Bring the Right Stuff! When packing for family trips, less really is more. As in, the less stuff you're lugging around, the more freedom you'll have.
To help you create your own "packing list," we've organized our suggestions into four groups:
* Documents
* Clothing basics
* "Must haves"
* Memory makers
First, ask yourself a few questions:
Who is going? Traveling with infants and toddlers, resist the urge to take everything under the sun. For older kids, consider that many ordinary things can be shared. For example, girls may insist on having their own blow dryer at home, but when traveling, one is enough.
What do you plan on taking? How many suitcases? What kind - duffle bags or roller bags? Are the kids old enough to help or will it be up to the adults to lug everything (and kids) around? You may need to run for a departing plane/train/boat, so don't take more luggage than you can carry.
Where are you going? This is the biggie: trekking through the jungles of Guatemala, for example, requires quite different footwear than play-going in London.
When are you going? Sailing around the Mediterranean in July is different from hiking the Andes in July. December in Bali is warm and tropical, December in Amsterdam is cold and snowy. Check out the weather for your destination in advance.
Documents
Eagle Creek Undercover Passport/Money Case
We can recommend these money belts from personal experience - comfortable and won't bulge at your waist.
But before thinking of a single thing to wear, there's something more important than how you'll look - your travel documents. Some things take more time to put together. This might be one of your first checklists.
Sight-seeing should be distracting - so rather than worrying about pick-pockets, consider a zippered money belt or waist wallet for your valuables. In South America and India, we've worn money belts for weeks, months at a time.
Clothing Basics
Believe us: you will be able to do laundry. Don't pack something for every day of your trip, and take things that can serve double duty.
Travel outfit - This is the outfit you wear when on the long plane, train, car ride. It should be loose fitting and comfortable, and have lots of pockets for essentials and surprises. Keep in mind that airplanes are often chilly.
Behind the scenes - Have enough underwear and socks so that you can rotate them comfortably. Remember to take different weight socks for different footwear or weather.
Footwear - Walking shoes, sandals, dressy shoes should cover basic needs. Tip: Try all-terrain sandals or water shoes if you'll be tromping around rocky beaches or in rivers. Dressy shoes should be nice, but not fragile or too costly: anything can happen in a suitcase, or on a cobblestone street. If you have laced shoes, bring extra laces.
Exploring outfits - There's always an adventure worth hiking or biking to reach. In warm weather, you'll want shorts, lightweight tops and windbreakers (to block out sudden chills). Hats are essential - bring caps with wide brims to protect from the sun.
In cold weather, you'll want loose, comfortable but well-lined lightweight clothes. Plan to layer your clothes for warmth (e.g. a T-shirt or turtle-neck, long-sleeved shirt, then jacket.) Tip: Polartec fleeces are light, warm, and will dry over night if you need to rinse off some "exploration" dirt along the way.
Even if it isn't the rainy season - Hooded windbreakers or train ponchos (thin plastic that folds into tiny, easy to pack pouches) work well in unexpected downpours. Even in the tropics, if you go to highland areas, the temperature can cool dramatically; a light windbreaker is good for damp, misty weather.
Dressy outfit - You've planned a real rough-and-tumble adventure trip and you don't think you'll need this? After a week of camping and hiking in the Canadian Rockies, a posh high tea at a resort is a wonderful change. A play in London or haute cuisine in Buenos Aires is worth dressing for, and may well be among your fondest memories. Tip: Think simplicity and good quality, and you'll fit in anywhere.
Water gear - Almost all vacations include water in some way: pool, ocean, lake, river, hot springs or water park. Make sure everyone has good swim suits, those all-terrain sandals, water shoes, or rubber flip flos, water wings if needed.
Make Room For "Must Haves"
Daytime gear - Few things are as useful as some kind of day pack or fanny pack that lets you carry money, sunglasses, lip balm, a guide book, water bottle, snacks, sweaters etc. while leaving your hands free. Get one for each member of the family and spread the goodies around so no one feels like a pack animal.
Toiletries - Get water-proof pouches (no leaking) for each person's toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, body lotion. Pouches should be big enough for personal must-haves like lip gloss or hair gel, but small enough to pack easily. Tip: Currently there are regulations for carry-on luggage - bottles must be 3 oz or less in a transparent pouch.
Emergency kit - Don't lose time because of small emergencies. Take along a mini sewing kit, a good all-purpose foldable tools (e.g. Swiss army knife), a conversion plug for any electrical you're taking along (110/ 220) and small flashlights. Flashlights are great for little ones to have bedside in strange hotels, and useful when exploring unexpectedly dark places.
Medical -Take everything in clearly marked original containers (to avoid hassles at customs). Take a small pouch of antibiotics, aspirin, anti-itch, anti-fungal, band aids, thermometer, and tweezers. Yes, you can get these things abroad, but do you want to be searching a strange place at 2:00 am?
Pass times - You know best what to take: playing cards, iPods and CD players, books, Legos - whatever you and your kids like that can be stowed in a carry-on. Buy a few brand-new, small and inexpensive toys as surprises for long plane trips (especially important with toddlers, but all ages love this). Being trapped in a seat can be less frustrating with the distraction of a new plaything. Remember: it's the novelty that counts here - better five cheap new toys than one or two more expensive things. Stuffed animals are also great traveling companions.
Packing for infants and toddlers - Imagine that you're going for a long weekend to a childless friend's house and pack your diaper bag accordingly. You'll be able to buy all the usual favorite items (sippy cups, bottles, formula, diapers, wipes etc.) at local pharmacies or grocery stores, but you want to have a good three days before making that stop.
Tip: For toddlers, pack a few instant hot cereal, instant rice, and other just-add-water packets. They'll come in handy at restaurants where nothing on the menu appeals to your little one.
Memory Makers
You'll want to remember this trip, and be able to share it with others.
Camera - A digital camera is a great way to share pictures on the Internet, and also to have lots of stuff for your scrapbooks when you come back. Also, a disposable camera or a waterproof camera is fun for the kids.
Journals
Travel journal - Writing in journals is a good pass-time on trains, boats, planes, at night in hotels - and will bring memories to life in years to come. (Bring extra pencils and pencil sharpeners too.)
Sketch pads - Even if you think your kids can't draw, pack pads and colored pencils. There are 101 ways kids use art, not always in the expected ways: scrap book, hang man,pressings, etc.
Address book - Encourage the kids to write down the full names and addresses of friends. Postcards are fun to send and all kids love getting mail. Don't forget teachers, relatives, neighbors. Also, bring a list of e-mail addresses. On your trip, stop into an Internet cafe to send speedy mail to family and friends.
Where to Shop
Don't have time to run back and forth to the mall? Consider online shopping. We've found a few companies that sell really good quality, useful things perfect for traveling, for both adults and kids. For years we've bought their luggage, and travel gear, so we feel good about suggesting them to you, and now you can buy online.
Travel accessories - Magellan's Travel Supplies is where you can find all those adapter plugs, locks and luggage straps, packing organizers, travel pillows, money belts, traveltotes and more.
Luggage and backpacks - eBags has a huge selection of luggage for kids and adults. They have kid-size backpacks and roller bags, baby travel beds, and toddler bags. Kids will enjoy picking out their own luggage, and then running around the house with their bags in anticipation of your trip.
Travel Books - You'll sometimes will need a guide to travel to different places suited for your family. It will be hard and expensive to find a tour guide. So where else, then to have a guide right by your home computer and your hands. Southeast Asia Travel Guide @ [http://www.southeastasia-guide.com]
