The following are things you should NOT take along when travelling.
- Don't carry drugs. If caught, there are several countries which have a mandatory death sentence. If you are using prescription drugs, always carry a copy of the prescription with you as proof. Ignorance is never a legal excuse.
- Don't take along useless clobber. You will never use a battery-operated nostril hair-cutting device when you're travelling. If you have a problem with lengthy nostril hairs, cut them before you go. The same goes for hairs in the ears.
- Toenail clippers fall into the above category. Clip your toenails at home before you go.
- Don't think about taking along a travel iron or a clothes steamer. It's wasted space and wasted energy. Hang your clothes up on arrival. Nobody notices a wrinkle or two when you're travelling.
- Don't take a big torch with you unless you're going somewhere really dark such as a game reserve. If you have to take along a torch, invest in a small penlight version, which takes up virtually no space.
- These days, it's probably better to leave penknives at home because of the security at airports prior to boarding planes. Think about it, although a penknife is a comforting item to have when you travel, how often do you ever use it?
- Don't take along loads of cosmetics. Take one of everything and pack everything in a small cosmetic bag. Being weighed down with lotions, potions and warpaint is madness.
- Don't travel wearing overpowering fragrances. It's inconsiderate to people sitting or standing beside you. There's nothing worse than sitting on a plane beside someone smelling like an entire bottle of perfume or after-shave lotion. Actually, there is one thing worse, sitting beside somebody who does not use a deodorant but who really needs one.
- Don't take along several pairs of shoes. Shoes are heavy and take up space. One pair of walking shoes is essential plus one pair of dressy shoes, and perhaps a pair of sandals.
- Don't take along a sack-sized handbag when a small, compact one will do. You don't need to carry all the junk you usually schlep around at home. Discard everything and replace the items with your passport, money, and a comb.
- Don't take along a bad attitude. It will spoil your holiday.