So…it’s almost Christmas Day (yay!) and for those of you who are going away for the festive period I have some handy hints for you to help make your journey that little but easier (and hopefully more glam without adding to the luggage weight limit!

For the last few years we have been lucky enough to go away for the Christmas period. It’s always a tricky one in regards to packing and styling especially if you’re going to a cold climate and you’re limited by the weight of your luggage!

My key for travelling to colder climates is always layering and outfits which can interchange. It’s quite a challenge when you’re fitting everything into a carry on case!

If you’re going to a cold climate, for me, 2 essentials are a thermal top and thermal leggings.  Ensure you get these tight fitted to you (but still comfortable!) so that any clothes you put over them fit nice and snug. By taking thermals it allows you to pack slightly thinner clothes and not be weighed down by loads of heavy clobber like massive jumpers!

Beanies (of course!) are another must for me to add a pop of colour and very comfortable footwear.   And this doesn’t have to mean frumpy and un-stylish!   This year I’ve opted for knee high patent boots for more formal days and going out for dinner and colourful walking boots for during the days to style up my outfits. (Plus my new black and pink Nikes for travelling, which I absolutely looovvveee!)

Mini versions of toiletries are fab and this year I’ve bought travel bottles from superdrug and filled them up with my favourite creams and fake tan to save space.  Plus an added bonus is that these are under the 100ml limit required for liquid carry on luggage.

I like to travel light when I am exploring, so I’ve opted for a cross body Mango bag which is small enough to be light but big enough to carry essentials.

Plus if you have a small bag,  you can keep it in front of you or even tuck it underneath your coat and then do the zip up to keep all your things safe!

If you’re lucky enough to be going to a warm climate my top tip if you’re limited by your luggage weight limit is (if you can) to use a clutch bag which has a strap to use for travel and glam enough to use when at your destination.  I did this when we went to Spain this year and it was ideal for carrying my essentials but also looked stylish enough to take out in the evenings.

Same with shoes, if you have heels with are of a sensible height (!) you can use them for travel and going out, I used a pair of cream mules with a double strap.   They look great with jeans but also with dresses and skirts for evenings out.

For hair styling, I tend to stick to one if I’m away for a short break, this year it’ll be curls as my hair will be down under my beanie hat.  A great tip though is to take ghds if you’ve got them, that way you can have curly or straight hair !  Mini straighteners are also a great space saver.

Don’t forget your currency!  I’ve leant that sometimes it’s easier to get it at your destination as the exchange rate is sometimes better. But always make sure you have some currency for taxis and trains as these don’t always take cards (and don’t forget if you use your own card, your bank will charge you a foreign currency transaction fee!)

Instead of taking wads of cash, use travel cash cards.  You can load them up with cash before you go and use them like debit cards in most places without being charged.  You can get these at most agents and the best thing is your money is protected if you lose your card.  If you’re not travelling alone, give some cash to another person so it’s spread out a bit in case you lose it.

If you’re travelling on a budget, public transport will always be much cheaper than taxis or transfers.  Do your research in advance so you know which metro/trains/buses to get in relation to your hotel so you know how to get there without panicking.  Most hotels will also have their address and directions on their website, so make a note of it before you go. I’d recommend doing the same research with restaurants so you know which ones are in your budget.

Make sure you allow room in your budget for tips! In a lot of countries it’s standard to tip at least 10% so make sure you allow for this.

Our most successful way to explore a location so far  is to use the city sightseeing ‘hop on, hop off’ busses.  We’ve used these in New York, San Francisco, Paris, Copenhagen, Lisbon, Toronto, Boston (to name a few, aw!)  We’ve found that these without doubt have been the best (and cheapest!) way to get around.  Also if you take certain packages they will also include River Cruises, money off vouchers and dinner offers.  You can get these for 1-3 days (recommend maximum time) and whilst you are on the bus, you have a narrator explaining where you are plus it gives you loads of ideas of when you want to visit next.

New York was the best citysight-seeing tour we’ve had so far. We had a downtown tour, uptown tour, Brooklyn night tour, dinner at Hard Rock Cafe and a river cruise to the Statue of Liberty.  Great value and amazing to fit so many things in on one ticket.

Make the most of your safety deposit box for holding passports/tickets/money/valuables etc-and remember your password!

But most of all, travel safe and have an amazing time!  Explore and write a itinerary before you go so you know exactly what you want to visit to get the most out of your holiday.   You want to make sure you see everything you want to see!

Every night in our hotel room we do research and every morning at breakfast we plan what to do for the day.

So my next write up will be all about Prague and our travels, very excited! I have my thermals ready! Lots to see and do, I have my notebook and pen handy!

Safe and amazing travels to you all. Or if you’re staying home, enjoy being snuggled up and eating amazing food watching Christmas films.   Either one is a winner!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Debs xxxx

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