I’d hardly call myself a jet-setter, but after a quick finger count (while waiting for our delayed flight out of Dubai) I realised that I’ve managed to rack up some decent frequent flyer miles in my 29 years on the planet. No business class for me, however. You’ll find me squished up the back in economy meaning my level of comfort on the flight is 100% dependent on me.
My most recent flight was a big one. Brisbane to Milan – 14 hours for the first leg and about 7 for the second. Considering even domestic travel has me arriving looking and feeling both dry AND greasy (go figure) I thought that arriving “fresh” after a long-haul was an impossible task. Nevertheless, I tried to learn from my previous travel mistakes and packed my carry-on smart this time. And it worked!
My Top 10 Travel Essentials
- Toothbrush & mini toothpaste
- Stick or roll-on deodorant
- Face moisturiser (doubles as hand cream)
- BB cream (creates a protective layer over your moisturiser)
- Lip balm (I love Hurraw! Balm – found mine at Flannery’s)
- Eye drops (a handful of individuals)
- Tissues (or a mini pack of baby wipes)
- Sleeping tablets (we use Restavits which don’t require a prescription)
- Panadol & Ibuprofen (headaches from dehydration are inevitable!)
- Mini protein bars & fruit bars (plane food lacks both protein AND fibre…)
…And if you need to appear moderately presentable when you arrive at the airport due to being picked up by someone you’d like to impress, here are a few bonus items to help.
For the image conscious:
- Concealer
- Cream blush
- Mini Mascara
- Mineral powder foundation
IMPORTANT NOTE: Please learn from my early rookie mistakes and do NOT wear makeup during long haul travel. It will suck your skin dry and leave you looking 10 x worse than if you’d just swallowed your pride and accept that you will never look like one of those Hollywood stars featured in magazines in all of their travel-glam glory.
Everything else in my carry on bag
Entertainment (and any items you don’t want to risk putting in your suitcase) generally take up most of your carry-on space and I’ve always struggled to know where to draw the line. This year I kept it simple (which is getting easier now all our books/games/music/work can fit on one device)…
- iPhone (with some downloaded podcasts)
- iPad Pro (with some playlists & magazines downloaded to device)
- MacBook
- Noise cancelling headphones
- Camera (that baby is not leaving my sight!)
- 1 x paper book
- 2 x bags of cables/chargers (found these at Big W)
- Spare underwear & socks
- Squishy scarf (doubles as a pillow)
- NECK PILLOW (the main reason we slept so much this flight)
- Satin eye mask (check out the one my dad got me for Christmas!)
The irony of it all is that I slept for the majority of both flights meaning I didn’t even need the entertainment! But like a Girl Scout, at least I was prepared.
What about you? Any brilliant tips for travelling in comfort (and style)? Let me know in the comments below!
