Useful travel items that make short and long haul holidays easier

[Missohnoyoubetterdont]

Does anyone have any tips for really useful things to take away with them when travelling. It’s just a short haul trip bit long haul too? Things that have made life easier. I have just discovered packing cubes…but late to the game but have really organised my suitcase!

We use these cases for hand luggage only travel - they meet all airlines restrictions for size at the maximum are mega lightweight, when used in conjunction with packing cubes we can get so much in them! We have used them on about ten trips and have not yet given up on us.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01JZAONW6?ref=nbsbsswas-reorderk314&amp=&crid=38043K4JKN6D3&amp=&sprefix=aero

I ran out of some of my prescription meds in France once, I think they were the painkillers, and couldn’t get anything like that at any of the pharmacies there. I never run out usually, so it must’ve been a particularly difficult week or so. And on the subject of that, as I’ve seen asked elsewhere, and just in case anyone on here might be wondering, I have never had any problems taking prescription meds abroad with me in my hand luggage, even through airports. Some are controlled drugs, and I always take an up to date print off with me but they’ve never even asked to see them or the lists even though I do always tell them as I go through security.

Make better use of hand luggage. You get 10kg normally per person. I put everything i need on the first in one bag. Change of clothes for everyone in another. That way if your luggage is lost you'll still have what you need.

sarong - multiple of uses from wearing on beach/pool, to sit on, to wrap around pillow cases in cheaper accommodation, to use after the shower, to wear as a skirt, to shelter under from the sun if needed.

I have a small solar powered lamp I usually travel with. It hold hours of charge is really bright, great if no bedside lamp, can use as torch, its light, and I've used it in homes, tents & hotels.

I also have small rechargable auto lights (cheap on Amazon) and one of those would also be good.

www.amazon.co.uk/Homelist-Rechargeable-Wireless-Operated-Cupboard/dp/B0DP62NYG5/ref=sr_1_29?crid=2T2G9YMGX3NGJ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.f2MOm9p0D4s1LD-5YlYMJvx3Se56oy_uBjo6jlCXNivmC8BDrXiPSfwX5342PrbFiv66yKkoTS75ylzL_M9-xlOH1dRhxwimIQbzAqa8Hzwhzqj3hluGTnqgrCHL-OnXNfZW3-VaDiVxiLEZR7ZgUHwgvVBc68RA7h4imfPBdhWyQ65YzTshe_WH1jLVKVI7Ep9bmCi_gX6SBgZaJg7gUJ7x52FBengaKQH-hH2qyqu6hf219LecVgjR34M3w5Jzip9p64QDITOXd6F1iAnPziDsK7SC98kthTQVBb6xXvU.SFY0hDEKSkxgMevcussh8Sjo3NzyaYMyUGEIP2gv5fg&dib_tag=se&keywords=rechargeable%2Bsmall%2Blight&qid=1781095691&sprefix=rechargable%2Bsmall%2Blight%2Caps%2C100&sr=8-29&th=1

I always take minis in my carry on - having arrived late at night at a destination with a luggage fail and no contact lens solution, toothpaste etc.

I make my carry-on a kind of survival pack for about three days: two x spare underwear, clean top, and any medication or products I need in mini form.

I’m still ruminating on the poster who packs a bottle of frozen water . It’s the most bonkers thing I’ve ever read I think . Am I missing something ?

Good shout to remind us about pain killers. Paracetamol is so cheap here in the UK, and the ibuprofen is incredibly reasonable too. These are much more expensive abroad so I always pack enough.

No - very odd imho and I didn't get the explanation. Where would you be going that you felt you had to bring your own frozen water supply? When it starts defrosting, does the condensation not make your clothes damp?

For short haul journeys with an underseat bag, vacuum bags, but not the type that require a vacuum to pump out the air, the type you roll by hand - these are an absolute godsend!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/KEYRI-Storage-Compression-Reusable-Suitcases/dp/B0BYP4P54F/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=3E14Z48C9BRJP&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.fuWu6-iOxNjdcCepwrMqQCYRt9JwxeEO99ErYsRXnefrI_bXdwSA2Gq_K0OMWqVQOYNoS3DC3N38Y4NtDnyuksvqYzybnGM1paMtQVW1TfdoNcOlpAXS1U1XImxghhjPzwRhX9gtVV0zoGZpXz9wE1DNsFKaK3eqb2fc0Qu1CQKYwpyWywa6TYwa0ig1slF7-0X6u04MdpaUSIcKR47Sj5fM2O9XiVZ2Oi35P5BgyPOHiCrfCB38ZdlX7JICC0mUJE2W3t947FMyVOeYSR92pBr3bz_4-kRc08dH_WhJ25s.MtZt6dTFIc5VDMiscAOUygjY06ICvdsrNgD-z_Y47PA&dib_tag=se&keywords=roll%2Bup%2Bvacuum%2Bbags%2Bfor%2Btravel&qid=1781102680&sprefix=roll%2Bup%2Bvacuum%2B%2Caps%2C159&sr=8-2-spons&aref=3ohUxoxFO9&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

I bought three packs of fexofenadine over the counter in a pharmacy in Spain just last week, and they are 180mg, unlike the 120mg you buy OTC over here.

Lush solid shampoo bar in a tin
Use on hair & body

I photocopy everything, up to date repeat prescription passport, insurance, Gehic card, hotel and flight details. I also swap emergency contact details and NHS chi numbers with the friends that i am travelling with.

UK painkillers also have familiar strengths. I bought paracetamol in Spain and it was 1000mg per tablet, not the usual 500mg tablets we get in the UK. It would have been so easy to accidentally overdose and nuke my liver without realising as the tablets looked the same. The patient leaflet was in Spanish. Luckily I thought the dose looked odd and googled UK info.

I have all this information saved onto my google drive and/or gmail account

My top tip is to use my beach bag (which is pretty vast!) as my hand luggage when flying. I don't use a large handbag on holiday, just a small cross-body, so I put that in the beach bag, together with Kindle, iPad, hand wipes, power bank etc. that I may need during the flight. I take a lot of medication and daily injections, so they are safely stored in the bag with me.

I use contact lens pots too - one of the best tips I ever got! One has hydrocortisone cream/antiseptic cream, one has foundation (hardly use any when away) and eye cream and one has tiny little soap sheets - handy when travelling off piste.

I pack a pair of folding scissors in my handbag. Amazing how often they come in handy - lots to choose from on amazon, very cheap.

@Needtosoundoffandbreathe · I get cetirizine fine there and you can get fexafenadine. They only seem to sell piriton as part of cold medicine. However, one time 10 years ago i asked for antihistamines, and the pharmacist gave me a 1st generation antihistamine (basically an antipsychotic) i spent 4 days very sleepy and having very weird dreams before i realised something was very wrong and googled my antihistamines.

You've been lucky to get away with that ! I accidentally left a pair in my handbag and they were confiscated at Security.

Just to clear something up, I read on another thread that a poster couldn't buy antihistamines otc in Spain. Loads of people take them, myself included, and I repeated what I'd read. My bad.

This is such a great thread - what about best water bottle to take in hand luggage? I read somewhere taking the metal double sealed ones is a pain through security?

I agree. I have packing cubes but they made my luggage too heavy.

I have a plastic carrier bag for laundry and a plug extension with 4 on the end so that we don’t need many adapters.

Most holidays for us are on the go so no need for beach towels etc.

We use mini shampoo etc for short haul and long haul for weight reasons.

My DC are in their 20s so now travel alone.

DS is vegan so he packs protein bars just in case.

Both have Turtl head supports and Snoozebands so that they can sleep on a long haul flight. Apparently they are game changers for them.

This is the Turtl and Snoozeband.
https://uk.trtltravel.com/products/trtl-travel-pillow

https://www.snoozeband.co.uk/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=14501021656&gbraid=0AAAAABJBFikSZliY8xLNcG4f-C6uesd4K&gclid=CjwKCAjwuanRBhBSEiwAY5y6V61uAi0vJe94NsJlOAgHv6TpRciuYxvQDR-I8xc7XiE_Ic74508AKhoCwLQQAvD_BwE

I ordered a set of those towel clips when I was on holiday in Feb 2020 (for the next time we went), then covid hit so they didn't get used for a while
Never heard of towel bands, but they look good and would take less space - and I think the lower strength exercise bands from a set of 5 I have but don't need would work just as well.

I like the look of those sisal bags for soap.

I think generally I just take less than many people, so don't have space issues.