Travel Packing Tips

By Steve Gillman

The following are travel packing tips based on experience. I
have gone to other countries for a month or more with nothing
but a carry-on bag that weighed ten pounds. In fact, my number
one travel tip is to go light whenever you can. The simplify of
traveling light makes almost any trip more enjoyable.

Unfortunately, going with only carry-on luggage is getting more
difficult due to the newest rules about what you can actually
carry on a plane. If you do want to keep it to just one bag that
goes with you on the plane, check the latest regulations and
leave behind anything that isn't allowed. It doesn't add that
much expense to a trip to just buy these things at your
destination.

In fact, buying things as you go is a great way to simplify
packing. Why bring twenty things just in case you need them, and
then have to lug them around for the sake of the six you
actually use? If it is a vacation in particular, why not plan
just a little extra expense, and buy necessities as you travel?
Many have found that this is more practical and relaxing than
over-planning a trip and over-weighting the luggage.

Some Other Travel Packing Tips

- Jewelry and other valuables are usually not covered by the
luggage insurance the airline provides. Pack these items in your
carry-on bag.

- Silk shirts can be rolled carefully so they will wrinkle less
in soft-sided luggage.

- To conserve space, buy low-bulk items for travel. A down
coat, for example, will compress to a fourth of the size of
other coats, and keep you just as warm.

- Lightweight travel pants, made of soft nylon derivatives are
very light, tough, and pack small. They are often found where
they sell outdoor gear, but some styles are dressy enough for
use almost anywhere.

- To bring more in less space, set aside your thinnest socks,
lightest clothes and smallest items for travel. A small
hairbrush may work just as well as a large one, for example. You
might get to bring many more potentially useful items, and still
have a smaller bag in this way.

- If you buy a bulky gift for a family member or friend back
home, you may want to send it to them instead of carrying it
around for weeks while traveling.

- Don't overstuff your luggage. Remember that it may be opened
and inspected, and the security officials may not know how to
fit it all back in.

- Don't pack important documents, like passports and
identification, in your luggage. Carry these on your person,
preferably in a security pouch or interior pocket.

- Be careful when packing shampoo, perfume, skin cream and
other liquids. Plane cargo areas are often not pressurized
fully, so the tops can pop off of bottles and other containers.
For added safety, pack such items in a sealed ziplock bag.

- Carry a list of what is in your luggage, in case you need to
file a claim for lost bags.

In addition to using the travel packing tips above, have a good
packing routine. For example, start by considering every
circumstance you may be in during your trip, and making a list
of items you'll need. Then, after packing, consider each item,
and remove anything that really isn't likely to be used -
especially if it can be easily obtained at your destination.

About the Author: Copyright Steve Gillman. For travel stories,
tips and a free Travel Secrets e-book, visit:
http://www.EverythingAboutTravel.com

Source: http://www.isnare.com

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