Carolina Nomad

Depending on who you talk to, 2010 is being tagged as the year of travel. There are tons of travel deals and giveaways and it looks like these trends will continue for at least the first half of 2010. If you don’t have any plans for traveling, then it maybe it’s time to start making plans for the first half of the year.

As you plan your trips, you’ve probably heard about all the items you absolutely can’t forget to pack, but you probably haven’t heard about all the items you shouldn’t pack. Below, I’ve listed the 5 things you absolutely shouldn’t pack. Whether you’re taking a second honeymoon to Paris or taking a tropical vacation on the sandy beaches of the Carolinas, leave these things at home.

1. Fanny Pack. Do I really have to tell you that you should leave that faded fanny pack at home that hasn’t missed a trip since you bought it for your first trip to Woodstock? Fanny packs just scream “american tourist” and they really don’t do anything but weigh you down, plus they just aren’t fashionable. Instead, invest in a backpack or small travel back you can throw over your shoulders. It needs to be something that isn’t cumbersome and will hold you up while traveling.
2. Neck Wallet. I remember the first and last time I wore one of these was when I was 12 years old and was taking a family trip. I was told that this was the best things that I could have as a traveler, but instead quickly discovered that it was the worst. I might as well have been wearing a license plate around my neck as a pendant. The neck wallet is very cumbersome and can be downright uncomfortable, especially in warm climate.
3. Zip-off pants (Recommended by @travelerlauren http://lonelygirltravels.com). As quickly as these became a fad, they even quicker became a fashion no-no. The zip-off items are praised because of their versatility, yet what do you do when you unzip them in the middle of the warm afternoon? Do you just casually stuff them in your fanny pack?
4. Zinc Nosecoat. Maybe you’re not familiar with the name, but it’s the sunblock you only rub on your nose and upper cheeks, except it doesn’t rub into your skin, but instead makes you look like an offensive lineman with green or pink face paint on. Although this may be good for you, it’s imperative that you find something that doesn’t show like Zinc Nosecoat. One advertisement actually said that it makes you look cool. Go figure.
5. Hawaiian shirt. Who doesn’t own a hawaiian shirt? And just because you own a hawaiian shirt doesn’t mean you should pack it on your vacation. That’s the one thing that belongs at a thrift store, but the one thing nobody wants to give up.