Traveling has been on my mind for ages, and I won’t lie if I
say I live by the quote, “if traveling was free you wouldn’t see me again”. But
reality is, traveling is difficult, it takes saving money, planning, getting
leaves from work (because the minute you plan a getaway, a very important, and
an unexpected project comes up). Well to be honest, I am a kind of a person who
knows how to get around things, so getting a leave isn’t that big a trouble. Then
there is planning, being a strategy head and a mother of one, I’m always
planning everything anyway, so that comes naturally too. Money saving now is
the difficult part, and being a shopaholic, with an expensive taste, I’d rather
die than not waste money. I try, but it’s a natural reflex mechanism for me,
for absolutely everything. If I’m upset, I want to shop, if I’m bored I want to
shop, seriously whenever there is a place I have to go to, I have no cloths, it’s
a need more than a desire and I struggle every day to overcome it.
Well recently me and my husband, started planning a much needed, long awaited
trip, and the first thing that was on my check list was to save up, so I can
shop when I travel. For the record, if there is anything I like more than
shopping, it is travelling and only so I started saving money. Well this blog
is not about “how to save money”, I’ll do that one, when I myself figure it
out, but I thought of adding some tips here because hey, there is no vacation
without money right. So yeah I started off with 2 monthly committees, first one
is already mine and the second one I’ll get right before my flight, than I also
have eyes on my yearly bonus from work and I also plan on saving all the extra
cash there is on me. Try having a separate savings account for a trip, or invest in something to get
a return, when you plan a vacation.
Now that we are covered with the basics, let’s focus on the most difficult part
of travelling – packing! You know that feeling of wanting to pack everything,
not knowing what you might need? Its common and we all face that, ending up
packing useless junk that we don’t even look at while on vacation.
When travelling live by one rule and one rule only “when in Rome, do as the Romans
do”. This should include all areas, like the cloths you wear, the food you eat,
the schedule you follow, even the beauty regime.
No you don’t need to carry 5 different shades of denim or jewelry to go with
every outfit. You don’t need matching stilettos and you clearly don’t need matching bags - unless it’s a fashion oriented trip. But all in all a vacation should make you feel free and that can’t happen with a stack of suitcases.
Top most tip – Hand carry all the way – if you must shop, buy an extra bag and
bring that back home, rather than taking empty bags with you.
1. Leave the baggage behind (literally)
You are going to shop anyway, so pack as little as possible. List out things
that you really need, like 2 pair of undergarments, one jeans and a couple of
tops, and these too should be the ones you are already bored off. Once you reach
the destination, buy their fashion and try their style, throw out the ones you
carried with you, to get more space in your luggage. Remember to take less
items and more money, that’s the perfect recipe for absolute adventure.
2. Use all the empty spaces.
We have heard and tried different packing tricks, like rolling your cloths
instead of folding, stuffing your undergarments and socks inside shoes –
clearly they all work! It’s always best to use whatever space you have rather
than throwing in items.
3. Pockets of joy.
Zip locks are a traveler’s best friend. Use them to secure toiletries,
documents and even small electronics like shavers or chargers.
4. Resting accessories.
The one vacation must have is rest and you should pack up for your utmost
comfort when it comes to sleeping during travel. An eye mask and ear plugs
should always be a part of your hand carry for in-flight or train/car traveling.
5. Cover up.
You never know when you may need it. If you are landing at a conservative city,
you might need it for covering up yourself. Moreover the most important usage
would be during a flight, as it tends to get cold at times. A shawl can always
become a blanket.
6. Divide and rule.
If you are travelling with someone, make sure to divide your items in each
other’s bags. Luggage tends to get lost sometimes, and in situations like these,
you should always have a plan B.
7. Copy everything.
For the same reason of losing stuff, always make extra copies of your documents
and keep a set in every luggage item that you have.
8. Comfort food.
Although I’m a non-believer in this, as I think we should try whatever the
vacation spot has to offer, even their food. But there are some food items that
people can’t live without, like a favorite tea or even crackers. Carry them
with you in a zip lock, but only according to your need. Remember you are not
moving there, it’s just a trip.
Hope this helps, and I’ll make sure to post more regarding traveling do’s and don’ts.
Bon Voyage!