Would you class yourself as a tidy traveller? Be honest. No, really. Are you the sort who turns up at boarding lounges with a single, streamlined piece of hand-luggage, no extraneous garments on arms or shoulders, no publications falling out of pockets and bags, and no sweat on your brow? You are? Well, you can stop reading. This is no place for you.
Photo by SqueakyMarmot
Still here? I’ll rephrase my question. Are you the type who causes bedlam in the aisles of planes; who staggers through airports with unmanageable luggage and excruciatingly sore arms? Do you bring airport check-ins to a halt while you switch things from bag to bag? Do you find yourself running far further than is good for you, in order to reach a boarding gate before it closes? In that case, we’re two of a kind. But I’m confident these things won’t happen to me again. The untidy traveller in me has been deconstructed, thanks to a little on-line snooping in two parts.
Part I was a Gadling story on packing, plus a handy link: well worth a look. Part II was a packing and planning guide from Expedia – really excellent. If you're about to travel, or planning to do so soon, have a look at them. Even if you're a seasoned and fairly efficient sort of traveller, you'll probably find a handy hint or two.
Good packing coupled with good planning really does equate to an easier journey. I can say that with confidence because I did try it (once). That’s the time I went on holiday with a frighteningly well-organised friend. She made me reduce the contents of my suitcase by half before we left home. But anyway, the reconstructed me is going to travel tidily from now on. You’ll know me if you see me at the airport. I’ll be the one with all the time in the world, one small, slim handbag, and a smug expression on my face. Come and say hallo…
Photo by millicent bystander
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