Travel Clothing What to Take and Not Take

If you get the chance to travel abroad, I highly recommend you take it with gusto. Of course, there is the practical issue of what to take with you on the trip. While you might be tempted to pack the kitchen sink, don't. The number one rule to abide by is to know the place you are going. Not the destination, the climate.

If you are going to Alaska, pack warm. If you are going to be hopping from island to island in Hawaii, your wardrobe should be a tad lighter. A trip is an occasion for many things. Buying a new wardrobe is not one of them.

You are going to find yourself walking a lot more than usual. As such, comfort is the name of the game. Pack things that are broken in and you are used to or you will regret it. The single most important thing you take is footwear. Simply put, don't take anything new or you will be in blister hell no matter how cautious you are. A good cross trainer shoe usually covers most things.

Slip on formal shoes can cover any formal events. The travel industry has come up with a wide variety of wrinkle free garments for the average traveler. The wrinkle free clothing has really improved, and is definitely worth taking along so long as you break it in before your trip. To save space when packing, roll up the various things you are taking. Another approach is to use one of those bags you can suck the air out of with your vacuum. You can really pack a lot of stuff in a small space for long trips when using them.

Safari vest are used frequently by travelers and for sale just about everywhere. Okay, they are pretty ugly, but they are definitely a good practical item. Make sure you get zippers on the pockets so nothing falls out and nobody picks any valuables from them. You will rarely be doing your own laundry on the trip. In many parts of the world, laundry service comes with even the cheapest hotel.

The quality of that service is usually good, but make sure to pack clothes that don't require specific care. When it comes to shirts, I am a big fan of polo shirts for both men and women. Why? Well, they are as easy to wear as t-shirts, but slightly formal enough that you don't look like you are completely dirt bagging your way across whatever country you are in! If you get frustrated when you start packing, just take a break and go watch television or something.

As shocking as this may sound, much of the world has the same things for sale, so you can find anything you forget at your destination.

Aazdak Alisimo writes about travel for NomadJournals.com - makers of rugged travel journals that make great gifts for dad as well as other writing journals for fishing, camping, hiking, bird watching and much more.