What to pack in your first aid kit

When you’re deciding what to take in your first aid kit on holiday, it’s a good idea to think about what might be required in the places you are visiting. For instance, if you are going on safari, your first aid kit might be a little different to the one that you would take on city breaks. However, there are a number of basic items that should be in every first aid kit, and that you should always make sure that you have a full supply of before you leave. Here is a handy checklist of the kind of items you might need to take:

• Pain killers: You should probably take one packet of paracetemol and one of either ibuprofen or aspirin, as sometimes people are allergic to one or the other. These can ease any number of common maladies, including headaches, inflammation, and fever. These usually cost a small fortune to buy in hotels, so make sure you have a healthy supply. Handy for those holiday hangovers too!

• Thermometer: Handy for diagnosis – a strip thermometer or an in-ear model is probably going to be the most convenient for travel purposes

• Insect repellent and sunscreen: You should have a separate supply of these with you anyway, particularly if you’re expecting warm weather, but it is prudent to keep some small containers of it separately in the first aid box just in case you get caught without. These work a lot better if you put them on before you get burnt or bitten.

• Allergy tablets: If anyone is in your party is planning to drive a vehicle while you are away make sure these are of the non-drowsy variety for obvious reasons! As well as protecting the user against the symptoms of hay fever and pet allergies, these can also help to relieve the itchiness and severity of insect stings after the fact, so be sure to take a healthy supply.

• Stomach remedies: Boozy nights and copious amounts of foreign food can wreak havoc on your stomach. Peppermint tea, Pepto-Bismol, antacid tablets and anti-diarrhoeal pills can all help to alleviate the discomfort of a malfunctioning digestive tract. Also take a small quantity of ipecac, which induces vomiting, and could be a lifesaver if anyone swallows something they shouldn’t. Don’t forget travel sickness tablets, particularly if you’re planning to go on a boat.

• Soothing ointments: After-sun, disinfectant cream and TCP can all come in handy for when your holiday adventures turn in their usual quota of scrapes, stings, and sunburn. Moleskin is good for relieving blisters after a hard day’s walking about in sandals.

• Bandages and plasters: Make sure you have a good selection of shapes and sizes to cover most likely eventualities, and don’t forget the gauze.

• Miscellaneous: Be sure to take a sachet of vinegar(for jellyfish bites), cotton balls, tissues, baby wipes, tweezers, scissors, and last(but not least) a first aid manual, and you’ll be good to go!

For all inclusive holidays, take a look at the Thomas Cook website.