The group trip packing list nobody writes down

Personal essentials (everyone owns their own)

These are the baseline, nobody else should be responsible for them:

• -Passport + a phone photo of the passport ID page
• -Phone + charger + power bank
• -Whatever medication you actually need
• -One real outfit for the headline dinner
• -Sunscreen (yes even if you don't burn)
• -Comfortable shoes you can walk 20k steps in
• -A reusable water bottle
• -Earplugs, sharing a room with the crew is the loudest version of travel

Shared items (assign ONE person per item)

These are the ones that ruin trips when nobody brings them and three people bring them. Assign ownership in the group chat the week before:

• -International power adapter, one is enough if it has multiple ports
• -Multi-port power strip for the hotel room
• -First aid: painkillers, bandaids, anti-diarrhoea pills, electrolyte packets
• -Sound machine or a sleep app, group sleep arrangements collapse without one
• -Snacks for the plane / train
• -A real camera if anyone has one, phones never quite get the group photo right
• -A small Bluetooth speaker for the Airbnb

The 5 things every group forgets

Compiled from every group trip ever:

• -A power strip, 6 phones, one outlet in the room
• -Painkillers, day 3 hangover, nobody packed any
• -Baby wipes, single most-versatile item nobody brings
• -A real camera, phone photos of 6 people in a sunset never look right
• -Cash, day 2 the ATM is broken and the taxi only takes cash

The group hangover kit

One person packs: electrolyte packets (Liquid IV, DripDrop, whatever), painkillers, ginger candies, a couple of bottled waters bought on landing. Half a backpack pocket. This kit pays for itself by day 3.