Amrita knows how to pack in the right punch

Travel Essentials

Model, actor and a celebrity chef, Amrita Raichand is all rolled into one with the cherry on top being her love for travel, too. Not one to travel light, Amrita feels it is a impossible to travel light. Travelling right is her way to do it.

When hunger pangs call...

Known for her Mummy Ka Magic show where she rustles up yummy dishes for mothers to try for their kids, Amrita’s travel bag too always has small a box of nuts or seeds as an emergency ration when hunger pangs strike with a vengeance.

Must-haves

Amrita says she always packs her credit card holder and power bank, a miniature perfume, lipstick and mint, everywhere she goes. “I use my phone to chat aplenty and that makes the power bank very important to include in my handbag, along with my iPad that I use to tackle work while waiting at the airports.”

What must move with me, is my Tumi carry-on bag. It looks fabulous and compliments my never-full handbag. I pack everything in my luggage: things that I would possibly need and usually with extras. I even carry a pair of scissors, nail cutter, file, and a tweezer.

Since I always seem to have excess stuff, I need something that can hold it all comfortably. I shop mostly for make-up at international airports.

Plan well

I think ‘travel light’ is a misnomer. I feel you must just pack right, then you can carry everything you want. But there are a few golden rules that I follow. I roll my clothes, never fold them. I always have a set of undergarments, clothes and a small toiletries bag in my cabin baggage in case the check-in luggage arrives late or is misplaced in transit. Then, I make it a point to wear comfortable shoes while flying, preferably slip-ons along with socks so that I can dry my feet out once I take off the shoes. I generally do that so that I can be at ease during the flight. The idea is to stay comfortable. Denims and a full sleeve top work as my favourite travel gear, with either a shawl or a jacket as I often feel cold while waiting at the airports and during the flight.

Improvise

Travelling is about having fun, and if you forget something, simply improvise. Once I remember having turned a tube-top into a ‘skirt slip’ as my dress was too transparent to be worn without the slip which I had forgotten to carry. Usually I read and sleep on flight, chat with my co passengers, and plan my next vacation. Istanbul tops my bucket list.