Some tips from my own travel experiences!
(note, I travel primarily [but not exclusively] to African countries so YMMV)
(last updated 20180825)
- Pack a container or tupperware
- Often you may need "padkos" and have nowhere to store it
- A container (like an ice-cream tub) can also be used to do handwashing if your place doesn't have a decent sized hand basin or lacks a bath;
the ice-cream tub can also store more fragile things a lot more reliably than leaving said fragile things loose in the bag;
ice-cream tubs lose their value in their larger volume ... a slim or small multi-compartment container (e.g. lunch or snack box) can be much more versatile for snacks if you go on day trips. - Toilet paper
- Particularly in African countries - the last thing you want to discover is that the bathrooms don't have toilet paper - this has happened often enough that I've now learned to pack my own bogroll :)
- Also useful for flights and such - you never know what's going to happen on the plane! 'Loo rolls are handy for all sorts of situations - wiping up spilled drinks, tooting your nose, wrapping something up with a little padding, and even if you need fire: Crazy Russian + Toilet Roll
- Check-in online whenever you can!
- Not only does this alleviate last-minute stress about completing check-in but it also gives you the best shot of a decent seat on the plane
- ALSO if you don't have to go to a check-in counter at the airport you can sometimes get away with a larger than normal carry-on bag (dimensions are usually hard to cheat on but if it fits the dimensions, and hasn't been weighed, you're golden).
Chances are, if you approach a check-in counter for any reason and have a carry-on in tow, they will weigh it. Even 0.5kg over the limit and your bag will need to be checked.
I'll continue to update this if / when more bright ideas surface from my travel escapades ;)