Despite the temperature being nearly 20 degrees here in Normal, Illinois, my brain is where the warmth is. This upcoming winter break, I am headed to Arizona to catch some rays and escape the blustery cold.
One essential I am bringing along is a 10-foot phone charger. Whether I am at the airport or staying in a location where outlets are few, a long charging cable is necessary to ensure I am up-to-date with flight notifications, and to gather my bearings at all times. Nothing is worse than being stranded in an unfamiliar location with a dead phone.
Another necessary item is a light jacket. Although it will be warmer at my destination, I tend to get cold easily and sometimes flights can be freezing. It’s always better to be prepared for a chillier day than to spend my ‘warm vacation’ just as cold as I would be in Illinois.
Speaking of flights, an item I cannot survive without is a neck pillow. I bought a cheaper memory foam one on Amazon a few years back, and now I seriously don’t know what I would do without one. I bring it along on flights and long car rides so that I can catch some ZZZs without feeling like my neck is about to fall off once I wake up.
In terms of shoes for the trip, which in my experience, can make or break your fun (comfort is a necessity), I like to bring a variety for various activities I may be doing. I typically bring a pair of tennis shoes, which I wear at the airport, a place where a lot of walking is required, and on any hikes or longer excursion days. I also bring a pair of nicer sandals, which can be dressed up or down depending on the activity or event. Lastly, I bring a cheap pair of rubber flip-flops, which can be used as shower shoes, pool shoes, or even slippers.
Lastly, for makeup, I like to keep it light when I’m traveling because you never know how your skin will do with the humidity or dryness. I typically just bring an eyebrow brush and clear gel, mascara, and a lip balm. If I am feeling fancy, I will also bring along a neutral eyeshadow and some brushes to dress up a look. Don’t forget a moisturizer and some sunscreen; you want to return from your winter getaway with a nice golden tan- not a lobster sunburn!
Hopefully, if you plan on traveling this winter break to some warmer weather, this gets your vacation packing list started. Also, speaking from experience, you might want to pre-purchase some aloe *just in case* that one item you forgot was the SPF.