Congratulations! So you have finally made up your mind about where you want to travel this summer! This is a great step; now you have to make sure that you prepare for the trip adequately to ensure that you will absolutely enjoy your trip. Planning for a trip hugely determines whether the trip will be a success or not, if you are not confident about your planning skills, there are travel agencies that you could approach that could assist in this. You need to know what you will need for your trip and some destinations may require you to have some special items; for example, if you are going mountain climbing, you will do well to carry your own climbing gear. Below are some packing tips for travel that will ensure a stress free trip.
Make a list of all that you need for your trip
Many times, we make the mistake of assuming that we already know what we need and we even confident enough to wait until the last minute to quickly throw in a few items into a bag and zoom off. Often, it is in the middle of nowhere that one will then realize that their phone is low on battery and they do not have an extra battery, or a means of charging the battery. Such small oversights could ruin your trip. Clothes are usually the first things we think of, but we should also never forget the toiletries and electronic gadgets.
A list is important as it helps you only take the necessary items and you can cross off items that would otherwise just make your luggage bigger and heavier. For example, you would not need five pairs of shoes for a three-day visit.
Check with airport authorities for things that you can carry
Airlines have different rules on what you can carry aboard a plane. They have different requirements in terms of type, size, and the container type. It is best to first give the airlines a call or check their websites to ensure that you do not have to surrender some items before you board your flight. You will also need to check the weight of the luggage you carry. Most airlines allow a set limit of hand luggage and anything extra will have to be paid for. To minimize expenses, you will do well to avoid carrying anything that is not imperative for the trip.
It is important to mention that you should be very careful with any luggage that is personally not yours. Remember, if you are found with luggage that contains anything that can incriminate you, you will be responsible for it. As such, it would be safe to give any foreign luggage a thorough perusal before going through customs.
Roll your clothes
Rolling clothes in the luggage bag is an old technique that is proven to be very effective in space management, and in helping to avoid creases. When packing clothes you place them one on top of the other, the front side facing down, and then you roll them. This ensures that you utilize the space very efficiently. Also, when you do this, you protect the clothes from getting creases. The clothes that are more prone to creases are placed in the inside and the ones that are less likely to get creases are placed on the outer side.
Use different compartments or different bags for different items
When travelling, we usually take many different types of items and it would be good if each kind can be packed separately. This will help in protecting the fragile items better, preserving items, and it also helps when retrieving an item. If you are carrying foodstuffs, you will not want to pack them together with shoes; you will also need some special kind of packaging for them. This is also the same with jewels and other valuables. A safe way of storing small, breakable valuables is wrapping them in socks and stuffing them into shoes. This helps protect the valuables from damage and it is safer from theft.
When travelling, it is important to have some extra plastic bags. These are quite handy especially in the storage of used clothes that should not be put together with the clean clothes. They can also be used to store dirty equipment, or they could be used to put in the garbage that cannot be discarded in a remote place.
Snacks and entertainment
Travel usually has long durations when all we are doing is sitting down in a plane, car, or boat. If you are in a boat, or car travelling through scenic places, this can be fun, but many times we are travelling through boring places (especially when flying). To make the travelling more fun, you could carry some playing cards, music, or have games in an electric device – preferably the phone. With such entertainment, you will be surprised at how short the journey will be and you will not get very tired.
While travelling, you are also likely to get hungry with no place to get something to eat. It is prudent to pack some snacks that you can chew on in the plane, car, or boat. Be sure to get a snack you love!
