Have you ever heard George Carlin’s comedy routine about your “stuff”? It’s a timeless rant on how we all accumulate “stuff” and spend our lives protecting, sorting and keeping our “stuff” safe. George exclaims to the audience that, “The whole meaning of life is to find a place to put your stuff.” A few minutes of the routine can be seen on You Tube by searching for “George Carlin stuff”.
On our last trip, a twelve day Panama Canal cruise vacation, I experienced first hand how it felt to do without my “stuff”. Our luggage never arrived in Acapulco for the start of the cruise. Lou’s caught up with us in Panama on Day Six. Mine didn’t arrive until after we were back home in Sacramento.
For years I have packed one change of clothing (usually a top, pair of pants and underwear) in my carry on. It’s developed into a sort of superstition that as long as I did that, the airlines wouldn’t lose my luggage. Guess that theory was shot to hell!
I realized how woefully inadequate that habit was to deal with the reality of having no “stuff”. Having learned from experience I have put together some advice for anyone taking a vacation by air in this day and age – especially if you are leaving the United States or traveling for longer than a week.
Being female this information is mainly targeted to women but men can adjust it according to their comfort level. I asked Lou if he had any advice for men or if there was anything more he would take and he said, “No”, then added, “Maybe a razor and travel-size can of shaving cream.” He had worn convertible hiking pants (that can be worn as shorts or long pants) on the plane and seemed content to wash and wear those every day for the first six days.
Before you even pack, set out the suitcases you will be checking and take a digital photo of them. Print the photo out on a regular sheet of paper and tuck it into your carry on luggage or document holder. Also, measure the bag and note the brand on your photo. In the event your bag is lost you can simply give the photo to the agent taking your information and they can attach it to the report. The old adage that a picture is worth a thousand words definitely applies to luggage.
Now on to packing your carry on – first of all, take a larger bag onto the plane and pack it with a lot more stuff. The tendency nowadays is to take much less on the plane since terrorism has increased the security and we have the TSA 3-1-1 rule (3 ounces of any one item in one quart size clear plastic bag). I can’t tell you how many times we cursed Osama Bin Laden on this trip!
If you are going somewhere tropical pack a swimsuit, sandals, two pairs of shorts, a nicer pair of crop pants for dinners, two tops or blouses, several changes of underwear and extra socks in your carry on bag. If you have room, throw in a bathing suit cover up, a waist pack, a soft hat or visor and if you have long hair take a scrunchi or two.
Take a few minutes to make sure these things have coordinating color schemes and can be mixed and matched. Summer clothing doesn’t take up a lot of room and it will save the day if your checked luggage doesn’t arrive. It will also save you time and money since you won’t be bargaining with locals for all of the above items.
Fortunately, I had all of my jewelry and my makeup in my carry on since I use Bare Minerals powder rather than liquids. Think about what you can’t do without and find a way to keep it with you. It is fairly easy in most places to purchase basics like shampoo, lotion, deodorant, toothpaste, sunscreen, etc. Plus souvenir shirts are easy to find and buy anywhere. Wear your most comfortable walking shoes on the plane so they will be with you when you arrive.
Since we were going on a cruise with two formal nights, Lou had packed his brand new tuxedo in his checked bag and I had two formal gowns plus shoes and wraps in mine. You can’t pack those items in a carry on so there isn’t much you can do about that. But Princess Cruise Lines loaned us both formal wear (although I use that term loosely regarding my outfit) which got us by. I’d guess many cruise lines do the same thing.
The one thing I wished I had was my pair of black nicer shoes with 1-2 inch heels. They could double as shoes for casual dinners as well as the formal nights in a pinch. The sandals I had were pool type sandals and the loaner shoes were too big, not to mention pretty cloddy looking.
Go to your local WalMart and find the trial size products. Usually they have a small bottle of liquid detergent for your clear quart bag. A little of this goes a long way and if you are stuck with only 3-4 changes for a twelve day vacation, you can wash clothes in the sink every few days.
If you are going to a colder climate, my suggestion is to wear as many layers as you can on the plane. Also, pack a couple of turtlenecks, another pair of long pants (maybe even a pair of long underwear), extra socks and the 3-4 changes of underwear in your carry on. Add a warm pair of gloves and maybe a fleece headband to keep your ears warm.
All of this may seem like a royal pain in the butt, but I can guarantee you that it will be well worth the effort if your suitcase full of stuff doesn’t show up. Another idea is to pack half of your things in your traveling companion’s suitcase and put half of theirs in yours. That way if only one shows up you’ll each have some stuff. This may not always be practical but is worth considering.
Finally, if the worst happens and your luggage has taken it’s own vacation separate from yours, choose to make the best of it. I am a firm believer that there are people who will have a wonderful time regardless of what happens and there are some who will have a horrible time even under near perfect conditions. You have the choice to make it whichever way you want.
Look on the bright side and find the benefits. When everyone else was stressing over packing and fitting everything back in their suitcases, I threw my things in a plastic shopping bag and was done in two minutes. Also, there were no mounds of laundry upon our return.
Amazingly, this was one of my most relaxing and pleasant trips. I think the lack of things and lack of choices made it easier to simply enjoy. In all honesty, I don’t think I would trade this experience for all the “stuff” in the world. It taught me a good lesson of how little we really need to survive nicely. And the pina coladas didn’t hurt either!
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