I've been traveling since I was 11 months old and weirdly enough I love to pack for vacations. Over the years, I've learned a few things that I'm going to share with you.

1. Never wait till the last minute. The chances of forgetting something is very high

2. Make an on going list on you phone when you remember something like those special pair of earrings that will go with a certain dress you're dying to wear

3. Pack the basics like your favorite white tshirt, little black dress, comfortable walking shoes, and a great pair of pants.

4. Wear your heaviest clothes so you can fit more in your luggage while staying under the weight requirement. Things like jeans, coats, sweatshirts, and sneakers are the heaviest

5. Plan outfits by days or events. These outfits don't need to be set indefinitely but it's good to have an idea of what you want to wear.

6. Pack more than enough underwear/ undergarments. Who knows if you'll get a chance to get them washed so plan ahead.

7. Buy traveling containers so you can travel with you favorite beauty products. Most traveling containers are made to size requirements where as original packaging on your favorite face lotion might be a few ounces over weight to fit into your carry on

8. Don't forget the bug spray, sunblock, umbrella, or second coat depending on where you're going to vacation. These little things go a long way. It's also great when you don't have to pay double or even triple the prices in a foreign place.

9. This goes back to tip 5. When creating outfits to wear. Make sure that piece of clothing can be worn with multiple other things.

10. Pack a few extra plastic bags. This is great for putting dirty laundry in, a way to cover up a bag on a rainy day, nausea, wet clothes, shoes, etc.

11. Roll don't fold. Rolling up your clothes takes up much less room than folding does.

12. Write a name tag with your address on the luggage just in case it gets lost. Also keep the check in barcode with you until you pick up your luggage. Taking a picture of your suitcase can also come in handy

13. Put jewelry or any breakable items in the center of the suitcase and wrap it with clothes

14. If your traveling during a rainy or winter months there's a chance of water leaking into your bag. I sometimes put a large plastic sheet inside the suitcase before I start putting other items in.

Last November I traveled to the beautiful city of Hong Kong. This was my first time visiting Hong Kong and it was absolutely amazing!! Planning a trip to a foreign country can be very hard (especially if you don't speak the language) so heres a list of tips, places to visit and food to eat in Hong Kong:

Morning:

Victoria Peak: take the tram or the bus to the highest point of Hong Kong and see the full view. It's best to go in the morning before the lines get really long and it gets too crowded.

Hong Kong Times Square- Causeway Bay-Bright lights and lots of stores! the streets are really cool to walk through. There are many high end stores and the largest mall in Hong Kong.

The Star Ferry- Hong Kong consists of a few islands so taking the Ferry is a must to getting from one island to another. It's a short but enjoyable ride.

Evening to Night:

Tsim Sha Tsui- The promenade at night is gorgeous! I've never seen a more colorful skyline. The view is amazing and the architecture is really unique. No two buildings look alike. There is also a light show every night. The light show was okay, didn't really live up to the hype, but the skyline is definitely worth checking out

There is a main street off of the Tsim Sha Tsui station, Nathan Road, where there are tons of high-end stores. Everything from diamonds to souvenirs! There are also lots of great places to eat.

Soho District: It's the more trendy and young area. Lots of nice bars and full of life in this area.

Ladies Market- on Tung Choi Street this market has tons of little stores where everything from bags, sunglasses, socks, are sold. Lots of people, hectic, but a fun experience

Eat:

Dim sum- Hong Kong is known for amazing dim sum. I went to Serenade Chinese Restaurant and they had a huge selection to choose from. This is located right on the Tsim Sha Tsui promenade so there's a gorgeous view to look at while enjoying good food. Pork buns were my favorite!

Chinese Barbecue- perfect for meat lovers! Definitely have to have this while in Hong Kong. Barbecue pork is a popular favorite.

Ramen- another must eat is a big bowl of delicious ramen. There are many variations that you can choose from.

Here are a few tips I learned:

1. Have the hotel you are staying in write the address of the hotel in Chinese so you can give the taxi driver this. I didn't do this and was dropped off at another hotel...oops

2. The public transportation system is amazing! It's unbelievably efficient and clean! There is an all day unlimited pass that is great if you will be doing a lot of traveling. However, this is only valid for the trains. Also, if buying a single way or roundtrip ticket, you buy the ticket by what stop you are traveling to.

3. Carry a handkerchief because it can get really hot and you will be sweaty!

4. Tea is water there. It naturally comes with your meal. But if you want water, make sure to get bottled water.