• I packed lots of essentials for my five-hour Amtrak ride, but I didn't think of everything I needed.
• My Kindle, tripod, and headphones came in handy for keeping me entertained on my journey.
• However, I wish I had brought more comfort items such as a travel pillow, blanket, or even slippers.

When I hauled a heavy suitcase into the overhead on my Amtrak train car, I thought I had everything I'd need for my trip.

Three jackets, two pairs of boots, and a scarf to match every sweater — I was ready for anything. However, I quickly realized I wasn't nearly as prepared for the five-hour ride itself.

My trip from New Jersey to Boston on the Northeast Regional line gave me just enough time to settle in, stretch out, and enjoy a little downtime. Soon, I learned that what I had — and didn't — made all the difference in how much I enjoyed my trip.

Here are five items I'm glad I brought, and three I wish I'd packed.

My ticket didn't include complimentary snacks, so I was glad I'd brought my own.

Due to the length of my ride, I knew I'd be hungry at some point.

My basic ticket didn't come with complimentary snacks from Amtrak, but I didn't mind much since I had brought plenty of food from home.

I stopped at a bagel shop before boarding, packed a homemade latte, and had more than enough snacks to keep me satisfied throughout the ride.

There was a café car about halfway through the train that I could've bought a few bites at, but I was happy to save the money anyway.

Headphones came in handy for listening to music and streaming TV.

Though the lull of the train can be soothing in itself, I was happy to have packed my headphones so I could listen to music during the ride.

These also came in handy when I wanted to catch up on TV shows without bothering anyone around me.

The only packing mistake I made was bringing wired headphones instead of wireless ones, because I couldn't charge my device and listen at the same time.

My hot spot came in handy when the train's WiFi didn't work super well.

Though Amtrak offers complimentary WiFi on routes like this one, I didn't find it reliable for everything.

It worked fine for sending texts or scrolling through social media, but it wasn't as reliable when I wanted to stream TV on my laptop. To stream better, I switched to my phone's hot spot.

I brought my tripod for capturing content, but it was useful for creating extra space at my seat.

I had originally packed my tripod to capture travel content, and it was helpful as I snapped photos and filmed videos.

I also found it surprisingly useful for creating extra space at my seat.

My tray table wasn't very big, so setting up my tripod on the floor with my phone to stream a show gave me room to keep my laptop on the table instead.

It's worth noting that I didn't have anyone sitting next to me, so I had plenty of floor space to work with. Overall, it made for a nice setup.

My Kindle comes with me almost everywhere I go.

Luckily, I didn't struggle to keep myself entertained since I had packed my Kindle. I'm a book lover, so five hours of uninterrupted reading time was right up my alley.

I prefer using an e-reader over a physical book when traveling because it's lightweight and doesn't take up much space in my bag.

Plus, for early morning or late-night rides with my Kindle, I don't have to rely on the train's reading light, which might disturb other passengers.

However, I found myself wishing I had packed motion-sickness medication.

I thought I packed pretty well for the trip, but toward the end of the ride, I started feeling nauseous. I've never had motion sickness on a train before, but I've also never been on one for this long.

So, when I started feeling dizzy in the last hour, I was caught off guard. I couldn't look at my phone screen anymore, so I leaned back and closed my eyes.

It really made me wish I had brought some motion-sickness medication along for the ride.

Having a travel pillow or blanket would've made my trip more comfortable.

My seat ended up being comfier than I thought, with a decent recline and footrests.

Looking back, though, I really wish I had packed some comfortable travel items, such as a neck pillow or blanket. This ride was early in the morning, and my return trip was late at night, so they would've come in handy.

Next time, I'll definitely bring a few more things to make the ride cozier and allow me to close my eyes for a bit.

Similarly, slippers would've been helpful for walking throughout the train car.

Another comfort item I didn't think about until I was on the train was slippers.

I like taking my shoes off during long trips, especially on airplanes, but for some reason, I felt hesitant to do so on the train.

I wish I had brought a pair of light slippers to wear during the ride and for those trips back and forth to the bathroom. It would've been another way to add to the overall comfort of a long Amtrak ride.

This story was originally published on December 3, 2025, and most recently updated on September 23, 2026.

• Years ago, I gave up paying traditional rent and began living between a campervan and a sailboat.
• I've been able to take risks and build a six-figure business, save money, and travel.
• Lately, though, I've been craving a true home base as I miss stability, basic comforts, and more.

I was hiking with my boyfriend, Tom, in the redwoods north of San Francisco in 2015 when he made the craziest suggestion: "Why don't we camp up here on Mount Tam? Give up rent?"

At first, I thought he was joking. Move out of my cute Zen cottage in the Mill Valley redwoods? No way! But he continued to talk excitedly from the fern-lined trail ahead of me. "Imagine how much you would save! At least $20,000 per year!"

Most people would never dream of giving up rent to get financially ahead, but Tom was different. He was a creative thinker, an adventurer (who's sailed from the Chesapeake Bay to San Francisco), and a Minnesota-born outdoorsman.

To him, camping sounded fun, a way to save money in one of the most expensive metropolises in the world. Giving up secure housing was just another adventure to him, while to me, it was a massively big deal.

Long story short: I ended up moving into a tent with him, then a Toyota Prius, then a sailboat.

After that came a Chevy Astro van and a Sprinter van. I paid off my debt, built my first nest-egg, and created an online business that earns six figures a year and powers our nomadic lifestyle.

It's now been 10 years since I last paid traditional rent. We split our time between a Sprinter van in the United States during the summer and a sailboat in Mexico during the winter.

Although some people think my life is a permanent vacation, to me it is just life — and it has its ups and downs.

Living in a van and on a sailboat has given me freedom with my life and finances

I am so thankful to be living the nomadic lifestyle by choice rather than necessity. I know there are so many people who have fallen on hard times and find living in a car the only way they can get by.

Living in a vehicle was a decision I made intentionally, and there's relief in knowing that if I want out of this lifestyle, I can go rent an apartment.

Living below my means this way has allowed me to take risks in my business, save hundreds of thousands of dollars for retirement, and feel financial freedom that mortgage payments would never have allowed.

Beyond that, this lifestyle has been good for my mind. When I'm living in my van or on the sailboat, I thoroughly enjoy being immersed in nature. Whether it's turquoise-clear anchorages in the Sea of Cortez or the forested mountains of Mount Hood, I am living within the natural world.

Most people are disconnected from this, living their lives among concrete and steel. Nature soothes and brings peace to my being.

Freedom is huge when living this way. I don't have an alarm clock, a commute, or a garage full of stuff begging to be sorted. I love that we have the flexibility to spend weeks with family and that we are able to chase the sun.

Adventures on land and on the water bring a sense of novelty to my life. I think it's easy to fall into a rut when living the same way every day. This is how years fly by, days and months mesh together into a singular blob.

When you travel constantly, the years don't feel like they are flying by; they are filled with memories, punctuation marks, and stories. This type of change prevents me from getting bored.

My nomadic lifestyle isn't without its challenges and drawbacks

I have heard this phrase many times from strangers and friends alike: "Living the dream!" or "You're so lucky!" And while I feel very thankful for this lifestyle, there are also some downsides.

I often feel unrooted or outside societal norms, which can make it difficult to relate to "normal" people. I miss the daily connections found in a more consistent lifestyle, such as dinners with friends, weekly ballroom-dance classes, family barbecues, and that local coffee shop where the barista knows my name.

There are days after a long hike or mountain bike ride that all I want is to take a steaming bath, have a comfortable couch to relax on, and a kitchen with hot running water. I do without modern amenities that feel like luxuries to me, and I really miss them sometimes.

Not knowing where I'm headed next brings an amount of uncertainty.

On the boat, especially, we can be stuck for days as we wait for a weather system to roll through. With the campervan, we often have no idea where we are sleeping next, and I'll be searching for spots on my phone while Tom drives.

One reason I like living at the boatyard for months at a time is that it creates a sense of stability and certainty for me.

This living situation may not last forever, but I'm grateful for it

It's hard to believe that I've been living without a traditional home for 10 years.

After all this time, I realize I am craving a home base more and more.

Athough I don't want to give up van life and sailboat living, I think having a home base or an apartment rental for a few months a year would satisfy my need for luxurious amenities and space to spread out.

I could spend six months on a sailboat in the South Pacific, a few months renting an apartment in Europe or the US, and a few months traveling in my van. That trifecta sounds like perfection for me.

Living tiny has taught me how to live with less, live below my means, and save up a big nest egg that makes me feel comfortable about the future, and for that, I'm forever thankful.