Most of my travel is to places where credit cards are useless and there are no ATMs… places like Iran, Sudan and Somaliland… so I usually take quite a lot of cash.
I think I’ve only put cash in my shoe once (when going into Transnistria).
Having a VPN is important because most of these countries don’t like the internet too much.
You know, I used to head out with duct tape, a mess kit, bits of parachute cord, a pocket knife and all kinds of nifty “just in case” stuff. I’ve spent collectively years on the road, mostly in Africa and Asia in rough conditions, and I’ve never once thought “Gee, I’m sure glad that I packed that extra ______”.
Now I pack clothes, toiltetries, camera, a good clothesline, a silk sheet, an eye mask, something to read, a bottle opener, a handful of bandaids and a few garbage bags. I’ve caved in to using packing cubes, but I’m still not sure they are worth the weight. Anyway, that’s all I’ve ever needed and I haven’t once missed all the other stuff I used to lug around. If it’s not something you’d carry on your person at home, it’s probably not something you need to carry around on a trip.
But in the spirit of the thread, if you wear glasses, wrap them in your silk travel sheet (which will keep the bugs in sketchy sleeping quarters away from you, provide a little bit of extra warmth, and make you feel luxurious when you sleep on the plane), and stuff them in a Nalgene bottle. It is a good idea to have a water bottle in places where clean water may not be readily available, and Nalgenes are practically unbreakable so they make a good case.
Ja, I travel pretty light (typically under 15#, unless there’s no compelling reason to do so), but I rely on packing tape for many needs.
Having cut my hand pretty badly long ago, I err on the side of more emergency medical supplies (like a clean bandana, bandaids, Neosporin, and alcohol swabs in a Ziploc bag).
I waffle on lightweight packing cubes vs gallon Ziplocs, which can be used for other functions, including keeping torrential rain off my camera, journal, passport, etc.