I went on a 19-hour Amtrak train ride with a carry-on suitcase and a backpack. Here are 8 things I wish I'd packed and 4 items I'm glad I took.

I typically travel light, forcing everything into a small backpack, but this trip would be different.

When I booked a private roomette on the Lake Shore Limited Amtrak train, I knew I had to pack some creature comforts to get me through the 19-hour trek. I decided to take a typical carry-on suitcase and a backpack for my journey, which would be followed by a week in the Midwest.

By the end of the journey, I realized I had left some important items at home. On the other hand, some of the items I packed were lifesavers.

Ever since the coronavirus pandemic, I've been wary of public transportation. Amtrak says it has been "utilizing EPA-registered cleaning products and enhancing cleaning on commonly used surfaces" in light of COVID-19.

Still, out of an abundance of caution, I found myself wanting to clean everything in my roomette before settling in. I wish I could have wiped down and sanitized the door handle, the pull-out table, the control panel buttons, and the armrests. However, I couldn't do that without sanitary wipes.

Soon after we left New York City, an Amtrak attendant knocked on my door and delivered my dinner. When I opened it, I found pasta, chicken, and salad, but none of it was particularly appetizing to me. Instead of eating the whole meal, I munched on a few pretzels I had bought back at Penn Station.

By the mid-way point of my trip, I realized I didn't have enough snacks to last me the entire journey. I contemplated going to the snack car or dining car on the train, but they were several cars ahead of me — it would have been easier and cheaper to bring more of my own snacks.

My dinner came with a water bottle, and there was another one waiting in my roomette when I arrived. But I drank both quickly and wished I had brought a reusable bottle to fill up with water from the coffee station at the back of my train car.

When packing for this trip, I debated packing a sweatshirt. I could see myself getting chilly on the train and wanting to bundle up, but on the other hand, the sweatshirt took up too much room in my suitcase, so I left it at home.

That proved to be the wrong decision because I wore shorts and a T-shirt for the bulk of the trip, and at times, I was chilly and wanted to be cozier. The sweatshirt definitely would have made my trip more comfortable.

At the back of my train car, there was a communal shower. I thought about using it, but I realized I didn't have a large towel to dry off. I asked the attendant for one, and she said they don't supply them. I couldn't dry myself off with a hand towel, so I had to forgo my morning shower, which left me feeling groggy.

When the attendant turned down my bed, she gave me sheets, blankets, and a pillow that were wrapped in plastic. Although everything smelled nice and clean when I took the items out, the blanket was a bit scratchy and the sheets were thin. If I'd brought my own blankets, I would have had a better night's sleep.

Before taking the 19-hour trek, I didn't realize how loud trains are. As the train rattled down the track, it shook everything on board and created loud clanging sounds. This added to my difficulty of falling asleep, and while in bed, I remember wishing I had packed earplugs.

When I got out of bed in the morning, I didn't want to put on my sneakers, but I also didn't want to walk around barefoot in my roomette. I compromised by putting on a pair of dirty socks, but a small pair of foldable slippers that I could slip into my carry-on would have been much better.

Nineteen hours on a train can feel like an awfully long time, so I passed several hours watching Netflix. I was hesitant to bring my laptop because it takes up so much space in my bag, it's heavy, and there was no guarantee the WiFi would work on the train.

But I'm glad I did because the WiFi worked great and watching movies really helped pass the time.

Although packing two books and one journal may seem excessive, I didn't regret it. I realized early on in the journey that it would be difficult to keep my attention on one thing. While watching movies on my laptop was great, I needed a break every now and then, so the books came in handy.

I found having several options for entertainment was extremely important to keep myself sane during the 19 hours.

My camera is large and bulky, so packing it was not easy. After playing a complicated game of Tetris, I eventually got it to fit at the top of my personal bag. I'm glad I got it to fit because I was able to photograph some great landscapes on the journey.

I had to change twice during the 19-hour train ride. The first was into pajamas for bed and the second was into my daytime clothes the next morning. Thankfully, I carefully planned these outfits and packed them at the top of my carry-on suitcase so they were accessible.

Changing twice helped break up the 19 hours and kept me on my usual routine.