What to Pack for an International Holiday

It’s two days before your trip and you have already packed all yours clothes, checked the weather, dropped the pets off at your parents and printed off your tickets.

Come the day of your holiday and everything is going as planned. You are having the time of your life… until you realise you forgot something. Here are a few things you should make sure you never leave behind:

Paperback / magazine

You might not be an avid reader, but a paperback or a magazine will surely be handy when you are on holiday. Regardless of your destination, waiting around for long hours is always part of travelling. Sometimes you will have to sit around doing nothing while waiting for your delayed flight or for the airport’s X-ray machines to get fixed.

You will never know when a seemingly time-wasting piece of literary work will actually keep you entertained. Don’t forget to bring your reading glasses too, or the book will still be of no use.

Power Banks

Your PSP, Gameboy, tablet or smartphone are going to be virtually useless after you have drained their batteries. You’d be lucky if there is a power outlet or a re-charging station while you are out and about (also there is the fact you’d have to wait around). So a power bank to recharge your electronic devices is a handy thing to have with you.

Universal plug adapter and Power Supply

The last thing you’ll want to discover after you’ve painstakingly packed and carried around your bulky hair dryer is that its plug does not match the power sockets in your hotel. Avoid the horror of not being able to use your appliances and pack a universal plug adapter!

If you are heading to a country with a different power rating as that of your home country, i.e. 220V instead of 110V, you might not be able to use your laptop, camera and phone chargers (do check the fine print on your cords as most modern chargers / appliances will work with both voltages). However, a power supply that can step up / down voltage to suit your needs is not going to be light. So try to check if your accommodation can provide this for you (usually for an additional cost).

Extra Memory Card

Apart from bringing your camera, don’t forget to bring an extra memory card too… you never know when one will be handy. An extra memory card will help you not having to worry about not having enough space for all the pictures you want to take before you get a chance to transfer them to your laptop or if you have internet, upload them online.

Small Travelling Bag

Many travelers, especially men, tend to forget bringing a smaller travel bag with them. While your luggage may be enough to hold all your stuff, you will still need a smaller bag to keep your essentials – wallet, travel documents, camera and mobile phone. Just imagine how it would look like if you have to rummage through your suitcase every time you need to get out cash or show your travel documents.

A small bag is also extremely handy once you reach your destination. Without the bag, how are you supposed to carry your essentials after you have left your luggage at your hotel?