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