The winter break is a great time to travel! Like my fellow blogger, Elizabeth, I also went on an overseas holiday during the winter break. (Click here to read Elizabeth’s travel trips and see photos of her European adventure!) My holiday took me took the US and Canada. While I was there I visited family, went sight-seeing, attended a wedding, met up with old friends and made some new ones! Listed below are some items that I relied on during my trip. You can scroll through the photo gallery below to read my comments about each item!
My summer travel essentials!
Summer travel essentials!
- Sunnies
- Sunblock
- Headphones
- Water bottle
- Camera
- Notebook and pen
- Multi-regional plug
- Phone and laptop chargers
- Band-Aids
- Tissues
- Hand sanitiser
- A jacket/jumper
- Lip balm
- Passport/ID
- A hat
- Comfy walking shoes
- Sleep!
Other handy travel tips!
Keep an eye on your Passport/ID: I know this might seem like common sense, but when you’re travelling it’s easy for things to slip your mind. When I was checking in my baggage at LAX on my way home a young couple beside me only realised at the check-in counter that they’d forgotten to pack their passports. It’s important to contact your country’s embassy (from where your passport was issued) if your passport is lost or stolen, so a new one can be sent to you.
Hand baggage: Make sure you carry a bag large enough to fit all the items you plan on using day-to-day. I took a decently sized handbag with me and a large cloth tote that I could fold up and keep in my hand bag when I wasn’t using it.
When packing bags: Remember when travelling by plane that your handbag/carry-on baggage isn’t too large or heavy otherwise airport staff might insist that it needs to be checked in, which is never good for your spending money!
The before and after: To avoid extra baggage fees, double check weight requirements before you pack and remember to weigh your bags when you’ve finished packing! Carrying in-hand or wearing your heavier clothing items is a good way to lighten your luggage. Think large coats, jeans, boots etc.
Don’t over pack: If you’re intending to shop (like I did!) try and leave some space in your bag for the things you’re planning on buying!
Smile: I completely agree with what Elizabeth mentioned in her post about taking a smile with you while travelling. The tour bus driver on the way to the Grand Canyon told us something pretty similar when crossing the Arizona border (where there are mandatory police checks), “Now, when you see the nice police officer don’t forget to smile!” This can also can be applied when meeting customs/immigration officials 🙂
Fun in downtown LA!
A sense of humour goes a long way too. Not everything goes the way we want it to when travelling, even with thorough planning and our best intentions. My advice would be to not let the small inconveniences influence how you feel about your entire trip. Keep in mind the happy moments!
Disneyland fireworks, a practice run for the 4th of July festivities!
If I’ve missed one of your travel essentials please share them with us in the comments! If you’ve just come back from a trip, let us know where you went. Safe travels for those that are still travelling or about to set off! Good luck to all of us planning our next trip, I’ve already started!
– Erika
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- Click through the photos to read my 17 summer travel essentials!
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- Sunnies: This was my main go-to item! My sunnies are particularly important to me as they are prescription lens, which makes exploring new places a little bit easier!
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- Sun block: Although during the break it was winter here, it was summer in the US & Canada. One of the places I travelled to was California. There was a lot of sunshine and warm weather, kind of like Brisbane in summer.
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- Water bottle & headphones: I don’t leave home without either of these!
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- A camera: Taking photos is a great way to document your trip, and it’s fun to look over them with friends and family when you get home.
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- Notebook & pen: when travelling it was helpful to have a notebook when I couldn’t use a smart device. It doesn’t need internet access or to be charged, which is perfect when all your electronics don’t feel like cooperating!
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- Multiregional plugs: If you’re carrying electronic devices that need to use direct power, remember to check what regions they’re compatible with/ the voltage for that area. Other handy items are power boards, USB phone charger cords & portable phone chargers/ batteries.
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- Band-Aids, tissues & hand sanitiser: they will be your saving grace every time! You never really know when you will need them, until you do.
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- Jacket: Carrying something warm when you’re travelling is always a good idea. While in downtown Toronto I was wearing my jacket almost every other day! It’s also worth carrying it on planes if you’re like me and freeze during flights.
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- Hats: I bought a hat before travelling to the Grand Canyon. I found it pretty useful in the dessert and thankfully it didn’t blow away!
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- Lip balm: when going from a really warm setting to air-conditioning, your lips tend to suffer. Fun fact: your lips *can* get sun burnt, it’s totally a thing. Lip balms with SPF help prevent that.
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- Passport/ID: Carrying relevant ID is especially important if you’re crossing borders, even if you’re not on an airplane. e.g. The Canadian/America border which is really close to Niagara Falls. Some bus tours cross that border, so for international travelers passports are necessary!
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- Comfy shoes: After almost 12 hours of walking around Disneyland & California Adventure, you get a pretty good idea of just how great the shoes you’re wearing are. Getting a pair of joggers was the greatest life decision I made in California, too bad I only got them after our Disney visit!
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- Sleep: When travelling sleep is your most precious resource. Get as much as you can, whenever you can! I was sleeping on car, plane, subway and train trips (I was travelling with a group, though!). Definitely try and get your body clock to match up with the time zone you’re staying in, sightseeing is a lot less fun with jetlag!
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- And don’t forget to have fun!
