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| Prague – January, 2016 |
On
Tuesday I shared a few of the lesser thought of items you should take with you when you are going on a trip. Sometimes though, even if you are extremely well-organized, you forget things. Travel planning can be a hard, long, involved process that I can only imagine gets more difficult when you incorporate traveling out of the country or taking along kids. While I don't have kids and I don't frequently go beyond a state or two away from my home, the following are the things I am most likely to forget when I travel:
1. Sunscreen.
And unfortunately, I'm picky. I like the Aveeno Sunscreen Protect Plus Hydrate Lotion SPF 70. It doesn't smell nearly as strong as other sunscreens and it doesn't leave my skin feeling oily. And best of all: because it doesn't feel oily, the product doesn't run down your forehead and into your eyes causing them to sting or hurt! (I hate that feeling! And it makes you feel so gross when your sunscreen runs! Ick!) I will quite literally go out of my way and pay more to purchase this product over more traditional or store brand sunscreens.
2. Acne Pads
Up until recently I didn't really deal with acne too much. I'd get a problem spot maybe once or twice a year? Maybe. But shortly before Christmas, I ended up with three spots right in a row. After a month of using my typical methods, I decided to try the Mario Badescu buffering lotion; desperate means call for desperate measures. I wanted clear skin for Christmas. Three months later I have red spots on my face that are proof of my desperation. :( Argh. Was it caused by the new product? Was I just not patient enough? Will I ever get the "You've got great skin!" compliment again?!?
Now I'm all for pre-treatment – there is no waiting when a pimple is involved. The moment I think a spot may be a-brewing, I reach for my creams (benzoyl peroxide) and pads (salicylic acid). Of course, when you are on a weekend vacation, it's hard to imagine that it only takes a day for that spot-of-dread to appear. If I remember, I like to have my Neutrogena Rapid Clear Treatment Pads with me. Not only do they rid my face of the nasty acne that has magically appeared overnight, but, when I'm at the beach, they also help to keep my skin shine free. Score! x 2!
3. Hair Ties
Last summer Justin and I had ample opportunity to spend time at the beach. We were going practically once a month. And, I kid you not, every single time I would forget a hair tie. Every time. Most trips I would just ignore it, be hot, try to work with bobby pins, and immediately get my hair done at the salon upon returning home. (Blow outs ftw!) But finally, on one particularly complicated trip to Charleston where I walked downtown in shoes that wouldn't stay on my feet and picked a particularly awful hotel (in terms of customer service, the room wasn't bad), Justin decided to buy me new flip flops and hair ties at a local convenience store. That was the trip (and moment) when I became one of those girls that constantly has a hair tie wrapped around their wrist. And you have no idea how useful I have found doing that one thing has been for me! Now, whether I'm grocery shopping or hiking, I can put my hair up on a whim. Who needs to remember a hair tie when you always have it wrapped around your wrist? #GoodIdeas
4. Bandages – Specifically for Blisters
I don't seem to have a problem remembering allergy medication or aspirin, but bandages?! I never have them when I need them! Those shoes that were comfortable two hours ago? Now they aren't. I'm getting a blister. Argh. And even if I did remember to bring a band-aid of some sort, it's probably in the hotel room or my car. Why would I have what I need with me when I need it? That would make too much sense! So into a drugstore or convenience store we go paying far too much for something I could have brought from home for so much cheaper. Oh well. Maybe next time.
5. Chargers, of some sort.
Nine times out of ten, I tell Justin to pack his chargers right after he pulls his whatever off of them before we go on a trip. Done charging your phone? Into the bag goes the charger. Done charging your ipad? same. But, even though I rarely forget my chargers, there is always one that Justin leaves behind. Typically, as odd as it sounds, it's the charging cable for the battery he uses to charge his phone when he's not near an outlet. Go figure, right?
So, lesson learned? When you are ready to pack a device, put the charging cable in your bag first. From personal experience, you are less likely to forget the actual device.
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| "Another one bites the dust!" |
6. Headphones
I had a pair at one time that I got in exchange for the return of a scarf I received as a gift at Christmas time. I was quite proud of those $15 turquoise and black headphones which I managed to hang on to for years and years and years. Then, finally, I lost them. In Asheville, NC. We were getting out of the car to go into our hotel for the night and I stuffed the headphones into my pocket thinking I could listen to music if I couldn't sleep. As it turns out, I didn't have any trouble sleeping and only remembered the next morning as we pulled away to go home that my headphones were missing. And that my friends, is the beginning of the story of how I now lose cheap and expensive headphones every time I travel.
7. Memory Cards for the Camera
I always have at least one 64 gig – in the camera. If that's not enough …? I actually ran into that problem recently at Disney World. My options were: 1) spend countless moments deleting images and wasting time or 2) go ride the rides and forget about it. I went along with option 2 which was only sad because we were there to see the Osborne Dancing Lights, a Christmas light show that (as of this year, 2016) is no longer in existence. Needless to say we learned from that mistake. Before going to Europe in December, Justin and I bought no less than 4 new memory cards and a credit card size holder for them. Woot!
8. Hygiene everything.
I've already talked about acne pads, but what about razors for beach travel, tampons for that time of the month, deodorant for sporty-trips, and toothbrushes for … clean teeth? I know I'm not the only one to have walked out of the house and forgotten one of those things. They are so easy to forget when 99.9% of the things you are packing are found in the bedroom while these are all found in the bathroom. I guess, like your phone/camera/ipad/laptop charger, after your last use of these items before your trip, take the time to put them in your travel bag.
Another idea? Keep spare toiletries in your travel bag at all times. Just make sure you remember to reconfigure your bag/toiletries so that they will pass TSA regulations so that you don't get stopped or checked at the airport. That would be frustrating.
9. PJs or Sleepwear
What? You didn't want to sleep in the nude, did you?
OK, so maybe you did. – My bad. Carry on. ;)
Realistically though, my husband and I tend to schedule our trips wherein we: wake up … and drive. To the airport, to the location, wherever. The last thing we touch in the morning is our sleepwear. So, in a mass of tangled up sheets and blankets from where the bed was(n't) made, you can find our forgotten sleepwear (or not).
Of course, I'm usually pretty particular. The bed has to be made before going somewhere. Everything in the room has to be picked up and clean. If we were to die on our trip, I'd want the first people that enter our living space to think: "Wow! They were so clean!" If only we could maintain that frame of mind for our everyday living as well.
10. And finally, snacks.
As of this morning I'm loving on the Quaker Breakfast flats. So crunchy and delicious! I'm not sure what "other natural flavors" are but the cranberry almond flavor is delightful!
To be truthful though, when I travel I'm not that healthy. Yes I do love the freshly squeezed orange juice that you find all over Europe. And the breads without preservatives?! Hot chocolate made with real chocolate. And cheese. And salami. (I won't touch salami in the states!) And wine. All of the wine.
Yes, European food is heaven.
But for the plane I like to go bad to the bone – French lemonade and gummy bears, please!
It's a good thing I don't fly much.
So what items do you typically forget? Do you bring special things depending on your mode of travel? Are you more likely to forget an item for one particular type of trip over another? Is there anything you do to prevent future packing forgetfulness?
* I'm blogging my way through the #30Lists in March. You should too. :)
Oh, the hair ties. I feel like I spend 6,4920 seconds every day searching for one, not even traveling....
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