It was a wise man who once said nothing in this world can be certain except death, taxes and forgetting to pack something important for your big overseas holiday. No matter how many tips and tricks you’ve acquainted yourself with, even the most intrepid travellers are prone to the occasional packing gaffe here and there.

We asked the Over60 Community to share some of the times you’ve arrived at your destination, unzipped your bag and said, “I can’t believe I forgot to pack that!”

Here are some of your best responses:

• Maureen Mary-Ellen Buchtmann made a huge mistake on her trip to Europe when she forgot to pack, “My aspirin tablets while in Switzerland. Just took my friends without checking the dose. They were 5 times my strength and I took them for a week. Felt strange, but when we went up to the highest mountain I had altitude sickness for the first time ever. My doctor said my blood was too thin from too much aspirin. Terrible feeling.”
• Christine Nightingale had a similar problem when travelling with her partner, but thankfully there was a happy ending, “My husband takes quite a lot of medications, discovered he'd not included blood pressure tabs in his daily packs. Cruise ship doctor telephoned our doctor in Adelaide to get correct milligrams required. Problem solved within a few hours.”
• Sue Grainger’s problem wasn’t quite as severe, but still unfortunate, “On a recent trip (I forgot to pack) my make-up. Lucky for me I had a text message telling me so as we were about to stop for lunch first shop makeup then lunch. But not as bad as my husband on trip to Hong Kong got in late opened up luggage and no underpants were packed.”
• Christine Whyte has had some packing issues in the past as well, “Has only been a toothbrush but OMG going away a few weeks ago down the coast thank got only five minutes from home, had forgotten my makeup bag, of course went and got it.”
• Joanne Stanley says, “Nightie and slippers... remembered they were on the bed to go in last whilst trying to sleep on an international flight from Sydney to San Francisco.”
• Marilyn Brown says she, “Managed to leave my camera and sun hat at home when I was going to the Gold Coast. Thank goodness I had plenty of sunscreen with me.”
• Jan Savell shared a funny one, “One time we were caravanning and of course had to use the communal toilet and shower and I forgot the husband’s pyjamas. Not popular Jan.”
• April Boucher has forgotten items a few times, but says her most common one is, “Pyjamas. Must run in the family. Although a towel was a close second.”

What’s the biggest thing you’ve forgotten to pack?

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