How Expert Travelers Cope When They Forget to Pack

If you forget something of great importance – like a laptop, passport, etc. – it could even ruin your whole trip.

On the other hand, if you’re traveling for pleasure and realize you forgot all of your underwear (or something like that), it’s not the end of the world…but it can definitely ruin your mood.

While forgetting things when you travel is almost inevitable, the good news is that we can offer some expert travel advice on what to do when you forget travel items back home.

Forgotten Toiletries? No problem

The most common items people forget are toiletries – a toothbrush, shampoo, deodorant, etc. Thankfully, these items are easy to replace and almost any convenience store would carry them. If you’re staying in a quality hotel, visit the front desk and see if they have some complimentary items for you. If the hotel is friendly, these items might even be free.

Expert Tip: Don’t call to ask for toiletries – go down to the front desk in person. Not only will calling take longer (you could wait 20 minutes or 2 hours), but it’s much harder for the desk attendant to say no to your request for a free toothbrush when you’re standing right in front of them.

Another commonly forgotten item? Cell phone chargers. If you’ve got a rental car, your best bet is to purchase a car charger. They’re typically inexpensive and available just about anywhere – even the local gas station.

If you have a smart phone, there’s a good chance that it came with a cable you can use to connect to your computer. This cable usually carries power as well, so you can plug your phone into your computer (or the hotel computer) to get a charge on it. If you don’t have the cable, your local computer store might be able to help you. If it’s a standard mini-USB cable, you might be able to buy one for a few dollars.

Expert Tip: If you forget your alarm clock – or if you can’t figure out how to program the hotel alarm clock – not to worry. If you have a laptop computer and Internet access, visit OnlineClock.net and set your own alarm.

Other Frequently Forgotten Items

People traveling on vacation often forget their swimsuits. This is tough, as swimsuits can be hard to replace quickly, especially when selections are limited in the hotel gift shop or nearby stores. Therefore, the best move is to ask around and see if there are any shopping malls or outlet stores nearby. Outlet stores are often located in popular travel destinations and/or cities that receive cruise ships, so there’s a good chance you’ll find one of these nearby…but you might have to ask a few people at the hotel or resort, as they’re trained to point you to the gift shop.

Forgetting prescription medication can certainly cause a panic, but usually this is not a problem. If you’re in the USA, you can simply call your doctor and have them forward your prescription to the nearest pharmacy. If you’re in Mexico or Canada – or overseas – there’s a chance that your medication can be purchased without a prescription, so call the local pharmacy. Finally, just about any hotel or resort in the world has a doctor they can call who can help you get the medicine you need. In some parts of the world, the doctor (and his or her assistant) will come straight to your hotel room.

Author Laurie Mellson works for OnlineClock.net, a website that has helped many travelers who forgot to pack an alarm clock. If you’ve never visited the site before, be sure to take a look at the countdown timer too – see http://countdown.onlineclock.net/.