What to pack in your airline-approved carry-on luggage
- Electronics (phone, tablet, spare batteries.)
- Small toiletry bag with toothbrush etc.
- Regularly prescribed medications (with a copy of the script)
- Flexible silicone water bottle
- Change of clothes and underwear
- Workout towel
- Large oversized scarf
- Leak-proof travel mug
- Small first aid kit
- Foldable bag
- Pen and paper
Packing tips
- Place heavy items at the bottom of the suitcase
- Roll clothes and pack them first
- Choose travel-friendly fabrics
- Pack the first outfit you will wear on top
- Layer plastic dry cleaning bags between clothing (do not discard when unpacking)
- Avoid over- and under-packing
- Take a mini (travel) iron and multi-adapter plugs
Surviving long-haul flights
It is highly recommended that you get up from your seat on the plane when it’s convenient for the airline staff and walk up and down the aisle. When sitting down, make circular movements with your ankles to keep the blood flowing. Perhaps purchase a pair of flight socks which go a long way towards helping to ease the swelling of your feet and ankles.
Jet lag is a temporary sleep problem that can affect anyone who quickly travels across multiple time zones. Our bodies have their own internal clock which signals us when to stay awake and when to sleep so jet lag occurs because our body’s ‘internal clock is still synced to our original time zone, instead of to the time zone where we have travelled to. Symptoms can vary from disturbed sleep patterns to feeling unwell to general mood changes.
The best ways to counter the effects of jet lag are:
- Keep calm, don’t stress
- Get good rest before taking your flight
- Break your journey (have a stop-over)
- Drink lots of water before, during and after your flight. Skip alcohol on the flight!
- Make yourself comfortable (ear plugs/headphones, inflatable neck pillow, etc.)
- Eat healthy foods after arrival - avoid junk food
- Take light exercise after arrival
- Stay outdoors as much as possible within the first couple of days after arrival
Duty-Free shopping
The "duty" in duty-free simply refers to taxes. Duty-free shops are allowed to sell their wares exempt from various national and local taxes on the condition that the goods will be taken out of the country by international travellers. In the absence of taxes, duty-free shops are therefore able to offer lower prices on their goods and international travellers can save money on a whole variety of products: from clothing and cosmetics, photographic equipment, to tobacco and hard liquor to name but a few.
Some other useful tips
- Draw up a detailed checklist well before departure
- Always take out travel insurance
- Learn a few common phrases in the language of the place to which you are travelling
- Make photocopies of important documents
- Always pack the night before
- Put your room number and hotel address on your phone
- Speak to the locals
- Beware of free public Wi-Fi, especially when doing banking
- Notify your bank of your travel plans
- Wear sunscreen if you are travelling to sunny country
- Let someone know of your plans - keep in touch
- Separate your sources of money
- Keep an open mind
- Use common sense
So, there you have it! What may seem to be overwhelming and you not knowing where to start has been made simple and pretty easy to follow. We hope the above goes a long way towards eliminating the stress for you as a first-time traveller remember, our experts at Flight Centre are always there to help you and please look out for and visit our first–time traveller guide series.
Enjoy your journey!
