What You Should Pack For An International Vacation
After a while, you may start to get bored with the monotony of everyday life. You may dream of getting out of your bubble and shaking things up a little. That is why you should go on an international vacation. It is different compared to a vacation within your country as you will get to explore a new culture. It will be a change up to your routine through going on an adventure. There are so many places for you to go to, from Amsterdam to Zurich and everything in between. Think about what you want out of your vacation, what kind of sights you want to see, and what will give you the greatest thrill, then you have your vacation spot. Once you have a destination in mind, you should get started on a packing list. You can’t just hop on a plane with just the clothes on your body. You need to be prepared for whatever may come your way on this trip. On your vacation, you need to be organized, in control, and calm. These are the items that you should bring on your international vacation so you can have the most spectacular time ever.
1. Passport, License, And The True Essentials
If we are talking about packing for an international vacation, we should start with the obvious items. Some things are important to bring, others are absolutely necessary if you want to go to and/or eventually leave this country. You have to make sure your passport is with you if you want to travel to a foreign country. Don’t show up to the airport and realize you forgot it, set some reminders for yourself. Also have your license with you as some sort of identification on the go. You will also need to have some money and your credit card with you. You may have to exchange some money for the local currency, but this will still help you be prepared. There are also airplane tickets, train tickets, and possible museum tickets/reservations. If you reserved something, you should make sure you actually get to use that reservation and you don’t have to miss out on anything. These items may seem fairly obvious and you already know you will bring them, but it is always good to have an extra reminder so you know you won’t forget.
2. Maps
When you are in your hometown, you probably know every place like the back of your hand. That will not be the case when you are going on an international vacation. You will be in a foreign city with hundreds, maybe thousands, of places that you have not been to before. It can be pretty overwhelming. That is why you are going to make sure that you have a map with you. Sure, your phone has a map, but that is not the same. Your phone could run out of power, you could not have any internet, and you also may not get the full picture on your phone. That is why you should have a paper map. It will always work and it will always give you the whole picture of what you want to see. This will be a big help when you are trying to get somewhere. You don’t know this city that well, so you need a map to help direct you towards your destination. It will help make sure you never get lost. You will never have to spend a vacation confused, your vacations will only be about fun.
3. Day to Day Itinerary
Every location is different, but they all have their known attractions, sights, and activities. You are going to want to pack a lot of those in your international vacation. Now if you have a lot to do, you need to think about where you want to go ahead of time. It is not always smart to play it by ear. You don’t want to decide the day of that you want to decide the day of that you are going somewhere and then realize there is a long line or that you need to make a reservation. That is why you are going to need to make sure that you have a day to day itinerary with you. This could be on the calendar app on your phone, but it could be even more useful to write this all out on a day planner. This could make everything more organized and it can be easier to read. Once you book your flight, you should start thinking about what you want to do each day, how long it will all take, make reservations for places, and make sure that you won’t be rushing too much. In order to have the best vacation ever, you need to have the most organized vacation ever.
4. Guidebook
There is a lot to explore in this world. There may even be some places that did not immediately come to your mind. When planning an international vacation, you probably have thought of all of the obvious locations to visit, the ones that make the city famous. However, you may have some extra time in your days to make some stops. That is why you should get a guidebook. With just one book, you can learn about the amazing wonders of a foreign city. You can see the hidden gems and the most unique locations that you might not already know about. And if you are hungry, guidebooks can tell you about the best restaurants in town. It will also help you find some cool stores to shop at for the best souvenirs. You will be able to have a full trip with a guidebook and you will make some amazing discoveries. Make sure you have a guidebook so you get to go on a fulfilling and a one of a kind vacation.
5. Camera
There are so many great sights in the world. The best part of an international vacation is seeing these sights up close. You will want to remember that feeling and hold on to that moment. That is why you should bring a camera on your vacation. These days, everything is done on a cell phone. While you should still take pictures on your cell phone, you may want to take a couple on an actual camera. These can get you some really great quality and focused photos. And if you decide to bring a polaroid camera, you can get some physical copies of your photos. You can hang those up on your wall and you don’t have to worry about them being deleted. It is always great to have some pictures because they will be a constant reminder of a time when you were relaxed and got to go on an adventure. You will be reminded of the true beauty of the world.
6. Sunscreen
This does not apply for the whole year, but for hotter times, a lot of sun exposure could lead to you getting burnt. And if you are on an international vacation, you will probably be outside a lot. You could be walking around a lot, visiting a park, sitting by a beach, or doing so many other activities. And if your vacation is in the summertime, the sun will be shining down on you, and not in a good way. Sunburns could lead to you being in pain, being uncomfortable when sleeping, and an overall miserable vacation. That is why you need to make sure that you packed some strong sunscreen. There is the spray kind and the lotion kind, go with whatever is your preference. The lotion may make you stickier so if you are rushing, you might want to have the spray, but either will work. Try to reapply it throughout the day just to be sure, especially if you end up getting wet and the sunscreen comes off. Make sure you are protected so that your vacation can be filled with fun in the sun.
7. Walking Shoes
If you are going on an international vacation, you most likely aren’t just sitting around all day. There is probably a lot that you want to explore. You could spend days going from place to place to try to explore as much as possible. This all means that it is probably in your best interest to be comfortable. You don’t want to be in high heels while walking around a foreign city. No one is going to have fun if they have to spend the day putting Band-Aids on their feet. That is why you should make sure that you have a good pair of walking shoes, like some comfy sneakers. You don’t have to wear them everyday, just on the days where you know that you will be walking a lot. It will make your trip so much more comfortable as you go to many places quickly. They may not be the most stylish, but at least you won’t be getting blisters everyday. Trust me, your feet will thank you.
8. Fancy Outfits
International vacations are supposed to be distractions from our everyday lives. You are getting new enjoyment out of life where you don’t have to do any work. This calls for a celebration. While most of the daytime will be filled with sightseeing, you also have to think about the night time. You might be going out to fancy dinners, going to a colorful festival, and exploring the overall nightlife that this city has to offer. That is why you should make sure that you have packed some fancy outfits, like dresses or nice pants and shirts. This is the time where you can bring out the high heels. You don’t want to explore the night life underdressed. Not only might some places have a dress code, but the nigh time is about glamor and partying. You should be able to soak up all of the razzle dazzle of the night. Try to look your best as you face any excitement that comes your way. You don’t have to stay in the shell you live in back home. It is time to let loose and look amazing while doing so.
9. An Extra Bag
Once your vacation is over, you will cherish your memories. Those memories will mean that trip is always with you, but you may be taking physical parts of your international vacation with you. There are a lot of things that you may see that you will want to buy. There are souvenirs from museums that you think are pretty, souvenirs that you want to bring home to friends, clothing, accessories, and so many more items. You may have had enough room packing for your trip, but that does not mean you will have enough room for the way back. That is why you should bring an extra bag with you. You probably won’t have room for an extra suitcase, so you can probably bring a foldable bag that you can stuff in your suitcase in the beginning. When you are getting ready to go home, you can put everything you bought into that bag, and then that can go in the suitcase. This way you won’t have to worry about buying too much. The extra bag will make sure that you can bring your many memories home.
