Added: 01/23/2006 |
Pack an Extra Shopping Bag When You go on Vacation and Save Yourself Some FrustrationGoing on vacation is one of the most pleasant things in life of many individuals. But it's no secret that the return trip home can be a royal pain in the butt. Why? Invariably, you have more items to take back than you did when left in the first place. So do yourself a favor. Pack an extra shopping bag or two and all the silly problems inherent to leaving will go away. Or better yet, give some forethought to the shopping bag you purchase before you depart on that world tour of yours.
The type of bag that is best suited for your needs depends on your travel patterns and destinations. Great amount of packaging store chains propose immense choice of products.
1. Traveling when size and weight are critical. The winner in this category is the Eagle Creek Pilot EXP. It's the lightest bag - only 6.25 lbs. In spite of such weight its overall capacity may seem phenomenal.
The Samsonite Sahora Spinners is a close second in weight, and is less expensive, but it is also a bit smaller in overall capacity. Mention must be given to the unique Briggs & Riley Transcend Transformable bag. This bag can be transformed into two bags by means of unzipping. Although it can be uniquely split into two bags, it remains much heavier and larger than either the Eagle Creek Pilot EXP or the Samsonite Sahora Spinners.
2. Traveling when size and weight don't matter. In this case, your best bag is the Briggs & Riley 21" Expandable Upright. Its feature is almost 3" expansion gusset. If you open up it, you'll have an enormous bag capable of holding a massive amount of stuff that you probably didn't need anyway. The second position is given to the Travelpro Crew 5 Rollaboard. It also has an expansion gusset and is also heavy. The moderate price and more internal compartments make the Travelpro more preferable then the Briggs & Riley. The lifetime warranty of the Briggs & Riley gives it general superiority and makes it the overall winner.
3.Traveling for business in special situations. The single, most desirable product in this category is Porter Case PC II. You can load the Porter Case with a display stand unit, boxes of brochures, and anything else, and conveniently make your way both through the airport and through the convention hall without needing any extra assistance.
4. Traveling on a budget: The choice of the bag will depend on the amount of trips. If you travel once a year, then perhaps purchase a shopping bag by American Tourister - the $40 Wal-Mart bag - will be fine. Its lifetime is five, possibly ten years. But if you're traveling much more than once a year, the Costco piece is right for you. It is perhaps the best of the lowest priced bags, but it is considerably heavier and also more expensive.
The shopping bag is not the only problem. To have the happiest conveyance is also a kind of skill. Call it luggage; call it baggage, but every traveler has bags to lug around. If you don't want to look like a loaded pack-mule here are some tips.
• The more luggage you bring, the easier it is to lose track of one or more of them. On the other hand, a couple of huge bags will be impossible to lift. Try to find a happy medium. Better yet, here's a novel idea: pack light.
• Carryon-on luggage - nice thing that can be a burden. Even though your carry-on may fit the scanner at the security checkpoint, it still may not fit in the overhead or under seat storage areas. Check with your airline before you fly for specific maximum dimensions.
• When purchasing a shopping bag, try to find an item that can be easily found at the baggage claim. Distinctive luggage tags, stripes of colored adhesive tape, and/or colored baggage straps all help make your bags unmistakable.
• Keep in mind that every bag should have a luggage tag. The airline will supply a paper tag if you need it. Include some form of identification inside the bag, too, in case you lose the outer tag. And for Pete's sake, don't label your bag with stupid messages like "Attention! Valuables Inside!"
• Airlines usually return lost baggage within 24 hours, but what to do if your cruise ship departs a few hours after you land? Divide your belongings between several bags in equal proportions, so if one bag is lost, you still have at least a few items to wear when your ship sails. And NEVER pack valuable items in your suitcase. Leave them at home or carry them on your person.
• Draw up a packing-list for the contents of all your bags to know exactly what you have packed in case of a baggage loss.
So, have a nice trip!
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