As you may have read in previous posts, I am back in Brisbane. Even though Brisbane is my home town I am staying with relatives and have only a limited amount of belongings with me. Everything else is either in Melbourne or storage. I thought that I would share some of the items I have found essential during my two weeks (going to be four or more weeks) in minimalism-traveler mode.
First and foremost, I am here to look for work. Having a diary is one of the most essential things in my life - travelling or not. I need to have a physical space to write down and plan my life. Some would say I love to be obsessively organised but I don't know any other way. I found this particular beauty for $40 in Magnation's Moleskin selection and after comparing it with an unsightly-pink-monstrosity in Kiki-K (at a higher price), decided it was the better option - it also helped that green is my favourite colour. My pen of choice, till death do us part, is this Artline200 fine point (0.4) felt tip pen, in black. I suppose I have a strange handwriting grip and so whichever pens I use, the ink needs to dry instantly or the page will end up as one big smudge. This pen is the definition of perfect and is one of many lying around my life: be it in handbags, drawers, kitchens, bedside tables or desks. I normally find these for the best price in Officeworks.
Another essential in my life and travel is a bit of an oldie but a goodie - Berocca. Whether I'm a feeling slow in the morning or like a million dollars, a Berocca is an extra kick of vitamins just in case all the vital ones don't make it into my day's diet. One, dissolved in water, every morning with my green tea and muesli at breakfast makes me feel like I'm giving my day the best shot. I just pick these up in Woolworths or Coles in the vitamin and health food section.
I've been using QV Skin Lotion, to moisturise my entire body at least once a day, for what seems like forever. However, because of the sheer quantity that I use it has only ever made sense to purchase it in giant pump bottles. Issue: giant pump bottles are not the easiest things to travel with. Before I left Melbourne I made sure I had a nice small travel sized version of my favourite moisturiser because dry skin is not something I'm prepared to live with; even if I'm traveling. I think this cost me about $7.95 from a warehouse chemist.
These next two aren't absolute essentials but I've enjoyed having them with me. Looking for work with a definite deadline in front of you can be a fairly stressful past-time. I seem to have dark circles underneath my eyes at the best of times (who doesn't?) and these two at least act as a placebo to remedy what I see when I look in the mirror. If they don't actually remove the dark circles around my eyes (which I like to believe they do), they definitely smooth the skin to 'baby's bottom' standards. I seem to continually receive these in gift packs with other purchases and am yet to buy them myself but if I ran out, I probably would - just to keep my mind at ease.
Another non-essential but really desired item, is my favourite perfume. Until recently I hadn't been 100% settled it was, in fact, my favourite scent. I loved it dearly but when a close friend said it was recognisable as 'my scent' I think that really cemented my feelings for it. My father bought it for me in Paris a year or two ago at Fragonard; an astonishingly affordable and delightful perfumery that is now on my bucket list to visit. As you can see I'm close to running out of this scent and have been investigating attaining some more. I can buy a 600ml refill for the cheap price of $70 Australian dollars. That will fill six of these bottles! SIX! It's definitely on my 'to-buy' list but is also on a growing list of potential 21st gifts from my parents - lets just hope this lasts until then.
My last essential really is essential. As you may recall from a few weeks ago, I have a seemingly excessive nail polish collection. I could not consider bringing the entirety of it with me and so I only chose four basic colours. Bringing any colours with me required other nail accessories like files and nail scissors. It also includes my current favourite hand therapy cream by Crabtree & Evelyn. Lavender in one on my favourite natural scents and Crabtree & Evelyn do it exceptionally well. My female relatives know that, if in doubt, it's the easiest option to make me happy come Christmas and birthdays. I use this after before and after applying and removing nail polish on my cuticles and the rest of my hands. This is only a sample size, as I received it in a gift pack, but I'm pretty sure the full-size product (50g) is only $20.
That's it for my travel essentials post. Obviously, I brought more things with me than just these eight items but after careful consideration, these are my most used and desired. Leave me a comment - what couldn't you live without for an extended time away from home?
Erin xx
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