IanHi all! Packing day has arrived! After all the build-up, we’re finally off to Seville in the morning, and I can’t quite believe it’s come round so quickly.
As promised, here’s what I’m packing for Seville. Most of it is based on what I found out in my Seville in November blog, so if you haven’t read that one yet, it’s worth a look first!
I also headed to Sainsbury’s for the last-minute bits for our trip, as is tradition!
Clothes
With daytime temperatures around 19–20°C and cooler evenings, it’s mostly T-shirts for the day. As I’ve said before, I’m basically a volcano and radiate heat, so layers aren’t something I need to worry about. I will be taking my Disney hoodie from my Florida trip, though, which will give me that bit extra in the evenings, or if it decides to rain on our trips!
I’ve also got a pair of jeans, plus something lighter to wear in the evenings in my room. As you may know from Malta, my friend basically likes to go to bed at 7pm! So I want to be comfy in my room while I’m editing my blog for you lovely people.
Shoes
A decent pair of shoes is a must, as we’ve planned a lot of walking this trip… thanks to my friend! So the Skechers my parents got me for my birthday last year will do the trick here.
Tech
- Phone and charger: A must for filming and grabbing some awesome photos for the blog!
- European plug adapter: Spain uses the two-pin European plug, so UK plugs won’t fit without an adapter. I also found a UK plug extension lead on Amazon, so one adapter will cover all my UK plugs!
- Power bank: Also a must! With all the photos and filming for my vlog, I have a feeling my phone battery won’t last long. My friend and I bought a massive power bank last year, so that should help my charging situation!
- Apple MacBook Air: I’ll be using my trusty MacBook to post the blogs and upload a few videos to my YouTube channel, The Forward Shift Journal, throughout our stay in Seville.
Documents and money: packing for Seville the sensible way
Boring, but very important! First up, your passport. For Spain, it must have been issued within the past 10 years and must expire at least 3 months after the day you leave. Definitely worth checking before you go!
There are also new rules at the border this year. Since Brexit, we’re treated like any other non-EU visitor, so the EU’s new Entry/Exit System applies to us. It means you may need to register your fingerprints and photo at passport control when you arrive. It’s free, and there’s nothing to do before you go, but it can take longer than usual, so allow a bit of extra time.
Border control can also ask to see things like your return ticket, proof of travel insurance and your hotel booking. I’ve got all of those saved on my phone, which should be fine. The full, up-to-date rules are on the gov.uk Spain travel advice page.
Make sure you have a copy of your hotel reservation on your phone too, whether it’s from a booking site or directly from the hotel. We were lucky enough to get a late check-out for our last day, as our flight home is fairly late, so we’ll have until 3pm with no rush to leave.
If you’re a UK citizen, make sure you pack your UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), as it’ll help with costs if the worst happens. Also, keep copies of your travel insurance documents handy, in case you need to show them at a hospital. With my insurance, having a GHIC waives the £50 excess, so double-check yours, people!
Health and just-in-case bits
I’ve packed some essential over-the-counter medicines too, including paracetamol and ibuprofen. My sunglasses and sun cream are going in as well, as it should still be sunny!
Handy tip: you can’t take meat or dairy products into the EU, so no ham-and-cheese sandwiches for the flight!
What I always forget
Every trip, there’s always something I forget, no matter how many lists I make! I’ve checked everything twice this time, so fingers crossed. Knowing me, I’ll still forget something! At least there’s a large supermarket nearby!
Next stop, Seville!
That’s me pretty much packed! I’ve just got a few small things left to pack in the morning, like my toiletries, before we leave.
We’ve checked in for our flights on the BA app, and it’s a good thing we paid for our seats when we did! The flight’s pretty packed now, and we’d have been sitting next to strangers otherwise. We’ve checked in online at the hotel too.
Tomorrow, I’m driving us to Gatwick, leaving Chelmsford around 10:30. We’ve booked parking with a valet clean for when we get back, so let’s see how good they are! Then, once we land in Seville, it’ll be a short Uber ride to the hotel.
The next time I post, I’ll be in Seville! Look out for Day 1, with a room tour of the Hesperia Sevilla and my first impressions. There’ll also be weekly uploads on my YouTube channel, The Forward Shift Journal, showcasing our trip, so I hope you’ll come along with us!
See you in Seville!
