer on trips, and I rarely leave the house without a portable charger. 

His iPad helps him plan vacations and keeps him entertained on long flights

My dad's iPad has become a one-stop shop for his travel logistics. 

"Even though I have a phone, I take my iPad because I use that for going on Yelp, finding reservations, and reviewing hotels," he said. 

But he also uses the iPad for entertainment, like the Amazon Kindle app, streaming sites, music, and catching up on the news. 

My dad is a firm believer in packing cubes

I didn't know my dad used packing cubes until he and my mother visited me in New York City last month. 

My dad said he purchased them two years ago, and they've improved how he travels.

"I don't have to dig through different parts of the luggage to find something. "When I get somewhere, I can pull the cubes out and put them in the hotel dressers," he said. 

He added that packing cubes make his clothes less wrinkled and take up less space in his luggage.  

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