I stayed in a camper van in Hawaii for 2 nights. Here are 5 things I wish I packed and 5 I'm glad I did

• I rented a camper van in Hawaii for two nights and tried to pack only the items I needed.

• I'm glad I packed my portable charger, shampoo, water bottle, and business cards.

• I wish I had brought my own towel, pillowcase, laundry bag, and bathing suit.
  

Having my portable charger was a life-saver.

Having my portable charger saved time.

I was glad I had my portable charger before I even needed to use it. Though I didn't use it for the majority of my trip, I needed it while I was exploring Ala Moana for the last few hours of my solo adventure.

If I didn't have this device, I would have wasted time waiting for my battery to charge at a restaurant or café.

I was glad to have my shampoo and conditioner bars.

I'm glad I packed shampoo and conditioner bars to keep my hair healthy.

Most places I've stayed provided hair-care products in the shower but I was still glad to have my tried-and-true shampoo and conditioner bars during the trip.

I love carrying these products so I can potentially inform people about their non-toxic ingredients and eco-friendly benefits as zero-waste alternatives and support a small women-owned business.

I was relieved to have a healing salve after getting a few bug bites.

The healing salve helped remedy my bug bites in no time.

Though bug spray would've been more efficient, I didn't want to buy something I'd only use sparingly. 

I brought this healing salve I already owned just in case I regretted not buying bug spray, which came in handy when I woke up on the final morning of my trip with bites on my arms.

I would've had a tough time without my reusable water bottle.

I filled up my water bottle many times throughout my trip.

Carrying a reusable bottle around kept me hydrated and I always stumbled upon a water fountain exactly when I needed to refill.

I also bought stickers at various stops along my journey so I'm excited to decorate my bottle to commemorate my travels.

Packing my business cards was unexpectedly beneficial.

I even handed out some business cards for my tarot-reading services.

During my trip, networking came naturally and I was prepared with my business cards when I met potential clients and collaborators.

Having business cards readily available helped make me look and feel like a professional.

I wish I used my own towel instead of those provided in the van.

I initially thought a beach towel would take up too much room.

I almost packed a beach towel but I thought it would take up too much room in my suitcase.

I wish I'd ended up bringing my own towel from home since the ones in the van I rented didn't seem as clean as I would've liked.

I accidentally forgot my travel-sized soap at home.

I needed a fragrance-free soap to clean my new tattoo.

Forgetting my own soap was a hindrance because I was traveling with a fresh tattoo. I needed soap without fragrance or alcohol, which meant my options were limited.

I ended up using a mini Dove soap bar that I snagged from a friend's hotel room but I didn't think it was as sanitary as bottled liquid soap.

I regretted not bringing a bikini.

I didn't have a swimsuit when I wanted to use an outdoor shower.

Though it seems impossible to go on a trip in Hawaii without a bathing suit, I decided to leave my bikini at home since I had a new tattoo — I wouldn't be able to submerge myself in the water. 

However, I regretted it when I was drenched in sweat looking longingly at a beach shower and wishing I could rinse off under a cold stream of water.

I think packing my own pillowcase could've prevented some pimples.

A pillowcase doesn't take up much room in a suitcase.

Similar to my first experience traveling in a van, my skin didn't respond well to the environment and I broke out soon after I returned home.

My breakout made me question how clean the camper van's pillowcases were and I realized I would've felt more comfortable if I had brought my own.

I was disappointed that I forgot to bring a laundry bag.

I missed my drawstring laundry bag.

I've brought a laundry bag on trips before but for some reason didn't think of it when packing for this trip.

Instead, I used a shopping bag to carry my laundry, which wasn't as convenient as using a canvas drawstring bag.