Hey there my steemit friends. In this series we go over some of my prized possessions. Well, really all my possessions are prized. When you limit all your belongings down to what you can fit in a medium sized backpack; every item has a value of much more than what you paid for it. Now let's have a look at the next three items on the list!
Sunglasses
These are a Travel Pro absolute essential! I spend a lot of time outside in sunny weather. In fact I plan my travels a lot around weather. I enjoy warm, hot, sunny weather and I only travel with shorts, T-shirts, and a hoodie style jacket. I simply don't go where it's cold, ever! I don't like cold dreary weather. For example I'll be traveling Europe this summer; not this winter.
Since I'm always in warm sunny weather spending lots of time walking around, my sunglasses are basically attached to me at all times. This is why I like the photo of me so much in the truck; it really depicts who I am. I've got my sunglasses on and two bicycles in the truck which my friend and I used to cycle the coast of Ecuador. The truck is old, dumpy, and very third worldy; which I love as it represents the budget travel side of who I am. It also shows where I spend most of my time, in the third world with my sunglasses on!
I got these sunglasses in Mexico when I was visiting @luczypher, @donnaincancun, and @mithrilweed in Playa Del Carmen six months ago. I got them for three dollars at Chandrui, a Walmart type store. I never buy expensive sunglasses. They are too easy to lose or break. Since I use them so much eventually something bad always happens to them and they generally last 6 months to a year then I get a new pair.
I highly recommend not buying expensive sunglasses. You always hear about how they get stolen, lost, sat on, scratched, left by the pool, left in the taxi, or something along those lines. Sunglasses are just one of those items where something always happens to them, so I never spend more than 10 dollars on sunglasses for this reason. These three dollar sun glasses I really like,they are UV resistant and I couldn't believe the price tag when I found them. I always go for the same sporty style, for some reason just they suit me well.
Chapstick
Chapstick, another Travel Pro must have. This stays in my pocket at all times. Again spending so much time outside it's important to have this on you. To go around with dry chapped lips isn't only annoying, it's quite unattractive, and can even be painful if things get out of hand.
In some countries the chapstick is really expensive as it is often an import like here in Ecuador. Chapstick is about four dollars in this country. Knowing this I bought two sticks of CVS brand chapstick while in the United States last month for a dollar fifty. These two sticks will last me a good six months at least. America is almost always the best place to buy products of hygiene.
Cell Phone
This is my awesome Chinese made, Mexico purchased, $62 dollar ZTE Blade Smart Phone! That's right I've got myself a perfectly functioning brand new android smart phone for $62 in Mexico. @luczypher showed me his, I went out and bought mine the next day. This thing does everything I need. It's got the internet, watsapp, alarm, MP3 player, youtube, SD-disk with enhanced memory, camera, recorder, GPS. It does it all, more than I need.
I bought this case to give it a little extra protection; however the screen is a special hardened plastic that simply will not crack even when dropped from a height. So to me it's better than glass. The battery life lasts me all day, and if I don't use my phone much it will last me three days! Also I had it unlocked for five dollars and I can use it globally in any country around the world; witch is obviously Travel Pro Perfect!
So often I see people carrying around these expensive phones and the screen is all cracked. I've listened to so many people complain about how they just spent five hundred dollars on this new fancy phone and immediately dropped it and the screen is shattered.
Spending big money on the latest Samsung Phone or Apple I-Phone is very Un-Travel Pro. I seldom spend money on expensive things. To be Travel Pro you always have to go for value and practicality, with always the mindset that if you lose it, it breaks, or gets stolen, it's not a big deal. To lose my $62 dollar phone, sure I wouldn't be happy, but at least I didn't spend $1,000 dollars on it. Same principle with the sunglasses.
Another reason a Travel Pro wouldn't get a new fancy I-Phone. When you're walking through the streets of let's say, Guatemala City; you don't want to be whipping out that $800 dollar new I-phone which cost almost three months salary for the locals in front of you, behind you, and next to you. Suddenly you become a target, a thug then has a gun to the side of your head or a knife to your throat. Now you've got yourself a real situation.
Not too long ago, that is exactly what happened to my friend here in Guayaquil Ecuador. He had his new I-phone out texting someone on the street. Next thing he knows two guys walk up to him and one puts a gun to the side of his head, "Cell phone por favor!" He's lucky that's all they took.
So these are some very good Travel Pro items along with some fantastic explanations on what makes these things Travel Pro! Until next time -Dan "World Travel Pro!"
Not To be Missed!
Travel Pro Places of Interest #1: Basilica Gothic Cathedral Quito Ecuador! Part One (21 photos)
Real Life Captured #48: Yellow Green Farmers Market in Hollywood Florida USA! Part Two (15 photos)
Travel Pro Answers #2: @Chefsteve Asks: How Do you Avoid Food Born Illness When Traveling?
With over 11 years of travel experience I answer travel and international lifestyle questions. Leave a question in the comments and I may make a Steemit post just for you!
