Member Advice on What to take on Holiday > Reviews (34)

10 Indispensable Things With You On Holiday

When going on holidays I always plan everything and then end up forgetting something useful by the time I head away. Here is my list of things to take with you on holiday:

1. First Aid Kit - you never know what's going to happen to you when you are away, so it's best to be prepared. By bringing a basic first aid kit you will have these items when needed. I find plasters come in very handy, as you tend to walk a lot and get blisters on you feet on holidays.

2. Sunscreen - even if you are going to somewhere that is not very sunny you can never be too sure what the weather will be like. If you are going to be on a beach holiday or somewhere with strong sun you are advised to buy a high factor of sunscreen to stop yourself from burning. Even if you are on the ski slopes you have to protect yourself from burning.

3. Aftersun - this is needed if you are going to be somewhere warm and sunny. Even if you have sunscreen on your skin you can get burnt and dry skin. Aftersun and moisturisers will help put the moisture back into your skin and make it healthier. It also can cool down any sunburn you may have.

4. Insect repellent - if you are going to a country which has mosquitoes this spray or lotion will be the answer to all your prayers. I have been bitten by mozzies before and it is not a nice experience you get big welts that itch for days. So it is best to protect yourself. I used an insect repellent spray and it meant that I didn't need to touch the liquid and it was handy to put it on and I knew I hadn't missed anywhere. This stuff is very effective but you can get the odd bite while wearing it if it is rubbed off. The only big downside to this spray is that it stinks so if you can get one that doesn't smell too bad it will be all the better for you.

5. Sunglasses - these are needed in the sunny weather to protect your eyes. You are best to get ones that filter out the UV light. I wear glasses sometimes and found that reaction lenses are very useful. They turn darker depending on the sun. The only problem I have with these is that they turn into sunglasses with a dark tint very quickly but once you come back into the shade it takes a while for the tint to go away. This was a problem for me as I kept bumping into things as it was too dark. It did mean I had fewer things to carry as I didn't need to bring a pair of sunglasses. Also it saved the hassle of having to change between sunglasses and ordinary glasses.

6. A light breathable coat - I found this extremely useful on my travels as sometimes it can be very warm but can rain very heavy so I was kept dry. My coat was able to be folded up so it was a tiny size to fit into a backpack, which was good as it took up little space. I am glad I had a breathable coat as it can be sometimes very warm and it helped stop me from sweating. The coat was very versatile as it kept me warm then when it got cold.

7. Travel toothbrush - this is a toothbrush which is half the size of a normal toothbrush and has a cover over it.

You take the cover off and attach it to the end of the toothbrush and then it becomes normal size. I find these very useful as they take up way less space when carrying them.

8. Travel fan - I have got one that squirts out water and I think it is fantastic. It cools you down well especially when you have mist being squirted onto your face it leaves you feeling very refreshed. When I was travelling in hot countries I found this a lifesaver as I don't stick heat very well. It helped cool me down and stopped me from feeling dizzy.

9. Travel clothes line - this was useful to be as I was away for a long period of time and needed to wash my clothes. If you only bring a little amount of clothes you are going to have to wash them. This clothes line doesn't need pegs it is a rope like substance which is twisted so your clothes are attached between the twists. It works rather well and on the two ends there are hooks so you can attach it to something and then hang your clothes up. The clothes line itself is not very big and can fit into your suitcase very easily.

10. Light long sleeved shirt/ smock - this is to keep the sun off you so you don't get burnt. Generally people don't realise they are getting burnt and then it is even more important to cover up the rest of your holiday. I got a long sleeved smock that covered most of my arms, neck and back. It was see-through so it was light and I could wear my clothes underneath and barely know that I was wearing the smock. It helped stop me from getting burnt very badly and I still got a tan wearing it.

This is just an extra essential thing for me to bring on holidays and it won't apply to a lot of people but I thought I would add it in anyway.

Glasses repair kit - as I wear glasses and they do tend to break from time to time I need something that can fix them straight away. I found that you can buy small glasses repair kits, so small that you can fit them into your glasses case. They have a screwdriver to fix any lose screws and additional screws if you lose yours. Also if they have rubber bands to help keep your glasses together if they snap. Plus they have temporary fixings for the wee small bits that sit on your nose if they get broken.

Also posted on dooyoo under my username denise40