Snow in London - wear ski clothes

One year in London I had planned to take a walking tour. I thought, I can't go out - it's too cold. Then I thought, but I went out to ski areas in the USA with snow up to my knees. How did I manage it? I wore ski wear.

That's the answer. Always travel with ski wear in cold climates. If you decide against packing bulky clothes, at least take thermal underwear, warm gloves, scarves, and a hat, and thick socks you can wear inside cheap Wellington boots.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.

What to pack and wear in colder weather

Cold Weather Walking Tour Clothes

I check weather and decide when I want to do walking tours. I can get out my ski jacket and gloves. I remember one year it was really cold in England and I thought, I'd like to do a walking tour but who goes walking this time of year in the UK - it's freezing.

That's a metaphor. It isn't freezing. This time last year (I thought then) I was in the USA in a ski resort where it was literally freezing.  I walked around in snow and sat outside drinking hot drinks. How did I manage?

Col Weather Clothes
Simple. I wore ski jackets and ski gloves and thermal underwear. The moral is, in winter always pack thermal vest and gloves and hat. If room in your suitcase, or wear it on the plane, add a warm jacket.That way, if the weather turns cold, or you want to go on a walking tour, you are prepared.

I thought everybody would laugh at me when I turned up in luminous ski wear for a walking tour of London. But nowadays on the London underground you have people from all over the world in all sorts of outfits.

Nobody cares what you wear. They are more interested in their friends' texts and safety announcements and getting on the right train.

Cheapest places for thermal underwear? Try Primark. Sports shops. Travel wear shops. Or camping shops. The nearest department store. Some online companies offer next day delivery.

Finally, sunglasses, especially if you have varifocal and light sensitive lenses. Take your prescription. Email it to yourself so it is on your computer and phone and can be picked up at an internet cafe if your glasses are lost or broken or you have an opportunity to buy a new pair. You might need them in the sun, on the snowy mountaintop or at sea. Goggles which fit over glasses are also useful if you go skiing.

A sudden chance to extend your stay, take a new route home, might mean you have a coupe of days at a change of climate and don't want to spend all your precious holiday time on shopping. (Maybe you do, and a list of what you already have at home is useful. Get it out. Those gloves which now look shabby, the hat with the hole - a chance to replace at the cheap store or sale time at your destination.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and author

Packing For Weekends & Holidays

Where to keep your packing list? On your computer. On the lid of the suitcase. Behind the wardrobe door.

I keep three lists. Winter - warm clothes, ski boots, goggles and gloves, ski jacket. Thermal underwear. Warm socks. Thick jumper.

Weekend away: reversible dress. Evening outfit. Night dress. Swimsuit, swim hat, flip flogs / thongs (Australian word for post backless beach shoes). (UK thongs are skimpy string-back t-bar reveal all ladies' underwear.)

Summer holiday:
For hot and humid places such as Singapore: cotton clothes, cotton jackets, cotton underwear. Suncream and insect repellent. For holiday homes, fly spray. Pack at least one long sleeve outfit for: breezy boats; mountaintops at night, mosquito land, air conditioned dining rooms, bedrooms or hotels or shopping malls; flight home.

Overseas:
Two purses for home currency and foreign money. Guidebook. Phrasebook. Corkscrew for bottles with corks. passport. Driving license. Foreign phone and check costs of roaming and downloading games and videos and Apps on your home phone.

Gifts
Take one or two small gifts eg of chocolates in case you are invited to a home, and wine for evening at home in self-catering, or an unexpected invitation to a birthday party or wedding.

Packing Tips
Pack socks inside the sandals or shoes they match. Pack matching outfits on thin wire hangers (which some people get from dry cleaners) with the matching jewellery for quick change when arriving in the evening at destination.

Spare Swimsuit In Hand Luggage
Pack swimsuit in handbag or hand luggage. Then you can go straight to the outdoor pool/beach (or indoor pool/sauna). I did this by chance, having grabbed my swimsuit at the last minute after packing. My main suitcase disappeared with the porters delivering 300 cases from my coach load. After waiting 10-15 minutes I decided it might not arrive for another 30 minutes as daylight faded. i got in a swim and sauna, showered in the leisure centre, came back and joined everybody else. The group leader apologised that there was no time for a swim. I was the only one of the group who had made the swimming pool and enjoyed a swim. (I had also taken photos and was able to write about it for my travel article).

Lesson learned. If your luggage goes missing, you can still go swimming.

Suitcase tips
Buy a set of three pack inside each other suitcases to store them easily at home later.
Buy his and hers suitcases so if one goes missing you and airport staff can easily see them. Tie on pink and blue ribbons so you know which suitcase is which. We once went off to