Packing for a trip? It is a brew-ha-ha

The Tetley tea folk

If you were planning an overseas trip, what would be in your suitcase? Underwear, toiletries, some nice outfits, a few pairs of shoes – and perhaps some teabags?

Ahead of the delayed Toyko Olympics this summer, organisers for Team GB have revealed the essential items shipped to Japan for their arrival, including 7,000 bags of crisps, 8,000 porridge pots, 50 Brompton bikes and bags of Tetley...45,000 of them!

Having travelled extensively for these kinds of international events, I am an expert packer – although my essential items are more practical.

The first thing I always put in my suitcase is clothes pegs, which are a godsend for tackling jetlag. Yes, really! In most hotel rooms, it’s very hard to get the room completely dark during the day or night, so I use the pegs to clip the curtains shut. A simple yet very effective way to ensure a quality sleep.

Plus, having spent years on the road with two teenage boys, I know the importance of rinsing sportswear after training. Leaving sweaty tops and shorts in a laundry bag for a few days is a recipe for disaster, so a pop-up washing line and a tube of travel wash are must-haves. Mother

knows best.