Be Your Own Tour Guide

You are ready for your vacation and it is all planned.  However do you have everything that you will need?  If you are driving, you better have a map and directions to the destination that you are planning to go.  Sometimes when you are going overseas you will need to have a visa and immunizations.  You need to make sure that you have these before the day of your trip.   You want to leave on your trip with confidence by being prepared for anything. 
 
Do not let yourself over pack.  Know what the best route to your destination is and plan well.  If you think that you will have to dress up you should take a good outfit or two.  Otherwise bring your casual clothes and make sure that you have all that you need.
 
Make sure that you know what the climate is for the place that you are going.  Is it going to be hot?  Will it get colder at night?  You should probably bring an umbrella with you and lots of layers.  
 
Do your packing around a main color.  Neutral colors, blacks and tans or khakis are the best colors to choose to dress up or down with.  You can add some color and use different accessories for different outfits and days.  Remember darker colors and different prints are not going to show as much dirt.
 
You want to choose your clothes that you take carefully.  Select many different layers and colors that will pack up easily.  Make sure that the items can be washed and dried in a fast and easy manner.  Do not take bulky sweaters and items if you can avoid it.  You can always add some different belts, jewelry, and scarves to change the look of a great outfit.
 
You should never take more than five or six changes of clothes.  Make them work together and be very durable and you will have more space and room for an article of clothing that you may find while you are on vacation.  
 
Packing for your child is almost the same as doing it for an adult.  One idea that you may want to use is putting all the clothes for each day into a large zipper bag so that the child can see it and pick the outfit that they want to wear.  This will make the decision easier for him or her. 
 
Allow your child to pack a small backpack with a few of their favorite toys and snacks so that they can carry it themselves.  Do not make it too heavy and let them know that they are responsible for keeping track of it.  You can add in a few treats or surprises that will make the child happy on the trip.  If the child will only go to sleep with a favorite toy or blanket, you need to make sure that you remember to bring it along. 
 
Be sure to bring along all medications that they may need.  If you know that your child is prone to asthma attacks, you need to remember their inhaler or breathing treatments.  If they have allergies bring the antidotes and this will save you a lot of stress and worry or trips to the emergency room.
 
The toys that are electronic should be packed carefully.  Choose only the ones that the sound can be turned off and earphones can be used.  If you are traveling along with a teen, you may want to let them take along their own CD player or Ipod with their own choice of songs to keep them happy. 
 
There are some simple packing tips to remember.  You can stuff socks in your extra shoes, underwear can go into the mesh bags and protect clothes from leaks by placing all of your liquid items in plastic bags.
 
Take it from me, if you need medications and you are flying, always pack them, along with a change of underwear, your toothbrush and paste and anything else that you may need personally in a carry on bag to take with you.  This helps if they would happen to lose your luggage. 
 
Do not pack important items like travel documents, medications, keys, cameras, money and other valuable in your suitcases.  You should know that anyone can see what you have in security checks and this will leave your valuables open to just about anyone.
 
You should be prepared for anything that may come up while you are on vacation.  If could be an unexpected cold, or any problem at all like a headache, and you need to make sure that you have the right items to help in the situation.
Back to blog