I love to travel. Pre covid-19 I travelled on a monthly basis. Given the covid dangers, travel restrictions and having given birth in May, our passports are gathering dust.

Thankfully, we were incredibly lucky to have had 3 weeks in Crete (Greece) over the summer. Why Crete? We love it there. The food is amazing. It has glorious weather and beaches nearly, yes nearly, as beautiful as the Caribbean. I mean, I may have married a Greek but I’m still very much Caribbean at heart and a realist.

It was during my time in Crete that it hit me, I would be lost on holiday without a number of key items. Packing to travel is like a well rehearsed dance routine. Unless a ski holiday, I pack the same items year after year. I appreciate that it may be some time before we are all travelling but this blog will help you to prepare for your next adventure, whenever it it will be.

13.3″ Macbook Air

I would be lost without my MacBook Air. I have thought of what life would be like without technology, in fact I spent a considerable amount of time avoiding it but I, like many others, have succumbed to Apple. It is a part of every aspect of my life.

Historically, I would use my laptop for nothing other than writing essays and online shopping. As such, I was happy with the bare minimum. No bells, no whistles. I didn’t care about storage. The cloud was a mystery to me. I never deployed the latest updates and I was oblivious to the need for security software.

As the world has evolved and social media has taken a hold, I have slowly but surely realised that resistance is futile. That to stay current in all realms of life, I needed to evolve and this meant embracing technology in the truest sense of the word.

I purchased my first MacBook in 2012 and have never looked back. I have everything I need in one device. That’s not to say that others may need more…… I am not that complicated when it comes to technology.

Most important for me, the Air is light enough for me to carry around in my handbag. Ok, my rather large handbag but all jokes aside, the 13.3″ Air fits into my standard handbag too.

John Lewis

My husband surprised me with my current MacBook, with the help of John Lewis). He thought I needed an upgrade. He was right. I was able to sell my old one for a couple of hundred pounds as it was in perfect working order. On this point, if I had not sold it nearly two years ago, I would have donated it to a school to be used for homeschooling. Something to think about if you are desperately in need of an upgrade and wouldn’t receive much for your current laptop. It all depends on your financial situation.

Something that you will come to realise, I love John Lewis. I mean, I love other stores too and I am always comparing prices across them but where prices are fixed, I always opt for John Lewis. Why? Their constant deals and their amazing customer service. I can always trust that if something goes wrong, I can either speak to someone or pop into the store and have the matter resolved. My husband is the only person I know who loves John Lewis more than me.

Sony Cyber-Shot Camera

It took me forever to choose a camera for blogging purposes. I wanted something small but that had full functionality. Something that would allow me to produce videos, connect to Wi-Fi and have a sufficiently long battery life.

After months of searching I settled on a Sony Cyber-Shot and I could not be happier. I opted for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III Camera. It was the latest at the time I purchased it and still available now. That being said, I would recommend getting the latest model, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 VII.

Sony Cyber-shot

I was lucky as I had received a number of John Lewis vouchers throughout the year which I then applied to this camera. Also, when I purchased my camera there was a promotion for £100 cashback on all Sony cameras. Wait and look out for these deals before you make any big purchases through John Lewis.

I am never without my Cyber-shot. I know, we have cameras on our phones but it is just not the same. You can do so much more with a camera like this. Wanting to understand its full functionality, I completed a private camera course at Jessops. I would recommend doing one of their courses and/or a course through CityLit. What’s the point of having the kit if you do not know how to use it?

Back to John Lewis for a moment, I just checked (17th January 2021) and they have the £100 cashback deal on now. Terms and conditions can be accessed here.

iPhone

Samsung or Apple? To some, this is one of life’s biggest decisions. Whilst I had a Mac and iPad, I held out on getting an iPhone until my husband presented one to me as a gift. I simply could not say no. Now that it has happened I can 100% see why my having an iPhone made so much sense to him.

There’s the ease of use, connectivity, design and overall technology. Despite my reluctance, I am now sold. I use to be known for leaving my phone at home some days, I just could not do that now. Both a good and a bad thing.

Again, a purchase from John Lewis.

As you know better than I, there are a number of iPhone models. I have the iPhone 8 and it is all the technology that I can handle but there are later models if technology is your thing. See the John Lewis link above for details.

Snow Leopard Scarf/Large Pashmina

This snow leopard scarf is a permanent fixture in my bag on all outings. I purchased it from Mango in Istanbul back in 2015 during a girls trip.

Camel Riding in Marrakesh

As you can see, I take it everywhere.

Not only is it a stylish accessory, it doubles up as 1. a picnic blanket, 2. sarong, 3. a scarf, 4. As a cover-up when modesty is required in different countries. It has so many uses. Now that I have a baby, I place it on seats so that he can lay down as well as draping it over his pram for shade.

Click here for a long list of animal print scarves available through shopstyle.co.uk. Fear not, shopstyle.com is available in a number of countries if you are based outside of the UK.

Rosebud Lip balm

To say that I have tried a lot of lip balms over the years is an understatement. I suffer from dry lips, especially during flights, and I am always looking for a balm that doubles up as a gloss or a slight lip tint as well as a moisturiser. I have a few favourites:

RoseBud Salve Credit: Amazon

Currently, Smith’s Rosebud Salve Original is my balm of choice. I purchased my last tin from Sephora in France, I think. I know, why don’t we have Sephora in the UK? It blows my mind. You can also purchase this salve directly from Rosebud’s website. Those in the UK can also purchase it from Amazon. Although, it is currently out of stock.

This balm instantly softens chapped lips, soothes minor skin irritations, moisturises dry cuticles and can even be used on insect bites. A multifunctional balm.

If Beyoncé and Alicia Keys use it, it’s good enough for me. Created over 126 years ago, this is a beauty staple that has stood the test of time.

Elemis Under Eye Masks

Whether stepping off a flight or wanting to hid a late night, I have been using Elemis’s Pro-Collagen Hydra-Gel Eye Masks for years. Sold in packs of 6, these masks decrease puffiness whilst reducing fine lines and wrinkles. My husband is also a big fan.

Individually packaged, I am never without them.

Elemis Eye Masks

 

I usually purchase them at the airport to take advantage of duty free prices or from lookfantastic.com as they often have discounts like 20% off for new customers.

I need to.rf get better at using them more regularly.

Penhaligon’s Perfume

On one of my many shopping trips to Penhaligon’s I received their black and gold travel atomiser as a free gift and I am never without it.

With a capacity of 8ml, this atomiser holds enough fragrance for a two week holiday. Well, dependent on how often you use it. I wear strong fragrances and tend to only apply them in the morning.

Today, my atomiser is filled with my beloved Halfeti by Penhaligon’s but there is nothing to stop you from filling it with a scent from a different fragrance house. You can read more about Halfeti in my review ‘The Spicy, Floral and Woody Scent of Turkey Captured by Penhaligon’s’.

Penhaligons Atomiser Credit:Penhaligons.com

 

Also, given the size, I can take the atomiser as carrier-on luggage too. To this point, back when we use to physically go to work I use to one stashed in my drawer for those emergency moments like last minute drinks with girlfriends.

As you can see, this is more of a life must have as opposed to just a holiday must have.

Longchamp Pliage Bag

I have had my Le Pliage Longchamp bags for years. I couldn’t even tell you which years as I really did purchase them over 5 years ago. They are used for everything including travel, shopping, the gym and most recently, a baby change bag.

Key to these bags, they fold down to less than an A4 sheet of paper.

Le Pliage Bag Travel Bag

They are light-weight yet made from durable fabric. Polyamide canvas to be precise.

All of the designs are stylish whether you prefer a mix of leather and canvas, just leather or just canvas, there are styles and fabrics to suit everyone.

I have the black Le Pliage Travel Bag in Xtra Large and in Large.

I also have the black Le Pliage large Shoulder Bag.

One bag was purchased at an airport with the duty free discount. One from Longchamp’s store within the Limegrove Lifestyle Complex in Barbados. The others, from Selfridges at Christmas when they had either 10% or 15% off purchases throughout the store.

I never travel without one or multiples of these bags. Also, my husband has, on occasion, used the XL for travel as it is unisex in both style and colour.

Amex Platinum

Now, I have saved the best for last. I appreciate that not everyone has an Amex Platinum card but, if you could, then you should as this card has helped me to navigate some very tricky situations. Forget never going on holiday without it, I never leave home without it!

Amex Platinum Card

One of the main draws is of course the Amex points and airmiles. Quick here for an article on how they work. Putting points and airmiles aside for a moment, this card gives you access to a concierge for everything from travel arrangements to dinner reservations and plumbers. You can ask them to design your holiday, book hotels, flights, restaurants, excursions…….. the list is endless. Further, show your card at restaurants and hotels to receive free upgrades, credit to spend on food, free champagne etc etc.

Every month Amex has different offers that you can save to your. Current offers include, spend £100 at Sweaty Betty and receive 12% back. Or, spend £100 at Laithwaite’s wine get £20 back. There is a long list of discounts and they change on a monthly basis.

Amex Travel Insurance

The platinum card also comes with travel insurance and, as we found out, car rental insurance. We didn’t even know that we needed it until we really really needed it. For example, this insurance saved us thousands of pounds in Iceland. Please learn from our mistake. If the car rental company specifically tells you not to allow your car door swing open in the wind, they really mean it! The wind in Iceland is insane and one lapse of concentration nearly cost us over a thousand pounds. Thank god for Amex. They stepped in and resolved everything.

Admittedly, not every merchant takes Amex and I always travel with both a debit card and a credit card but you do not always have to make purchases and bookings on your Amex to be covered by their insurances.

Back to Amex points, as stated above, they are priceless, metaphorically speaking. We convert Amex points into BA airmiles to take advantage of free and/or discounted flights and upgrades. Also, you can redeem points against everyday purchases made on your card and can even make direct purchases with your points with retailers like Amazon and Ticketmaster.

I would need to write a separate post to cover my Amex card fully. The above does not even come close to all of its benefits. Also, to be complete, there is a cost involved which needs to be weighed up against the benefits and discounts. I mean, I have not even written about the countless events. Many of them are scent related.

In Summary……

The items listed above are a snapshot of the items you will always find in my travel bag. Now that two have become three I have to pack a lot baby related items. Again, a whole different blog post.

What can you not travel without??