Its time to start thinking about those exciting holiday plans. Whether your off to a festival, embarking on the adventure of a lifetime or taking a few weeks out to chill on the beach being burdened down with too much luggage can be a nightmare. Who's ended up taking far too much and left no space for the inevitable purchases aquired on your trip? I know I have, and if your carting around all that excess baggage does get tiresome after 6 months on the road!
Sticking to the basics doesnt have to be a compromise. Check out designer Josy Spooners essential items for light and luxurious travel. These ethical travel finds are a must have, for smart female travellers on adventures big and small:
Kikoy
Is it a towel, is a a sarong? Its both! These beautiful kikoy towels from www.aspiga.co.uk are an essential item for the smart travellers holdall. Not only do these colourful sarongs look fabulous worn as a dress or skirt they are backed with soft toweling which means they double up as a beach towel and something to wrap around you when your cold. Use the hidden pockets to stash your valuables on the beach when you head for a dip in the sea. Much less likely to be stolen than a handbag, this clever addition is big enough for your passport, cash and even and ipod or phone. This simple,versatile accessory really is one of the most useful things I have taken on my travels. It has found use as a blanket, a pillow, even as a beach bag when tied end to end. Don't leave on that jet plane without one!
Pashmina
Warm, soft, comforting, cosy.....not the sort of thing you associate with an 11 hour flight to Bali or on a bumpy bus ride across the Andes. OK so its essentially just a scarf but I can wholeheartedly say that a pashmina really is a wonderful thing to splash out on before your trip away. Im not talking about the ones you buy on Oxford street for a fiver. Quality is the key, for this sumptuous and versatile accessory. Wrapping yourself up in cashmere really is the ultimate in luxuary and it can make all the difference at those times when you feel tired, cold and fed up. An instant cover up when your feeling vulnerable, a soft pillow case for a not so clean hotel pillow or a glamourous wrap for impromptu smart nights out. Trust me girls, once you have found a good one you will never leave it behind. Check out http://www.purecollection.com for a range of beautiful cashmere pashminas in a range of stunning colours.
A long silk or cotton skirt
http://www.women-on-the-road.com/travel-skirt.html
http://www.ethicalsuperstore.com/products/thumbs-up/thumbs-up-wind-up-mobile-phone-and-ipod-charger/
This wind-up phone charger and torch from Thumbs Up is one of the best mini emergency phone charging gadgets around. A few twists of the wrist means you’ll always be able to charge your mobile in an emergency and there’s a handy light whenever you need it too!
It’s compact enough to keep in a bag, or even a jacket pocket if you’re out hiking or camping and it means that you’ll never be caught in a sticky situation with a flat mobile phone battery. Adaptors for virtually all modern mobile phones are included (see below), and it can even charge most iPods too.
This eco-friendly charger is as touch as it is small and its solid ergonomic design and powerful internal dynamo make this is an essential green gadget for anyone travelling, camping or heading to festivals.
http://www.hike-lite.co.uk/Other/Stow+Sacks/Ultra+Lite+Stuff+Sack.html
Don't forget to check out our tips on staying safe abroad ( See the About Us page)
Happy travels!