Travel light. That`s what everybody says.
Problem is, even among experienced travelers, ”light” means different things to different people. For those planning the first big journey of their lives, the term is next to meaningless.
A travel writer I know goes all over the world, abroad sometimes for weeks at a time and carries only a shoulder bag. Another usually carries a couple of pieces of luggage.
For extended trips, I usually have a full-size suitcase, a carry-on bag and a camera bag. I`m gradually cutting down, though; I`ll probably forgo the camera bag on future trips abroad.
But people whose travel has been largely between home and the lake or beach understandably get discombobulated when faced with packing, and buying, for that trip of a lifetime.
So on takeoff day they`re at the airport, each with three or four pieces of expensive matched luggage (often presented with love and good intentions by family or friends).
Will the weather be warm or cold? Rain or shine? Will they hike in the Black Forest, see plays in London and then tramp Dartmoor, dine in the finest restaurants Paris has to offer? They`ve packed those high-priced bags with at least one outfit and all the accessories for each possibility.
But in four or five days at most, the thought of one more move with that load of luggage will make Sisyphus` job look like a real vacation. He only has to push one stone endlessly up the mountain.
Following is some solid advice gleaned from travel agents and other experienced travelers who were remarkably close to unanimous in their opinions on almost every point.
It comes with one reservation: Almost all the experts admitted they get much less careful about packing for short trips and when traveling by car. Want to take a Frisbee, a radio-tape player, a kite or a pair of boots you probably won`t wear? If it fits in the trunk, toss it in; the travel agents do.
But for those big trips, here are the tips:
Luggage
You really don`t need the most expensive bags around. Ever stand at a baggage carousel in the airport and watch a 60-pound, square-cornered steel sample case tumble down on someone else`s bag?
Expensive or cheap, ”It gets beat up anyway,” says Karol Baumeister, owner of American Group Tours.
A few frequent travelers buy the cheapest luggage they can find and treat it as expendable.
Only one of the frequent travelers interviewed had indulged in the really expensive stuff, and that was just once. Steven Frank, vice president of AAA Travel in Minneapolis, recently retired one very expensive, semisoft-sided suitcase after 20 years of use and mourned its passing. Though that bag was a treasure, he agreed that moderately priced luggage is adequate for almost anybody`s needs.
Soft-side or hard-shell is a matter of personal preference, the smart travelers said. Some lean one way, some the other.
Hard-shells do offer more protection for breakables and probably protect their contents better in a heavy rain, but soft-sided bags have more give if you`re cramming them, and soft-side users said they have little trouble with breakage if they pack fragile items carefully between layers of clothing.
There are luggage sales all over the place this summer. Serviceable soft- sided, 26-inch pullman bags are available for about $70, though $80 is more common, and $140 will get you something in a classy brocade or tweed. You`ll usually pay $10 to $20 more for 28-inch or 29-inch bags (still more in expensive lines), $20 or so less for the matching carry-on bag.
Name brand hard shell bags can be had for about $150 (possibly less) for a 26-inch pullman, $180 to $190 for the 29-inch size.
Most suitcases come equipped with wheels these days. Before you buy, it`s a good idea to put some weight on the bags to simulate a normal load, and see if the wheels will still function well.
Duffel bags got a unanimous thumbs down from the experts because they guarantee wrinkled clothing and offer little protection for fragile items.
But duffels and backpacks are perfect for kids who never go anywhere that requires dressing up and who spend much of their time on their feet and aboard trains.
Clothing
Forget that ”natural fiber” is in and go with the most wrinkle resistant fabrics you can find. And dress for comfort on long distance flights.
Kathy Towers, a manager of the Carlson Travel Network, recommends sweat suits. ”Nobody dresses up for long flights anymore,” she said.
Keep the amount of clothing down by sticking to one family of colors
(blue and things that go with blue, or brown and colors that go with brown)
and mixing and matching. So if you take two or three shirts or sweaters, they should go with the same pants, and like that. In other words, don`t plan around blue and then take brown dress shoes.
Plan so that clothing can be layered for changes in weather-a cardigan over a pullover over a shirt or blouse, for example.
And don`t worry about wearing the same thing day after day. You`re on the move, anyway, and you`ll seldom see the same people more than once or twice. The hotel staff doesn`t care, and if you`re on a tour, the smart ones among your companions will dress the same way.
Many hotels have laundry service, and there are coin laundries almost everywhere these days. They can even be fun. My wife and I got acquainted with the only cockney we ever met in a coin laundry in London.
One sport coat is sufficient for men on any vacation trip. Jeans aren`t as widely accepted in most other countries as they are here, and some Europeans think they`re sloppy, so save them mostly for country walks and the like. Casual pants that take a beating but also work with a sport coat are better than jeans for men.
European women don`t wear slacks as often as Americans do, so substitute something like a denim skirt for an extra pair of pants. Shorts are not common street wear in most parts of the world for either sex, so go light on those.
Coats and rainwear
Most experienced travelers recommend a rain-and-shine coat with zip out lining for European travel. Use it instead of a jacket; it works in casual or dressy situations.
A few favor a jacket and a cheap plastic poncho that folds into a plastic envelope; these can be bought for less than $5, weigh next to nothing and take almost no space in a suitcase.
Every expert interviewed recommended a telescoping umbrella, and some also favored the kind of shoe rubbers that fold into a small pouch. ”It`s important to keep your feet dry,” Frank said.
Shoes
Two pairs are sufficient for almost any trip, for men or women, the experts agree: one pair of lightweight walking shoes and one pair of dress shoes (to match the color you`ve chosen for your clothes).
The walking shoes don`t have to be terribly expensive, simply comfortable. Some experts favor jogging-type shoes, some like low-rise basketball shoes. Shoes that fit the purpose can be had for as little as $30, maybe less if you find the right sale.
However, noted Cynthia Jorgenson, group travel specialist with Kristensen International Travel and Tours, it`s a bad idea to start out with brand new shoes; you want to have worn them enough to be sure they`re comfortable.
The experts universally rejected the sturdy leather boots favored by climbers and backpackers; they`re too heavy.
Camera
Of course you want good pictures of your trip. That doesn`t mean you have to spend upward of $1,000 on professional camera gear. Travel agents said many people have done just that-and then come home with very poor pictures because they didn`t know how to handle the fancy equipment.
But most travelers will do best with a decent point-and-shoot camera. And the idiot proof cameras made in the past few years are remarkable. A good autofocus, autoexposure camera can be had, at least during sales, for $65 to $100. You can get them with zoom lenses for $150 to $400 or more, depending on quality and gadgetry.
Video cameras are another matter. Even the lightest is bulky and heavy. If you`re thinking of buying one just for a big trip, experienced travelers advise against it.
Another problem is that tour guides and fellow tourists tend to hate video cameras and, by extension, the people who wield them.
Small appliances, gadgets
Most women and many men carry small hair dryers when traveling. Some women also tote curling irons. That`s fine, although those who stay in
”better” hotels may not need the dryers, which often are provided.
If you do take such appliances or other gadgets such as a travel iron or steamer, you need adapter plugs and maybe an electrical converter because the systems abroad are different from ours.
You can buy adapter plugs for about $3 to $5.50 each, for specific destinations, at many travel stores. Expect to pay about $40 for a complete outfit of converter plus four adapter plugs. Travel agents and travel store personnel can advise you on what you need.
Almost all experienced travelers carry calculators for figuring out what they`re paying, in dollars, for purchases made in pounds, francs, lira or whatever. You can get a perfectly adequate calculator for about $5, though you may want to pay $10 to $12 for, presumably, greater reliability.
Some of us really like currency conversion calculators, which are easy to program. Once you`ve programmed one, it takes only a few key taps to figure what 13 pounds, 45 pence adds up to in dollars and cents, and you don`t have to remember the exchange rate. The conversion calculators are available for about $15 to $19.
Travel alarm clocks are must-take items for most travelers. You can`t always depend on wake-up calls from the hotel staff, and such calls aren`t part of the service at many small inns, bed-and-breakfast homes and the like. You can get an adequate clock for $5 to $15 at almost any drugstore.
Opinions are mixed on travel irons and/or steamers, though they`re useful for sprucing up oft-worn slacks and sport coats or that single good dress. The irons are easy to find in travel and department stores and usually can be bought for less than $30. Steamers are lighter and cost about the same, but are harder to find.
Puritanical light packers disdain them, but I`ve carried one or the other since the time I discovered-just as I was about to dress for a rather formal night out-that I hadn`t packed a dress shirt. I ran to a nearby store and bought one, but when unpinned and unfolded, it was a wrinkled mess. –
