As summer approaches and plans are under way forproposed holidays anddestinations. We all lookforward to that moment when we take offand leave behind the everyday hustle andbustle. The tickets have been booked andyour excitement level rises, then it dawnson you that you need to pack for yourtrip (tough task if you ask me).
When you’re travelling out of the country, intelligent packing must be considered; which can mean the difference between having everything you need–or having nothing appropriate to wear, and an excess luggage fee to pay to the airline.
Remember the saying: ‘Take half as many clothes and twice as much money’. Whatever your destination, there are seldom few things that you will not be able to pick up along the way. Don’t feel that you have to take clothing and equipment for every single activity that you may or may not partake in; you can always hire.
The most important thing is to decide what you really need and resist the temptation to take non-essentials. For example, ask yourself: “Do I really need my laptop?’ If you’re taking it for work purposes, then you’re not going on a holiday; and if your excuse is to keep in touch with family and friends back home, there are enough internet cafes around to satisfy this need. Try your best to travel light – travel with an ipad or Tablet.
Before you embark on your getaway, gather everything you think you will need, and then literally halve it … you will discover you will still have more than you need. Where you’re going will obviously determine the contents of your suitcase, but the following tips should help:
Travel Must-Haves Valuables
- Passport
- Visas, Cash and travellers cheques, credit credit and ATM cards
- Travel documents (e.g airline tickets, rail & bus passes, hotel details and reservations etc)
- International driver’s license
- Vaccination certificates
- Health insurance information
- Copies of all important documents (keep these separate from originals)
Hint: keep all important documents and money in a security pouch on your person, not in a handbag, wallet, flight bag or backpack.
Miscellaneous
- General toiletries (toothbrush & toothpaste, shampoo & conditioner, deodorant, comb, razor & shaving cream etc–travel sized items in plastic containers if possible)
- Cosmetics of your choice
- Moisturizer and lip balm (air travel, sun, wind &hotel air conditioning make these an absolute must)
- Torch
- Mirror
- Sunglasses & case, spectacles & case, contact lenses, copy of prescription or spare set of glasses/lenses
- Multipurpose tool (Swiss Army knife) or collapsible scissors/knife
- Sewing kit (including needle, thread, spare buttons, safety pins, rubber bands etc)
- Ziploc plastic bags (for wet clothing, laundry etc)
- Personal address book
- Extra passport photos (this will save you a lot of hassle should you need to replace your passport or organize a visa in a hurry)
- Maps, guidebooks, phrase books (take the required sections rather than the entire book)
- Video camera, camera & equipment(film, tapes, batteries, lenses, flash tripod)
- Calculator/money changer
- Electric plug adaptors (get a universal one)
- Batteries, charger.
Clothing
- Center your holiday wardrobe around one or two basic colours. This way, most things will mix and match, giving you a “bigger” wardrobe, and reducing the number of shoes and accessories you’ll need to take.
- Take as few clothes as possible–plan on laundering. If you choose your clothes wisely, this will not be as difficult as it sounds–wringing out a silk shirt and a few undergarments in the sink of your hotel or B&B (Bed & Breakfast) at bedtime will become as routine and simple as brushing your teeth … and save you heaps of room in your suitcase, and time and money wasted at a Laundromat or added hotel bills for laundry. The old trick of rolling wet clothes in a towel and squeezing it tightly will help the drying process considerably.
- Be sensitive to the culture and traditions of the country you’re visiting While tank tops and hot pants may seem to be a good idea, they’re just not appropriate for some countries and could invite trouble. If you’ve missed the mark, purchase some local clothing–it’ll also make for a good souvenir.
Hints for a Perfect Packing.
- Pack shoes in shoe bags or in individual socks to protect clothing.
- Make use of the insides of your shoes–place small items, socks or underwear in these nooks and crannies for maximum space usage.
- Don’t roll belts–they will take up less room if you run them around the circumference of the inner wall of your suitcase.
- If you’re taking any bulky clothes, create extra space in your suitcase by wearing them on the plane instead of packing them.
- Pack a folded, lightweight, durable bag in the bottom of your suitcase. This will hardly take up any room, but could come in very handy on your return trip if you plan to shop ‘till you drop’.
- Pack smart–place half of your clothes in your partner’s case and vice versa. This way, if one goes missing, you will each have clothes to carry on with. If both should go missing, get ‘cracking’ with the credit card!
- By the same token, make sure you each carry different credit cards, or individual cards which access to the same accounts–if one of your cards is lost, stolen or damaged, your partner can come to the rescue.
- Make sure you lock your luggage and keep the key with you.
Medical
- Definitely take the following items: analgesics, insect repellent, sunblock, band aids & bandages (especially when travelling with children), anti-nausea, diarrhoea & malaria tablets.
- If you require prescription drugs, come prepared–pack more than you expect to need. Take a copy of the prescription just in case you need to replenish your supply. If you have a serious condition, a letter from your doctor (translated in the local language) is a wise precaution.
Case closed
Finally, have a practice run before you leave. A day or two before you depart, pack your chosen bag with everything you plan to take just to see that it all fits … and don’t forget to leave a little room for any souvenirs and items you will buy on your trip! Adios. Hasta luego. Chau. Nos vemos!
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