I can get away with one pair of shoes for a week unless I want to run. Then the running shoes/outfit must go. Running shoes take up a ton of space, but I loathe wearing them except to run. I do stuff the running clothes or other socks in them to help.
I overpack the meds because if I need something, I want it NOW. I don’t want to find a cvs. I do combine boxes and only take a few pills of each though.
I am too lazy for an umbrella or a raincoat. I just get wet if it’s that bad, I generally won’t be outside for that long.
I also overpack chargers and battery chargers. I pack one for me and H and the kids if they come. Someone always forgets theirs or want to use my battery. And I don’t share
@Hoggirl My son got married on Saturday. A planned outdoor welcome party on Friday and then the outdoor wedding on Saturday. Threats of rain and thunderstorms both days that never materialized . Hope the same for your wedding this weekend. I didn’t have any rain gear with me and luckily I didn’t need any. I can’t remember the last time I used an umbrella. Have fun!
No immediate laundry for us. Typically we get home from our trips very late at night (or last time 8am after redeye flight from HI)…. sleep is a bigger priority than laundry, and the laundry closet is next to our bedroom.
I stress a bit on packing, especially if a variety of activities. The hardest was the time we flew back east with young kids and the trip included wedding as well as family reunion camp out.
If I can, I do laundry at the rental condo (if we are staying at a place with a good front loader W/D). That way, if the TSA does not paw through our undies, no laundry upon arrival!
We often rent places that have washer/dryer so we do laundry a day or two before we return home. And if not (and to the extent their is laundry to do when we get home) bags to straight from the garage to the laundry room and its done very soon after getting back home.
Apparently packing causes my daughter anxiety cause she is packing for a trip we are going on later this weekend and she has texted me like 20 times this afternoon!
Is it possible (at least for some people to some extent) that “stress” of packing is anticipation of travel? Starting to pack or getting bags out gets you thinking about the trip (which in many/most cases is a good thing because you are looking forward to the trip).
I’m at the airport now, successfully packed - here’s the part that stresses me out - making sure my carry on gets to come with me right by my seat AND making sure there is space in the above storage compartment AND hoping I can lift it up!!
I’ve given up trying to get my carry-on roller bag into the overhead compartment by myself. If tall hubby is not with my, I have to make sad cow-eyes and ask for help from some strong young traveler. (My tall son says he often does this kind of favor.) If gate check is announced as an option, hubby and I often volunteer. We have to then do pickup at baggage claim, but it does ensure the bag gets packed on our flight.
I must look helpless when I travel or something, people often offer to help my husband and I, when we’re in a train in the London, one young American, and on another train to Scotland, one tall Swedish guy.
I fly from a regional airport on not very big planes. Sometimes you have to gate check and always they offer gate check. The only time I needed to go to baggage claim was the time they offered to gate check it to my destination. Of course it was a brand new bag and it was slit in the back. Didn’t notice until I got home. Bag went in the garbage. Usually my bag is there for me right outside the airplane.
I wonder what others experienced when they gate check?
My D travels via air a fair amount, much of it on smaller planes, and she always asks to gate check. I don’t think they have ever refused, the airlines are happy to have fewer bags to deal with onboard. Rarely does it go to baggage claim but sometimes it does. She still prefers that over trying to deal with the bag inside the cabin. She has only experienced usual wear and tear on her bag, no other mishaps.
We used to have gate checked items available as we exit the plane, along with the baby carriages in the jetway. But past few years we’ve had to go to baggage claim. I suspect that it depends on size of plane (ours are usually large planes, long flights) and other factors.
if it’s that bad, I generally won’t be outside for that long.
