Whether you’re backpacking across the continents or taking a short family holiday overseas, packing light is a must. The restrictions of baggage allowance and how much you can physically carry dictates your luggage contents and it’s not until you start to pack that you realise that actually, everything is an essential. Thanks to the availability of everyday items virtually wherever you’re travelling to, you can get away with leaving a lot behind, but, if there’s 5 things that you should equip yourself with it’s the following.
Insurance
Knowing that if the worst is going to happen, you and your loved ones can get the help they need and can get home in one piece, is certainly worth the time and effort it takes to find insurance. Sadly though, many people tend to overlook their policy or fail to get insurance at all. It doesn’t take long to find a good deal or to look and see what’s included in your policy and a quick search can help you to tailor your insurance to your trip. It’s probably the most essential thing to travel with because the one time you don’t will probably be the one time you need it – it’s really not worth the risk.
Luggage
Unless you’ve ever had it happen to you, you’ll never know how disappointing and inconvenient broken luggage is when you’re away from home. Having to either replace your case or deal with it and hope for the best on the return leg isn’t a great feeling and so ensuring you have top quality luggage to begin with is always advisable. Brands such as Eastpak and Dakine offer superb warranties of up to 30 years and limited lifetime warranties against manufacturing defects so you can be confident you’re next holiday won’t end in your underwear hanging out of your bag as it comes round the baggage carousel.
Knowledge
A bit of local knowledge is priceless for a number of reasons – you could have information on some of the most secluded and beautiful beaches, know a few local laws and customs that’ll keep you in the good books with residents too. But knowing things like a bit of the local language and where the best restaurants are will save you time and money too. A few books and guides will offer you limited information on where you’re about to travel to so before you head off on your holiday, do a bit of research online and see what you can discover.
Swim wear
It’s a bit of a no-brainer but when you go abroad to some fantastic sunny destination you’ll want to jump into the ocean, pools and gorgeous waterfalls at every opportunity. But when you forget your swimwear, buying a replacement overseas can be an expensive and arduous task; particularly for women. Different countries have different sizing and in some places a swimsuit is seen as a luxury.
Eyewear
If you’ve ever taken a walk along the beach or down the promenade of a distant resort you’ll have seen enough knock-off sunglasses and watches to last you a lifetime. And while fake Oakleys are arguably the best-sellers abroad, you’ll never find a pair to match the real thing. Genuine brands such as Oakley Sunglasses offer protective lenses and safety features that will save your eyes from harmful UV rays and a replacement pair overseas won’t cut the mustard, so make sure you’ve got yours in a case and packed before you go anywhere.