It’s summertime and if you are lucky enough to have booked a holiday, you may already be planning what to take with you and what to leave behind!
With so many budget airlines now restricting free cabin luggage to just one very small bag that slides under your seat, decisions like these have become more important than ever.
And even if you are travelling by train, coach or car, you may still need to pack light if space is a premium.
So here are our top tips for what and how models (and would-be models!) should pack for their summer holidays:
*Choose a bag with different compartments
Then it is easy to retrieve essentials you need for the journey without unpacking all your clothes and other holiday items.
*Have one very secure section
This is vital as it is where you will put your passport, phone, keys and other important items and paperwork.
*Important items
Make a checklist for important items – your phone, travel documents, insurance, currency, bank cards etc – and run through it before you leave the house.
*Double check you have your phone
Not only will you need this for communication and storing all your mobile travel documentation but you will also want to take photos for your modelling e-portfolio with it. Summer holidays are a great opportunity to grab some very different shots that will not only add a seasonal edge to your e-portfolio but also make it look fresh and up to date.
*Don’t forget your phone charger
Another essential! You will need to show your mobile boarding pass at the gate and – as already mentioned – to take some great photos, so you have to be able to charge your phone!
*Foreign adapters
If you are going abroad, remember many countries have different plugs from ours. You won’t be able to plug your phone in to charge it unless you have the right adapter for the country you are travelling to.
*Screenshots of electronic documents
Always take screenshots of your boarding passes, tickets and any other electronic documentation. Then if you are unable to get online you can still access these essentials.
*Sunscreen
Whether you are a model, would-be model or everyday holidaymaker, you must protect your skin! Choose a product with an SPF 50 to ensure full protection. If you are boarding a plane and not checking luggage in, then each bottle can only be 100ml in size. Buy travel bottles and then pour your much larger (and probably more economical to buy) sunscreen into two or three smaller bottles.
*Drinking water
Travelling on a plane can be very dehydrating and this is not good for your skin or your general health. You will not be able to take more than 100ml of water through airport security with you, but you CAN take your refillable drinking container through if it is empty. Most airports have drinking water taps where you can refill these once you have been through security. Your drinking bottle does not have to be able to fit into your bag. They will let you carry this on to the plane separately.
*A book or magazine
Similarly, your book or magazine does not have to be able to fit into your tiny bag. Most airlines should let you carry this on to the plane. If they really object, then tuck it into your pocket.
*Costumes and sarongs
If you are going to be near the sea, a swimming pool or other water, you will probably want to take your costume. If you don’t know whether there will be a towel for you at your destination, rolling up a sarong can be a great alternative. You can dry yourself with it, wrap up in it, and it will hardly take up any space in your bag.
*Think light clothing
Pack only the very lightest of clothing in your bag. Remember you can rinse underwear and t-shirts through and hang them up to dry in hot countries. It is tempting to try to squeeze in lots of different outfits but, in all likelihood, you will spend most of your time in shorts and t-shirts.
*Wear anything heavy
This is the oldest trick in the book, but (if you can bear it!) it really is the best solution. Layer up any t-shirts and tops that you can’t fit into your bag and wear them as you travel. In many countries you will need a pair of long trousers, a long-sleeved top, a hoodie and maybe a jacket to wear in the evening. These are all bulky items and wearing them as you travel will leave much more space in your tiny bag!
