The Travel Teacher

It’s time to pack, call the Butler.

What??  You don’t have a Butler?  Neither do I, so let me share a few ideas I have learned as traveler.  And if you want to share your tips, please do.

•       Bottled water.  Take 3 or 4 bottles with you in your packed luggage.  This will tide you over until you can find a local source.
•       3 oz. paper cups.  Use these with bottled water for brushing your teeth.  No matter how SAFE the location, don’t trust the water.  If you mistakenly wash your tooth brush under a faucet, throw it away.  A tiny sip of bad water can ruin a trip.
•       Small umbrella.  For rain?  No, for a door on a bathroom that doesn’t have one
•       Rain ponchos for rain.  The less you carry on your shoulder, the less pain.
•       Money pouch or wallet with strap to go under your clothes.  KEEP IN THERE.  Never put valuables in a back pack or bag over your shoulder
•       Make copies of every document you take - credit cards, passports, medical cards, etc.  Take one set and leave a set at home with someone.
•       Red eye flights.  Those airline pillows are worthless.  Take an old down pillow, cut it in half and take it in your carry one for a good night sleep.
•       Eagle Creek cubes, half cubes and quarter cubes are the best for corralling groups of things.  Such as, all your electronic charges and cords; medicines and vitamins;  mosquito repellent and sun screen; shaving gear; socks; underwear and a multitude of other items that tend to get scattered all over the suitcase.
•       Eagle Creek dress shirt packing folders.  Keeps shirts and blouses folded.
•       “Pack it” compression bags.  Put that down pillow in one, roll it up and squish the air out to put it in your carry on.  Also good for underwear, sweaters, sweatshirts and any other bulky things that can be wrinkled and still usable.
•       Syringes.  In some countries, needing a shot can give you a concern.  So take your own in a paper towel roll and tape shut the ends. 

Those should give you some ideas.  Do I ever get packed right?  No, but maybe someday!!!

SUITCASE CHOICES:  HARDER THAN WHAT PAIR OF SHOES TO WEAR

Some people loves shoes.  Some love purses.  I love suitcases.  Why have just one when I have can have many?  The new colors and fabrics are so pretty.  But with the new airline regulations, some of my older suitcases have had to go into storage.  So, how do you decide what suitcase is best for your trip.

First I decide about my carryon.  What weight and size will the airline allow for this trip?

Also, how long is the flight and how many connections? 

More and more I lean toward wheels on most everything.  Or at least be able to hook an non wheel to a wheel.  For instance, I take a lap top in a case.  It can be attached to my small carryon with a strap.  My purse goes inside the carryon, so now I have just 2, the maximum most airlines allow.  However, on this last trip, I saw some people with really large wheeled carryons, a backpack and a lap top.  Most were not stopped.  Those who were, let their carryon be checked at the gate and avoided the “more than one” checked rule. 

On red eye flights, I have a back pack type with wheels.  It cost $39 and is the best suitcase I own.  In it I have                                                                                                               

      my  ½ down pillow rolled in a vacuum bag

      a sweater because you never know about the temperature on the plane

      my glasses case with an eye mask, ear plugs and lip salve

      a bottle of water I buy before boarding the plane (some airlines fill up water bottles from the plane’s tank and tell you it is bottled water)

      a quart sized zip lock bag with toilet seat covers, packets of wipes, hand sanitizer, a few bandaids, and panty liners (then you can wear your underwear more than once, if necessary), tooth paste and tooth brush

      a change of clothes

      if I am landing in a rainy place, a rain poncho. 

This bag also acts as a footrest under the seat in front of me, unless I am in business class with a foot rest.  Don’t forget the fold up bag for all the treasures you will be bringing home.  Or you can pack a small bag inside a larger bag.  Watch your weight on that one.

With that done, then I can move onto the larger bag which depends on the length of time I am gone.  Less is always better and I never seem to get that right.  The main reason is I don’t want to spend every evening doing laundry in the bathroom sink.  Many times it doesn’t even dry before I have to pack it.  Speaking of laundry, I love the old fashioned Fels Naptha bar of soap.  It rinses out quickly and is easy to pack.  It goes into a baggy with my clothes line that has suction cups on each end for hanging in a shower or even between 2 chairs on a deck.

Do you have a special suitcase?