Travelling light? Carry-on baggage: overseas travel

[shootingstar]

I just spent 4 weeks over seas with just carry on..... I do it because I prefer to travel by train and foot, and often go to out of the way places, where a lot of baggage is a serious burden.

The wardrobe I took was relatively casual, easy to move in, but still nice enough to go out in. It was cold where we went, so I took a lot of wool and cashmere which packs well. I took thick wool tights, skirts and wore a pair of Keens that had a very good walking sole, but a fancy enough upper to look fine dressed nicer. I found a packing method online that allowed me to pack 8 sweaters (4 turtle necks and 4 cardigans) 2 base layers, 4 skirts, 4 pairs of tights, a pair of insulated tights, and all my undergear in one carry-on. My outerwear stayed on me - waterproof/windproof jacket, gloves, scarf hat.

Impressive if it's all in a carry-on. Must enough easy-care, etc. styles. I try to wear something heavier/bulkier getting onto the plane.

[lph]

It all depends. I could go on a 3 week trip on my own carrying less than I do for an overnight business stay. I used to have a mania about packing light, carry-over from my serious hiking days. I still want to pack light if I'm going to be moving around a lot lugging my own stuff. But if I'm going by taxi and bus straight to a hotel and back-to-back meetings it really makes no difference at all (and impresses no-one) if I have one piece of luggage instead of two, and with two I have the space to pack running shoes, casual clothes so I don't have to wear the hoity toity ones ALL day, soft slippers ditto, a book or two to read, all the stuff that makes a trip just that more comfortable. And a lot of my business trips the most important thing I pack is tall rubber boots...

[jessmarimba]

It includes for her to have 4 prs. of shoes during 3 wk. trip in Italy this fall.

I guess I don't see that as unusual? I don't generally walk in my running shoes because it's just unnecessary wear. They only last about 6 months as it is. So I can see packing/wearing walking shoes (Keens, usually?), and bringing running shoes, Chacos, and maybe dress flats, depending on the vacation. It's possible to pack lighter, definitely, but why restrict yourself if you have the space? A trip to Italy is a much different experience than kayaking the Everglades or something - you might as well be prepared to experience everything available.

[shootingstar]

I don't jog so running shoes are my walking shoes.

When I travel outside of the North American continent or even in big North American cities outside of the cities I've lived (because I know which neighbourhoods are 'safer'), I really do aim to dress more casually rather than look 'expensive' or too polished as a tourist.

There's no point of me hauling along dress shoes if most of the time I'm walking around alot when sightseeing (if I'm not on the bike). My customized orthotics don't fit any dress shoes or even nice casual shoes well that allow me to walk more than 1-2 hrs.

If I travel by myself solo vacationing (I have as an add-on to business trips), I also want to have the capcity to run if I need to in an emergency.

I guess my mentality is this way because I've lived in big cities where things do happen.

[OakLeaf]

I tell you what, my new Stem shoes are going to save a TON of space on my next trip. Both because they're foot-shaped and walkable yet reasonably normal-looking for casual wear, and because even if for some reason I want to get (likely) and pack (unlikely) a second pair in the other color, they're so minimal and packable they take a third of the space of regular shoes. Yay!

[soprano]

It includes for her to have 4 prs. of shoes during 3 wk. trip in Italy this fall.

I think that this is a reasonable number of shoes, especially if there is going to be any dressing up while on the trip. It's generally a good practice to rotate through shoes so that you're not wearing the same pair every day, particularly for good leather shoes. Two pair of good walking shoes, dressy shoes and athletic or beach shoes = 4 pair.

I've switched to packing light over the past few years, and the one thing I hate about it is not being able to rotate shoes. I love not schlepping the stuff around, but my feet complain when I wear the same shoes for a week straight.

[PamNY]

Today a work colleague asked me if I use 1 carry-on luggage for any long vacations out of the country (ie. Europe, etc.) He was curious since his girlfriend was planning to check in her luggage. It includes for her to have 4 prs. of shoes during 3 wk. trip in Italy this fall.

Do you know this person very well? If not, there is something slightly "off" about him telling a colleague how many pairs of shoes his girlfriend is taking to Italy.

If he "wants the opinion of another woman", you probably should explain to him that people are individuals, and what other people pack is largely irrelevant.

Is he going on the trip as well? Does he seem like a "controlling" person?

[jyyanks]

I know I don't travel light but I hate not having anything to wear and not having the right shoes so I try to plan for every scenario I can think of. I also overpack for the kids. I'm resigned to the fact that unless I'm doing a 1-2 day trip, I need more than a carry on.

[NbyNW]

I find that I can pack the same for a week or longer as I do for a long weekend. Laundry on the road is no big deal. Shoes and outfit to suit different settings is something I've been able to work out over time, so now I've got a couple of things that I automatically reach for when I am traveling and know that I might want to dress up for dinner.

The toughest thing I've had to face as far as packing goes is changing climates (e.g., -30C in Edmonton to +25C in the Dominican Republic). Going from a cold place to a warm place, I end up with clothing that I have to lug around for my entire trip but I know I'll want them at some point for the trip home. Thankfully, down is light and compresses well!

[shootingstar]

Do you know this person very well? If not, there is something slightly "off" about him telling a colleague how many pairs of shoes his girlfriend is taking to Italy.

If he "wants the opinion of another woman", you probably should explain to him that people are individuals, and what other people pack is largely irrelevant.

Is he going on the trip as well? Does he seem like a "controlling" person?

You're right, Pam. He was seeking an opinion in particular, a woman. He sits near me at work. I did say it depends on the person. But clearly he hates having checked in baggage. And he knows for me as a cyclist, I've just become more streamlined in vacation baggage packing. I have to say, cycle touring truly has changed me alot how much less I pack in general to still enjoy a trip.

Yea, NBYNW. Even between Calgary and Vancouver in winter, I have to plot my way a tad, on clothing a bit. Meaning what type of jacket/coat I will wear on the plane/getting off and getting home..ie. The 2 cities can have markedly different temperatures, but right now it's unusually warm in the prairies.

[SadieKate]

OMG, don't travel around me, but then I just can't handle look-and-don't-touch traveling/vacations. If dirt, water, wheels or fish aren't involved, I'd rather stay home.

10-day fishing trip minimum footwear list:

• studded felt-soled boots for slippery, nasty, fast rivers
• rubber-soled boots for benign rivers or when felt isn't the PC thing to wear
• wading sandals if spending the day fishing from a boat
• running/walking/hiking shoes for when the river is a long hike in
• sandals for apres-fishing
• closed toed apres-fish shoes in case it's raining more than the sandals can handle

And that doesn't EVEN include the variety of rods and reels I take with me.

And, yes, I've flown with that.

[salsabike]

Sounds like our rock-hunting trips, although for those we are better off driving to Utah or Oregon or wherever in our own truck, where the boots and shovels and tools and packs and water jugs--and the rocks--can all be thrown in the back.

Our European trips often involve a high degree of museum weeniedom (see the trip we dubbed the "London Museum Death March" of 2003, when we went to the Aztec exhibit at the Royal Academy, the Courtauld, the V&A, the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery, the Natural History Museum, the Tate, the Tate Modern, and Hampton Court (skipped British Museum because had been there before and feet dead by then anyway).

For European trips longer than, say, 10 days, we are likely to check one bag.

[Biciclista]

If I bring an extra pair of shoes, they are flipflops. I pride myself in travelling light, but i usually check a bag. that leaves me with a backpack holding my lunch, notebook, and once upon a time books to read, now i have my kindle ...
I usually carry a change or two of clothes but lots of socks and underwear. :-)

[maillotpois]

OMG, don't travel around me, but then I just can't handle look-and-don't-touch traveling/vacations. If dirt, water, wheels or fish aren't involved, I'd rather stay home.

Guilty as charged (but leave out the fish unless it's on my plate). We're leaving tomorrow on a ski trip in another country (the one up north where there actually IS snow ), and we'll be checking a lot of bags, and skis and everything. I also like active vacations, and I figure I'm strong enough to carry all that cr@p plus it makes NO difference to the airplane how many bags I take. So who cares how many bags I take?

I'm putting off packing now...

[OakLeaf]

I will say one thing: when they say to pack light when you go to Venice, they mean it. Every block connected by stone bridges means there are no carts and the wheels on your luggage don't work. What you carry, you carry for several blocks between your hotel and the nearest vaporetto stop.