Packing 101
January 29, 2018
When getting ready to head out on a trip you can’t help but be so excited for the fun adventures in store! But getting ready to leave also comes with its fair share of STRESS! One of my biggest stresses is packing. Packing comes with so many questions, What do I bring? What do I need? How long will I be there? What is the weather going to be like? How big is my bag? What can I not get there? These are just a few of the many questions you ask yourself in preparation for a trip. It can be so difficult to know what to bring and being unprepared can be a big bummer. So here is a few tips to help you get ready to start adventuring.
1. Know the weather: This can make it or break it when it comes to packing. If you are heading to Antarctica and pack like you're going to the Bahamas, you are in for trouble! Sure weather can be unpredictable but researching the area that you are heading to can help you prepare as much as possible. For example: If you are heading somewhere that could possibly have rain, bring a light jacket just in case. It is better to be over prepared than under prepared. Now take that advice in moderation because on the contrary there is nothing worse than having too many items to lug along the way. So a healthy mix is the way to go!
2. A comfortable pair of travel shoes: Shoes are something that affect everything! If you do not have appropriate shoes, it can make adventuring a little more difficult. Always make sure that you have a pair of shoes that are comfortable and easy to slip on and go. Whether that be a good pair of Nikes or Tevas, it is important to have something reliable. Here are my favorite shoes from our past travel, they have been through a lot with me and they are still in great condition.
3. Extra money: Now you don’t want to have so much extra money on you that it isn’t safe, but you want to have enough in case of an emergency. When we were in China, our cards weren’t working anywhere! It was a NIGHTMARE! The cherry on top was that they hotel we were supposed to stay at didn’t accept the reservation online and wanted us to pay in cash instead. Well that was a little difficult because our cards didn’t work, there were no ATMS and we were in quite a pickle. Luckily we had a saving grace that helped us out but you don’t always get that lucky. So we have learned our lesson and I want to make sure you never have to experience that stress. So bring extra money and bring money that is in the currency of where you are going as well.
4. Emergency contact info: Whether you are traveling abroad or not, having emergency information on hand is essential. Some items that you may want to include is a scanned picture of your passport, health insurance information and emergency contact phone numbers. I also made sure to have the address to the nearest US embassy to me when ever I stayed in a new place. I wanted to make sure that in case of an emergency, I had a good idea of how to get to the embassy if necessary.
5. Snack bars: It can be difficult to know when you are going to eat with all of the craziness of traveling. So prepare yourself with a few snacks in easy to grab places to keep you going.
6. Plastic bags: Whether it be for wet clothes, dirty socks or you just want it to be in its own bag, plastic bags are essential for traveling. There is nothing worse than having to shove your wet, dirty, sandy swimsuit in your suitcase with all of your clean clothes that you have to wear for the rest of the week. YUCK! Do yourself a favor and throw some cheap plastics bags in your luggage to save you! You will thank me later.
7. Everyday essentials: I am sure that this is a no brainer to all of you but make sure you have everything that you use on a daily basis. For the most part, you are going to be doing the same routine that you do back home so you need to make sure that you have all that you need. Tooth brush, tooth paste, moisturizer, lotion, makeup,moist towelettes, hair brush etc. Also make sure that you take into account where you are going and if you would need anything else that you don’t usually need on a daily basis, like bug spray or sunscreen.
8. Portable charger: Although you may not want to be on your phone all the time while you are on vacation, and I agree with you 100%, but in this day and age a lot of the information that you need is on your devices. Whether that be your maps to find your hotel, your airplane ticket, your airbnb check in or even how to say something in the language you are visiting; you need to be able to access that information. So having a portable charger can save you some hassle when you are in a sticky situation.
9. Something to make you feel good: Now this may be a little vague so let me explain. Just think about after traveling on a bus for 10+ hours in a hot humid climate with no A/C to get to your destination, all you want to do is take a shower and put on something that makes you feel good. This may be a fancy outfit for some or a casual comfy outfit for others. But make sure it makes you feel good! It’s worth it to pack that extra comfy dress or top if it makes you happy!
10. First aid kit: Pack a few bandaids, some antibiotic ointment and pain relievers and you are good to go. You never know when a little cut is going to happen or you get a headache, having some essentials on hand is going to be a life saver!
I hope that these few packing tips make your life a little easier when it comes to getting ready for your next adventure! Feel free to email with any questions or other tips that I can add to help your fellow travelers!
xoxo
Round Trip Robisons
xoxo
Round Trip Robisons