OK, I know this isn’t the best time to share a post about the things you need to pack in your carry-on bag for flights because none of us are going anywhere right now but you know what? I’m going to share it anyway…
Last year, I took the kids to New York in February and on the day we left, it started to snow. The snow got heavier as we headed out to the airport and by the time we got on the plane, it was coming down pretty heavy – so much so that the plane couldn’t take off on time. We ended up sitting on the plane for almost four hours before the snowploughs were able to get out to clear the runway and the giant de-icing machine was able to de-ice the wings of the plane.
It’s all good though, I had plenty in my bag to make the delay less of a nightmare though…
A good book AND my Kindle
There’s very little that a good book can’t distract me from so I always make sure I have (a) one book that I know I love in my hand luggage and (b) my fully charged Kindle loaded up with lots of new books. I like my Kindle as it’s one of those that has a backlight so I don’t need to be in a particularly well-lit space to be able to read – perfect for on a plane when the lights are dimmed through the night for people to sleep which is when I most enjoy reading as I can never seem to get comfortable enough to sleep.
Phone and charger
It sounds awful to say this but I’d be lost without my phone so even on a flight when there’s no WiFi I’ll use it to play some random games, listen to music, add notes, edit photos. And when there’s WiFi, which there often is these days, I’ll use it to do even more.
I’ll also have my charger so I can charge it at the airport and more often than not, on the flight too.
Headphones
I have a couple of different playlists on my phone – some happy songs and some relaxed songs so I have something to listen to whatever my mood. I also have some podcasts downloaded and whenever I’m on holiday, I tend to download some Netflix films too so I know I can just pop my headphones in and drown out the rest of the world.
I have the Apple Airpods which I absolutely love – I thought they were a bit extravagant when I first saw them but I treated myself to a pair for work as I have lots of conference calls each week and they’re perfect for them as I can dial in from my phone and be free to wander about.
A little Toiletries travel bag
I have a little makeup bag that has in a mini bottle of dry shampoo, a mini toothbrush and toothpaste, some face wipes (which I only ever use on a plane in case you’re wondering), hand cream, lip balm and some bobbles. A little freshen up after a long flight does wonders for getting you ready for the next leg of your journey. 😉
A bottle of water
Always, always have a bottle of water in your carry-on bag! It’s the first thing I buy when I get through customs because I always try and drink as much as possible on a flight to save getting dehydrated.
Also – don’t forget to take out travel insurance before you travel. Aside from all of the obvious benefits of travel insurance, it could also cover you for any delays as we experienced. The airlines themselves might give you some free meal vouchers or even a free overnight stay if necessary but you might be entitled to some kind of flight reimbursement if your flight is delayed like ours was so it’s worth looking at all options when you get home.
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