Packing List – or, as I like to call it, Yoda

          You listen to Yoda.  He is all-knowing, wise, and look what he did to make Luke Skywalker’s journey a success.  For me, the one thing I can’t argue with and it always helps my trips go smoother is my packing list.  Call it 81/2 x 11 piece of mind, but once you have the packing list checked off, you know you’re not going to be stuck in Rio de Janiero while your bathing suit is happily in it’s drawer back in Calgary, and the options to buy in the local stores are nothing but dental floss and a small triangle of fabric that wouldn’t even cover one nipple.

           I find that the best approach to the packing list is to start with the little things, like toiletries and batteries.  For the most part, you’re not going to forget to pack a pair of pants, and even if they’re the only ones you’ve got, you can still survive that two-week vacation without it causing you too much panic.  But if you forget that charger cable for your digital camera, guaranteed you’re going to be spending all your free time hauling your kids to yet another electronics store because “Daddy hasn’t found the right adaptor yet, honey”, and then you know you’re going to pay a fortune for it, and get it home only to discover it only works on European current. 

              My Achilles’ heel are razors.  For some reason, I managed to continuously forget a razor on every vacation for something like five years, forcing me to buy a pack of disposables at the closest drugstore so I didn’t have to worry about hamster-grade armpit  fur every time I wore a tank top.  The catch with these things is that you can’t just buy one.  Nooo, you have to buy them in the packs of six or eight.  I am going to still be using my stunning collection of English, French, American and Costa Rican disposables for the remainder of my 20’s.  On the upside, the french ones are really nice and sharp   Now on my packing list they’re the number one item, double-sized, bolded, underlined and in itallics.  So far so good, two trips to Asia and not a single addition to my razor collection.

           And for God’s sake, put TICKETS, PASSPORTS and MONEY on the list.    I know how ridiculously elementary this seems, but do it anyhow.  They are the make-or-break parts of your vacation, and because of that it’s too easy to assume that “I’d never forget those“.  It can’t hurt to double (or triple or quadruple) check, and it sure as hell beats waiting in line for an hour at the airport, only to discover your ticket is back at home and there’s no way you can drive back and get it in time to make your flight.  I know, in this digital age, that airline e-tickets are more of a formality than a necessity, as all your info is in the airline’s computer system anyway, but if there’s some kind of technical problem and they “loose” your booking (this has happened to me and I’m the freakin’ travel agent), you need that ticket number to prove you’re supposed to be on the flight. 

        All that being said, here’s my Yoda, the guiding force that has saved my ass more times then I care to admit.  There’s no clothing on this list, as your wardrobe can vary drastically depending on the climate/time of year/if you’re feeling fat/etc., but the rest of the items are pretty general-vacation-ish.  It’s always better to have too many things on the list and take out what you won’t need than to forget something important, like razors.  Also, it’s geared for a woman (we pack more crap anyway), but guys, just take out the makeup, use a little common sense and it applies to you, too.  I hope this gives you a few ideas for your own list, and remember when packing to always use the force of Yoda and you’ll have the best trip possible.

Packing List:

RAZOR

Hand Lotion/Moisturizer

Deodorant

Toothbrush/paste

Brush/comb/hair accessories

Shampoo/conditioner

Makeup

Nail polish/remover/non-metal file and cotton balls

Calomine Lotion

Prescription medications

Asprin/Advil

Q-Tips

Travel Curling Iron

Soap/washcloth

Antibiotic Cream/Polysporin

Imodium Pills

Feminine Hygene products

Bug spray

Sunscreen/ sun glasses/ sun hat

Glasses

Cameras/cases/batteries/charger/film/extra memory card

Books/magazines

Playing cards

Trip journal

Moneybelt

Snacks

Maps

Drinking cups/cereal bowls/plastic utensils

Tickets/vouchers

Money

Passports

Backpack

Folding reuseable shopping bag

Voltage converters

Gloves

Umbrella

Exercise bands

Wet wipes

Tags: BlogSherpa, budget, easy, money, Moneybelt, packing, shopping, snacks, tickets, Yoda

Zen and the Art of the Moneybelt

     In the travel world there are two camps: the Debit card withdraw-it-as-you-need-it people and the Moneybelters.  I am firmly a Moneybelter.  On my list of must-haves for travel, my moneybelt is right up there with my passport and air tickets.   There’s a certain confidence that comes with knowing at all times that my cash is safely down my pants.

           That said, I am one of those women who can’t – and won’t – function without my massive purse (is that a lettuce in there?  And a curling iron?  And a pair of pants? Honestly, all things I either currently have in there or have within the last week), where I do keep my spending money.  For that day.  Whatever excess cash I have is happily nestled in my moneybelt. Should anyone steal my baby, er, my purse (I’d take them out.  Really.  No one messes with my purse.  But it’s the principle…) I’d still have enough cash to get a taxi to the police station, buy some food to sustain me for the long hours spent filling out police reports in some random foreign language, and taxi me back to the hotel afterwards.  A moneybelt will never replace a purse, as it’s just awkward reaching down your pants when you try to pay for your bag of chips at the minimart (especially in some countries, where this could be punishable by jail time).   If the hotel has a safe, I use it, too, for any currency I may be carrying for different countries, or just to keep the bulk of the wad in my moneybelt from being too noticeable.  And for my passport.  But there are times when you need to have your passport with you, and when it’s down your pants in it’s nicely zippered compartment, I know I’m not going to reach into my purse for a mint and accidentally drop it to the curb.

        Speaking of passports, I always keep a copy of mine in my moneybelt, too, just in case it gets lost or stolen.  It’s also a good idea to have a photocopy of the person you’re travelling with’s as well, and to have them carry a copy of yours.  The liklihood of you both getting ripped off at the same time is slim, and having that copy will make it so much faster at the consulate to have a replacement ordered.

      I know they’re not cool looking, and they do evoke images of those old couples with the matching khaki pouches on strings around their necks, but everyone should seriously invest in a moneybelt.  Besides, unless you have random people looking down your pants (and you know who you are), nobody’s ever going to see it anyway.

             I should also add that I’m a strong advocate to travelling with (at least some) cash, and not relying solely on my debit card to make withdrawls as I need it.  Firstly, this is way better on your budget, as you know exactly how much you have and aren’t going to just be randomly spending until that magic machine on the wall stops giving you bills.  Secondly, if you’re cashless and nowhere near a bank, your taxi driver in Calcutta or Bangkok or New Jersey is not going to take debit.  Or, most of the time, credit, either.  Nor are they going to understand you when you try to climb out of the cab at the bank, telling them that you’re just going to get some money and be able to pay them when you get back.  This last one is never, ever a good idea.  Cash is so much more convenient.  Yes, you have to be mindful of where your money is at all times, but you should be doing that anyway, right?

       Taking the local currency is also a big plus.  I’m not saying take nothing but Colones to Costa Rica, but the local currency is guaranteed to be accepted everywhere (the American dollar is a good emergency fallback – you’d love the look of “what’s that, play money?” you get if you try to use Canadian!- but who knows what exchange rate you’re paying) and I, personally, just find it a sign of respect to the country you’re visiting to recognize their culture and not ask them to recognize yours.  Plus, you get to play with all the different funky-looking monies out there.  They’re totally fun.  Like in Hong Kong, where they have 3 different, but equally effective $10 bills, so you have to keep double-checking that yep, that too is $10.

         The moneybelt just rocks.  If the situation was bad enough, it probably could save the world, though at the very least it could really save your back someday.  Join me.  Become a Moneybelter!

Tags: BlogSherpa, money, Moneybelt, personal safety, theft prevention, Tips