'Won't travel without it': Key item flight attendant says everyone should pack
If you're in need of some travel or packing advice, Peta is the perfect person to ask.
As a flight attendant for 25 years, who has travelled to dozens of countries across the globe, Peta certainly knows her way around the inside of a suitcase.
But when we asked her for her best advice about packing light, she says there's one item she won't travel without, even though it weighs more than her clothes.
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A medical kit is a must-have. Getty
Peta, who works as a short-haul flight attendant for Qantas, never leaves the country without a medical kit packed in her suitcase.
But it's not just a simple bag with a couple of bandaids and painkillers.
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When Peta travels, she often goes outside of 'typical' tourist destinations. Her recent hit list of countries includes Iran, Pakistan, and Mongolia, so she needs to be prepared for any situation, she goes outside of 'typical' tourist destinations.
Her medical kit has saved her skin multiple times, like when she got an infected tooth on the road, and was nowhere near a doctor.
Peta likes heading to less mainstream destinations. Supplied
"I won't travel without, at least a general antibiotic," she tells us, a habit which came in very handy with her infected tooth.
She shared another anecdote of the time she was stung on the face by a wasp in a remote part of Uganda.
"The whole side of my face blew out," she says, adding that it started spreading around the back of her head, but she was a day's travel away from a pharmacy. "I was chugging antihistamines down."
"Always bring an antihistamine," she cautions travellers.
Having an antihistamine saved Peta after getting stung by a wasp. Getty
She says her medical kit also always contains an antibiotic for bad gastro, if she gets bad stomach problems or catches a bug.
Of course, you'll need a prescription for some of these items. Peta says she chats with her doctor before heading overseas to stock up her kit with what she'll need.
It's important to not only have the medication but also know exactly how to use it. "You have to self-diagnose and self-administer," she says.
"You just have to be careful, as some countries have higher restrictions on over-the-counter medications, so you may possibly not be able to bring them into some places."
Peta also stocks her kit with a Betadine antiseptic, a sore throat spray, painkillers, cold and flu tablets, and bandages.
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It's better to be prepared than not. Getty
What to pack in a travel medical kit
This list will vary based on your own needs - like, are you travelling with kids? Do you have specific conditions or health issues? But as a general rule, these are great things to pack:
- Painkillers (Paracetamol and Ibuprofen)
- Antacids for heartburn
- Laxatives and Imodium
- Hydration powder
- Antihistamines
- Cough and cold medicine
- Antibiotic ointment or spray for cuts and scrapes
- Hydrocortisone cream (1%) for rashes, itching, and bug bites
- Aloe vera
- Calamine lotion
- Motion sickness or anti-nausea medication
- Assorted adhesive bandages, gauze pads, and tape
- Tweezers
- Hand sanitizer
- Copies of any prescription medication just in case you need to verify that it's been prescribed to you
