The Leather Bags That Traveled the World With Me

I still remember the days when traveling meant ludicrous amounts of heavy gear. Before smartphones could take magazine-quality photos in the dark, documenting food meant lugging around a DSLR, two different lenses, extra batteries, and a notepad to jot down restaurant prices. It was exhausting, honestly.

When I first started traveling and writing about my food explorations, I quickly realized that a regular backpack wasn’t going to cut it. I needed something that looked decent enough to carry to a nice cafe, but tough enough to survive being thrown around on dusty train floors.

Discovering My Batangas Leather Satchel

That’s when I bought my Batangas leather bag. If you know anything about leather goods from the Philippines, you know they are made to leave you behind.

A Bag Built to Last

I bought this bag years ago, and it became my everyday bag. It smelled of rich, raw leather for months.

The Coffee Spill That Became Part of Its Story

I remember spilling half a cup of black coffee on it at a little roadside diner somewhere in Southeast Asia. I was terrified, thinking I would ruin it. But instead of staining, the leather just soaked it in and developed this beautiful, dark, weathered patina over the years.

Carrying the Notebook That Started Everything

It was the perfect size to slide into my notebook the same notebook where I used to manually write down menu prices that eventually inspired the creation of this website.

Why I Bought a Grafea Leather Camera Bag

But for my main camera gear, the bag wasn’t padded enough. That led me to my second favorite purchase: a Graphia leather camera bag.

Protecting My DSLR and Camera Lenses

Photography was a huge part of how I documented my travels, and camera lenses are too fragile to just throw in a tote bag.

Surviving Unexpected Rainstorms

I remember strapping this Graphia bag to my chest during a sudden downpour at a crowded market. The thick leather kept my camera completely dry.

Security and Peace of Mind While Traveling

It had these sturdy buckles that took an extra second to open, which was sometimes annoying when I wanted a quick shot of a street food vendor, but it gave me incredible peace of mind against pickpockets.

How My Travel Gear Changed Over the Years

Looking back, it’s funny how things change.

From DSLR Cameras to Smartphones

Today, Travel Food Finds is a massive database tracking fast food menus, happy hours, and food costs around the world. I don’t carry around that much heavy camera gear anymore. A good phone usually does the trick for menu snapshots.

Looking Back at Where It All Began

The Bag That Still Brings Back Memories

But I still have that buttings bag sitting in my closet. Every time I look at it, it reminds me where this whole journey started with just one foodie with a notebook, trying to figure out where to get the best food on a budget.