Hand Luggage Only

It ain’t that hard, really…

Never want to lose your luggage? This is the one guaranteed option: Only travel with hand luggage in this post-COVID world that has record numbers of people flying and luggage being lost.

Tricks…

• get the lightest approved cabin suitcase possible, it is real easy for a small suitcase to be 4-5 kg and if your allowance is only 8-10kg you are using half of it on the carry bag!
• just because the advert says light doesn’t mean it is light…. if it is more than 1.5-2kg it is too heavy
• if you want flexibility to stuff things and don’t mind carrying, then a light backpack or duffle bag is even better, but again these can easily be 3-4 kg if you are not careful, you should be able to get one of these down to 1kg or even less.

I prefer a roller suitcase, so I am not carrying the bulk of stuff through airports. My wife likes the bag so she has just a smidgen more space and weight! And besides, she has a husband that can put it on his wheeled suitcase… (she’s a genius)

Then for your secondary ‘day backpack’ get a small super light bag, that has no padding, no supports nothing, just a good quality material that will fit all your extra stuff. When on the plane, stuff like computer, passport, charge pack, battery backup, neck pillow, water bottle, leads, snacks, liquids aerosols and gels. But when ‘there’ this is just for the stuff you need during day outings, water bottles, snacks and battery pack to rescue your phone when it dies faster as it is being used all the time for google maps… so a fancy all singing dancing padded bag is hardly necessary, and they weigh too much!

Once the bags are done, then it is time to sort your gear.

Do you really need a dozen or more changes of clothes? If it is only you seeing them, then I say no! Work out outfit combo’s before hand and cull them right down.

Find clothes that are light, easy to wash and dry and don’t crumple. Hiking stores are great for this, they might be a tad expensive, but they are super comfy and last an age. If you are going to a colder region, it is all about layers, with high quality materials, not bulky heavy jumpers and coats.

Do you really need any more than 2 pairs of shoes? One sturdy all day every day pair, plus a back up ‘good pair’, make sure the backup is a super lightweight that can be stuffed into your bag.

Toiletries can easily get out of hand, we have found shampoo and shaving soap bars are smaller and you can find combo ones as well, and this then doesn’t add to the Liquids Aerosols and Gels you normally have to set aside separately. And of course get the small bottles (refillable) to put in your ‘must haves’. But I have managed to almost get it down to toothpaste, a bar of soap and a stick deodorant! My wife is still working on that…

As I am still working as we travel the computer still has to come, otherwise the wife’s ipad would be sufficient. But I have just found recently that I can ditch the stupid large computer power adaptor, and use one of the universal power plug adaptor cubes that charges all our other ‘things’. You do have to scout out a high powered one, that will cover the power draw of your laptop. And might be a good idea to test that before taking off… but if getting a universal adaptor, make sure you have the right combo of USB to USBc outlets on it to cover off all your gizmos.

And no, with todays smart phone photographic capabilities, you don’t need to lug your SLR camera any more, nor do you need a single ‘real’ book, way too many online book libraries so you have the whole world on your phone.

When it comes to packing, First, cull again! Then get those zip up cube thingies, and roll up the ‘like’ stuff, tight, and put them in the packs. Stuff socks in the extra pair of shoes.

And if you are on a long journey and just get sick of the current batch of clothes, find a shop and buy a couple of items, ditching a couple as you go.

This is our standard practice at home, if we buy a couple of new shirts or T-shirts, the same number has to go to the thrift shop.

Then check the weight of both your bags, if you are under 10kg for the main one and 2-4 for the secondary, you should get through most major airlines without them even bothering to look at what you have and weigh it.

And last but not least ‘of course’, you wear your heavier clothes on the plane, jeans, walking shoes and jacket.

And if you do all the above, you might even have space to fit in those 4 packs of Tim Tams you want to give to new or old friends across the globe… then guess what you have that space and weight to buy a couple of small souvenirs if you really must!

#handluggage #travelhacks #travel #luggage #carryon

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