Hand Luggage Neccessities
Given that I’ve left myself so little time for packing, plus my absolute love of lists, I thought it would give me a chance to check with everyone that I’ve got everything I need in my hand luggage…
Every time I fly, I try and include all the bare necessities just in case my hold bag gets lost in transit, I always have such fear that I’ll be waiting for hours at baggage claim and the belt will slowly empty with no sign of my luggage. Therefore sat securely under my seat on the place in my hand luggage there will be:
- Passport
- Boarding pass
- Money (English sterling as getting it changed into zloty once in Poland apparently gives much more favourable exchange rates)
- At least one other outfit
- A few pairs of spare knickers (I take spares literally every time I stay over somewhere in case I’m delayed and have to stay longer- does anyone else do this? Nope? just me then…)
- Flip flops (so I’ve got at least one other pair of shoes)
- Sunglasses
- Phone plus charger
- iPad/iPod and headphones
- Camera
- Plug converters
- Books/magazines to read on the flight
- Mint humbugs for sucking on takeoff and landing (helps your ears stop popping)
- Tissues, pain killers, plasters (basic first aid just in case)
- Lip salve, mascara, eyeliner, makeup wipes, mini moisturiser (basic makeup bag- if all else fails, can get away with just these for a week, plus aeroplanes always make your skin so dry, it’s good to be able to feel fresh with a face wipe and moisturiser once you land
Another habit I’ve picked up from my previous travels is writing out full contact and flight details and leaving them in at least 2 places in my hold luggage, in the hope that if it were to go missing, at least then it could hopefully be returned more easily. As my suitcase is also quite uninteresting (because let’s face it, most people’s are plain black) I also tie a bright scarf tightly to a handle so that it can be easily spotted in a mass of bags sliding onto the carousel.
So there you are, my list of hand luggage essentials which also acts as a packing list for me so that I don’t miss anything – let me know if there are any items you’d have included that I’ve forgotten?
