Packing Tips for Travel During the Covid-19 Pandemic

It’s 2020 and everything is different. Travel is different. Holidays are different, and even your suitcase is going to look a little different this time around. Yes, that’s right. You’ve planned a holiday; you’ve booked yourself at one of our safe resorts and now it's time to start packing and thinking about your trip. So, what does your travel suitcase look like for post-pandemic vacations? Are you looking for travel and packing tips for a family holiday? Well, here’s our guide to what you must carry and do for a safe and healthy holiday during COVID-19 times.

Masks

At the heart of all your safety measures is the mask. If you’re out in public you must wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth. Make sure to carry a couple of extra masks – one extra in your carry on, and a few more in your suitcase (depending on the length of your trip). Although gloves and face shields are not mandatory, it adds an extra layer of protection when you’re travelling (especially by flight).

Hand Sanitiser

At Club Mahindra you’ll find a hand sanitiser in every corner of our resorts, but you’ll need one for the journey. If you’re driving down, and don’t have access to soap and clean running water then a hand sanitiser is your best bet. Make sure to choose one that has at least 60 percent alcohol.

Disinfecting Wipes/ Spray

We touch a lot of different surfaces over the course of the day. Whether it’s the handle of your luggage or your car door, you need to make sure that they are disinfected. That’s why a spray/ wipes are handy. You can even use them to wipe down the armrest of your airplane seat before you settle in. We firmly believe in keeping our surroundings as hygienic as possible. At Club Mahindra, we use hospital-grade detergents to clean our resorts, rooms and all common areas.

Tissues

You may find yourself sneezing or coughing during the colder months of the year (do get these symptoms tested for the COVID-19 virus). In that case, it’s important to carry a stack of tissues with you. Even if it is a cold, it’s important that you don’t pass it on to other family members or guests holidaying at the resort.

Soap

If you’re planning on driving down to one of Club Mahindra’s safe resorts, you may need to stop for a meal on your way. In that case, carry your own soap to wash your hands and avoid using the ones provided by the roadside restaurants.

Snacks and Water Bottles

Usually, it’s a delight to stop by a restaurant for a delightful roadside meal on the way to the resort. However, now might not be a good time to stop anywhere to eat, especially if you’re travelling with children and senior citizens. One of the essential travel and packing tips for family holiday involves what to eat on the journey. Pack sandwiches, rolls or wraps that you can easily eat in your car. Carry disposable cutlery so that you won’t need to use it again and again. Buy bottled water and carry it in your car or in your bag, so that you can avoid drinking from roadside stops or on the flight.

Shawl/Light Blanket

If you’re flying, you may want to avoid the pillows and blankets that are provided on the flight. Instead, carry a thick shawl or a light blanket in your carry-on so that you can stay comfortable on the flight.

Bags

Many people have a tendency to overpack for a trip, which results in a big bulky bag. However, during the pandemic, it makes sense to choose small, sleeker bags to carry. They are easier to disinfect, easier to carry around and will save time (allowing you to skip the long security check-in lines).

Medical Kit

A medical kit will be at the top of packing tips for a family holiday. Along with your personal medication, make sure you pack pain relief tablets, cold and flu tablets, motion sickness medicine, band aids, insect repellent, antacids, antifungal or antibacterial cream, ORS sachets and more. This is just a basic medical kit. You must also include any regular prescription meds that you take daily. Make sure you buy travel insurance before your trip. Your insurance should cover emergency medical aid or evacuation, in case you do fall sick during your trip. Finally, make sure you carry a thermometer with you, so you can monitor your temperature levels throughout the trip. At Club Mahindra, both guests and our staff have to undergo thermal screening before they enter the resort.

Ziploc Bags

You’re going to be carrying many disposable items on your trip. The trouble is, where will you dispose them (especially when you’re travelling)? Carrying a set of handy Ziploc bags can solve that problem. When you’re done with your gloves, or the tissue you just sneezed into, open up a Ziploc bag and store it in there until you can get rid of them safely.

Whether it’s the journey, or the destination, we at Club Mahindra feel that every moment should be both healthy and happy.  We have worked hard to create a safe environment for you and your family, which includes PPEs for our staff members, a Club Mahindra App for all relevant transactions, booking and payments, gourmet in-room dining services, frequent sanitisation and the redesigning of our resorts to maintain social distance. Visit our website to find out all of the health and safety measures we’ve implemented in the last few months. You can also check out the Club Mahindra reviews during Covid, that our guests have shared on the website.  We wish you a safe and healthy journey to our doors!