by Anne Garber Tips for travelling light and minimizing stress:
Wear your heaviest or bulkiest pieces: a wool blazer, suit, sweater, boots. But also dress for comfort. I'll never forget the Princess type I saw boarding a plane bound for Hong Kong in a linen suit, with stiletto heels and -- honest! -- a wide-brimmed hat. On arrival, she not only looked as though she had slept in her clothing, but as if someone else had slept on TOP of her, too.
Don't over-pack your carry-on. If it has to be opened for inspection, you don't want everything falling out. Remember, though that you are usually allowed TWO pieces of carry-on, which could be a computer bag and an over-head-bin-size bag, or a camera or camcorder bag, plus another. Women's purses usually count as a bag, so take a small one that can be placed inside your official carry-on bag.
Take clothes that do double duty, like pants with zip-off legs for conversion to walking shorts. When we travel, we wear all-black (including towels, if we bring them), which makes visits to the laundromat a snap. And no problems coordinating outfits, as everything "matches."
Don't forget the empty spaces inside your shoes. Use them as places to stuff jewellery and socks.
Invest in some travel-sized cosmetic products, or buy small generic bottles.
Simplify your personal care products. Most of us carry around far more things than the few that we really use every day.
Bring a selection of first-aid products, but don't become a walking pharmacy. Depending on the destination, you'll probably need little more than sun block, Band-Aids, Aspirin and a diarrhea medication to combat that common travel affliction. Note: Many medications are cheaper in Malaysia and in France -- but in the latter country, asprin is more expensive! We've discovered we can buy a number of prescription medications (like my husband's acid-blockers) far cheaper in foreign countries -- and in many, no prescription is required. Carry an empty Rx container or label to be sure the pharmacist understands the exact drug you need.
Pack an empty thin nylon or canvas fabric bag inside your suitcase for souvenirs and duty-free purchases.
Get rid of old luggage tags. Leaving them on may make you look like a seasoned traveller but they can confuse baggage handlers.
Personalize your bag. A small coloured ribbon tied around the handle of a ubiquitous black suitcase distinguishes it from other similar ones. At evalu8.org, we recommend BagFinders.
If you take your computer, carry it in a plain case, not one that has the brand name prominently displayed. As travel expert Doug Dyment of the website www.onebag.com says, "That Apple label actually says 'Steal me.'"
Maintain a packing list with the items that you should include. That helps you avoid forgetting necessities but also makes it easier to keep to the minimum.
To make life easier and your check-in faster, dress defensively. Don't wear any jewellery or belt buckles that may trigger the metal detector. Even an under-wire bra may trigger it. Wear shoes that are easily removable.
Keep a container of antibacterial hand cleaner in your purse and use it often. Nothing ruins a vacation faster than illness.
A good resource for the dedicated light packer is The Packing Book: Secrets of the Carry-On Traveler, by Judith Gilford.
For packing lists and other tips, check these websites: www.onebag.com or www.travelite.org.
The Universal Packing List (upl.codeq.info is a wonderful aid, too.
Travel Savvy: Learning to pack light - To learn more about this author, visit Anne Garber's Website.
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Anne Garber
(Visit Anne's Website)
Anne Garber's media career spans 42 years
in both print and electronic media, as
author, publisher, photographer,
columnist, broadcaster and the mother of
two -- and evalu8.org's Managing Director.
She has written 14 best-selling books and
-- with editor John T.D. Keyes (who is
also her husband) -- writes food, business
and travel features worldwide; she
contributes online to travellady.com and
chocolate-atlas.com. The couple writes a
travel column for the Culver City News and
co-authored Victoria's Best Bargains,
Exploring Ethnic Vancouver and Cheap Eats
Vancouver.
Ms. Garber has worked as both publishers'
and authors' agent, and is known as the
'go-to' person in the book, magazine and
newspaper publishing industries for legal
opinion on North American trademark and
copyright issues. A practicum in San Diego
as Environmental Practice Group paralegal
was followed by a return to the Pacific
Northwest, where she is currently
considered a leading expert on internet
copyright infringement actions and online
fraud investigations. Anne Garber divides
her time between Vancouver, BC, Seattle,
WA, Toronto, ON and Paris, France.
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