When it comes to packing there are two types of people:

  1. Those who make lists weeks prior, have everything organised and folded the week before, OR
  2. Those who pack and throw everything into the case about an hour before leaving

I am definitely #1.

While it’s pretty much guaranteed you’ll be able to find your favourite products and everything you need in the countries you’re travelling to these days, I always like to be prepared for both the trip and also on the the flight.

kiks delivery service packing

Being prepared not only saves you time and money (both precious resources which can be otherwise better spent on your holiday), but can also help you have a comfortable flight, avoid jet lag, arrive fresh and ready to go on adventures AND stay as healthy as possible.

As I prepare for an upcoming overseas trip to Japan, I thought I’d share some of my favourite tips, tricks and products for travelling!

Simple and healthy travel essentials and packing tips

My overseas travel essentials

BlendJet Portable Blender

While I LOVE eating out overseas and trying local foods I also like to make sure I get in healthy foods and nutrients too. I love protein smoothies for a quick breakfast or snack option when I’m at home, and they’re also the perfect solution for travelling too. I recently came across a travel blender from BlendJet (you can read my full review/find out more about the product here) and I’m so excited to take this with me!

BlendJet Portable Blender review

ASN 1.3L Water Bottle

While we’re on the subject of drinks, as someone who likes to drink A LOT of water I always need to make sure I have enough on me at all times (otherwise I get super cranky). Thanks to the endless supply of vending machines in Japan (if you’ve been before you know what I mean…they’re literally EVERYWHERE), this won’t be a problem as such over there…however in the interest of cutting back on disposable plastic usage (and saving money) I’d prefer to have this with me most of the time (especially for day trips) and also with me on the flight.

I love my ASN 1.3L bottle for training, so I thought I’d take it with me this time! Plus, don’t forget you can use my code SOPHIE10 for 10% off any ASN product!

ASN 1.3L Water Bottle

Before You Speak Coffee Sachets

Clearly, I love my beverages! Before You Speak Coffee is perfect for taking travelling, as it already comes in easy to pack individual sachets! Again – Japan has endless amounts of amazing vending machines (especially when it comes to coffee), but being lactose intolerant those options aren’t always ideal, and often filled with sugar too. BYS coffee is also filled with extra brain boosting and health benefits which you won’t find in your regular cup of coffee (check out more info about the original version here and the new glow collagen coffee here).

Japanese convenience stores (aside from being generally amazing) also often have hot water urns (for noodle use), so you can bet I’ll be hitting those up to make my own coffee while also picking up a quick snack. Again, it also means I’ll saving money which can be better spend on other things (like Pokemon stationery and onesies).

Again – you can also get these at ASN with my discount!

The Beautiful Existence Before You Speak Glow Collagen Coffee Review 4

Quality eye mask, ear plugs & travel pillow

This is my #1 trip for overseas flights, ESPECIALLY for long haul trips where you need to get some sleep. Planes often provide these, but having ones which are quality and actually work well really makes all of the difference.

For places where the time zone is completely different I also like to mentally put myself in the new time zone pretty much as soon as I set off, to get a head start on avoiding any jet lag! If it’s “night time” on the plane I also like to go through my usual bedtime routine of taking my makeup off, getting changed into comfier clothes and taking any nighttime supplements. Then I also like to have a “morning” routine before they serve breakfast of freshening up, changing into my day clothes and applying my makeup (I do this at my seat to not hog the bathroom, but often get some weird stares while I’m contouring miles in the air).

Feeling (and looking) fresh and rested when you arrive honestly makes so much difference!

sleeping plane

Nintendo 3DS

Following the steps above, if I can’t sleep on the plane (or it’s “daytime”) I love to keep occupied with my Nintendo 3DS. Yes, I 30 and I still play it.

I’m also super excited to get started on the new Pokemon game (yes I’m a nerd) and I feel like it’s appropriate for my trip to Japan too!

gaming lil yachty
Basically me on the plane…

Fitbit

I received my Fitbit Ulta HR from my friends for my 30th, and it’s such a cool present! I love being able to see how far I walk every day anyway, and I want to take with me to see how far we walk each day on our trip! It’s not so much to take for “fitness” reasons, but knowing that holidays often involve a lot of sightseeing and walking I’m just interested to look at some stats (yep…nerd!)

fitbit steps

Audiofly Wireless Headphones

Keeping with the tech theme, lets move on to these headphones! I love the Audiofly AF100W wireless headphones for training (more info and review here), but they’re also perfect for everyday use and especially on the plane – so you’re not tangled up with extra cords!

Audiofly Wireless Headphones

BCAAs and himalayan salt

Back to drinks again, clearly I love me some hydration. One thing I HATE about flying, aside from being in close proximity to strangers for a prolonged period of time, is how dehydrated and gross I feel.

I like to keep hydrated on the flight as well as adding BCAA’s and/or electrolytes to my water too, as well as also packing these for day trips (and gym sessions) while I’m over there. This is the perfect use for any samples you got at fitness shows etc (I save them up for this purpose).

I also make sure I avoid anything dehydrating on the lead up to and on the flight, such as alcohol (not hard as I don’t drink anyway) and too much caffeine. Yes it may be tempted to start celebrating your holiday in the airport lounge, but I’d rather arrive fresh and hydrated (and avoid being a nuisance on the plane)!

This trip I also aim to up my hydration game with a re-hydration Morning Mineral Cocktail I learnt about in Aubrey Marcus’ new book Own the Day (it’s nothing new, just where I found the tip!). A cocktail you say? Well if you were paying attention in the paragraph above, my generally sober state should point out it’s not an alcoholic one. This is a simple mixture of water, fresh lemon juice and salt (ideally a quality source such as Himalayan salt) for optimal re-hydration! This is also a trick which pro fighters use to recover and hydrate after a fight (where they’ve needed to cut water to make weight)!

hydration

PawPaw ointment

Since the obsession about PawPaw ointment years ago I actually haven’t used it much since, even thought I’ve also learnt about all the amazing health benefits too!

I read recently that it’s great for travelling, as you can apply a thin layer around your nose to help try and prevent too many nasties (circulating around the plane) from entering your system. I’m not sure how effective it will actually be, but any easy tip like this for helping to prevent getting sick on the plane I’m definitely going to try! Apparently anything like this or even Vaseline works too, however I’m opting for pawpaw ointment as it’s also great as a multipurpose balm!

paw paw ointment

TonyMoly Pandas Dream So Cool Eye Stick

The TonyMoly Panda’s Dream So Cool Eye Stick is one which is mainly for the flight; it not only feels so nice and soothing but it also does wonders for reducing puffiness (especially after a long trip). Plus, it’s super cute.

Tony Moly So Cool Eye Stick

Travel minis

Travel minis are perfect for the on-board liquid restriction and saving overall packing space – plus they’re just super cute! They’re easy to buy now, but just like I do with supplement samples I save up little sachets as well as Sephora rewards boutique minis for when I’m travelling.

Some things, like skincare and foundation, are harder though if you have specific ones you want to use, which was the case for me this time with my acne prone skin. I’ve been using Andalou Naturals Clear Skin range which I LOVE (their whole range use natural products like kombucha, turmeric etc, you can read my review about them here) and I managed to find some of their minis as well which are perfect!

The Somerfield hair mask cap (check out my review and more info here) is also perfect for taking travelling, so I’ll be taking this along with me to have super fresh and shiny hair for my birthday!

Somerfield Beauty Hair Masks

Travel bottles

If you can’t find what you need in a mini, then travel bottles are the perfect solution (plus, travel minis can also be more expensive, and obviously cause more waste!). They’re easy to find now in most pharmacies, travel sections and even supermarkets, and these ones I got from Kathmandu.

This time though I’ll be using them to take a few different things I need, like apple cider vinegar. I love this after dinner, followed by aloe vera juice and also especially on the moment on my skin. Normally I wouldn’t bother taking with me, but as it’s really helping my skin out at the moment I want to keep using.

Kathmandu Travel Bottles

Stevia

We all know (hopefully) that sugar isn’t great for us, so I try to avoid added sugar as much as possible. Yes – I still love treats and especially plan to have lots in Japan, but stevia is a great addition to things such as coffees (unless you’re using the BYS sachets, as they’re already sweetened with this) and smoothies etc to help minimise your over all sugar intake.

 

pill organiser

Supplement organisers

As I try to help naturally “deal” with my autoimmune conditions, and to help for general different health reasons, I take quite a few different supplements, which I often cycle depending on what I need.

I think supplements can be amazing for you, if you do your research and also work out exactly what your body needs/where it’s out of balance. Both health and fitness supplements are just that though, “supplements” to a general healthy lifestyle and diet, but they definitely have their place.

I won’t be taking all of them with me, just a few key ones. In the past I’ve just taken the whole containers (although I’m always worried they’ll look suspicious and be taken off me!), but this time I’m just going to divide up into my usual weekly organiser, to save on time and space.

Apart from the next one I mention, I won’t bother sharing which ones exactly I’ll be taking as they’re unique for me and my needs.

stevia

 

BioCeuticals ArmaForce Supplements

One of my favourite supplements of all time, BioCeuticals ArmaForce is amazing for generally boosting the immune system and helping to prevent viruses and illness. It’s probably the supplement I recommend most to people, and it definitely deserves it’s own post (which is on my to do list) as it seriously is a miracle worker!

This is one I think is truly great for most people to take, when needed. It’s not one to take all of the time in high doses (as I found out via a horrific side effect of taste loss – but this is a story for another time, and an individual side effect) but it is amazing when you start to notice the onset of a cold or illness!

Travelling in general is notorious for making you get sick: from the plane, to foreign food and general different bugs and nasties, so I’m taking this with me to help keep my body prevent any of this. The last thing you want is to get sick on holiday (which I have before, and it’s the WORST)!

Check out my more information and my full ArmaForce review here.

BioCeuticals ArmaForce Supplement

Notebook and pens

I always carry a notebook and pen with me anyway, but they’re always handy when travelling too. Yes, we always have phones on us, but we all know phone batteries aren’t that long, so it’s always handy to have! I love just writing traditionally with pen on paper too.

notepad

A good book

A pretty standard addition for most travellers, but I feel books still need a mention. I am a huge lover of books, even though I mostly just read non fiction (I love to learn new things)! Just as I love traditionally writing with pen and paper, I also prefer reading actual physical books vs e-readers – plus we really spend enough time as it is looking at screens!

reading

General travel tips

  • Adjust to the time zone as soon as you set off
  • Stay hydrated on the flight by drinking water (also boosted with things such as BCAAs and electrolytes) and avoiding anything dehydrating like alcohol and too much caffeine prior to and on the flight
  • Re-hydrate in the morning (and when landing) with a re-hydration cocktail of tepid water, freshly squeezed lemon juice and himalayan salt.
  • Help to adjust your body clock with the use of supplements such as Vitamin D in the morning (along with natural sunlight) and melatonin and stress reducing adapotgens, such as ashwagandha, at night.
  • Always pack a change of clothing and the essentials in your carry on case something happens to your checked luggage
  • Apply a thin layer of PawPaw ointment or Vaseline around your nose on the plane, to help prevent getting sick
  • Take a quality, natural immune boosting and anti-microbial supplement, such as BioCeuticals ArmaForce with you to help prevent any illness while you’re away
  • Photocopy and email yourself any of your important documents (such as passport etc) in case you need this and don’t have access to your originals
  • Learn a few key words of the language before you go, such as greeting and general polite terms
  • Also learn at least a little about the culture before you go, and always be respectful!

dog travelling

So there you have it – some of my travel essentials and trips for when I go on holiday. Yes – some of them might seem like drainers or not much fun (such as not drinking or taking stevia on holiday) BUT I promise they’re all easy to implement tips which will hopefully ultimately lead to a healthy flight and trip, and leave you waking up on your first morning feeling refreshed and ready for adventures!

Do you have any other travel tips/must pack items that you love to take with you? COMMENT below! I always love to hear new ideas!

dog packing suitcase

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Author

Sophie is the owner and creator of The Beautiful Existence. A Melbourne based self proclaimed nerd, gym junkie and lover of all things creative, tasty and well designed!

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