Landing well – what we always pack in our hand carry for missions
Posted on August 17, 2025 by Phoebe Chan
What we always pack in our hand carry for missions
Lost or delayed luggage is always a hassle — especially when you arrive somewhere new with no shops and you’re trying to make the transition as smooth as possible for yourself and your children. So, here’s our hand-carry checklist to make sure we have the essentials when we land after a long journey:
Travel Documents
- E-tickets
- Passport
- Yellow fever vaccination card (or other required health documents)
- International Driver’s Permit (if you need one to drive)
- Invitation letter
- Letter certifying transport of medicine and supplies for ministry
- Arrival information (e.g. host address, contact number)
- Insurance details and emergency contacts
- Non-smudging pen
Health & Safety
- Anti-malarials and personal medications
- Glasses and contact lenses (remember they may not have the contact lens solution you need. You can consider daily disposable ones)
- Hand sanitiser (in Ziplock bag for liquids)
- Spare face masks (if needed)
Money & Electronics
- Money (preferably clean, newer notes)
- Laptop / iPad / unlocked phone (with auto-updates off as internet may be limited and may eat up data)
- Chargers, cables, adapters, and voltage transformers if needed
- Portable batteries / power bank (must be hand-carried)
Clothing & Personal Items (in case of lost / delayed luggage)
- 2 sets of underwear
- 1–2 sets of spare clothes for kids. Our son once spilled hot chocolate all over his sister on the plane! We’ve found that suitable, right-sized underwear can be surprisingly hard to buy on arrival
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Anything you cannot afford to lose or to have it arrived late
Kid-Friendly Additions
- “Busy bag” with colouring books, small toys, snacks for the journey and when you first land
- A few “surprises” wrapped in e.g. newspaper or gift wrap. They can be anything from a Kinder chocolate egg with a toy inside or a new sticker book (hours of fun that don’t fall off in bumpy rides)
- Wet wipes and tissues
- Small blanket or comfort item
Packing Tips
- Keep liquids and electronics easily accessible — for example, in a laptop bag — for quick inspection at airport security
- Opt for backpacks over cabin suitcases to avoid forced checking-in luggage at gate
We hope this list helps you land well, wherever you’re headed!