Creating my "DON'T LEAVE FOR COUPLES WITHOUT..." list and need help!

[teammagnuson]

My husband and I will be making our first trip to CSA this June to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary. I want to make sure that I have anything and everything with me that I could possibly want to make this an unforgettable trip. I'm looking for any ideas, but especially things that someone who has never been there might not think of.

Thanks so much!

[javielee]

Your other half !!! hehehe

[jayrayuf]

There are many threads about this if you do a search. I used Amy's Packing List as a starting point, but found that I overpacked on my first trip to Couples & didn't use a lot of the extras I brought.

Make sure you bring lots of sunscreen, and I've heard it's a good idea to bring bug repellent to CSA.

[NeedBlueWater]

The thread at this link (similar topic) was started in June 2009 and ran for 250 posts through March 2011. Lots of good ideas here. Enjoy!

The "I wish I would have thought of that" thread

http://couplesjamaica.biz/mb/showthread.php?t=354

[MizzWright]

Visit the thread called...The "I wish I would have thought of that" thread. It has so many wonderful ideas and helped me prepare for our trip! LOL

[wvufan1985]

http://www.couplesjamaica.biz/mb/showthread.php?t=354

That thread is all you need.

[sherrynchuck]

There is a thread called I wish I would have thought of that...you'll want to have a piece of paper handy to make notes as you'll find all the info you need on this subject. Keep reading the board.

[jdcox32]

complied from a few threads so some repeats.I doubt we will take much of this list. but on the long thread this is about everything that is listed.


Bubble wrap for getting your breakables home, i.e. RUM CREAM!!
Tide pen or woollite sheets
Pens for your carry on bag
Large and small zip lock bags
A watch, just in case you wonder what time it is
A beach bag for easier travel back and forth
A mini first aid kit, band aids, Motrin, Pepto, Hydrocortisone cream
Bug spray or wipes
Sunscreen... it's Jamaica after all... min 50 spf for AN areas! LOL
Ipod... the docking stations are also chargers.
Nintendo DS or PSP if reading books all the time isn't your thing
Bendable straws
Can Koozies, be original and win bonus points.
A trash or laundry bag for your worn clothes
Walkie Talkies for when one person is in the room
A quick wash in woolite makes your swimsuit dry faster.
if you apply baby powder to your body parts that are sandy, the sand will just fall off.
water shoes for any tours that may require them
towel clips for our beach towels so they don't slip off the loungers (womens hair "clippies" work)
Extra camera batteries
Along with the pen you take for the customs form, make a little cheat sheet (post it note works nice) with both your passport numbers and flight numbers for both arrival and departure. It makes filling out the customs form on the plane
collapsable cooler
Tums,aspirin,pepto,benedryl,cold medicine, ect
pack some of your clothes in your suitcase and then some in your partners
small flashlight
mosquito net to cover the patio doorway if you want to leave dor open at night

[Lcn2Chl]

Can Coozies Are a must!

[rae_Dave]

"Walkie Talkies???"" Whatever for?

[dirtleg]

Not trying to be a wet blanket, but you will inevitably get there and on the second or third day you will say "gee, we should have brought (fill in item here)"

We are planning our fifth trip to CSA (also in June, when are you there?) and each trip we have come up with some item or items that we wish we would have packed. Not a big deal though, just seems to be the norm'.

I would recommend packing several swim suits. They dry very slowly and I always hate putting on a wet suit in the morning. Other than that: a camera, video recorder maybe, sun screen, hat, sun glasses. Really, it depends on what your needs are. You can get by with packing very little, only essentials. Or some folks like to bring a full wardrobe and all the bling and electronics they can fit in their bags.

Just bring a good attitude to relax and enjoy yourself, CSA pretty much supplies everything else.

Have a great trip, maybe we will see you at the beach!

[shaw22]

Actually I thought of walkie talkies too, since we are going with another couple. Maybe over thinking about what to pack is a mistake. Walkie talkies might be a little extreme...lol. Why the bug net?? Are mosquitos really that bad? I think I will follow the advice of NOT to over pack and just be on Jamaica time! We are also leaving in June for a wk. It is funny how early you think about what you want to pack, I started to buy the "must haves" already!! Enjoy your trip and hope WE don't regret not packing walkie talkies and mosquito nets...lol. Enjoy!

[NStrong]

I always take:
- a small flashlight (when I get up to use the facilities at night: a) sometimes I get a little lost and b) sometimes in the Caribbean there can be little critters on the floor upon whom you may not wish to stomp!)
- earplugs - in case the couple next door is a little too loud
- eye shades - so if you are hungover and want to sleep at noon, you don't have to put a pillow over your head!

I also always pack a pair of sunglasses, a bathing suit and a pair of sandals in my carry-on so if my luggage and I arrive at different times, I can still be on the beach!!

N

[MnK]

We've learned that the lighter we pack the better. Because all we do is spend time on the beach, our packing list looks like:

- Lots of bathing suits
- Cover ups (but I always buy new sarongs at the resort)
- Sundresses and nice flipflops for dinner (hubby has a couple of nice pairs of shorts, one nice pair of pants, and shirts for dinner. NO ties, no long sleeves)
- Several good books
- Lots of sunblock, of varying degrees
- Ipod and cd's for the room
- Toiletries
- A few gifts for the staff
- Big beach bag (which I use as my purse/carry on)
- Some cash, in small bills for tipping at airport and spa
- Camera
- Hubby brings workout clothes. (I find working out on vacation just silly.)
- Ibuprofen...just in case.
- Pen in my purse, for filling out forms on the plane
- Sunglasses
- Toys (I'll leave it at that. But something new and unexpected could make the trip unforgettable for him and you!!! )

That's about it. We've learned to keep it simple. Because we don't do excursions, we live in our bathings suits. Shorts and t-shirts don't even get used.

If I convince my hubby to do the AU thing, we'd save lots of money and space on bathing suits.

Have fun!!!! It WILL BE unforgettable...but not for anything that may or may not be in your suitcase. Enjoy and happy anniversary!

[Vickyj]

My carry on is also my beach bag. Thirty-one has a cute beach bag that is insulated (for when I go to the pool in the summer). I tend to over pack in with clothes. Going to try not to do that this year. A couple of my sundresses can be used as swim cover ups, so I figure, I can wear them one night as a dress to dinner, then as a cover up for breakfast he next day. I have taken shoes to go with every outfit, but now with weight restrictions and wanting to take sunscreen--I am particular about my sunscreen--I have a nice pair of white sandals and black sandals and then I only take one pair of flip flops to wear during the day. I also used to take jewelry for every outfit. Now I don't.

[sherrynchuck]

Actually I thought of walkie talkies too, since we are going with another couple. Maybe over thinking about what to pack is a mistake. Walkie talkies might be a little extreme...lol. Why the bug net?? Are mosquitos really that bad? I think I will follow the advice of NOT to over pack and just be on Jamaica time! We are also leaving in June for a wk. It is funny how early you think about what you want to pack, I started to buy the "must haves" already!! Enjoy your trip and hope WE don't regret not packing walkie talkies and mosquito nets...lol. Enjoy!

Honestly, we had walkie talkies on our packing list for years but the other resort we visited was laid out much differently and we never used them...we only brought them years we traveled with another couple. This year I had them packed again and took them out at the last minute to save weight and space. It was raining when we arrived so the gentleman who took our luggage to our room dropped us quickly at our room and took our friends to their room...we forgot to ask what room they were in. We didn't catch up to each other for better than an hour after we had walked all over looking for them and met up at the grill. Our rooms were two buildings apart and we often wished we had the walkie talkies. The phones would be fine if everyone is in their rooms but my husband and I tended to get up much earlier and were much more laid back than the other couple...we sat on the beach pretty much all day, they liked to soak in every activity they could fit into their schedule. Meeting back up would have been easier with the walkie talkies to be honest. I wouldn't carry on long conversations, just use them as a locating device. Next time we go to CSA with another couple they are going in the suitcase.

[shaw22]

Thanks Sherrynchuck! Maybe I will take the walkie talkies then I could see where they would come in handy if you are with friends. Glad you had a great trip. Thanks for the advice and recommendation. Still not taking mosquito nets tho.

[caviargal]

I cannot imagine walkie talkies at the resort personally.

We travel carry on only and IMO, less is more when it comes to packing for a beach vacation at Couples. Having "anything and everything" just is not something we even think about.