by • Bring a foam seat pad (therefore they do everything in one seat) – they are great for hiking but also work in cities. Bring a bottle of it Tabasco (or Maggi seasoning), especially if hiking. It’s small and makes every snack better. And binoculars. I always carry a small set – you never know what wildlife will be there.
Stuart Kenny, travel writer
• You can never have enough travel snacks. Box of Yum leak-proof lunch boxes it’s worth the investment. And we always pack at least one a little card game, perfect to kill time pretty much anywhere. Dobble is brilliant and can be played across language barriers with new friends, such as Uno. I am obsessed with save places on Google Maps. It’s the best way to store places you want to visit and restaurant recommendations, and you can instantly see what’s nearby as you move around. At the end: All the best souvenirs come from supermarkets. Who does not want some French ranger or real Mexican hot sauce?
Fiona Kerr, travel writer
• I always take a Nalgene water bottle, which can double as a hot water bottle when you’re camping (even in summer in the UK it can get cold at night). Fill it with boiling water and put it in your sleeping bag before you go in, so it’s nice and cozy. It will keep you warm all night.
Jane Dunford, deputy travel editor
• One of the most important things to learn from vacationing with teenagers is that the isolation in the middle of nowhere that makes middle-aged parents feel happy is essentially torture for teenagers. Teenagers are addicted to other teenagers. This doesn’t mean you have to take your family holiday in Faliraki, but it does mean it’s worth thinking about a place where the children can walk to a local beach or village alone when they want a break from the elders. A little freedom goes a long way in keeping teenage spirits up.
Jess Cartner-Morley, associate editor (fashion)
• My sleep train basics bring an eye mask, ear plugs, bed socks, towel slippers (these can be slipped on from hotels) or flip flops for trips to the cottage, and a small bottle of hand soap. Always carry cash in case the wifi is down and card payments aren’t working, and don’t wear anything loose or loose that will litter the floor around you – leggings or yoga pants are best. Before you go to sleep, make sure to protect the compartment from vibrations: take down coat hangers and put the bottles with you. And finally, if you wonder even for a moment if you need the loo … go! You don’t sleep until you do.
Monisha Rajesh, author and journalist
• It is an immutable law of adventure travel that every bag will be filled to bursting and your shoes will fall apart. That’s certainly true of my long-distance trips, but even on a weekend away in Barcelona a wheel can detach from the wheelie bag at the worst possible moment. So now I take one strong backpack which falls within the budget constraints of the airlines and spends the strongest of it hiking boots. It might raise eyebrows when you check in at a chateau or country house hotel, but you’ll bypass the baggage carousel and still be able to yomp into town during the taxi strike. The hard-shell wheelie bag I once bought is still in the attic, waiting for spare parts.
Kevin Rushby, travel writer
• You only need two lipssticks/glosses/balms. One nude and something bolder, like red, will work for any occasion. The best way to clean is with a warm flannel, but not all holiday accommodation provides them, so I take a few flannel mine, along with a waterproof pouch to take them home. No one wears enough SPF. Best practice is at least two finger lengths (index and middle finger) for the face and neck. Take a Dedicated facial SPF rather than just SPF makeup – you’d have to cake yourself in it to be safe (by all means take it, but take a belt and braces approach by layering it on top of your sun protection). And pack the SPF mist so you can top up without removing your makeup.
Sali Hughes, beauty columnist
• I took some of the stress out of traveling by using it Apple AirTag, which I leave in my checked luggage. It makes the wait at the baggage carousel less stressful, as I will know by then if the baggage has gone astray along the way. They are useful things – keep one in your handbag, backpack or rental car. I wish I had left one in our car too, which was recently stolen while I was away.
Mary Novakovich, travel writer
Take a paddling pool on holiday, put in some toys for your child, and he’ll be safe and happy
• If you have children or toddlers, you may have a small inflatable pool. Take it on your beach vacation. It might sound crazy when you have your own ocean to play in, but hear me out. Children love to crawl, eat sand, and go dangerously close to the waves. Plonk them in a paddling pool with some toys and they are safe and happy. You may even have to read your book for five minutes. Suzanne Lemon, art director
• Recently, in The Passenger Press, a great shop in Glasgow, I discovered Papier d’Arménie, scented paper that you can light to remove unpleasant odors. They are tiny and can be carried in a purse or wallet, have 36 strips and come in three scents.
Audrey Gillan, journalist and broadcaster
• Going swimming It’s a great way to relieve frazzled feelings while on the road, especially when traveling with children. It really helps them settle down after being cramped up and bombarded with new noises, sights and smells. I recently had a few hours waiting in Paris after an overnight bus and, instead of racing around the sights, I found a cheap local hammam to soak in a hot pool and steam. I felt much more human when I got home than if I had spent the morning walking up the Champs-Élysées.
Rhiannon Batten, travel writer
• Package a travel cosmetic kit for your beauty and health items, then pop it on a hook in your hotel bathroom. The best I’ve found is Bagsmart’s Space Saver toiletry bag – it’s not bulky, unlike many travel beauty cases, and it’s clean and tidy. The holidays are a good chance to try something new and breaking beauty habits. So if you feel like you need a “push” every day when you’re at home, try to tone it down when you’re on vacation, to be more comfortable in your own skin. Conversely, if you find yourself wearing too much makeup, try trying it on vacation, when you’re more relaxed and less concerned about the judgment of strangers.
Anita Bhagwandas, beauty columnist
• Do a playlist as you go. Ask people to meet you for recommendations; listen to the music being played around you in cafes, bars and hotel dining rooms; search for local bands. You’ll end up with a musical memory of the trip – an eclectic selection that will take you back there every time you play it. It’s a great thing for solo travelers to do – asking for recommendations as a starting point is great.
Sarah Louise Baxter, travel writer
• When you are about to go to a country where you don’t speak the language, other than the usual “Hi. Bye. Excuse me. I’m sorry. Thank you”, try Learn 100 nouns (or 200-300 if you have the time). It may seem daunting, but with apps and phrase books it takes less time than you might think. Even if I’m going to a country where the locals speak great English, reading signs, menus etc helps me a lot.
Dixe Wills, travel writer
• Try the 3-3-3 packing method. Basically, it means choosing three tops, three bottoms and three pairs of shoes to create multiple looks. You can tweak it according to the type of holiday and your own style. TikTok has tons of videos with suggestions on what to wear on different trips, and you’d be surprised how many looks you can make from nine basic pieces. Get a long strap on your phone. That way, you can wear a crossbody and avoid stressing about it slipping out of your hand while taking photos in tourist/pocketpocket locations. For strolling around a gallery or day trips, think about whether you really need a bag. Instead of carrying a wallet, I use Apple Pay and download e-tickets. If you need physical cards try a magnetic wallet which is attached to the back of your phone. You can also put cash in the back. If you are eating at your hotel, ask dessert to be delivered to your roomso you can pop on a comfy dress and eat it in bed and watch Netflix.
Chloe Mac Donnell, deputy fashion editor
• Packing blister plaster it might sound OTT but there is nothing worse than developing a blister on the first day of a mini break when a high step count is required on the second day. So be contentious in advance – you know the problem spots; there’s probably still an echo of a blister from the last time you explored a new city – and avoid developing a bigger problem as you hit your stride.
Ellie Bramley, Acting fashion editor
• You never know what types of tea will be available when you arrive at self-catering accommodation: I pack a a handful of my favorite tea bags (breakfast, decaf, peppermint). If it’s a fairly local destination, I’ll also take an insulated bottle with some cold milk in it, so we can have a cup when we arrive, and unpack before worrying about where to do the big shop (or waiting for delivered, if we managed to be so organised).
Ruth Lewy, stepfather editor
• Mum was very influential in buying him a set transparent zip pouches, but they are actually useful, essentially turning your backpack into a portable filing cabinet. I have a separate pouch for snacks, one for spare clothes, another for kid-friendly activities (AKA iPads). And as long as you leave everything packed up when you get to your destination (and I pack spares so I can create things like a “swimming stuff” pouch), they speed up the inexplicable task of family labor. get out the door. for various activities. Just shove the relevant pouches in the bag and go!
Abigail Radnor, lifestyle editor
