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While digging around the darker corners of my hard drive, I found copies of my packing lists from 2003 and 2005. I still use a version of this list to help me pack for trips, but it’s been updated significantly in the past 19-21 years.

It could be enlightening for Gen Z and Milennials to see what items we felt were “travel necessities” in the early 2000s. All I ask is that you don’t judge me too harshly on this list (Note from Sharon…TOO LATE! I’m judging the fact that you travel a minimum of 6 times per year and STILL USE A FLIPPIN’ PACKING LIST.)

2003

Here are the items I reminded myself to bring in 2003:

• Camera, Memory Cards and Charger
• Phone
• Laptop
• DVD’s [sic]
• Chip Clip
• Palm III
• Books
• WALLET!!!!!!
• Passport

I like that I needed to remind myself to bring my wallet. 🙂 (Note from Sharon: I like that he had to remind himself of that so much that he had to put it in ALL CAPS, with multiple exclamation points)

Ahhhh… my Palm III organizer; I never went anywhere without it. But what about the wonderful camera I had? It was a digital Olympus D-560 with a 3.2-megapixel camera and a 16MB xD picture card. Look at the wonderful pictures it took, like this fireworks shot at the Magic Kingdom.

I also needed to bring my phone. I had a Sony Ericsson that lasted me several years before I dropped it while in Minneapolis, and a homeless person found it, but that’s another story (Note from Sharon: Holy crap, I had completely forgotten about that, but yes…true story! Joe, that’s another blog post for you. Add it to your list!).

I also brought my HP Laptop, which ran the newest version of Windows XP, and a selection of DVDs I could watch at the airport. That was, if I was plugged in since it had a battery life of about 90 minutes. It had a network card to plug into hotels’ LAN cables for internet access if it was available. If not, I could always use my phone modem. One thing that’s stayed on the list is a chip clip. Even if technology has advanced by leaps and bounds, some hotels still can’t find a way to keep the curtains closed all the way.

2005

My list had changed a bit in 2 years, but it was basically the same:

• Digital Camera, Batteries & Charger
• Camcorder, Batteries, Tapes & Charger
• Air Purifiers and extra batteries
• Chip Clip
• MP3 Player & Charger
• Books/Magazines
• Cell Phone & Charger
• E-TICKETS!!!!!!
• WALLET!!!!!!!
• PASSPORT!!!!!!!

Note the addition of E-Tickets to the list. How could I forget an electronic ticket?? Also, note how I (Sharon: STILL!) had to remind myself in ALL CAPS AND EXCLAMATION POINTS to bring my wallet and passport. 🙂 (Note from Sharon: OK, I take the blame for the “DON’T FORGET THE PASSPORT” because I couldn’t find ours the night before we went to Japan in April 2005. But really, he STILL needed a reminder to bring his wallet? Did I really marry someone who might forget his flippin’ WALLET?!?!?!)

At this point, I had the same camera, but I also got myself a camcorder—a really nice Sony Handicam Mini-DV recorder.

I was also sure that the air on planes was unhealthy, so I got a personal air purifier from Sharper Image. I wore this around my neck on airlines for about two years (Note from Sharon: I wore mine for even longer. Eventually, the airlines declared them “electronic devices” and wouldn’t let me keep them on during flights.)

I could ditch the laptop for DVDs because I now had a personal MP3 Player. I was a Windows person then, so I would never get one of those Apple gadgets (how times have changed—I now have an iPhone, iPad Pro, MacBook Air, and an iMac). The Creative Zen Nomad was so much better and easier to use. Who can figure out a touch disk with no directions on it????

I couldn’t forget my phone. Who didn’t have a Motorola RAZR phone in 2005????? (Note from Sharon: Me! I had a Sidekick. OMG, I loved that phone!)

Please note that the chip clip, like the books, was still on the list.

Final Thoughts

I found it interesting to see what I needed to bring on a trip back in 2003 and 2005. Now, I can use my iPhone to take quality pictures and videos, so I no longer need to bring a camera or video recorder. My iPad stores my music, books, and videos, so I don’t need to bring DVDs or paperbacks with me anymore.

My travel plans are in the cloud with TripIt, so I no longer need to worry about e-tickets or reservations. I still remind myself to bring my wallet and passport, though. (Forget those once; you want to ensure you’ll never do it again. However, I still did forget my passport on our way to a cruise.)

I got to wondering…if that’s what’s changed since 2003, what will travel look like in 2040???? Whatever it is, I’ll probably still bring a chip clip with me… (Note from Sharon: And don’t forget your PASSPORT!!!!!)

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