If you’re going on a trip abroad, it is best to be well-prepared with travel tips in mind. There are items that you need to bring as well as things that won’t be much use on the trip. A tour of a country usually involves a lot of walking and transferring from one town to another; thus, it is best to travel light. One carry-all luggage should be enough for a 7-day and 6-night tour and a handbag that contains only the essential things you need for the trip.
There are things that you must bring and keep with you at all times. These are the items that must be placed inside your handbag. Thus, it is best to bring a large handbag with lots of compartments or a bag with an organizer inside it. This way, it will be much easier to find and retrieve items that you need. Here are the items that are recommended to be placed inside your handbag when traveling to any foreign country. Let these packing tips help you to travel light and pack only all the essential stuff.
- Passport with visa
- Airline ticket
- Identification preferably a driver’s license
- Wallet with cash (US dollars), credit cards and an ATM card
- An international cell phone (a handy and cheap one will do)
- Digital camera that’s lightweight with extended battery
- Small flashlight
- Sunglasses
- Calling card of the hotel you’re staying at
- Map of the country you’re visiting in case you get lost
- Pen
- Wet ones and small pack of tissue paper
- Medication if any
- Contact number of the person who handles your tour group
Depending on your needs and daily requirements, you may also need to bring other extra stuff in your handbag to make your vacation more enjoyable. A small sunscreen would be a great idea as well as any device that allows you to connect with friends and family via wireless internet. There are also people who bring their iPods with them so that they can listen to music while traveling in the bus. A book would also be a nice addition so you can read something while waiting for your flight. Just remember though, that bringing too many gadgets can make your handbag heavy. A great idea would be to bring only one gadget that already contains an eBook, music, contacts and wifi connection among other things. A cellphone or one gadget that comes with all of these features would be a great idea to travel light.
For your suitcase, make sure that it contains chargers for your gadgets, and the clothes that you will be wearing on the trip. Clothing must include a nice dress for the ladies, shirts, shorts, jeans, a rain jacket and disposable underwear. The latter makes traveling so much easier as you can simply throw these away after use; thus giving your luggage extra space on your return flight. A rain jacket, on the other hand may come in handy if you’re going to a place with tropical climate. If you’re expecting sun and rain on your trip, do bring a rain jacket but also include flip-flops and a bathing suit if you plan to do some swimming and sunbathing at the beach. While you want to travel light, you also need to keep in mind that bringing the above items will make your stay more enjoyable.
While there are things that must be brought, there are also items that are not necessary. The items that can just make your bag heavy are as follows:
- expensive jewelry
- water bottles
- umbrellas
- high-heeled shoes
- blow dryer
- shampoo, soap and conditioner
- towel
- first aid kit
On evenings out, girls can wear ballet flats instead of uncomfortable high heels as flat shoes are lighter. There’s also no need to bring things that you can find in your hotel room such as blow dryer, shampoo, soap, conditioner, towels and lotion. Also ask if the tour you are joining has a first aid kit ready if in case something goes wrong. This way, you don’t need to bring an emergency kit. Having a light luggage is so convenient as it let’s you quickly pack and move from one hotel to another.
If you plan to do a lot of shopping, then it’s alright if you pack only one or two outfits on your trip. You can buy new clothes and then just wear these clothes on the trip. Doing this allows you to further reduce the weight of your luggage while getting yourself new clothes to wear.
It is advisable to wear jeans on the plane as this is not only bulky when placed inside a suitcase, but it also allows a person to easily move when travelling. Also keep your jacket with you in case it rains. Wearing jeans and a nice rain jacket on the plane further gives your luggage less weight; thus, allowing you to really travel light to and from the country you’re visiting.
Travel and leisure is fun and exciting. With travel tips in mind and knowing what items to bring and leave behind, you can properly plan your vacation and truly enjoy your stay. It is always an advantage to travel light while making your trip more comfortable by bringing only all the necessary items.
Jackie Lange handles a Panama tour that’s specially designed for retirees. Jackie’s Panama Relocation Tour shows what life is like in Panama and enables participants to meet and greet American expats who are already living in the country. Jackie is thrilled to be living in Panama and wants you to experience the same thing. Learn how this can be possible by visiting http://www.liveforlessinpanama.com/tours, and discover the beauty that is Panama through your own eyes.