That thing where you walk round Rotterdam at 8am looking for someone to sell you a razor. Or round Barcelona at 10pm looking for a phone charger (thank you, El Corte Ingles). Or trying to buy toothpaste in Athens using gestures only.
A list developed over the years, that I wish I had had before, and hope someone else might be able to benefit from. With the passing of the years a few extra things have made it on (latest are reading glasses – next stop medication?). I’m a male, so some things may be different or missing for ladies. And I haven’t made the leap to leaving the laptop at home yet… You might like having more; but if you have the below you will be fine…
Work stuff:
- Laptop (still can’t go without it)
- Tablet + charger (optional)
- Phone charger (pro tip: get two, one for charging before you leave and one for your bag)
- Laptop charger (same)
- Internet dongle + charger (does anyone else still use these?)
- International plug adaptor
- Work to do
- Event tickets (if needed)
- Speech/slides/presentation (printout too, for perusing on the plane)
- Swag/presents (if needed)
- Spare business cards
- Pens (you always need more of these than you think)
Practical stuff:
- Book/kindle + charger
- Reading glasses
- Umbrella
- Travel/Oyster card for destination
- Medical/Health Card
- Travel insurance docs
- Map of destination (optional depending on data charges!)
Personal (ironically these things are easiest to forget):
- Shirts
- Ties (though I’m done with them)
- Underwear
- Socks
- Night wear
- Casual wear
- Shoes
- Dirty laundry bag
- Toothpaste
- Toothbrush
- Razor
- Shaving gel
- Aftershave
- Hair styling gel (needing less and less of this as time passes)
- Shampoo (same)
- Condoms (I don’t need these. Only you can know whether you do)
- Tissues
- Sticking plasters (seriously, if changing shoes then you will get a blister)
- Coat, scarf, gloves, hat (depending on season/destination)
- Gym kit (if you have the desire/time)
In your pocket/manbag:
- Phone
- Headphones
- Wallet
- Local currency
- Passport
- Boarding Passes
- Ticket to airport (unless Uber)
- Hotel confirmation
- More business cards
- More pens
Additional suggestions welcome! Printable version here: Packing Checklist 29-09-2016
