Travelling is pointless if you are stressing about what will you need during your journey, lay overs in the airport and in the first few hour of arriving at your destination. What to pack and what to leave! For me, packing is fun. It puts me in the ‘yay, the time to fly is near’ frame of mind. And I absolutely enjoy that feeling.
Traveling frequently, over the years I’ve built and perfected a list of my must pack/wear/carry items. Now I do not have to think about it every time I start packing, I pull out the list and voila.
Here is my travel must-haves list:
I learnt after several uncomfortable flights that jeans are not meant to be worn in the plane. It is really uncomfortable, specially in the long haul flights. But then if you are like me, even tights don’t work because
you feel frozen in the airplane thermostat. And there are no pockets in tights to help you tuck in tit bits while going trough check-in, immigration and shopping on the airport. A pair of trousers that is loose, fabric thick enough and zippered pockets is truly a blessing.
I found mine a while ago at Yellow Clothing. It is a blessing. You can find your favorite pair at stores like
Outfitters, Stoneage or Breakout.
When I travel, there are many useful things I learn. My thoughts, notes I later like to turn into blog posts or to reminisce my trip. A notebook that is sturdy and small, works best!
Mine is from Hyperstar Karachi, stationary section. You can buy them at your favorite stationary shop.
It has become common knowledge now that airplanes have very drying effect on the skin. In order to make
sure I retain moisture in my skin my go to face moisturizer is Loreal Hydrafresh. I apply it before getting
in the airplane and before landing.
To prevent chapped lips I always carry either Maybelline Baby Lips or Labello Sun Protect (if I know my destination will be sunny). Another cool product that I see many travelers and keep recommending is sheet masks! You can order them online from KoGlam and don’t shy away from putting them on 30 minutes before landing. One more local find is Rose Gold Botanic face Oil from Beauty & The Botanist. It can replace your moisturizer.
When travelling, I love to wrap a tasseled scarf around my neck for an instant style statement and also as a
light shawl around my shoulders when I feel cold; in the plane or at the airport. It is multipurpose and hand-bag friendly.
Mine is currently a pretty pink tasseled one from Beechtree. You can find more options at Nishat Linen or Zeen by Cambridge.
Speaking of healthy snack, this one is a no-brainer. Enjoy munching on your favorite mix of dry fruits while you watch a movie in the plane.
I personally like to not over do makeup when I’m traveling, but I love airports and I like to look fresh and
awake when I’m interacting with people. Hence I always carry a bb-cream, mascara and a nude lipstick in my handbag. It takes 5 minute to apply these 3 right before landing.
My favorite BB cream is from Garnier, moisturizing nude lippies from (Essence, shade: long lasting 06 and Rimmel, shade: Kate 105 ), and Maybeline Falsies mascara.
Why? because often you will have you handbag or camera bag strap malfunction. Sometimes I want to free
my hands from the jacket or travel pillow, and I just secure it with a strap to my backpack.
Buy this from Shakir’s Karachi or from order online from Ali Express
No-brainer, but often we forget it back home. My favorite is a sleek looking Xiaomi 10000 mAH power
bank. It lasts at least 2 full charges for my iPhone.
Buy this from xiaomistore.pk
Because I like to stay hydrated and not buy one all the time. Especially when you are travelling to places where tap water is drinkable, this is a genius invention.
You can buy one from AliExpress
Who wants to deal with wires in an already cluttered travel handbag. I like to wear my Sony Walkman around my neck carrying with my 200 song playlist.
Buy this from any Sony store in Pakistan
I am paranoid about not finding the right socket type for my plugs, so I always carry a universal converter to be on the safe side.
Buy these from any local hardware store .
If you are like me and you carry your main camera, go pro, phone and mp3 player in many of your trips, you definitely need a power strip that will let you charge all your gadgets in one go. Mine is a sleek and lightweight one from Xiaomi.
Buy this from xiaomistore.pk
Baby wipes come handy in situations unimaginable and are a must carry!
Flying to a city in monsoon time? Or with unpredictable rain patterns? A portable umbrella is a must carry. It will not occupy much space in your carry on. And will be a lifesaver specially when you are stepping out of airport and it is pouring.
You can buy this from Ali Express
A small medicine pouch containing all the basics like a general painkiller, allergy medicine, a chewable one for heartburn, one for nausea/seasickness, and any thing else specific to your self, is a must carry. Air planes carry so many germs you don’t want to arrive at your destination with a stomach ache or flu.
