Travellers Choice top five packing must-haves

Every traveller has that one thing that they never fail to pack and travelling without it would be disastrous, well here at Travellers Choice we have five things…

Tennis ball

It may sound odd, but we always have a tennis ball in our hand luggage. This light, small, inexpensive item can be a real life-saver and won’t cause problems when passing through airport security. Use the tennis ball as a massager on long flights to ease any aches and pains, and more importantly keep circulation flowing. If you find yourself with a long wait in an airport, a ball can also help pass the time, and may even get you talking to fellow passengers. Heading off on a boat-trip for the day? Tennis balls float, so attach one to your valuables and if they happen to go overboard, they won’t sink without a trace!

 

Ziplock bags

Maybe this is an obvious choice, but we’d be lost without ziplock bags whilst travelling. Not only do hand-luggage liquids have to be placed within one to pass quickly through security, but they can be used for so much more! Use bags to separate your clothing (clean or dirty), so that your suitcase or backpack is organised and it is easy to grab exactly what you need. A ziplock bag can also reduce the amount of space that clothing takes up – fill the bag, and close it up, leaving a tiny space, then roll from the bottom squeezing out the air, and seal up once flattened. Having some ziplock bags in your luggage also means that food items taken from the breakfast buffet don’t have to be wrapped in numerous paper napkins!

 

Bar of soap

Instead of packing shower gel, shampoo and washing detergent, save space and pack a bar of soap instead. This is especially useful for those staying in accommodations that don’t offer a laundry service, or provide toiletries. The right bar of soap can be used for bathing and also for washing clothes, without staining or ruining the items. Plus, there is no troublesome decanting of toiletries into small travel-size bottles, bonus!

 

Universal power adaptor

This is one of those frequently forgotten items, that can be expensive to purchase at the airport! After every trip, we like to leave our power adaptor in our luggage, so that when it is time to pack for the next trip, there is no chance to forget it! Remember to take a universal power adaptor with you when cruising too. Not all cruise ships have the same kind of power points, so you’ll find it incredibly useful. It also means you’ll be able to charge your phone or camera, meaning you won’t miss out on recording your holiday memories.

 

Ear plugs

Again, this may be an obvious one, but you’ll never regret packing ear plugs! These tiny items, take up almost no space in hand-luggage, and depending on the design, can reduce painful ear-popping when flying. If sleeping anywhere that isn’t a completely silent bedroom is difficult for you, then earplugs should be your most important travel companion. You’ll thank us, when you’re stranded in an airport departure lounge at 3am, or travelling on an over-night train!

Which item do you always pack when you travel?