Sometimes packing for a vacation can be tough. To help anyone who might be traveling, here is what I prefer to pack.
1. Lots and lots of books
I don't know about you, but if I'm on a plane or in an area with no Wifi, I tend to get bored pretty fast. Lots of books mean plenty of entertainment options. I like bringing books from different genres with me so that I can change it up depending on what I'm in the mood for. For instance, on my upcoming trip to the Philippines I'm bringing "Heroes of Olympus," an urban fantasy about the offspring of Greek and Roman deities, "Save the Date," a contemporary about the daughter of a wedding planner, and "The Poppy War," a high fantasy set in an alternate 1940s Japan military school, among others.
2. Many swimsuits
This part is really important especially if you're going somewhere with a beach. If you're more low maintenance and can survive with one or two bathing suits that's perfectly fine. This is more for people with the "multiple bathing suits needed for multiple Instagram pics" need.
3. Magazines
Whether your eyes hurt from looking at words for too long or you want to get fashion inspiration or current celebrity news, magazines are a great thing to have in your carry on. They're also a great way to bond with people you just met if your Internet isn't working and you want something to show them and start a conversation.
4. Journal or diary
These are a great way to record what happens on your vacation so you can look back at it later. Writing in a journal is also awesome for letting out your frustrations or any crazy thoughts that pop into your head when you've been sitting in an airport for hours. As a child and later preteen, I always brought a journal with me when visiting my family and usually returned home with a whole novel's worth of pages filled up.
5. Not that much shoes
I remember my younger self bringing about six pairs of shoes and only needing around three or four of them. A good rule of thumb is to pack a comfortable pair of closed toed shoes for the plane, casual but still cute shoes for walking around (my cousins love their flip-flops, but I was always a strappy sandal type of girl), and fancier shoes in case there's a party (time to break out the wedges!), and if you're going to the beach, either slides or flip-flops.
6. One or two sweaters and pants
One pair of pants for the trip there, and one for the trip back. I also advise layering sweaters because airplanes tend to be cold, and although throwing up on the plane is not an unfamiliar experience for me, I'd rather it be because the plane food sucks and not because the cold made me sick, because being sick your first few days of vacation would suck.
