I'm forever dreaming of my next excursion overseas. I friggin' hate Autumn / Winter; and the backend of 2017's colder months felt like they were literally never gonna shift - pretty much every other weekend there's been pure horror stories floating round Twitter about impending snowfall, people panic buying bread at the Asda & beasts from the East. Not the one.
One thing which does kinda taint my foreign fantasies however, is that crushing realisation that before the fun can begin, I'll have to endure the ballache that is queuing in the Post Office / Travel Agents for all of eternity [always behind someone that abso hum-DINGS of BO / dog poo] to get my travel money sorted. And that, rather like cold weather & stormy eastern beasts, is also not the one.
Thankfully, there is a company working to put an end to this money misery [& endless queuing behind Stinky Stanley & his crackhead pal Steve] - and their name is WeSwap*. This innovative brand is revolutionising the way we buy, sell back and order currency - and you can read more about how exactly here. I'll definitely be loading, packing & taking advantage of one of their trusty travel currency cards next time I head off on vacay - but what other essentials will I be packing [alongside my newfound WeSwap wisdom] in my luggage? Read on to find out!
One thing which does kinda taint my foreign fantasies however, is that crushing realisation that before the fun can begin, I'll have to endure the ballache that is queuing in the Post Office / Travel Agents for all of eternity [always behind someone that abso hum-DINGS of BO / dog poo] to get my travel money sorted. And that, rather like cold weather & stormy eastern beasts, is also not the one.
Thankfully, there is a company working to put an end to this money misery [& endless queuing behind Stinky Stanley & his crackhead pal Steve] - and their name is WeSwap*. This innovative brand is revolutionising the way we buy, sell back and order currency - and you can read more about how exactly here. I'll definitely be loading, packing & taking advantage of one of their trusty travel currency cards next time I head off on vacay - but what other essentials will I be packing [alongside my newfound WeSwap wisdom] in my luggage? Read on to find out!
- OBV some of the most crucial bits to sort out and pack for ya vacay are things like emergency credit / debit cards, travel money, any other cards or certificates you need for travel & your passport. The addition of my WeSwap card into my holiday 2018 bag definitely streamlines things - and means you don't have to risk travelling or staying somewhere with lots of cash on you. Which is something that always pure worries me.
- Travel insurance documents. GUYS PLS. Never ever travel without insurance. I am living proof that accidents abroad do happen, no matter how healthy or sensible you think you are... and if I hadn't have paid like, a tenner for a whole year of insurance, I would have had to have paid over £30k for the medical treatment and surgery I received in Turkey.
If you're looking for a good provider, Coverwise are the company I went with & will always use for the rest of my life - they're proper cheap, dead comprehensive and cover you for more than what a lot of other companies do. That isn't an ad for them or anything either - I'll genuinely be forever grateful to this company for the rest of my life for the help they provided me with. Another great option are One Sure Insurance who guarantee the cheapest price for your policy, or your money back!
- Sunnies, obv. Usually two pairs, as I often sit on them mid-holiday and break them with my giant arse.
- Suncream in a variety of factors; cos dat lobster look ain't cool. I shudder when I see the pure oldies, slathered up in carrot oil; topping up their leathery skins. Skin cancer is no laughing matter!
- Bikinis, flip flops, pumps, sandals - pretty much all I need for a holiday tbh; plus a beach towel or two to dry off after a dip in the pool. Day to night and all trip eventualities covered.
- A cover-up to pop on over ya bikini for when you go from the beach to a local cafe for a kebab and crisps for lunch
- Shorts, skirts, dresses and a million vest tops - I like to have variety, but not too much. Typically, I'll pure buy half of Missguided or ASOS but end up just rotating a couple of pairs of shorts with different coloured camis once I get away. Comfort is key.
- Mozzy spray / plug-ins - cos those bitey b*stards are annoying AF.
- Emergency cookies. I guess you guys might not class this as a travel essential; but I know I do. I'm always peckish after a flight and on the off-chance I arrive in an unfamiliar country with no food there that I like, I need to know I'm covered. Hahahaha.
- Hand sanitiser. Absolute godsend when you're on the beach. Or after you've petted about a million stray cats, like me.
- Phone, charger, headphones. Whether I'm in the UK or living my best life abroad somewhere, my phone is an essential. Am I addicted to it? Yes, probably. But on holiday, my phone becomes everything. A map, an iPod, a handy camera to snap pics with, a communication tool to me Ma to let her know I'm not dead or in hospital again this holiday. A games console [gotta love Panda Pop and Solitaire!], a notebook, way to store plane tickets [digital passes are the future] and a TV; provided there's Wi-Fi. My iPhone, my life.
- Aftersun and moisturiser - to prolong, enhance and protect the tanning progress you've achieved; as well as cool & sooth any potential burning you've scored throughout the day, too.
- My camera... cos although I use my iPhone to snap most shots abroad, I do like to have a wander round with my proper lenses and take some pretty shots. I really enjoy taking macro shots and close ups of nature whilst overseas; so packing my camera shiz is a must. I don't have pure expensive equipment or anything - but the camera and lenses I have are fab & get me the exact results I'm looking for. Photography - nature, landscape and cityscapes - is a big passion of mine. I'm still finding my feet with flatlays tbh!
- Makeup - cos of course, my love for all things beauty doesn't just halt when I depart from the UK. I don't tend to wear eyeshadow overseas; as it's too hot and I generally cba. BB creams, bronzers, highlighters, lippies and lashes are what I'm all about in the hotter climate life - stuff that looks good, but doesn't take pure ages to do or melt off in the heat. And setting spray, obv.
- A few key accessories, such as jewellery and belts. I don't wear much jewellery on holiday; as it's just too hot to be arsed & fiddly in the heat. But I do enjoy a good waist belt to dress up a plain dress or pair of shorts for my evening meal, and a necklace to dress up a basic vest or neckline.
- A beach bag & small evening bags are a couple of other essentials that consistently make the list. My beach bag is just a canvas tote from Primark which cost about a quid; as it's huge, roomy and it doesn't matter if it gets all sandy or damaged. For the evening, I usually pack 1-2 crossbody clutch bags; to keep bits of makeup, money and my phone safe, whilst I dine & weep over the inevitable restaurant pets / strays.
- Plasters and painkillers - as you may have guessed from my talking about my stay in hospital in Turkey; I am slightly accident / injury prone haha. I've been operated on, bitten and stung abroad - so I have to pack for all eventualities.
- Bobbles and clips, as my hair p*sses me off abroad every bit as much as it does in the UK & must remain in a messy bun / pineapple on top of my head at all times. I got a wasp tangled in it once on the beach, and I'm never risking that happening again. It was HUGE.
- My Nintendo DS - for Sudoku, Mario Kart and Brain Training on the plane mostly. And to keep bae entertained.
- My World Duty Free shopping list. Cos holy mother of hell, the beauty department is getting rinsed next time I step foot in one of their stores!
WeSwap is a prepaid travel card supported by Mastercard [who, without knowing it, massively support my personal finances these days, too!] used by thousands all around the globe.
Through smart peer-to-peer technology, travellers are able to get fantastic rates on their travel money. The company aims to help people feel 'stressless & travel happy' and to spread helpful, practical knowledge & advice amongst travellers. The whole concept is super innovative & I'll definitely be loading up my card with currency next time I jet off somewhere other than the local Asda or a physio appointment!
Have you used or heard of WeSwap before? If you're heading on holiday anytime soon, they're definitely worth checking out. Oh and hey, I've got an exclusive offer for you too.
If you fancy getting £10 on your WeSwap card for free when you load just £50 onto it; use code ‘UNPACK10’
Thank me later, holi-baes xox
*Sponsored post, but all opinions and items from my bag are totes my own - and legit things I pack every year. As with all posts on this blog, affiliate links may be used. You can find out more about what this means in my Disclaimer.
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