When it comes the time to leave for a holiday and I do one last check around the house to make sure we have everything, I always think to myself “whatever we have forgotten, I’ll just buy it there!”
Most of the time you can get away with buying that forgotten item when you’re travelling but there are a few items that its just best to bring with you because they can be hard to find, not quite right, or very expensive!
Here is my list:
Kids Medicine – Yes you can buy kids medicine in most places around the world but a pharmacy can sometimes be hard to find or the ingredients in another language. If you have a child who is sensitive to certain things then be sure to pack your tried and tested medicine to save you any problems. If you have a child that is prone to certain things, such as ear infections, then it’s also worth a quick visit to your local doctor before you go and stock up on any antibiotics just in case. Sore ears and flights don’t go well.
Sunscreen – Here in Australia we understand the importance of sunscreen and that means its readily available and generally at a good price. Don’t get caught out when your overseas though! Other parts if the world don’t have the same ozone layer problems that we do in Australia, so they don’t place the same amount of importance on sunscreen as we do. It’s often a luxury item and only used on small children. My tip is to pack your own and save yourself some pennies! We forgot to pack ours when out and about in France and paid nearly $30 AUD for a 20ml bottle of spf15+. Ouch!
Recently we were able to try out WOTNOT Natural 30+ SPF Sunscreen from our friends at www.avidiva.com.au. Not only does it have a neutral smell and goes on easily, it is also free of any nasties that you find in regular sunscreen. It is an Australian made product with recyclable packaging. Our review on this product is that it goes on easily, isn’t white and pasty, leaves a light shine but not greasy, smells nice and is safe for the kids!
To receive 10% off storewide with Avidiva and grab some sunscreen for your travels then head to www.avidiva.com.au and use the code TWA10 when checking out.
3. Raincoats – Unless your are heading somewhere where you know it will not rain during your stay, then I recommend bringing lightweight raincoats for the family. When your adventuring you don’t want to be held back by the rain or wast time trying to find somewhere to buy raincoats. Having light weight raincoats in the bag ready for those wet moments can be a really useful.
4. ID – It doesn’t matter if you’re travelling domestically, internationally, by road, by train, by boat or by air, it is really important to have some form of identification for both you and your kids. If your on an international trip then you will have your passport which is great and its a good idea to have photocopies with you at all times too. Having a form of identification on you and any medical information, including your blood type, can prove to be life saving in some situations.
Here is a simple little card you can print off and use on your travels. Don’t forget to attach a photo to the back if you can. This is not a legal document, just helpful important information to have with you.
5. Mobile Phone – I know we haven’t always had phones to travel with, and especially smart phones, but gosh it has changed the way we travel and I think for the better. Having so much information in the palm of our hands can truly enhance our travel experience, not to mention getting us out of tricky situations! When we travel I love having access to maps, GPS, translator, city guides, transport info, emergency information, camera, video camera, torch, itineraries and helpful apps all in one easy to carry device. Oh yeah, and a phone! I recommend buying sim cards at your destination or accessing WiFi when you can.
Tip: To avoid expensive international phone bills make sure you put your phone on airplane mode and then turn on the WiFi. You can still connect to WiFi hot spots without the risk of using your own data.
Citymapper App is one of our favourites – be sure to check it out!
So that wraps up our top 5 things we couldn’t leave home without! We would also love to hear what items you make sure you pack when heading off on an adventure?
We would also love to have you join over 560 parents in our Family Travel Community where we discuss all things family travel and answer many family travel questions.
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