You don’t realise what is missing until you need it. Packing for holidays can be overwhelmingly difficult at times. A general advice is to pack light. Everyone has the urge to pack a lot of things. But what usually happens is that we either wear them only once or we end up not wearing most of the things at all. So the best way to go about packing is to mix and match clothes.
Try to create outfits based on the weather and the destination. Make sure that whatever you bring, you can wear or use it more than once and it will look different.
I made a check list for my family prior to any trip we make sure tick all the boxes.
Luggage
- Suitcase or luggage with wheels and straps
- Day Bag for daily outing
- Padlocks (and keys)
Money/Funds
- Money (cash and credit cards)
- Travellers’ cheques
- Cash
Travel Documents:
- Passport
- Visas if required for this trip
- Travel insurance including insurer details, 24 hr emergency contact telephone number
- Flight tickets, e-ticket
- Trip and accomodation confirmation
- Photocopies of important documents. Keep photos of them in your Mobile phone
- Spare passport photos
- Youth/student card if student for travel discounts
- Seniors card for travel discounts
- International driving license if you plan to hire a car Diving license
Personal Health
- First aid kit
- Personal medication/prescriptions Prescription glasses
- Contact lenses and solution
- High protection sunscreen (30+)
- Lip balm
- Hat
- Sunglasses
- Insect repellent
- Antibacterial gel/wipes
- Travel sickness tablets
- Travel vaccination certificates
- After-sun moisturiser
- Anti-malaria pills (if recommended by doctor) Aspirin and/or paracetamol
- Anti-diarrhoea pills (consult your local doctor for more detailed advice regarding destinations you will be travelling)
- Multivitamins
Clothing
For longer trips we recommend you choose clothing that is easy to wash and fast drying. Women should bring a skirt that covers their knees and a scarf for visiting mosques, churches and other places of worship. It’s also a good idea to bring some smarter clothes for nights out.
- Warm top/sweater, micro fleece long-sleeved top (for morning/evenings when cooler)
- Jeans/trousers/shorts (zip-off trousers are very versatile)
- Shirts/cotton shirts
- Socks/underwear
- Light weight Jacket
- Swimming costume
- Swimming towel, Snorkel & mask
- Comfortable walking shoes with anti slip sole
- Sandals/flip-flops
- Thermal underwear or base layers
- Beanie/woolly hat/balaclava
- Gloves
Sleeping
- Eye mask
- Alarm clock
- Ear plugs
- Night clothes/sleepwear
Travel Accessories including Technology
- Scissors/army knife (Not in hand luggage)
- Local language phrase book
- Personal Mobile Phone with plenty of music and entertainment loaded – check you have international roaming access
- Personal Laptop and Ipad/Book reader
- Portable games/playing cards
- Reading material
- Water bottle
- Pen/paper
- Travel pillow
- Journal/diary
- Cloth/reusable shopping bag
- Torch/flashlight
- Electrical adapter for the country you are travelling to
- Binoculars
- Camera, memory cards, batteries/charger and dust/water proof camera bag
- Toiletries
- Travel hair dryer
- Shaving equipment
- Bath towel
- Rubber flip-flops for showers
- Small mirror