10 Things I packed for a summer holiday

I went on a holiday to Italy recently in peak Europe summer so had to pack accordingly. In this post, I will share some of the items that made my trip convenient with some tech services.

It is a bit different to how I would pack for a business trip that usually tends to be in the shoulder or colder seasons. Some of these items were chosen for 36°C summer days. As for data, I always use the Airalo eSIM.

10 Things I packed for a summer holiday:

1. Dreame Pocket + Universal Diffuser: I took the Dreame Pocket 1000W high-speed hair dryer because it’s 300g, folds compact and includes a travel bag. I didn’t take the smoothing nozzle or the curler, but I did buy a third party universal diffuser for R249 to set my curls for the hot and humid weather.

I love it because it’s fast (110 000RPM), keeps hair shiny (has negative ion technology, you can feel the difference) and doesn’t over heat. I use it more than my Dyson Supersonic.

2. Mini electric hand-held fan: I received a small electric hand held fan in a goodie bag last year and knew immediately, even though I have four fans, that this particular one being the smallest would make it into my bags. It served its purpose outdoors and standing in queues and this is something one should pack on any summer holiday.

The only thing that I didn’t like was the charging port not being USB-C, but otherwise it provided relief in the uncomfortable weather.

3. Colorescience Face Shield SPF50 Flex: I’ve been eyeing this colour-changing SPF50 face tint since it was trending on TikTok, which is now stocked in SA. I packed this for obvious reasons: temperatures were going to go as high as 35-36°C, my face would melt and I wasn’t going to be applying make-up.

This 2-in-1 protected my face and doubled up as a tinted moisturiser/foundation situation. It’s mineral based and not chemical so it doesn’t burn your face. I am obsessed with it. You can buy it from official stockists like doctors or specialists, as well as SkinMiles.

4. Twelve South Butterfly SE 2-in-1 Charger: I received this Twelve South 2-in-1 charger for my phone and watch last year at a tech show in Berlin, and it has made its way into my permanent travel charging pouch. I have a little bag that is always packed and ready to take whenever I leave home.

It charges both my phone and watch with a single cable, overnight. I can’t go back to more than one cable for this. I reviewed it in October 2024.

5. Thule Aion Toiletry Bag: I chose this toiletry bag because it is large, and folds compact if you need it to, plus inside has a separate clear detachable compartment for liquids to easily remove in hand luggage. While I did not put this in my hand luggage, I loved that all the little liquids I decanted into travel bottles could sit separately and not potentially leak into my other stuff.

It’s also just better organisation wise as there are other little slots inside it that help keep things separate. It has a 5L volume and top ends clip with press studs inwards to make it compact if not filled to the brim. Available on Thule SA site.

6. Dottec 65W GaN Plug: Europe uses 2-pin plugs and nothing I own needs a 3-pin plug, but didn’t need my trusty OneAdaptr universal plug. I took a Dottec 2-pin plug with 1x USB-A port and 2x USB-C, which is in my permanent travel charging pouch so I use it on the plane. It’s a 65W ultra-fast charger that supports my MacBook and other high-speed gadgets.

It has gallium nitride (GaN) tech with a higher voltage so it won’t over heat at high speeds but optimises the charge and distributes power efficiently on all the ports. Got it from Takealot years ago.

7. Romoss PHC10 Powerbank: My favourite power bank, the Romoss PHC10 with built-in cables (10 000mAh). It has a large capacity for a few charges, with USB-C, Lightning and Micro USB cables attached. I like how slim it is and that it has pass through charging, it charges and recharges simultaneously.

So when traveling, just put it on charge and attach your phone to the power bank to wake up with 100% of both devices. I reviewed it back in October 2023.

8. USN Zero Sugar Hydrator: The USN instant hydrator are my favourite electrolytes. I tested various ones but this peach-lemonade stuck. I buy it in bulk; it comes in packs of ten per box. I use it for travel, while fasting, on normal days and during transit. It’s permanently in my pantry.

I just buy a 500ml bottle of water and pour it in. Makes keeping up with water intake much easier. It was a no brainer to take for summer in Europe.

9. Thule Chasm Medium Packing Cube: I took my shoes in the Thule Chasm medium sized packing cube. This bag is different to the compression packing cubes I take everywhere. It’s structured and suited for shoes, camera equipment, etc. It’s weather resistant but it was in my main bag. It’s 11L in volume but you get a large and small sizes.

I know this is the second Thule item here but I also took my regular Thule Subterra 30L backpack that goes everywhere with me. I took the backpack and a medium luggage combo to could carry my bags on the ferry.

10. Travel Steamer: I take my own travel steamer because it’s a hit and miss which hotels have irons or if you need to request it (the larger the hotel, the longer it will take). One of the hotels we stayed at in Italy, you had to book your clothes to be ironed and pay, which is crazy. Instead of guessing, I just pack my own.

It’s a YomBand cheapie I bought on Takealot for R369 years ago, which is no longer available. You need to hold it upright otherwise it leaks if it’s at an angle. Highly recommend a travel steamer.

Ok, I’m capping this list at 10 items. They are a mix of tech, packing and other conveniences to be comfortable in scorching hot temperatures. I hope this helps you for your holidays.