After two trips out of the country, luggage lost on both, I swore to never check a bag ever again. The recent video of baggage being mishandled, validated that choice. But neither the details of a blogger’s luggage woes or a clip from a popular video are the focus here. My story is not unique and odds are other airlines are just happy it was not them caught on tape. Instead, we look to viable sources of good information for recommendations, guidance, lucky charms and voodoo spells that might make a difference.
Other than strapping belongings to bodies before boarding aircraft, travelers have few other choices…or so they think. When luggage is lost and they arrive at a destination with far less than they started out with, they cope.
Taking a ‘good defense is your best offense’ position,TravelPulse‘s Mark Murphy suggests investing in well-made luggage, not packing breakables and packing lightly to carry on rather than checking, among other tips.
Indeed, keeping everything we need to travel within overhead storage reach virtually eliminates lost, stolen or damaged luggage. But what about a long trip? Most travelers can probably pack just enough for a couple days in a carry-on but what about a week-long (or longer) cruise vacation? What to do on safari? How do we make carrying everything on work when traveling from warm weather to cold?
Travelers Today admits that packing is “one of the hardest life skills to master”, in a recent article that provides a guide “to get your mountain of luggage into a standard carry-on.”
Start by considering the destination and what you will be doing there says Travelers Today. Then, packing that one carry-on that is going to hold it all, start with heavy items on the bottom and build up. Roll wrinkle-free clothing, carefully fold starched shirts and pants, making your suitcase “more of a closet than a jungle”, among other great tips.
Save the lucky charms and voodoo spells for something else. Making carry-on luggage your only luggage simply takes some thought and planning.