It happens to the best of us. Even if we always travel a lot, the thing is, we still forget to do certain things or neglect to include certain items in our luggage, especially the ones we urgently need in our hand-carry bag or purse.
Since our minds are focused on the bigger picture – meaning lounging around that great beach, strolling around that scenic city, or sampling yummy treats all over – the “small things” that matter get overlooked. Remember that upon arriving at the airport, we should already be ready for the trip before we even board the airplane that will whisk us away to our exciting destination.
To help you remember, here is a rundown of some basic things that you need to have in your person all the time.
Pens
When traveling internationally, you will be required to write stuff in immigration cards or documents during your flight or before you line up at the country’s immigration area. No, these are not like banks where you have ready ballpens to borrow and write down your information. Always have your own pen.It’s best to bring black-ink or blue-ink pens for this situation.
IDs
Don’t put all your identification cards in your checked-in luggage for fear of not tracking it down when needed. You need your IDs more with you all the time since you will be required to show them to airport personnel in many stages of your travel (e.g. upon entering the airport, during check-in, at the immigration booths). Or it’s best to split up your IDs and put some in each luggage.
Passport/ticket holder
Some people never bother to buy one of those handy passport and ticket holders which could house all these essential documents conveniently. They opt to just stick the passport inside their purse and fold their ticket with it or stick it in somewhere else in their purse, too. If you need to pull out these documents in a hurry, it’s best to get one of these handy things to make your trip easier.
Cellphone charger
While some airports require you to check in all gadget cables and accessories, they still allow the occasional simple cable chargers for people who need to have their cellphone batteries juiced up. If you use your phone as an important travel tool for communication, note-taking or navigation purposes, then it’s best to keep the charger in your carry-on. Most airports allow free charging of gadgets in their specially designated sockets or outlets so take advantage of this.
Tissue / Wet wipes
If you’re a neat freak, I’m sure you’re never without any of these items. But if you’re not, then it’s still best to keep at least a pocket-size version of these items. You’ll never know when you’ll need to do some wiping during the trip.
Hand sanitizer
Never rely on airport or airplane lavatories to have cleaning items always available. Sometimes they do run out, too. Or if they have proper wipes or toilet paper, they don’t have soap or hand wash. Thus, it’s best if you bring your own hand sanitizer to cleanse yourself after each lavatory visit. Just try to abide by the airport regulations about the proper size of containers recommended for such items on board a plane.