Monday Travel Links: What's In Your Bag? What's Not?

I bring one pair of sandals and one pair of hikers/walking shoes. Destination determines, right? I can't do dress events in sport sandals, but I won't carry a pair of dress shoes for wearing only once when I travel, I'd rather make a fashion faux pas. Though a few shoe brands are making crushable ballet flats - they're kind of cute and dont' take much space. 

Nerd's Eye View ( http://www.nerdseyeview.com )

 As far as shoes are concerned, I'd bring one pair of standard pumps on dress sandals in a basic color and two pairs of casual (sneakers and sandals or flip flops). The problem is when you are only carrying one bag and that one bag weighs more than five bags! 

Claudine Williams

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www.theatlantatraveler.com ( http://www.theatlantatraveler.com/ )

This has reminded me:

On that same trip, I also brought all the still perfectly good clothes and sneakers my lonnnnngterm ex-boyfriend/common-law husband had given me that I couldn't bear to wear (or look at). So, I dealt with them that one final time, and hauled it all to Honduras for donation.

When one teenager in particular didn't understand why I was giving him brand spanking new Nike sneakers, he asked over and over, "Are you sure?" He didn't quite get how it was HE who was doing ME the favour. But, they were a perfect fit.

My load was a whole lot lighter after that!

My guy does that. All the falling apart t-shrits, that kind of stuff... we donated a bunch of our stuff to a shelter in Cambodia before we headed to Bangkok last year. Our stuff still had life in it, but we would have put it in the giveaway bag at home.  

Nerd's Eye View ( http://www.nerdseyeview.com )

...that's right! For any trip of 2 weeks or shorter, I pack all my oldest, least-sexy, last-gasp underpants (that were on their way to the bin-of-no-return anyway). One set per day. That way, when the day is done, I can toss them, not wash them in the sink! (I should specify that I don't generally travel in style.)

I also pack a few select, luxuriously comfortable underpants for those lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnng bus/plane rides.

My last trip was a real lesson in packing light for other items, though. United lost my luggage for nearly two weeks while I was in Central America, so I learned to survive with only the contents of my over-sized purse. When they finally located it for me, I picked it up in San Salvador - and to me, it looked as though it had spent at least a week being run over on the runway - and I promptly abandoned all my weighty "unwanteds" in a pile by the vendors outside.

I might make room for some cashmere PJs, though.

All Over the Place (Montreal) ( http://yousillygirl.blogspot.com/ )

I've been working at perfecting the art of packing light. Every now and then I might wish I had brought something along, but I can live with out. It is much better to be able to handle my own luggage.

 That is my rule - I have to be able to handle it on my own. I can't stand seeing women with multiple bags that they can't even lift on their own.

Picking one pair of casual shoes and one pair of dress and going from there is my best option. I match the outfits to the shoes. The other way around and you are looking at a suitecase full of different shoes to match one outfit. Way too much space wasted. :)

We overpacked on a trip to Munich. We had to take the train from Vienna and it was an absolutely nightmare. I'll never do that again! 

Blondie in Brazil

www.blondieinbrazil.blogspot.com ( http://www.blondieinbrazil.blogspot.com/ )   www.fakefoodfree.com ( http://www.fakefoodfree.com/ )

Not the LEAST bit offended. Not the LEAST. Hilarious, really. And you're right. Cashmere jammies does not equal flying coach where the baggage regs apply.

I still want some. :)

Nerd's Eye View ( http://www.nerdseyeview.com )

Having just read my prior comment, I realized it could be interpreted as kind of nasty. I meant the "you" to be a generic "one," just to cover my butt. I did not mean you personally, Pam:).

Gag me with a silver spoon. If you can afford cashmere pjs, then the added luggage costs are not affecting you one iota.