Band-Aids & Vegan Snacks: The Essential SAPPHIRE NOW Carry-on Kit

Band-aids. Band-aids, flat, comfy shoes and vegan snacks. In a random survey conducted among my social media and communications colleagues, asking what’s in their carry-on luggage for Orlando, people were thinking about their feet and stomachs. Overwhelmingly, a blister kit topped the list. “For the shoe bites caused by even the most comfortable footwear,” as one colleague put it.

As you start to pack, here’s the list of musn’t-forget, top-priority items to stow overhead. Compiled by a (mostly female) group of veteran visitors to SAPPHIRE NOW:

1. Band-aids or a blister kit. “The show floor at SAPPHIRE NOW is massive, and you only make the one pair of high heels mistake once.”
2. At least four different pairs of shoes. “That way my feet aren’t killing me by the end of the conference.”
3. Snacks (Altoids, gum, power bars, chocolate) but also vegan nibbles. “Can’t trust the airlines to get vegan and gluten-free right,” says social ambassador Schalk Viljoen.
4. Water bottle. “Stay hydrated”!
5. Mobile devices.
   • “For tweeting, photos, getting directions, alerts, alarms and all the things you need to make sure you are where you are supposed to be.”
   • “Several – tablets, smartphones all loaded with the latest and greatest SAP and partner-built mobile apps for demos on the go. I’ve even made friends at the airport and inflight by showing them some cool SAP demos!”
6. Power chargers, cords, extra batteries.
   • “There’s so much to tweet and take pictures of; phone batteries die fast…”
   • “Knowing that electrical outlets are always in demand, I bring an outlet expander to turn one outlet into three or four – it’s a good way to make friends!”
7. Pens and post-its. “Because sometimes tech fails you.”
8. Pocket pharmacy. “Because SAPPHIRE doesn’t stop for anything.” Advil, Emergen-C (“to keep your immune system up after late nights”), vitamins, IcyHot rub (for sore back and leg muscles), and eye drops (“for redness removal – but don’t mention my name!”) were all listed.
9. Sunglasses and small umbrella: “While Florida is the sunshine state, when the temperature and humidity rise it triggers sudden rainshowers.”
10. Your smile! “SAPPHIRE NOW wouldn’t be the event it is without your friendly smile!”

Random additional items – all mentioned by my friend Schalk, were a copy of the Economist, noise cancellation earphones, and an iPod. So with only one week to Orlando, I, for one, am not only thinking about what to pack but what to pack it in. In fact, I got my birthday present two weeks early – a smart, indestructible, Rimowa suitcase in white. I just hope Schalk is wrong: “Don’t trust checked-in luggage,” he says.