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Travel Packing Tips
One of the most important travel packing tips is making sure your passport is well within its expiry date.
Passports must be valid for the duration of your travel and some countries have requirements such as 6 months before expiry.
- Update your passport at least 2 months before leaving on your trip.
- Research visa requirements; some visas are required before departure and others are granted when you land.
- For information on passports and travel visas a good resource is the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
The Money Belt and Important Documents
Don’t leave home without your money belt.
There are many types but carry your important travel documents with you in your money belt if you want to travel carefully.
Take your driver’s licence and research if the countries you will be visiting require an international driver’s licence.
- If you are a member of an automobile association, they will be able to provide you with a list of those countries and advice on how to obtain a licence.
- Carry your passport, visas, tickets, credit cards, bank card, some cash, driver’s licences and emergency contact numbers in your money belt.
Travel Tips for Packing Luggage
Bring a few small packs of tissue instead of toilet rolls.
They will take less space in your suitcase and come in handy when you end up in a bathroom that has no toilet paper.
Ensure you have included ID tags for all your baggage and use International Air Transportation Association (IATA) approved locks to avoid having your locks cut off if airport security decides they want to search your luggage.
- Pack a small address and phone book, not only with your important contact phone numbers, but also for the contact information of the new friends that you may meet on your travels.
- Carry a small pocket calculator to keep track of your expenses and calculate exchange rates.
- If you are taking a laptop on your trip, use a padded sleeve to protect it from any damage during the security check in at the airport.
Travel Packing Tips for Vacation Travel Accessories
Research the wattage of the countries you will be visiting and bring along plug adaptors for your dual voltage appliances and a converter if you have an appliance that is not dual voltage.
Now when travelling, the most important of travel packing tips is to take small plastic zip lock bags for carrying makeup, small hairspray bottles, soaps, shampoos, creams or any toiletries when going through security, or for storing foods or snacks that you buy at a local grocery store in the towns or cities you are visiting.
I always carry a small flashlight. It is so useful for late-night trips to the washroom down the hall if you are staying in a hostel, a one star hotel, some bed and breakfast accommodations, and for unexpected emergencies anywhere.
You may want to pack a compact corkscrew for opening a bottle of wine in your hotel room to save on eating out and beverage costs.
And of course, you will need your travel alarm clock.
Travel Clothes
When planning my travel clothes, I like to pack a sweater or a light jacket and a pair of socks in my carry-on bag as I find that sometimes the interior of an airplane can be cool during flights even during summer.
It’s handy to have a clothes line, clothes pins and sink stopper for long trips so that you can wash some of your travel clothing. Remember to remove the dry clothes in the morning before the chamber maids arrive as some hotels are picky about washing your laundry in the rooms.Electrical or strapping tape is also useful:
- You can repair a skirt hem that’s coming down, or take fluff off a sweater,
- repair a tear in your best travel luggage
- tape your adapter to your appliance’s plug as some outlets are recessed into the wall and your adapter may get left behind when you pull out the plug.
It is also a good idea to bring some extra safety pins because you never know when you may need them.
Take your watch but leave your valuable jewellery at home.
If you bring good quality fashion jewellery, don’t wear it through customs as they may mistaken your great looking jewellery for the expensive version an you could get detained if they don’t believe that they are not the real thing.
Depending on the weather and the activities you have planned, take lightweight boots, one or two pairs of shoes and sandals, but most importantly, take comfortable travel clothes and footwear if you plan to do a lot of sightseeing and walking.
Remember to take a sun hat, your sunglasses, prescription glasses, contact lenses and contact lens cleaners or take an extra pair of glasses or bring your prescription along in case you need to purchase new glasses in an emergency.
Make sure you check the expiry date on your sunscreen lotions as they do expire.
Instead of bringing your scuba or snorkelling gear, consider renting the equipment you need.
Protecting Your Best Travel Luggage
If travelling by train overnight, keep your luggage fastened to the luggage rack with a bicycle chain and combination lock as thieves can dash off with your bag.
For women, wear your money belt and keep your purse strapped to yourself or under your head when sleeping.
For day trips when you are enroute to your next destination, remove your best travel luggage from your car and check them in at the local train station?s baggage storage in case your car gets broken into. Rental cars are easy targets for thieves.
When you have reached your destination airport, do consider renting a trolley for a small fee, especially if you have to do a lot of walking in a large airport, or from one terminal to another for either a transfer flight or to catch a train or underground to a downtown destination.
And one of the concluding travel packing tips, when you are finished with your trolley at the airport, leave it for someone else to use. This will save you time looking to return it and give you some good karma points.
Bring Your Sunscreen Lotion
Safety Pins-Simple but Extremely Useful
