Aside from the obvious clothes, shoes etc. that are packed for a trip, its so important to keep in mind of the little things that will be needed to ensure a smooth flight and trip.  I usually make a list of what to bring because things will come to me at random times and I jot them down as I go.  I put all of these essentials in my carry-on/backpack, just to be safe rather then sorry...Here´s a few of my travel tips: 

Some of the things that are absolutely essential for me to start with is an electronic adaptor, especially if I´m going to a foreign country- I can´t always rely on the hotel or a local shop. Plus, sometimes there's a lay over in another country and I need to charge my phone or devise quickly! The best universal adaptor that I have found is an all in one - that way if I´m going to be in the UK and then Spain or anywhere else on my trip, for example, I have both adaptors on hand. The one I use is: amzn.to/4i9g7GW
 This world-wide adaptor is compact and is good for everywhere, and easy to use!

Another travel tip I like to suggest is for when we get to the hectic security check point! To make it faster and smoother, I put in my carry on a compact liquid carrier for all my liquids that I need to bring. The typical baggies are so awkward and they don´t stay closed which can slow things down at the airport, so the all in one bag holders are great and compact, easy to pull out and put back in at security. This one is my favourite: amzn.to/4hU931e Its also TSA approved and leak proof! Plus it looks so cute!

Another essential travel tip for the plane, and hotel/apartment, are earplugs. I never want to have someone else's conversation keep me awake on the plane, or an elevator outside my hotel room keep me awake, so I come prepared with good reusable earplugs. These earplugs have made my travels so peaceful! There´s quite a few out there, but I find these silicone ones amzn.to/4i7U7gh the best, they fit to any ear and really block out the sound, plus there's multiple ones in the case in case I loose some! 

For cancelling out all exterior sounds, I also use these Apple headphones for listening to music or watching a movie I downloaded, they are so comfortable and with great sound! amzn.to/43cGo34

My eyes can be sensitive to lights and the sun coming through a window on a flight, so I always carry an eye cover to cancel out any disturbing light that might interfere with my much needed sleep. My go-to is this ultra comfortable, soft eye cover: amzn.to/4beopLk
 This eye mask totally blocks out all light and the design makes it incredibly comfortable and easy to pack for your trip and work well with false eyelashes, a bonus!

For a more comfortable long haul flight when traveling, I always bring a neck support pillow. I make sure it has a bag that comes with it, it feels more hygienic to tuck it in a bag rather then have it hanging out attached to my carry-on or backpack. I personally never have liked hanging my neck support pillow on my luggage, it doesn´t feel very elegant... I also like the ones that are made with a memory foam, it forms to my neck and head, it makes such a difference! The one I use is this; 
amzn.to/41zQKYr

Another thing I pack and put on during the flight are compression socks, the last thing I want to get on a flight is a blood clot, so just to keep my blood moving, Due to sitting so long on a flight when traveling and with the air pressure on a long flight when traveling, my legs tighten up and the blood flow gets restricted.  So, I wear these compression socks to keep the blood moving: amzn.to/4ifoYH4 They are so comfortable and I love the quality.  I also bring along some flat slippers too, for walking around on the plane on my flight. 

A flight can be so dehydrating on the skin, that I constantly am hydrating my skin, especially on my face, where wrinkles can form if not well hydrated. My favourite carry on hydrating face lotion to hydrate is amzn.to/43daC5U My face feels so hydrated and it lasts for a long time, at a reasonable price. This cream isn´t very expensive and it does the job for flying to Europe, and when I arrive I always load up on my favourite skin care products at the local pharmacies, as they are much more economical in Europe! 

These are just a few of my packing essentials tips when traveling on a long haul flight anywhere in the world, I never fly without them! Hope these travel tips have helped make your flight experience a bit smoother!
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​Enjoy and safe travels!

If you are anything like me, you probably dread having to pack and often wait to the last minute to do so. Well, after learning my lesson the hard way, and after being up all night until my flight packing (not recommended!), I am here to tell you there is a solution and also a way to bring all those outfit changes you want!

What I first do is simply get out my luggage a week before hand. This somehow prevents me from really procrastinating. Then I make a list of what to bring. After having a global idea of what I will need to take, I start getting out the essentials, things I also won´t be needing at home before I leave.

The very first thing I get out are my vacuum bags, and making sure I don´t need to order more. Vacuum bags have revolutionised how I travel, now I can take so mush and save so much time and not even worry about having enough space on the way home after I (of course!) buy more clothes there!

My favourite vacuum bags come with an electric, small, compact pump. This saves me so much time and stress especially when leaving my hotel to come back home, which used to be so hard to get everything back in my luggage.  I love these vacuum bags, so fast easy and my over-packed wardrobe is condensed to a flat, airtight, compressed bag, its amazing, they have transformed my whole packing process! These are the ones I use: amzn.to/3PZPCYs
 
After I have out my luggage and vacuum bags, I get the most essential item out: my passport - which will not be in my luggage, but I just get it out. I feel its risky, or not very secure, to just carry my passport at the airport and while traveling without a passport holder, so after trying out a few, I came across this holder that also doubles as a boarding pass holder, making it an all in one when I get to customs and check in amzn.to/3WEcD79 I really like this holder because there´s room for other passports if traveling with family and there is a handle so I am less likely to leave it somewhere.

Another essential I get out (to be sure I have it on hand with enough time to order more, just in case), are my AirTags. amzn.to/3WLftY6 I put my AirTags in my luggage, but carry an AirTag holder amzn.to/3EdUmHh in my luggage. This helps me not loose my AirTags and keeps things organised for me, not to mention it looks elegant. More times then I can remember, my luggage did not arrive when I arrived, and it was a long drawn out process of finding and getting back my luggage. With AirTags I am already one step ahead of the game, as I can tell the airlines that lost my luggage and   "cant find it yet" where to look. And with these AirTag holders, I don't loose my AirTags in the process of packing, which adds to a less stressful adventure!

What many people over look is that the electrical adapters are different in many countries in Europe. Such as in the UK they have a whole different adapter plug then the rest of Europe. And often times there isn´t an adapter at the hotel or apartment to use when my phone battery is going down. That´s why I always make sure I have a multi-country plug in adapter, even for those long waits when traveling in airports to charge my phone. The one I use is: amzn.to/4gmTpK7   Its an all in one adapter and compact enough to not take up space, and I like the colour (which doesn't get confused with other peoples adapters)!

These are a few packing essentials I get out about a week before my trip and make sure I have them ready to go, and if not, I still have time to order more. It is so much better then waiting until the day or night before to pack for an international flight! 

Happy traveling!!
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Barcelona and so may cities across Europe have become easy and economical places to visit from the States. Now its so easy to book online, jump on a plane and arrive to your new destination whether it be for a long weekend or a month! However, on paper that sounds so easy and fun, but as the date approaches the stress can build up of what to pack, what to bring, what to do, and just so many logistics that it can feel overwhelming! 

​Let me help you with a few tricks of the trade I have picked up simply by trial and error and lots of research! The first question that always comes up is, what should I pack?

Europe is extremely safe, all the large cities are re-known for being extremely safe....however, there is one precaution that must always be followed: watch out for pick pocketing! Theft is rampant in cities such as Barcelona, London, Rome and Paris, especially for phones. So the most important thing to pack, in my opinion, aside from phone/passport/credit cards, is a safe way to carry your precious belongings. Nobody wants to have their phone stolen on holiday! But don´t worry about aggressive theft, its rather more like a magician....suddenly you realise your phone or wallet is gone as if a ghost did it. Nevertheless, its vital to carry something that will prevent theft, and I always carry my things in an anti-theft bag. I use an anti-theft bag every day while living in Barcelona, and most definitely when I travel to other European cities! After trying various bags, this one is my favourite: amzn.to/4hjTv6B   its cute, it crosses over my body so its even safer, it has anti-theft zippers (especially useful in crowds and the subway) and it goes with everything without being too bulky. I never leave the house without this bag and I haven´t had anything stolen ever, well, except once when I left my phone on a table at a restaurant,...ugh.

But maybe you prefer a more discrete approach, instead of a bag/purse. I also use an under the shirt, hidden, bag that holds my passport, credit card and money, amzn.to/42DT0Qj. This not only let me relax, remain hands free but it gives me other options to carry things like water bottles such as the one I use every day, amzn.to/3EtKiKh in a tote! Don´t forget to bring a water bottle, here in Europe we only drink out of water bottles that we buy (the huge ones) and then fill up our water bottles to carry around. Hotel water is fine to drink, its just not to customary to drink out of the faucet in older apartment buildings. 

Once you are armed with a safe way to carry your most valuable belonging, you will be able to deter any pick pocketers. Just remember to avoid carrying your phone in obvious pockets, your back pocket and of course, from my experience, don´t ever leave your phone on a table at a restaurant! Which reminds me, I also use this phone attachment, just to prevent someone from wanting to snatch it from me as they pass by amzn.to/3WHpp4R

If you come prepared, and use some of that common sense we have, you´ll be fine! As I always say, better safe then sorry!! Safe travels and fun travels are the best!!