Straight Talk: The Top 10 Things You Might Not Think To Bring on Vacation…But You Really Should, by J.K. Coi

So you’re going away, maybe to someplace with a beautiful beach, and maybe it isn’t even very far away. Just far enough to have a few days of sun and fun. It’s not beyond the realm of possibility, you know, even for us canucks up north. After all, that super-harsh winter is behind us by a few months now, the sunshine is bright enough to turn that ghost-like skin into burnished gold, and you’ve been really good with the diet and exercise, so you’ll be able to rock the designer bathing suit you spent way too much money on.

But what do you take with you? I mean besides the normal stuff like little bottles of shampoo and moisturizer, sunscreen, and hats. What kinds of things do you really need if you’re going on vacation?

Clothespins – Bring a few and you won’t regret it. They’re great for hanging your wet beach towels, and also for clipping the blackout drapes in your hotel room tightly closed so that little crack of light doesn’t blind you after a late night spent partying…er…calling your mom to tell her you’re behaving. *wink*

Baby Powder – You might not be bringing a baby along, but if you put some of this in your beach bag and use it when you’re ready to come in, it’ll keep that sand from sticking to you and getting into the bed sheets at night. Trust me, there’s nothing worse than sand in the bed sheets…unless it’s maybe bed bugs, but that’s a whole other kind of post.

A Colour Copy of the Picture Page of Your Passport – I know it sounds weird, but if you keep it in your luggage and you’re subsequently separated from your luggage, it will help your luggage find its way back to you much sooner. But also, if you lose your passport, having a copy will help expedite its replacement.

A Pen – It should be a given to always have one handy (especially the one that has the name of your favourite author on it *grin*), but surprisingly, a lot of people don’t think to stash one within easy reach for when we have to fill out customs forms, etc. And hey, if you want to get a smile from the cute guy sitting next to you on the flight, take two!

LESS clothes – There are advantages to bringing less, and not only because you have a better excuse for going shopping. The reality is that on a beach vacation, you probably won’t use the clothes you think you will. Not to mention, with the baggage fees, you don’t want to pay the extra weight, believe me.

BIG Plastic Cup – Who’s been on an all-inclusive before, raise your hands. *nodding* So you know this, right? Those tiny little disposable glasses they make drinks in last about a minute. By the time you’ve walked back to the beach chair that someone’s probably already stolen from you, it’s all gone. So unless you have your very own cabana boy bringing your drinks to you, bring a big cup!

A Power Bar – No, not a dry-tasting half-granola, half cardboard meal replacement, the other kind of power bar. Maybe you bring your laptop to get some work done on vacation? (I certainly hope not!) But still, we all have enough electronics with us these days, from cell phones to tablets and e-readers and other devices. So especially if you’re sharing a room with someone else, it’s a good idea to have the ability to access a few extra outlets.

Duct Tape – You’ve heard it’s the Renaissance Man of useful things, right? Well, that’s no lie. You can even buy it in convenient travel size rolls. But exactly what would you use duct tape for on vacation? Well, what about fixing dropped hems? You can also use it to repair or mark luggage, or seal the zipper so it doesn’t slide open during travel. Use it as a lint brush. If you’re on a cruise, use it to “batten down” anything in the cabin that might go flying in rocky weather.

Your own pillow case – If you didn’t have to travel so lightly, I might even bring my own pillow, but a pillow case is at least a good compromise if you feel at all icky about putting your head down on those hotel beds.

Sexy lingerie – Even if you’re traveling alone, think about dressing up the nightwear. You deserve to feel sexy on vacation, even after an exhausting day doing the tourist thing!