My Journal
Last year I spent 2 months backpacking around Europe with a friend and her brother. After spending massive amounts of money on a travel bag, a camera, clothes, and anything else you can imagine lugging around in a giant bag, my journal definitely came in most handy. It technically turned into more of a scrapbook, but I was often quite content sitting in a large grass area just people watching and jotting in my journal. I have never been a particularly good writer, but I really did enjoy documenting different experiences, encounters, or sometimes just thoughts. So, in conclusion, my $5 journal was probably used more than anything else on my trip, and I would never travel without it again. As a matter of fact, I am heading to DC and NY in 2 days, and my journal is the only thing I have packed.