{"id":2324,"date":"2019-02-23T14:02:50","date_gmt":"2019-02-23T14:02:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/overinireland.com\/?p=2324"},"modified":"2019-07-25T09:05:05","modified_gmt":"2019-07-25T09:05:05","slug":"what-to-pack-for-ireland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/overinireland.com\/what-to-pack-for-ireland\/","title":{"rendered":"What to Pack for Ireland \u2013 18 Must-Haves"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There are two things you need to know about Ireland as a\ntravel destination. The first is that people only need to visit it once before\nthey fall in love with it. The second is that Ireland is one of those destinations that require careful packing.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ireland is a country known for its fickle weather, and it has some other quirks and surprises that require preparation. Spending too much money abroad on things you forgot to pack doesn\u2019t make for an enjoyable holiday, especially in a country that\u2019s as expensive as Ireland<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are eighteen things you should pack when leaving for Ireland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Liquids Travel Set<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Picture<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Airline travel has seen much, much better days. Once, the\ndefining traits of airline travel were luxury and convenience. Today, it\u2019s the\never increasing and encroaching security measures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whenever traveling by airplane, it\u2019s a good idea to have a\nZiploc bag or two with you. But a Ziploc bag will not shrink a bottle of\nshampoo that\u2019s simply too big to be allowed on the plane. And you know that\ntravel packs are rip-offs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The solution is to have your very own liquids travel set<\/a> made from clear plastic in appropriate sizes and capable of holding all those dangerous toiletries you can\u2019t carry in large quantities. You\u2019ll make things easier for yourself as well as the security agents at the airport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Waterproof Pouches<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/div><\/div>

A post shared by Irina \ud83d\udd38 (@nordiccrafter)<\/a> on \/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js<\/a>\n\n\n\n

When traveling abroad, one of the top concerns should always\nbe about keeping documents and money safe. Travelers will probably be able to\nget assistance from their country\u2019s consulate in case someone steals their\npassport. If someone steals their money, however, they won\u2019t get as much help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The usual prescription for travelers is to carry their most\nprecious valuables in a pouch around their neck, under their clothes. And in Ireland, that\u2019s easy to do because you\u2019ll have plenty of layers under which to hide the\npouch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, this level of protection might not suffice \u2014 you should also make sure that the pouch <\/a>containing the valuable documents and money is waterproof. Getting one for the smartphone is a fine idea, too. Theft is not the only thing that can happen to people\u2019s valuables \u2014 water damage can render a passport useless. It can turn cash into mush and a smartphone into a paperweight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The real problem here is, of course, the Irish weather. You might get soaked with little to no heads-up because that\u2019s something that can happen in Ireland. But don\u2019t let your passport and valuables get soaked as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Windproof Umbrella<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/div><\/div>

A post shared by Repel Umbrella \u2602\ufe0f (@repel_umbrella)<\/a> on \/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js<\/a>\n\n\n\n

ust because you are more water-resistant than a passport doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s okay to get wet every time it rains, right? It would be a shame to spend a whole holiday in Ireland with a runny nose or, even worse, a fever, just because you had nothing to protect you from the rain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what time of the year people go to Ireland, they should always make sure to have a foldable umbrella. Ireland doesn\u2019t have monsoon weather, but it has the sudden relentless rain that can easily become an issue. And from what climate scientists are saying<\/a>, it looks like it will only get rainier in Ireland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An umbrella is the first line of defense against the rain. Always have one with you, even when visiting Ireland during the summer. It gets rainy in Ireland all year round<\/a>. And if it also gets windy it\u2019s nice to know the umbrella is windproof<\/a>, so think about that as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rainproof Outerwear<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Picture<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Is rain such a problem that it really needs a third method\nto keep it from ruining a trip to Ireland? It might be, depending on the time\nand the place of the visit. However, having outerwear that\u2019s also\nwater-resistant can be practical even during the summer in drier parts of the\ncountry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exactly which items to bring depends on the time of the year\nand the general climate of the area where you\u2019re going. And because outdoors\nactivities are always an option in Ireland, it would be best to take any hiking\nyou\u2019ll be doing into consideration when choosing which type of outerwear to\npack. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A light waterproof windbreaker <\/a>can be a great choice for the summer, especially if you\u2019re planning to stay outside for long stretches of time. A thicker raincoat can be a good option for the colder months. And remember \u2014 the more you worry about rainproof outerwear, the less time you\u2019ll spend drying shirts or underwear. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comfortable City Footwear<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Picture<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It wouldn\u2019t be fair to divide Ireland into the rural and the\nurban because you really need both to\nexperience the real Ireland. However, when it comes to planning a trip, it\nmakes sense to think about the rural and the urban adventures separately. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, driving is one of the don\u2019ts for a trip to\nurban Ireland. The traffic can get hectic. It can become confusing to drive on\nthe left side of the road. Parking is a nightmare\nand an expensive one at that. But most importantly, there\u2019s not that much need\nto drive in Dublin, or Cork, or Galway. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you\u2019re in one of Ireland\u2019s cities, public transportation is a great option for\ngetting around. And because the city cores, or sometimes the whole cities,\naren\u2019t that big, it\u2019s possible to go from one attraction to another on foot. So\nyou might not even need public transportation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But any visitor to Ireland\u2019s cities will need comfortable shoes. There\u2019s plenty of reasons to stay outside in Ireland, and there\u2019s always something new to discover and see. The feet are the best means of transportation, especially when coupled with a nice pair of shoes to help carry the load more comfortably.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hiking Shoes or Boots<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Picture<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ireland is a small island country, but what it lacks in\nsize, it more than makes up in terrain diversity. There are hills and\nmountains, but there are also beaches and valleys. There are smaller islands\nand bogs. And through most of those terrains, there\u2019s at least one hiking route\nfor everyone\u2019s level of fitness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the hikes are very popular because they take people\nto Ireland\u2019s famous sights or landmarks. The Causeway Coast Way in North\nIreland is one such hiking trail. It allows people to see the Giant\u2019s Causeway\nand the Dunluce Castle, among other important historical and natural monuments.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To be able to experience this side of Ireland, you have to pack good hiking shoes. Light but sturdy is the best option, and there\u2019s nothing better than having waterproof shoes while in Ireland. Some of the more demanding hikes might warrant hiking boots. It\u2019s best to decide on the hikes beforehand, and then pack accordingly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Water Bottle<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Picture<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ireland is not a country where having an engineered water\nbottle will normally mean the difference between life and death. But Ireland\ndoes offer plenty of opportunities for outdoor\nactivities, and you should always ensure proper hydration when hiking or\nrunning outside. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your trusty water bottle<\/a> should be by your side on this trip. It\u2019s not the end of the world if you forget it because you will be able to buy another in Ireland. But then again, it\u2019s an unnecessary expenditure, and you should avoid those when going to Ireland. So, don\u2019t forget to bring your own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Driver\u2019s License<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Picture<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As much as it doesn\u2019t make sense to drive in Dublin, people\nwho visit Ireland often find that the opposite is true for the rest of the\ncountry. The further you go into the wild, or at least Ireland\u2019s equivalent to\nthe wild, the more the benefits of renting a car become obvious. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, it can be difficult to reach some areas of the\ncountry using public transportation. Or it might be hard to fit irregular\ntransportation schedules in a travel itinerary. So the only way to experience Ireland outside of the city walls on your own terms is to drive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The driver\u2019s license you use back home might be good enough for the Irish authorities. However, it would be best to visit the National Driver License Service\u2019s website<\/a> and figure out whether you need to jump through some additional hoops. And even if there are some additional requirements, remember that they are very much worth it if they let you drive a car in Ireland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Walking Sticks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Picture<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Whether or not you need walking sticks will depend on\nseveral factors, including the difficulty of the terrain and your experience\nand level of fitness. However, hikers in Ireland should always prepare as if\nthey\u2019re heading for a hike that\u2019s more difficult than they thought it would be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are some tricky terrains in Ireland, that\u2019s true. But the main reason why walking sticks <\/a>should find their way in many bags is that Ireland will do its best to make its visitors go for a hike that\u2019s slightly above their level. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s simply so much of the country to see on foot that everyone might at least try to visit some of it. The novices will need sticks because they\u2019re not used to hiking, and the experienced hikers will need them because they will go for the most difficult and most rewarding trails. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being prepared for the rain is important \u2014 anyone who lives\nin Ireland will confirm. However, the Irish weather isn\u2019t only prone to sudden\nrainfall. It\u2019s prone to going all over the place in terms of cloudiness and\ntemperature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fleece<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Picture<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The umbrella might help with the rain. The raincoat might\nhelp with the rain and the cold at the same time. But there\u2019s nothing like an\nouter layer designed specifically to keep people warm when it comes with\ndealing with sudden temperature drops. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Traditionally, people would say that you shouldn\u2019t come to Ireland without bringing a sweater. Today, however, the fleece jacket <\/a>has largely supplanted the sweater as the go-to layer of clothes to fight against the caprices of the Irish weather. The choice is up to you, just make sure to bring something to keep you warm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Travel Electricity Adapter<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Picture<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There probably is a reasonable explanation for why different countries use different kinds of\npower plugs and sockets. It\u2019s electricity, after all. Throughout history,\nelectricity has been the realm of serious people who seriously thought out the\nbest way to deliver something as serious and powerful and useful as electricity.\nThere has to be a good reason why we can\u2019t travel without adapters. There has\nto. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s not. It\u2019s all very silly, actually. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ireland, along with the UK, uses the G type plugs and\nsockets. If you\u2019re coming from the United States, the rest of Europe and most other places in the world, the\nsockets in Ireland will be of little use without an adapter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, remember that the frequency of electricity is 50Hz, and the standard voltage is 230V. Travelers from the Americas usually need a voltage converter as well as a socket adapter<\/a>. Make sure to sort everything out regarding electricity. We depend a lot on gadgets that don\u2019t work without power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Portable Power Bank<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Picture<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

No one likes to be at the mercy of coffee shops,\nrestaurants, or whatever place that has a power socket. But we need our things\nfor various practical reasons, and we need the electricity to power those\nthings. It\u2019s not fun to find yourself in a foreign country without a working\nsmartphone, for example. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When a country has the outdoors that is so inviting, it becomes even more important to have a means of\ncommunication and navigation always ready and working. The outdoors is a big\ndraw for people who come to Ireland, and everyone needs a plan for the time\nspent on trails or hikes where power sockets\nare few and far between. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The solution is to have a portable power bank <\/a>with you. These devices don\u2019t have to be cumbersome or otherwise impractical to carry \u2014 they come in various shapes and sizes, they don\u2019t have to cost a lot, and it\u2019s easy to find a good one<\/a>. There really is no reason to get into a situation where your trusted electronic devices are out of juice, and the next socket is a couple of miles away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Power Strip (And the Chargers and Cables You Need)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Picture<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It really is alarming\nhow much time, space, and attention you need to devote to providing energy for\nvarious things that will find their way into your bag. That bundle of chargers\nand USB cables that needs to go with you on every travel is a sign of the\ntimes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while making sure that every device and gadget has its\nassociated charger or USB cable, how about packing something that will make\nsimultaneous charging of all these devices easier? You won\u2019t always have access\nto more than one electricity plugs, and there is such a thing as having too\nmany cables sticking out of a laptop. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having a power\nstrip<\/a>, or a power\ncube<\/a>, is very handy. As long as they work with the travel\nelectricity adapter \u2014 and you should make sure they do \u2014 they will make it\nincredibly easy to have all the devices fully charged. That way you\u2019ll have\nfewer things to worry about when you\u2019re outside, in the city or the countryside,\nwith no power plugs in sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Backpack <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Picture<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s nothing that\u2019s easier to forget to pack than the\nmost obvious things. You can spend hours on making lists of the things you\ncannot be without on a trip to Ireland, only to forget something that\u2019s been\nstaring you in the face all along. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think about it. You won\u2019t spend all your time in Ireland\ninside, right? And there\u2019s no reason to lug all that luggage around with you to\ncarry all the stuff one needs when they\u2019re exploring Ireland. What you need is\na backpack, so you better make sure you pack one if you\u2019re not bringing it as carry-on on the plane. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ideally, you want a\nsling bag<\/a> because it\u2019s just as easy to wear the bag part of them on your\nchest as it is on your back. That\u2019s an extra layer of security for your\nvaluables. Plus, wearing the bag on your chest will make it more convenient to\nget things out of it, and that\u2019s always a good thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sunglasses<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Picture<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Oh, the fickle Irish weather. If you think about it, packing\nfor Ireland is one half making sure you\u2019re prepared for every type of weather\nthe island will throw at you, and one half making sure you can charge all the\ntech you\u2019re carrying with you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sunglasses obviously fall in the category of things that\nhelp travelers deal with the capriciousness of the Irish weather. You think the\nday will be gloomy and rainy and unpleasant, so you prepare accordingly. Half\nan hour later, the clouds have moved on, and the weather is beautiful and\nsunny. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s nothing wrong with sunny weather, but you should\nprotect your eyes from the damaging ultraviolet light. It doesn\u2019t matter what\ntype of sunglasses you have \u2014 sporty<\/a>,\nclassic<\/a>,\nor fun<\/a>\nones \u2014 make sure they are always in the bag or the pocket. You never know when\nyou\u2019ll need them in Ireland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Swimwear<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Picture<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Is Ireland, as a travel destination, synonymous with sandy\nbeaches? Probably not, even though the country is surrounded by water. But\npeople tend to think about green rolling hills with people wishing you top of\nthe morning while they\u2019re off to look for leprechauns when they think about\nIreland. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In reality, however, visitors to Ireland are much more\nlikely to come across a surfer dude than anyone saying \u2018top of the morning\u2019 or\nmentioning leprechauns. Ireland might not be the land where leprechauns live,\nbut it is a land with pretty beaches and awesome waves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the reason for your visit to Ireland is mostly a desire to catch waves, it\u2019s best to go in the months of September, October, and November. Bundoran in County Donegal is the country\u2019s premier surfing spot, and one of the best ones in the world, but there are many more beaches worthy of exploration in Ireland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Camera (The One in Your Phone Doesn\u2019t Count)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Picture<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Every smartphone comes with a camera or two today, and some\nof them are pretty decent. They give you options to zoom in, apply filters,\nshoot photos and video, and even shoot in slow motion. With that many\nfunctionalities, it would be hard to imagine why would anyone need to carry a discrete camera. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But cameras that are only cameras and nothing else should\nhave a place in your bag when traveling to Ireland. It doesn\u2019t have to be an\nexpensive camera, but it should have all the standard functions. And it should\ncome with plenty of memory cards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter how practical it is to use a phone to capture photos of footage, it\u2019s not a good idea to constantly expose such an important piece of tech to potential harm. Think about it this way: which would you rather see fall of an Irish cliff or get soaked by Irish rain, your smartphone or a cheap camera<\/a>? Exactly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tummy Medicine<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Picture<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Some countries are known for the way their cuisines mix\ningredients with spices to create delicious and exciting dishes that might,\nunfortunately, have a side effect of making you go to the bathroom a lot. Let\u2019s\nbe honest and admit that diarrhea has ruined more than one trip. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ireland is not a country with hot and spicy cuisine. The meals are delicious, but they are pretty\ntame by globetrotting gastronomes\u2019 standards. Still, if your stomach has\ntroubles with handling dairy products, for example, you might find yourself\nwith a case of the runs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best way to handle these things is swiftly and as\neffectively as possible. Having an over-the-counter medicine that settles\nstomachache or diarrhea is a necessity for any trip. While you\u2019re at it, put\nsomething for a cold in there and some aspirin on top of any prescription meds\nyou need. Pack a nice travel pharmacy and hope you won\u2019t need it. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There are two things you need to know about Ireland as a travel destination. The first is that people only need to visit it once before they fall in love with it. The second is that Ireland is one of those destinations that require careful packing. Ireland is a country […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":3260,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[3,5],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/overinireland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/camera.jpg?fit=800%2C534&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pauohh-Bu","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/overinireland.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2324"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/overinireland.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/overinireland.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/overinireland.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/overinireland.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2324"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/overinireland.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2324\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3449,"href":"https:\/\/overinireland.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2324\/revisions\/3449"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/overinireland.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3260"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/overinireland.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2324"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/overinireland.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2324"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/overinireland.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2324"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}