July 06, 2008

• When approaching the "your bag must be this tiny to bring it on the plane" size-o-meter, I stop and take out about five layers of clothing. I put them on. I squeeze my bag down to the acceptable size, I get on the plane, I get out of those five layers of clothing and put them back in the bag. It helps to have a compressible bag.
• These led to some very strange websites. *packs up troubles in old kit bag and smiles*
• "Travel light" is always good advice.
• Just jam it all in there, yer fuckers.
• I love OneBag... I used to never be able to travel light.
• I should like to try that bundle wrapping technique, but I think it would be frowned on by those who usually hijack about half the space in my bag. Where's jb going, then?
• She'll be back in the UK for a conference and some more research.
• Back in college, I was in a class where each one of us had to teach the class some special skill. One student was an Army vet who taught us a lot of this stuff. I've been rolling my t-shirts ever since.
• My rule for traveling - one plane ticket, one backpack.
• "Tickets, money, passport".
• "Tickets, money, passport". gomichild, those days are probably behind you now that you have sprogged (~_^)
• I would have missed a connection in Toronto from San Francisco coming home from a trip had I had to wait for any other luggage than what was on my back. Big ups to packing light.
• My Dad's saying, which I now adhere to, is "I'm packed if I've got my wallet." Few things cannot be replaced cheaply and easily if you forget them. Taking a bunch of shit that never leaves the suitcase on a round trip is wasteful and a pain. Special tip: I always have a clean t shirt, underpants, socks and a toothbrush in my cabin luggage on long haul trips. When it's going to be 36 hours before you see your checked luggage again, it's nice to be able to change some time earlier. Anyway, the best discipline is to have a small bag. If you start with a monster suitcase, of course you'll fill it.
• I can tell you the bundling method works like a champ. I used it on my last business trip, and everything came out looking good. Only problem is if you get stopped and searched at the airport -- at that point, literally everything comes undone and you're hosed. But barring that risk, it's wonderful.
• Just don't wrap a box of Nestles with duct tape as your core. *snickers at the thought of gomi ever traveling light for the next 18 years*
• I leave for Paris in one week. This may come in handy. I've been a fan of the "roll everything into a tube" method for some time. It works OK. I also used to religiously pack my bathroom kit into my carry-on - because nobody likes to have their luggage disappear and be left without deodorant and contacts solution, but what with the liquid carryon paranoia those days are over I guess. My only essentials on this trip are the poster tube (the reason I'm going - business, sadly, not fun), the camera (of course), and something decent to wear while I'm there.
• One could say that Napoleon was "packing light", too.
• Dreadnought, will jb still be in UK next month, between the 14th and 25th?
• Sadly no, she's leaving on the 10th and coming back later in the month.
• :(
• Roll your clothes. Place them in a heavy duty bin liner. Use an elastic band to fasten bin liner opening to nozzle of vacuum cleaner. Remove all excess air from bin liner. Should save 25% - 30% space. Not great for items that crease easily, however.