Travelling is one thing i love doing whenever i can. The fact that i live in London, which is relatively close to major cities in Europe is a blessing in itself. I did quite a bit of travelling in the last two years and this year will be no exception. This year, my first destination is Barcelona. In fact, i am sitting in my hotel room as i type this article this very minute. Literally walked in and thought i should drop a few lines. I absolutely love Barcelona for two main reasons which are food and architecture. Anyway don’t get me started on Barcelona yet, as this article is about what i carry with me when i travel for short trips. 

If you travel as much as I do then you would have, at some point during your travels, arrived at your destination only to realize that you have forgotten an important item of use, and probably taken stuff you do not need at all. There is nothing more frustrating than packing your 200ml Terre d’Hermes or your 250ml Tom Ford tuscan leather (which may well be more expensive than your  flight), only to be told by airport security that you can’t take it with you as it exceeds the fluid limit allowed in your hand luggage. Ouch. This is generally caused by packing at the last minute or simply not planning your trip properly. Not only is it a massive inconvenience to not have the things you need with you, it has the potential to send your travel bill sky rocketing as you purchase these items.

The first advice I would give to anyone who travels regularly a couple of days here and there is to invest in a good, smart looking overnight duffle bag. Yes, a bag and not a hardback suitcase no matter how cool it may look. One advantage of an overnight bag over a hardback suitcase is that it has the potential to stretch a bit more without compromising the zip or the entire bag itself should you decide to take the whole house with you. Not only can it stretch, it is also relatively easier to store away in awkward places such as bends and corners, and can be forced to fit into relatively smaller spaces if need be. And if indeed you heed to my advice of getting a duffle bag, then go the extra mile and get leather instead of canvas, nylon, or jute. Leather is a lot stronger, durable, looks better and commands more style!

With a good leather bag, you can guarantee that you will still look the business should you decide to go straight to work on a Monday morning after your weekend away.

Now that we’ve gotten the details of the overnight bag out of the way, lets focus on practical as well as stylish things to put in it for your trip.

To make this list, we will assume that your trip lasts a maximum of three nights with warmer weather. We will also assume that your trip is not for a special occasion which requires specific things. 

Must-haves:

1. One pair of neutral colour chinos – and a pair of dark coloured jeans, but you must wear one when travelling for space

2.  One pair of smart cotton trousers

3.  Two shirts – one dress shirt one casual with neutral colour

4.  One pair of loafers – penny or tassel will do

5.  One dress belt – to match the colour of your loafers

6.  One neutral colour blazer – usually go for navy

7.  One neutral colour jumper – make it a v-neck if you can – to be used as a layering garment or by itself.

8.  Two T-shirts

9.  Enough underwear to match the number of days.

10.A grooming pack to hold body moisturiser, hair products if needs be, sun cream, deodorant, razor and shaving gel.

11. Cologne

12. Tooth brush and paste

13. Phone charger

14. Last but not least, carry a small amount of cash in the local currency with you

Non essentials – if there is a bit more space in your bag then throw the following items in:

15. Sunglasses

16. Extra pairs of underwear and socks

17. Camera

18. 1 polo shirt

19. Hand sanitizer

I hope the above is helpful, however, if you pack differently to the way i do, then please share your ideas in the comment section below. I’m sure other followers would love to hear your thoughts.

Photography – August Child

Edited by Liza Bonsu (www.Yaalia.com)