Ubuntu 🌍

Ubuntu.

It’s an old South African philosophy I learned this month that translates to: “I am because you are.”

It means that we are all bound together in ways that can be invisible to the eye and it embodies the idea of oneness, compassion, and shared humanity.

TL;DR — When we share with others, we lift humanity up. And sharing can be many things, such as sharing resources like food and water, showing empathy, and teaching others.

I saw it at play this last week when I was feeling in a funk from being a bit homesick and having to pay estimated taxes (never fun).

My Dad shared a photo of a sunset in Tucson. A client forwarded an inspiring email to me. My best friend shared pictures of my favorite doggo on the planet, Bentley.

It was those little moments that lit me up. Seeing my loved ones present to their world and sharing it brought me so much joy. So much so, that it pulled me out of my funk.

I am because you are.

Thank you for being here and sharing this journey with me.

Hey, this is Kelsey, founder of SiteSee. I’ll send an email like this every Friday where I’ll share my musings from my travels, the latest research undertaken by our travel writers, as well as recommendations for travel products, interesting podcasts, good reads, and more.

This past weekend I went on a bouldering trip to Rocklands.

Whenever I go on a trip — even if it’s just for two nights — I always do a post-mortem when I return and ask myself these questions:

1. What did I pack that I actually used?

2. What didn’t I use?

3. What did I need that I never packed?

It’s a bit type-A. However, this practice has always helped me make better packing decisions in the future. Plus, I find there are always a few things during this analysis that I end up saying, “I’m so happy I brought this”. 

For this specific trip, here were those three things:

1. Packable weekender bag

I got this one from BAGGU and I’ve used it more than a dozen times this year. It’s served as an overnight bag while staying at my best friend's house and as a weekender bag like our recent trip to Rocklands. Heck, I’ve even used it as a grocery bag when I’m doing a big Sunday haul. If this bag isn’t your jam, check out this list we put together of the best packable tote bags here.

2. Reusable water bottle

For the things you use every day, get something you actually love. The four things I use every day that I refuse to skimp on are my phone, chapstick, sunglasses, and water bottle. My water bottle is the most recent one I’ve upgraded. I used to use a YETI, but I felt like it was too big and bulky to travel with so I swapped it out for this self-cleaning one from LARQ. It’s given me so much peace of mind, especially when you don’t know exactly where you’ll be and what the water situation is like.

3. Versatile sling bag

I don’t know when we collectively decided as a species to shift fanny packs into sling bags and make them cool again, but I’m here for it. I use this leather one from Lo & Sons and I find it incredibly versatile. It’s functional enough to take hiking and chic enough to wear while out on a dinner date. If you haven’t yet joined the sling bag cult, check out this list of the best sling bag options.

And for other recommended travel essentials (that are often forgotten), check out our list here.

Finally, here are the links to the articles published this last week:

• 12 Best Merino Wool T-Shirts for Travel

• How to Build Your Location-Independent Business

• 12 Best Baboon to the Moon Dupes and Alternatives

• 15 Best Travel Gifts for Men That Are Under $100

Thanks so much for reading and, as always, please let me know how we did. Which part of this email was your favorite? What do you want more or less of? Other suggestions?

​Have a wonderful weekend, all.

Onwards,

Kelsey