How to Travel Like a Pro

I've done my share of travelling in my short 18 years of being alive. My first flight was when I was 4 weeks old and I've been flying pretty regularly ever since. Things have changed in terms of travel in the last 18 years and from my personal experience, I've learned what to do and what not to do when it comes to travelling, especially when it comes to long haul 6+ hour flights/ journey's.

Carry- On

When it comes to a carry on, I like to keep it nice and light. There's nothing worse than lugging around a bunch of heavy giant bags when you're navigating around airports and trying to board a plane. I've also had my fair share of trying to squeeze a bag into the overhead carrier, which is why I like to keep it small and compact when I can. 

Most airlines allow you one personal item, such as a purse or briefcase and a carry on suitcase like a duffle bag or small suitcase. I like to use a big purse to keep all of my personal items in. If you're checking a bag, there's usually no need for another carry on. As I like to keep it light, That's what I try to do as much as possible! 

I got this pretty (faux leather, of course) baby from H&M. It retails for €25 but I got 20% off with my Student ID from UNiDAYS. The little pouf key chain is also from H&M that was €4.99 again, with the 20% off. (It's for a limited time only so get on it ASAP!)

Everything that I'm stuffing into this bad boy I'm gonna share with you below! You'd be surprised how much you can fit into it! I am very good at packing Tetris. 

First things first, laptop. 6 hours of no wifi (all though how painful it will be) is the perfect opportunity to catch up on some blog posts and watch those movies you've been meaning to watch. 

My laptop is a 13'' 2 in 1 laptop and tablet which is quite thin and fits absolutely perfect with the sleeve in this tote bag.

Pro-tip: Now, I'm the type of person who LOVES make up bags and small bags to carry everything in. There's nothing worse than having to sift through a a giant bag for something as small as a pen or lip balm. 

The above pro-tip brings us to our next section; electronics. I keep my laptop charger, phone charger, power bank and power bank charger in a Victoria's Secret makeup bag as seen below. The makeup bag just keeps everything together an prevents tangles and messes!

            

My next must have that's in my carry-on is a pair of fluffy socks to wear on the plane. It helps you to feel as comfy as you can and besides, who wears their shoes for the entire duration of an 8 hour flight?! I just threw my fluffy socks in the makeup bag with all of the electronics.

I got these from H&M on sale for €4! 

If you're anything like me, you're gonna want to bring some snacks with you. Depending on the in flight service or paying $5 for a small bag of potato chips so it is essential to pack some snacks. This time around, I opted for a bag of gummies and two bags of potato chips. 

Water is an absolute essential so make sure once you get through security you go and buy yourself a 1 liter water bottle because it is so important to stay hydrated not only for your insides but for your skin and general well being. Getting dehydrated on a long journey is anything but pleasant. 

Liquids

Speaking of security, that brings me to the next item! Your travel sized liquids! Everything that is under 10 oz and fits in a clear, see through plastic bag. 

These are the items that I like to bring with me:

• Dry shampoo- To give your hair a little boost if you feel like it's getting greasy after travelling for 12 hours.
• Deodorant- Kind of a must have. You just never know. No one wants to sit next to the girl that smells like BO.
• Moisturizer- If I had to choose just one thing it would be this. My hands can become really dry in that stuffy airplane atmosphere, especially after washing my hands. It's also essential for rejuvenating your face during the flight. 
• Hand sanitizer- Airplane + Lots of people = Germs. Enough said. 
• Makeup remover wipes- I like to take my make up off after the flight takes off just to let my skin breathe. It's not really good to wear makeup for that long, it can clog up your pores which can cause acne and just, no thank you, please! 
• Foundation and mascara- For reapplying your makeup before landing!

The last few things in my purse are pretty obvious. Wallet, passport, phone and for me, glasses case. And that's it for everything that I can stuff in my purse! Moving swiftly on to my personal fav; the outfit.

Outfit

Cardinal rule for travelling is to just BE COMFORTABLE. You're gonna be doing a lot of sitting and you're not going to want to be in restricting jeans. So, you want to be comfortable, right? Due to recent fashion trends, I have the PERFECT outfit!

This poncho I purchased at Topshop on sale reduced from €46 to €15!

You can seriously not go wrong with this one! It's like wearing a blanket!! And trust me, airplane blankets are not nice at all. I mean, if you're really desperate then it's okay, but imagine wearing a cozy thick blanket yourself! It's amazing. 

I would of course pair this with a pair of black leggings to keep it comfy and cute! I picked up a really soft pair from Topshop for €20 that are extra long and high waisted so perfect with a crop top. Not that I have super long legs, or anything, just rather be safe than sorry!

I'd wear just a plain back t shirt or tank top under the poncho and for shoes, any black or white runners or converse. I'm wearing my black mesh Nike's that I got on sale for €54 at Schuh.

Hair & Makeup

This is where I like to keep things simple. I just do the bare minimum of makeup such as foundation, concealer and of course for me, contour. In terms of eyes, I just swab on some mascara, fill in my eyebrows and that's it! As mentioned earlier, I usually take my makeup off when I'm on the plane so for me, there's no point in putting a lot of time into my makeup when it's just going to come off anyway!

As for hair, I have naturally wavy hair so if I straighten it, it's very rare that it actually stays straight. I like to curl my hair with a wide barrel or curling wand so it stays semi- presentable despite the long journey. The other advantage to curling your hair if you have hair like me, is if you put your hair up into a bun or pony tail, it won't ruin your do! 

Coming back home I may do a packing post because I have developed a technique that maximizes space without compromising weight and is the reason why my friends and family ask me to pack for them! 

Hope you find this post useful and somewhat informative! Happy travels!

-Emily Anne 

xoxo