Skip to main content

Ready . . . Set . . . Pack!

Growing up, I usually traveled by car. Several times every year, my parents loaded me, my siblings, and the occasional cousin into the car. We would set off for a variety of points around the country to visit family and friends. This led to occasionally close quarters. . . and the need for careful packing. With at least five people in the car, luggage overload was a real possibility.

Today, I do a fair amount of travel by airplane. I find the luggage restrictions to be much like they were during my childhood travels. Between cramped airplanes and overloaded cars, smart packing is a definite must.

There are four simple points to remember when packing for a trip. The first is to consider your destination. Pack those items that are necessary for the time and place to which you are traveling. If you are visiting Maine in January, chances are slim that you will need beachwear. Likewise, if you visit Las Vegas at the same time of year, a heavy coat would be a wasted addition to your luggage. If you can leave it at home, please do.

Next, one should make exclusions. Is there anything that you do not absolutely need? This is a good rule for those people traveling with another person. Are there any items that can be shared? For instance, there is no reason to bring multiple hair dryers if the travelers will be staying - and using the appliance - at the same place. Also consider decreasing the quantity of clothing. If packing for a long weekend trip, is it really necessary to bring one dozen pairs of pants?

Third, one should look ahead to the end of the trip. Often, with the purchase of souvenirs and other mementos, travelers return with more items than they left. This is especially true for air travelers. Given the strict luggage rules and fees, without careful packing, one’s return trip could be costly.

Finally, to borrow the well-known scouting mantra, be prepared. In addition to packing clothing, include a few potential extra items. These include rain gear and bags to transport laundry. It is almost impossible to predict what situations might arise.

In short, be smart when packing. Consider the whole trip, not just the beginning of it. Pack what you know you will need. But, be ready for unexpected events.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Olympic Memories

Twenty years ago this week, I - along with my family - was sitting in my house watching the Opening Ceremonies of the Summer Olympics.  I have always loved watching the Olympics, but this time was different.  This time, the Games were not on some far-away continent.  These Games were in my own hometown!  In fact, just the night before, I had been in Olympic Stadium - now Turner Field - watching the dress rehearsal for what I was watching on tv.  Now, twenty years later, some of my most vivid memories remain: The seemingly always-crowded highways of Atlanta were practically desolate, providing a seldom-seen sight. Meeting the Frenchman who wondered if I had ever heard of the book about the Civil War written by an Atlanta woman named Margaret Mitchell. The dress rehearsal crowd cheering wildly during the parade of nations for the entry of the flag from (the nation of) Georgia. Attending the women's gymnastics podium trials, watching the Magnificent 7 prepa...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Experience of Travel

There is more to travel than itineraries and guidebooks. Travel should be an experience. A time to try something new. To discover a new place. To step out of one’s comfort zone. To make the most of my travel experience, I try to remember four guidelines: Eat somewhere . . . or something . . . new: Travel is a time of discovery. Discovering new places. Meeting new people. That discovery should also extend to dining. When traveling, I always try to eat a new type of food. If the options are limited, then I at least try to find a restaurant where I have never eaten. Even if it is a city I have visited many times, I still look for these new foods. Go where the locals go: Guidebooks can provide great information on any number of destinations. They can offer suggestions on sites to see, places to stay, even how to get from place to place. But, they cannot cover everything. Sometimes, the best recommendations can come from local residents. Whether it is a friend...
Post a Comment
Read more

Speaking the Language

For a moment, I had to step back. I just wanted to take in what I was hearing. In the midst of the 1996 Summer Olympics, I was at a hotel in downtown Atlanta with a good friend. We were standing aside two other ladies, whom we did not know, listening to a speech on the highlights of Athens, Greece. My friend and I listened as the speaker, himself a native of Greece, spoke of Athens’ history, its culture, and its desire to host the Games. But, it was not the speech itself that caught me off guard. It was the fact that he was speaking in Spanish.   In the summer of 1996, I volunteered with the host committee for the Olympic Games in Atlanta. One of the benefits of volunteering with the Games was admittance into places and events otherwise off limits to the general public. One such area was the bid lounges for the cities competing to host the 2004 Summer Games. For the duration of the Games, the organizing committee of each city had occupied a room at a d...
Post a Comment
Read more