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Packing Tips for Ireland

 

I recently spent 15 days in Ireland and had the most amazing time!  I wanted to share my knowledge so that others can benefit from what I found helpful.  A lot of this information would be helpful for most travel plans even if they don't include Ireland. 

What To Pack

·         Umbrella & Raincoat-Its Ireland it will rain most likely every day so be prepared.  I recommend getting a small lightweight umbrella that you can easily carry in your purse or attach to your belt strap. I easily carried my small umbrella everywhere I went. Link for raincoat I used: https://amzn.to/3HxDXzC

·         Travel Day Bag- I brought two purses with me. 

o   The one was a cross-body Baggallini purse. This purse is one I use all the time, but it is also great for travel.  It has a lot of pockets, 2 water bottle pockets so I used one for water and one for my umbrella and has RFID Protection.  The purse also comes in several colors.

§  Link for what I used:  https://amzn.to/45r7zb8

o   The second one was a small cross body or fanny pack which I wore cross body for days that I didn’t need to carry as much stuff or would be walking more and wanted a lighter bag.

·         Backpack- I don’t think I’ll ever travel internationally again without a backpack.  I used it as my personal item on the airplane and as a bag to carry when I walked around the city.  A backpack fits nicely under the seat in front of me on the plane.  I packed it with snacks and other essentials.  I also was able to fit my small cross body bag in it. One day on the trip I walked 17000 steps mostly by myself exploring the city of Galway.  My backpack was so nice to have on this day because even though it was bigger than my purse carrying it on my back was so much more comfortable.  My neck and shoulders often hurt after carrying a cross-body bag all day but that is not the case for me when I wear a backpack. It also made carrying purchases easy because I could just add them to my bag. The best benefit for the backpack was that it let me be hands free.  I used the one I already had which I loved.  See link for what I used: https://amzn.to/45oKpC7

·         Obviously pack all your essential toiletries but I have a few you may not have thought about. 

o   One thing that I could not have lived without was my Batiste Dry Shampoo.  I use this every other day at home but on my trip, I didn’t wash my hair for several days because the very first time I used my straightener it melted and yes, I was using a converter. Since my perimenopausal hair is now a very ugly poofy wave I knew that once I washed it the rest of my trip would require my hair to be up, or I may scare the lovely people of Ireland. The travel size Batiste is great to take on trips. In case you are new to dry shampoo I use it at night before I go to bed then it has time to soak in good, so the white powder is no longer visible in the morning.  It comes in several scents I attached a link for the original travel size: https://amzn.to/3JtyzxX

o   Did I mention it rains a lot in Ireland?  Two products I used and recommend helped my makeup stay in place even when I was out in the rain. 

§  The first is the e.l.f. Power Grip Primer, Gel-Based & Hydrating Face Primer. Use this primer under your makeup and let airdry for a few seconds before applying your makeup.  It creates a sticky surface that helps your makeup stay in place.  See link: https://amzn.to/3UEkU9L

§  The second is NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Setting Spray.  Once your makeup is in place spray this a few times you’re your makeup to help set it. See link: https://amzn.to/47BqAZB

·         I also really like L'Oreal Paris Infallible 3-Second Setting Spray Mist, Microfine Mist for up to 36HR Wear however did not take this with me to Ireland because the foundation I took with me, and this setting spray did not work well together. This spray is like hairspray it’s amazing and I use it with one of my inexpensive foundations however because it reacted to my foundation for the trip causing it to look cakey, I recommend whatever setting spray you choose to use you try with the foundation you plan to use before you leave for your trip.  See link: https://amzn.to/4lD0bhI

Makeup brush holder- I wanted to make sure my brushes and sponges stayed clean, and firm and this lightweight silicon pouch was perfect. See link: https://amzn.to/4fKfOCD

·         Travel wallet: By travel wallet I mean a wallet that holds your passport, credit cards, cash and has space for coins all while being RFID safe. The one I used was cute, practical, fit nicely in both size bags I used and comes in lots of color options.  See link: https://amzn.to/3V6m0ey

·         The Travel Cable Organizer I used was nice because I kept my phone charger, watch charge and fan charger all neatly together.  See link: https://amzn.to/4oGX9LQ

·       r has 4 USB Ports and 3 AC Sockets.  It works in the EU/UK/AU/US/India.  This item was so helpful and was used daily because there is a lack of outlets in Ireland and me and my hotel mate both were able to charge our devises at the same time.  (This is not the converter that fried my straightener so no need to worry.) See link: https://amzn.to/470qpqE

·         Fan-I’m at the lovely time of my life where I’m hot all the time and fans are necessary.  Because Ireland rains a lot and the temperature when I went was supposed to be in the 60’s most of the people I were with packed long-sleeved clothes expecting they would be cold.  We were told by the locals that it was unusually hot when we were there so please remembering that when I say I was only cold once. Because of the rain it was massively humid which didn’t help my big hair… Having a fan saved me so many times.  I used it on my 8-hour flight from the US to London when the airplane’s air conditioning wasn’t working and everyone around me was vomiting from the heat.  I used it to walk around the city and stay cool.  I also used it at night by my bed because not one of the 7 or more hotels I stayed in had air conditioning. The two I brought were a neck fan and a handheld fan both are rechargeable and last a long time. 

o   The neck fan is hands free and works well.  It is quiet and has several different speeds.  I use it all the time. See link: https://amzn.to/45Ek3ee

o   The handheld fan is small and lightweight.  It has the added benefits of a flashlight and power bank. Each member of my family has one.  See link: https://amzn.to/41JCahE

·         Water Bottle-I brought a reusable water bottle with me.  The water in Ireland is safe to drink so it was easy to have my own water bottle that I knew fit nicely in my purse. The bottle I used I purchased for $1 at a rummage sale. My thought process was if I lose it, it breaks or there isn’t space to take it home I’m not out much. 

·         Other packing tips that helped

o   Compression Bags- I love them and have used them for years.  They not only help me fit more but also help waterproof my personal items.  I know that vacuum ones seem to be all the rage, but I prefer the kind that only require me to roll the air out because I don’t have to take up space and weight packing a mini vacuum. Just a friendly reminder to take your rings off or turn them before rolling as I once poked a hole in a bag. I recommend the following space saving travel bags see link: https://amzn.to/45Nd1E7

o   I never travel without a few gallon and quart size zip lock bags.  They are so handy.  You can use them to store leftover candy or chips, bring rocks or shells home, put ice in them and use them to keep something cold while traveling, make sure liquids don’t spill on anything else etc.

o   I also always travel with bubble wrap.  It’s super lightweight and has come in handy so many times. Plus, let’s be honest, most of us get it for free in our packages so if we don’t take it back home with us it’s not a big deal.  If you are planning to take any Whisky home from Ireland, you are going to need this item.

I hope you found this information helpful and enjoy your trip as much as I did!

The posts on this blog contain affiliate links. This means if you purchase through one of these links I will receive a commission at no extra cost to you.


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