Why leaving one gadget at home cost me a whole day

Hey, Johannes from GearUpYourLife here.

This Sunday is a little different. No big gear breakdowns, no top-10 list — just a quick story that reminded me why the boring essentials matter more than anything.

A few days ago, I drove over to Amsterdam — it’s only about a two-hour ride from where I live in Germany. It was a warm day, about 25°C (77°F) , and I left without much gear. No gadgets, no jacket… just my phone, keys, and (of course) a power bank.

And then it happened. The classic travel curse: rain. Actually, more than rain — it was pouring, with hail tapping on my shoulders. Within minutes, my t-shirt was soaked through and my sneakers made that squelching sound with every step.
It instantly reminded me of the same time last year, also in Amsterdam, when I had at least thrown my Outdoor Research rain jacket in the car. That time I still had to run across the city, because I’d forgotten my daypack in a store and ended up trusting my AirTag to track it back through the storm.

But this time? No rain jacket, no backup plan, just me sprinting through the streets, dripping wet, while locals biked past like it was completely normal. Eventually, I ducked into an arcade hall, and what felt like ten minutes turned into three hours. By the time I finally ran to the car, I was already drenched — laughing at the whole mess because honestly, what else can you do?
One of those trips that’s chaotic in the moment… but one you’re glad you made.

The moral of the story?
It’s not about the destination, it’s about the way. (Renee’s words from last week still hit.) And sometimes the way includes being soaked in Amsterdam rain.

But here’s the exciting part: as many of you know, these Sunday posts sometimes feature stories from different travelers in our community. Next week, though, it’s something special.
Christine — the very first person to officially join GearUpYourLife as an editor — will be sharing her own story here. She’s based in the Philippines, and because she sees travel from a totally different perspective, her take on gear and trips is going to feel refreshingly new.
I’m really excited for you to meet her this way, and I think her first story will surprise you.

Until then — if losing daypacks or running through rain sounds familiar, this week’s video is for you:
👉 Travel Safety Gadgets Thieves Don’t Want You To Know (watch here).
( UPDATE: Because the video will be in 4K quality, rendering takes longer – it will be live in about 4 hours. Wish you an awesome day, and hopefully see you this evening!)

Safe travels,
Johannes

PS: I’ll drop a few of those Amsterdam rain shots on Instagram today Come say hi 🌧️ → @gear_upyour_life