Whether you are a planned-to-the-second traveller, a grab-it-and-go vacationer, or a happy medium type of tourist there are some things that you should always bring with you when you head off on your vacation. Traveling is never stress free, we know this, but you can make it a little less stressful if you remember to bring each of the items listed below.
Reading Materials
Whether it’s a magazine, a journal, or a paperback (or the digital versions of these on a device), having reading material can make delays and waiting periods much easier to bear when you’re traveling. These are as perfect for escaping the tedium of airport waiting rooms as they are for whiling away hours by the pool… just be sure to pack a variety of options so you can read according to your mood.
Chargers for Electronics
This one’s a biggie! Especially if you have a few stop-overs in the middle. Nothing is guaranteed to send a long-distance traveler into meltdown like realizing the phone they rely on for navigation, timekeeping, and translation is going to run out of juice because they forgot their charger. You are not always going to be able to get a replacement soon, either, so it’s best to check you have them!
Camera
There are few things which keep vacation memories alive quite like photos. Whether they’re digital and kept in an online album, traditional polaroid snaps in a scrapbook, or prints destined for frames around your home photos keep you connected to those vacation memories after you have arrived home.
Medication
If you take prescription medication of any kind it is really essential that you make sure you have them with you, and that you have enough to last you for your whole vacation. Have some in your carry-on as well as your case so that if you happen to lose your luggage you have some to tide you over until you can track down more. You might also want to carry some basic over-the-counter medications like paracetamol, anti-diarrhoea medications, and allergy pills, too, so you don’t have to go out hunting for a drugstore in the middle of the night.
Cash and Cards
This is very important when traveling out of your home country on vacation; make sure you have several methods of payment with you. Cash is key for when you first land so that you can pay for things when you first arrive, but credit and debit cards are also good so that you don’t have to walk around with lots of cash on you. Plus, if cards are stolen you can cancel them before too much damage is done… just make sure you let your bank know you’re travelling so you can use your card freely without it being frozen due to suspicious activity.
If you’ve got all this with you, at least, you’re on the way to a less stressful traveling experience than usual with taking a vacation. This isn’t all you need, though, so do be sure to check you have packed enough underwear!