Sorting out a holiday packing list can be tough. What are the travel accessories that you definitely need…and what can you leave at home?
Luckily, we asked 10 travel experts for their advice on what to pack for your holiday.
Here we go:
1) All Your Travel Tech
Becki Enright, Travel Writer & PR Director of Borders of Adventure, started us off with some of the items you might expect, especially coming from a travel writer.
“My three staple items are my iPhone, Fuji XT-1 camera and my MacBook Air. Not only to tell my stories, but for quick use of travel and photography apps, capturing memories and always keeping up to date while on the road.
“With Wi-Fi everywhere, they are always in use!”
2) Multifunctional Wardrobe Items
Monica Stott from The Travel Hack recommends a number of clever wardrobe choices that will work in multiple situations.
“I could never travel without my DSLR camera. It’s a heavy item to lug around but I love the quality of the photos I can capture with it and I like to print them out and keep them as souvenirs.
“I also like to travel with a comfy but stylish pair of jeans as they seem to fit in with every situation.
“A bright red lipstick is a must to dress up any outfit and I’m also a secret fan of a selfie stick!”
A DSLR is heavy to lug around but you can't beat the quality of the photos. #TravelEssentials Click To Tweet3) Padlocks and Dry Bags
Arianwen Morris, Travel Writer for Beyond Blighty, makes practicality a priority when it comes to packing.
“Aside from the obvious, there are three travel items I just can’t live without.
“First up is my padlock. I use it on dorm room lockers all the time, as well as on my backpack when it’s in transit. I keep my key attached to a hair tie around my wrist so I can always find it quickly.
“Another item I have handy is my phone. I use it as a computer, alarm, music device, GPS and way of keeping in touch with home. One of its most useful functions is an app called White Noise. If I can’t sleep in a noisy room, I listen to a repetitive thunderstorm track. Even at full volume it soothes me to sleep, and all traffic noise, snoring and nearby parties are drowned out.
“Last but not least is my dry bag. It puts my mind at rest if I need to transport valuables on boats, it’s handy in monsoon weather, and I’ve often used it to store my clothes and towel in when public bathrooms have no hooks or shelves.”
Bring a padlock for dorm room lockers & your backpack when in transit. #TravelEssentials Click To Tweet4) Sunglasses
Rachel Jones, aka Hippie in Heels, explains there’s one thing she can’t live without.
“I cannot travel without sunglasses! It ruins my day when I forget them. Of course, other items are very important like a camera and phone, but I do need my sunnies.”
5) Only the Essentials
Neil Barnes, Creator & Editor of Backpacks & Bunkbeds, doesn’t recommend packing anything fancy, just the absolute necessities.
“The items I cannot travel without are…
- My passport – essential in most cases, although the UK is great for exploring too.
- My iPhone – it’s like a modern-day Swiss Army Knife. Camera, maps, translations.
- My credit card – it offers euro travel insurance and helps me earn air miles as I spend.
- My better half – because she’d kill me if I didn’t take her with me ;)”
6) It’s Not Just a Phone…
Victoria Philpott from Vicky Flip Flop Travels always carries her phone, but not for the reason you might think.
“I couldn’t travel without my iPhone. I recently lost my iPhone 6 while hiking in Lapland. I was devastated.
“In the next few days everything seemed to go wrong as I couldn’t function without my phone – no maps, no emails, no chat, no online tickets and no music. I was lost!”
7) Never Suffer Blocked Ears Again
Beth Blair from The Vacation Gals helps to solve a common travel problem.
“In answer to your question…I can’t travel without my Eustachi. It helps clear my ears when I travel/fly/road trip (this is coming from a former flight attendant). And…I love my Embrazio cross body bag.”
8) Something to Keep Track of Your Travels
Zoe Dawes, or The Quirky Traveller, recommends all the usual items, but also prioritises a travel journal so you can keep track of where you’ve been and what you’ve experienced.
“Well, of course my Smartphone, iPad, Canon DSLR camera, batteries and chargers etc. But other things include…
- Travel journal and fountain pen with turquoise ink – I make notes wherever I go and one day will write my memoirs.
- Colourful scarf which I also use as a sarong, skirt, tablecloth, photo backdrop and towel.
- Elizabeth Arden 8-hour cream and lip balm. Great for rehydrating on flights and in dry climates.”
9) Another Vote for the Humble iPhone
Abigail King — Travel Writer for Inside the Travel Lab — is another advocate for remembering to pack your phone.
“My iPhone! It’s a cheat of an answer because it includes around 100 things instead: maps, hotel bookings, train timetables, photos from home, camera, video, phone (!), books, music for long journeys, apps for airports, and so on and so on and so on!
“I’m old enough to remember when all of that had to be carried separately — now my bag feels lighter and my shoulders happier.”
10) Some Final Packing Tips
Becky Wiggins, the English Mum, has given us some handy tips when it comes to packing your suitcase.
“The nature of my job means that I always need to be online, so my trusty iPhone 6s Plus comes everywhere with me. The large screen means it’s great for reading while on a long flight, as well as editing photos.
“After years of lugging a huge great bag around, I’ve got packing my carry-on bag down to a fine art now. I take a small bag of toiletries, decent over-ear headphones, a large bottle of water (you never get enough on planes), a couple of glossy magazines and a large wrap handy for when it inevitably gets cold, and that’s it.
“I always take a notebook and pen when travelling as I find I need to record the finer details of places I go, as these tend to be the ones that disappear from your memory first. I jot down colours, scents and other details that make the final travel article really come alive.”
For travel writing, it's useful to jot down colours and scents to make your article come alive! #TravelEssentials Click To Tweet
Looks like we all have to have a fair bit with us on our travels! Thanks for featuring The Quirky Traveller – I just can’t travel light …