Thursday, November 24, 2016

Travel Talk: What's In My (Carry-On) Bag


I'm always curious to sneak a peek into other peoples' bags at airports - I want to know all their travel secrets! What are they reading? A Kindle? A paperback? A hardback? What kind of headphones to they use? Neck pillow? Snacks?

So, I decided to put a little twist on the "what's in my bag" blog post and show you what I pack when I'm about to board a long-haul flight.

Magazines

I have a little ritual before I go on vacation: pedicure, followed by a magazine purchase (or two). I always read Conde Nast Traveller when I travel. I know! It seems so counterintuitive - what weirdo would want to read about other destinations when they're already on holiday? This weirdo. I love travel writing though, and I find the articles and images so inspiring. 

Snacks

Once, I didn't bring any snacks with me on a long-haul flight and ... I pretty much inhaled breakfast when it was served and had to distract myself from hunger by watching a pretty forgettable movie beforehand. Now, unless I'm flying Business class (which is like, never, btw - okay, once or twice), I always bring a snack. For a recent trip, I brought these Kind bars, which are delicious and nutritious (see what I did there?). They're not too sweet, like some other bars (which leaves a horrible taste in your mouth when you're travelling) and they come in sweet and savoury flavors. The bars are made from whole nuts, fruits, and whole grains, so they keep you comfortably full until the next meal is served. I'm a fan of the Dark Chocolate Mocha Almond flavor, which you can buy here.

Avene Thermal Water Spray - Travel Size

I know I go on and on about this spray, but it really is a miracle product. I mist it over my face every two hours or so during the flight and it is such a relief from the dry cabin air. You can find it at Boots. I also like to slather a bit of Laneige's Water Sleeping Mask on my face as well, to keep it well-hydrated (though my mom once asked me why my face was so shiny when I disembarked, so maybe wipe it off when you land!).

Powder

I get a super attractive oily and dry face on flights, so I always carry a pressed powder compact with me so I can dab at my face before we land and carry at least a passing resemblance to my passport photo at border control. 

Fragrance

I'm totally conscious of other passengers who might be allergic to perfume, so I avoid applying any fragrance on the flight itself, but I do this just after disembarking because - unless you're flying in a cabin with a private shower (check you out!) - no one smells great when they first step off a flight. I love these roller-ball fragrances that are exclusive to Sephora US and always pick up one or two when I'm visiting the States.

Eye shade

Must. Block. Out. All. The. Light. I alternate between the pretty one you see here (made from Liberty fabric by a friend of mine) or the one I rave about in this post.

Gigantic Scarf

One that can double as a blanket or a cape or a pillow, etc. I've got a great one from & Other Stories but if I'm travelling to a colder climate, I like to use a cashmere wrap.


What are your carry-on essentials? Let me know in the comments below!

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14 comments

  1. I always have a hard time finding Avene's Thermal Water Spray! Do you get it a store?

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    1. Not sure where you're based, Ana, but I always find mine in Boots. Like Jaime, I find it such a lifesaver. :)

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    2. Yep, Boots is a great place (the bigger ones) to find this, as well as online ... Escentual always stocks it!

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  2. Giant scarf is such a great idea for long haul flights - I never thought about that! I always struggle with getting comfortable on the plane so something like a massive soft cashmere scarf would definitely come in handy!

    Loved reading this list - I too am always so curious on other people's every day habit so I found this post super interesting! x

    Laura // Middle of Adventure

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    1. Thank you, Laura! Trying to fall asleep on the plane is so hard ... sometimes it happens, sometimes it just doesn't!

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  3. Some super handy tips there! I particularly love the idea of a huge scarf that can double up as a blanket! Loveeee!

    Gemma
    Faded Windmills

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    1. Thanks, Gemma! American Apparel makes these great circle scarves that my friend gave to me one year ... they are HUGE, and you can tuck yourself into them like a cocoon!

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  4. Definitely snacks. On our last flight Delta didn't pack any of my gluten free meals (long and boring story) but I survived 9h in the air thanks to allll the snacks I packed! Also I need to invest in a giant blanket/scarf - I have plenty of scarves but none of them are blankety ones. So that's going right on the list.

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    1. NOOOO ...! Well done for being prepared, though! There are loads of good blanket scarves on the market right now ... the cashmere wrap I bought was a sale item from BrandAlley.

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  5. snacks of course:) and I usually have a travel guide:)

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    1. Love packing a travel guide for the plane as it gets me excited to land in my new destination!

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  6. I always have a pashmina that I can use as a blanket or stuff behind my lower back for some extra support. Love the look of those Kind bars - I need to try and find something similar that's low-carb. It's been really hard finding snacks that aren't plain almonds and cheese string!!

    I think I must have the weirdest shaped nose ever cause I've never found a mask - even the molded ones! - that blocks out the light around my snoz. Heh!

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    1. HAHA re: your nose, Sorcha! I'm sure that's not true.

      The KIND bars are really good. Other bars are so sweet, they make my teeth ache. These are high in protein but low in sugar ... and they're tasty too. I love the variety of flavors. At first, I was skeptical and rolled my eyes, but when I grabbed one on my way out the door one day and tried it at work, I was a total convert.

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  7. I invested in a face mist after reading a blogger write about their carry-on and it's been amazing! I can't go without it now! Also, I think my carry-on differs from night to day flights, though i can't be the only one :)

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