Preparing for a Visit Home

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Super excited over here – I am about to head to the airport for a trip back “home”!

I travelled back to South Africa – or let’s just call it Home – twice last year. Once in April via Istanbul – Layovers in Istanbul – and then a quick trip with Pieter and Simon in September. This year I am excited to travel with my friend Carmen on what will be her first trip to Africa and South Africa specifically. We’ve been talking about it for several years now, but the timing is finally right for both of our schedules and we are doing it!

Now, as with all trips, some preparations need to be taken care of. And that is what I would like to talk about today. Maybe my post will help remind you of that one little thing you always forget to do or get ready.

Luggage

I like to start my preparations with the luggage I want to use on my trip. I take them out of storage, make sure all zippers, wheels and handles still work, and then I make sure my contact details are on all the individual pieces. I also give them a quick wipe down and check all the pockets for any forgotten personal items. Don’t want to travel with another family member’s potentially embarrassing items!

Speaking of luggage, I really love our current luggage sets. We bought two sets back in 2015 (!) and they have held up exceptionally well. My family rotate through them as we travel back and forth and I have lost count of how many miles those bags have accumulated.

Here is why I like our luggage sets:

Color – Ours is orange. Yes, you read correctly, orange! Orange is not a color most people think of when buying new luggage. Right? But since few people have orange-colored bags, they are super easy to spot on the luggage carousels.

Size – Our sets came with one large, one medium, one carry-on size and a small personal-sized bag. The larger bags can expand if you have more items, but I think I only had to do that once or twice. No matter how many things I pack into these bags, they are easy to handle all by myself.

Wheels and Handles – Of course they have wheels and in all these years they are still working as they should. Other bags have not fared so well and a lot only made one leg of the trip and fell apart either at the airport or on the walk to public transportation. The wheels on these sets are not the swivel type, but I’m always just going in one direction, so not a problem for me, lol. I had one minor issue with a handle on one of the bags last year. It got stuck in the extended position and I had to check the bag as is. I never expected it to make it to South Africa in one piece, but not only did it, but we were able to fix it and it works perfectly fine now.

Here you go – Travel Select Amsterdam Expandable Rolling Upright Luggage. Purchased in April of 2015 and are now even 25% cheaper than what we paid for them back then! How often does that happen?

Passport(s), Drivers License, Vaccine Card and Bank Cards

I am a dual citizen so I have to travel with both my South African and American passports. The airline booking will be with my American passport, and then I will enter South Africa with my South African passport, as per the South African government’s rules.

I use my US Driver’s License when I need to rent a car in South Africa. I did not keep up with renewing my South African Drivers License and have never had a problem using my current license. Make sure you remember to take it if you are going to be driving!

We don’t need additional vaccines to travel to South Africa, and all Covid-19 restrictions have been lifted since May of 2022, but I like to have my actual card with me in case needed. It is also in my digital wallet as a backup.

When we originally started travelling back and forth, we had to notify our bank(s) of our travel dates and destinations in order to use our debit and credit cards abroad. Now, our cards can be used without completing travel plans online. I normally review my wallet and remove cards that will be of no use while travelling. Think clothing stores, gift cards, loyalty cards and such. Speaking of wallets – I also prefer having cash in both currencies handy. Dollars for small purchases at the airport and Rands for initial tipping while visiting.

Accommodation Booking(s)

Since I’m travelling with Carmen, I wanted to make sure we have comfortable accommodations. I normally stay with my family, but this time we can try out local guest houses and hotels in Paarl and Strand. My sister-in-law made some calls on our behalf and got us a booking at Middelplaas Paarl Guest House, which is just a short drive from their house. We are looking forward to experiencing their hospitality and will make sure to give you all the details in our trip summary. I will add all our other stays at that time too.

Rental Car Booking

While my family did offer to come to pick us up at the airport and use of one of their vehicles, I prefer to rent a car for this trip. We want to take a couple of trips in and around Cape Town and this way we can both drive without the added stress of damaging a family vehicle.

I made my rental car booking three weeks ago and made sure to take a screenshot of the confirmation numbers and jot it all down in a separate note. You never know if you will have phone service right away or even have a charged phone by the time you reach your destination!

Clothing & Shoes

I start thinking of outfits and shoes pretty much when I book my flights. This time was no different. Since I will be there at the beginning of the South African autumn and the end of the USA winter, I do expect milder temperatures and the need for some items I can layer easily. If I find myself in clothing stores I will pick up some new things for this trip. I always make sure I can mix and match my items and even go as far as putting together actual outfits right before I pack.

What you pack will depend on the length of your trip, the specific destination and the predicted weather for the time of year. Just remember you will probably have access to laundry facilities and should not try and pack a different outfit for each day you are there!

I make sure to not take any new shoes – you want to know your shoes are comfortable and fit with multiple outfits. For this trip I am wearing my bulkiest pair on the flight (they are still comfortable to walk in since we know you walk miles in the airport to get to your departure gate), then I will pack a pair of flip-flops, sneakers, dressy sneakers, and sandals that can work with dresses, pants and jeans.

Toiletries

I like to have my own shampoo and conditioner, as well as body wash and lotions with me. If I like what the guest house or hotel has, I will use theirs, otherwise, I prefer my own from home. Along with the basics, I will add nail color, nail color remover, pain medication and some basic first aid items. Just in case. I don’t take my big containers, but instead, fill up small travel containers for this purpose. This is an excellent option if you are still looking to buy a set: Travel Bottles with Toiletry Bag

Electronics & Chargers

Now for the cell phone and laptop category. I normally work a little bit while visiting South Africa, so have to take my work laptop. Along with the laptop, I take my laptop charger, mouse and mouse pad. For my cell phone, I have a couple of different charger cables and since I will be renting a car, I packed a car charger as well. If you are not aware, South Africa is struggling with electricity availability. So definitely prepare for that if you can. And lastly, we have our adapters for South African wall plugs. I ordered this one a couple of days before m flight: Travel Adapter

Gifts

This is another item I have to start thinking of right when I book my flight I miss out on many birthdays and Christmas celebrations with my family, so I normally take some gifts for my immediate family and some friends. I try and pick items that I know will be used or consumed – we all have houses full of things that just take up space and that we cannot get rid of because it was a gift from so and so. I just don’t want to do that to my family. A great gift (in my opinion) is American Movie Candy, those that come in little boxes. Mike and Ikes have always been a big hit with my family. They are now available in South Africa, but so expensive in Rand. On previous trips, I have created small gift bags from a variety of American candies, like you would see at Halloween. This was also a big hit with friends and family.

Burts Bees products for female family members are also a great idea and special cookies and chocolates for the dads. This year I’m even taking a couple of boxes of Girl Scout Cookies and hope they will be well received.

Personal Care

I sometimes forget to do this, but I was able to squeeze in a visit to the salon for a pedicure. Getting a fresh haircut and color is also a great idea. This time around I am hoping to visit the local salons and get some treatments while on vacation too.

The Routine at Home

I’m not one of those moms who leave premade meals for my group at home anymore. They are all perfectly capable of shopping for ingredients and making their own meals. What I will do though, is make a grocery run close to my departure date. That way the basics are in place such as milk and pet food, at least for the first part of my trip.

Since cleaning the house is also my responsibility (by my own choice, FYI), I make sure to do a final clean close to the start of my trip. This way everyone starts off clean and can just maintain (well, at least pretend to) while I’m away. I think they know where I keep the broom and dustpan… While Pieter will be home by himself for the first two weeks, both kids will come home from college before I get back, so I make sure their rooms and bathroom are nice and clean.

Since gardening is also my thing, I squeezed a garden cleanup day in as well. I pulled weeds and prepared my flowerbeds with new mulch and even my vegetable garden got a little bit of love my last weekend home. By the time I get back, I can plant my vegetables in time for the summer growing season.

There you have it – my preparations for a trip back to South Africa! How do you prepare for those trips back “home”?