There are many kinds of traveler in this world: the conscientious backpacker who carefully itemises and packs all the essentials, the grab-it-and-go jetsetter who barely remembers their toothbrush, and the in-between serene vacationer who doesn’t sweat the small stuff. No matter which type you are, however, there are a few essentials you should always bring with you (even if you forget everything else).
Electronic chargers
There’s nothing as certain to ruin your vacation experience like forgetting the chargers for your electronics, especially when you have stopovers to contend with. Finding replacements is not always easy, either, so make sure that you have at least one spare with you (also we’d recommend keeping them in your carry-on luggage).
Something to read
Reading materials make every stage of traveling that little bit less boring (especially if it’s a long journey) so be sure to pack enough reading materials to keep you going. A good mixture of books and magazine will ensure that you have something to read no matter your mood. Better still, when you get to your destination anything you don’t read on the way can fill your downtime by the pool. You might even want to have a few electronic copies of magazines or books on your tablet or e-reader; it’s a much lighter way to make sure you have enough reading material to accompany your vacation.
Medicines
If you take any prescription medications it is absolutely essential that you make sure you have enough to get you through your whole vacation as it can be very hard to find specific medications abroad. We recommend that you keep them in your carry-on luggage so that you have them even if you lose your case. You might also want to bring along a supply of over-the-counter medications for allergies, diarrhoea, vomiting, and little aches and pains… just to be on the safe side.
Cameras
Whether you’ve got an old school Polaroid to fill your scrapbook with, or you’re on the cutting edge of digital photographic technology we recommend that you bring a camera with you to capture all of your vacation memories. These photographs will keep you connected to your vacations long after you come home.
Money talks
Especially when you’re traveling out of your home country it is very important that you bring along more than one way to pay. It’s key to have cash on you when you’re on vacation so that you can pay for things as you go. Credit cards and debit cards are also important so that you’re not walking around with large amounts of money on your person. Just be sure to let your bank know that you’ll be using your cards abroad so that they don’t freeze your accounts.
If you remember to bring all of these things with you your traveling experience will be much less stressful, and much more enjoyable for you.
