The well-appointed traveler.
Stephanie ready to roll.
My daughter on her way
to Italy for a month.
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Chapter 7
(without photos) of
HOW TO EUROPE
The Complete Travelers Handbook
Internet edition.
A page from
Enjoy-Europe.com
by
John Bermont
Be a happy traveler. Fly to Europe with nothing but carry on luggage.
LUGGAGE VERSUS THE AIRLINES
The first stop for you and your luggage is going to be the airline check-in
counter. Here you will see the initial rewards of packing light. Traveling
with only carry-on luggage eliminates the hassle
of standing in line at baggage check-in or finding and tipping a skycap.
Your disposition at the other end of your flight is the real payoff
for those who do not check luggage. If you do not check any luggage, you don't
have to wait a half hour for
the carrousel to deliver your bag on arrival. Your luggage does not get mutilated
by man and machine. I doesn't get lost (funny how bags often take
free rides all over the world, or no ride at all). You don't want to
wait a day or two on arrival in Europe for your luggage to be found and delivered,
perhaps interrupting plans and forcing you to change onward reservations.
These things have all happened to gazillions of travelers
and have cumulatively caused untold centuries of grief. Even though it
might sound like it, don't think that airline people are bad — they're
just human.
Other pack light advantages for those who do not check luggage are to be
pronto in line at customs and first
out of the terminal. Then you're at the head of the line for train tickets, taxis,
buses, car rental, hotel
space, ATMs, and other amenities. When 300 passengers get off
a jumbo jet there are long lines everywhere.
Carry-On Luggage
When following the rule of pack light, all that a traveler has is one
carry-on bag. The maximum dimensions are 21" x 16" x 8", or maybe 23" x
13" x 9". Check with your airline for their exact dimensions. The general
rule is that the total linear dimensions may not exceed 45". The fundamental
requirement is that your luggage must fit in the
overhead bin. You can also stow it under the seat in front of you but then
you have no room for your feet.
In actuality, carry-on had often been whatever you could talk and walk your
way on board with, especially for the return trip. Those were the old ways.
Airlines have
started enforcing the rules. Bins at the check-in counters and/or cutouts on the security
belt machines have been installed to verify the size of suitcases going on board
with you. If your bag doesn't fit in the bin or through the cutout
you must check it. If you happen to get an oversized bag on board, you could find
that the overhead bin has a 9" opening, whereupon you do have a problem. And
if you try to sneak past the check-in counter with an extra bag you will probably
be stopped at the gate and requested to check one of them.
Airlines have various limits
on the maximum weight allowed for carry-on luggage. This is not much of a concern
when flying across the Atlantic but if you have a connection within Europe it
could be a wallet thinning experience because the limits are lower and it is very
likely that your carry-on will be weighed. Excess weight will cost you, excessively.
Ask your travel agent or airline for cabin luggage restrictions within Europe.
Starting in August 2006 the Transportation Safety Administration now prohibits virtually
all liquids and gels in carry-on luggage. The major exceptions are baby milk,
if you are traveling with a baby, and prescription medicines that you need
during the flight. There are other provisions. See
chapter 6,
"Your Packing List for Europe: A Short List of Travel Accessories" for a
complete rundown on the latest regulations.
Checked Luggage
If you must carry more with you than you can fit in a carry-on or you are traveling
with items that are not allowed in the cabin, you
can check your bags. Most people seem to check as much luggage as is allowed. I think
that if the limits were ten times as much, many people would take the limit. Please see
chapter 24, "Shipping Your Treasures Home," for more complete information
on airline luggage allowances. You can also ask your travel agent or surf the website
of your airline. Discount airlines within Europe have particularly tight restrictions on luggage.
RECOMMENDED LUGGAGE
Specifications
My recommendation for a traveler's bag is:
Carry-on size: The maximum linear dimensions must be less than
45" (114 cm) and one dimension must be no more than 9" (23 cm).
Soft case with zippered openings: You can stuff this into odd
shaped tight places. It won't break your kneecap when walking, and it is
lighter than a hard case.
At least three separate compartments: Each compartment must be
accessible from the outside. Pack separately:
- clothes
- toiletries and hardware
- maps and guidebooks.
Organize well and you'll be able to get at anything
in seconds. Since August 10, 2006 your toiletries, shampoo, toothpaste, etc., can no longer
be carried in cabin luggage. Buy this stuff when you arrive in Europe as discussed in
chapter 6,
"A Packing List for Europe."
Handle and shoulder strap: Shoulder strap is the key word, unless you have
wheeled luggage. Carry
more with less fatigue and have two hands free at all times.
Wheels: This is something I wouldn't have considered 20 years
ago, but I have become a convert. If you are marginal on the
pack light field test (see
chapter 5, "What to Wear in Europe.")
a wheeled suitcase can be a big aid to your comfort. Wheels and handle take up space so select a good one.
Backpackers who normally carry entirely too much stuff would do well to consider rolling luggage,
unless you like to punish your back.
Heavy duty hardware: Selecting durable lightweight luggage is
a challenge. There are few suitcases with strong enough handles and strap
attachments. Even the most expensive leather cases often have handle attachments
that are hardly more than tinfoil. Some handles are sewn onto areas that are not
adequately reinforced and seem to be designed to fall off under moderate
use in a short time. Inspect carefully before buying anything. A nylon
strap handle encircling the bag is one of the best designs. You'll find
these in sports shops, usually emblazoned with the name of a certain Greek
goddess.
A Good Choice:
For a long time I traveled with an old shoulder bag which fit the specifications above. It's pretty beat up
after the years and sort of looks like it went through the last war. I haven't
seen anything just like it in decades. The outside dimensions are 13" high by 18"
wide by 9" thick and it has a capacity of 2,100 cubic inches, equivalent to 34 liters.
I've retired it now but this was all I carried over the years, for many months of
travel and thousands of miles on the trains throughout Europe.
I'm presently using a soft side nylon rolling bag with dimensions of 14" by 20" by 9".
The wheels add more than 2" so it is over 22" high and the pull mechanism adds an inch so
it is 10" thick. I don't fill it to the brim so it can fit in as carry-on luggage. After
looking over the luggage in department stores and luggage
shops, pay a visit to a well-stocked office supply store, for example, Staples, Office
Max, or Office Depot. This is where I bought my roller bag. Examine the array of bags
designed for frequent business
travelers. They are made of tough nylon, have a
shoulder strap and/or wheels, and have more pockets than a hunter's jacket. Some,
like the one I use, have an expansion zipper so one compartment can be enlarged by a couple of
inches, after you get to Europe. These bags are great and cost a fraction of similar bags
sporting famous brand names. If you want to shop from your computer and save gas money have a look at the
products offered by my advertisers in the left column. Thanks for your support.
A Tote
Besides your regular luggage, travelers should have a day bag, usually called a tote. This can be used in
Europe to carry things like your guide book, city map, extra film, a snack, beverage, roll of
toilet paper, and other daily
odds and ends that won't fit in your pockets. On arrival in most cities you can stash
most of your things in a train station locker or luggage check room. Use your
day bag while you are out looking for your hotel for the night or
while making an afternoon stopover in a city along the way.
Your day bag can be a light weight nylon or canvas bag with a shoulder strap. It should
fold up to no bigger than a pocket book. You can buy one in any of the thousands of
shops located in tourist areas in Europe. My roller luggage was part of a set of three,
the smaller bag making a perfect day bag. I gave away the larger bag.
ALTERNATE LUGGAGE
Other forms of luggage commonly used by travelers are the full size
suitcase and the backpack.
Full Size Suitcase
A large plastic hard-side suitcase is a definite mistake. It must be checked for air travel.
It does not fit in overhead luggage racks on trains. It will not fit in
many of the train station lock boxes. You might even have trouble getting
it in the trunk of your rental car or taxi. It will be difficult to get
on the elevator or up the stairs at many hotels. It will weigh a ton after
two blocks. You will be the beast of burden. Poor burro, you.
If you absolutely must bring too much stuff, a large suitcase with rollers
or one of the fold-up luggage carts would help, but would still leave severe
disadvantages. It would be better to carry two smaller cases. But think
about it — are you going to Europe to enjoy some time off or do you want
to hurt yourself struggling with and sweating over a stupid plastic box full
of stuff all over the place?
Backpack
Backpacks are very popular with young travelers, and are even used
by a few grandmothers. A great load can be carried with relative ease,
at least without pulling your arms out of their sockets.
A few problems
should be mentioned. To get at things like maps and guidebooks, you have
to sling it off your back. Many people overload themselves to the point
that they need someone to help them get the pack mounted on their back.
Also, some rigid frame packs are so large that they do not fit in the train
station lock boxes. When mounted, the big backpacks make it nearly impossible
for you to get on an elevator or up the steps of a train.
A backpack can also be a temptation for street thieves. A beautiful
petite leather backpack that Elizabeth bought at the bazaar in Istanbul
quickly attracted some gypsies. They staged a cute rouse and nearly had
their mitts inside it as we were walking on the street in broad daylight.
More about these gypsy thieves can be found in chapter 8.
Airline baggage men can shake the tar out of a loosely packed backpack.
I've seen them coming down the ramp at baggage claim, followed by
pots and pans, toothbrush, guidebooks, shoes, etc. You can and should request
a box or plastic bag from the airline in which to place your backpack before
the airline starts to mangle it. Then make sure to pick up the right one
at baggage claim since there may be other backpacks traveling in similar
bags.
The word "backpacking" has come to connote a style of travel.
The style is "go cheap." Backpacking also implies that you aren't
carrying much and/or that you are young and strong enough to carry
all your possessions on your back.
That is not necessary. Since hostels everywhere include sheets
and towels with the price of the bunk there is no need to haul
linens around with you. You don't need a sink stopper either.
I don't know where that hair-brained idea came from. Hostels
also provide a wake-up breakfast and/or use of the house
kitchen and utensils so you don't need your pots and pans either.
So, what I'm getting at is that whatever fits in a 20" shoulder
or wheeled bag is all you need to travel in Europe.
Leave the gross oversized backpacks to the chumps.
PACKING
Gravity Rules
Heavy stuff likes to settle to the bottom. Put it there in the first place
so it doesn't mess things up as it goes down. The bottom of your luggage as you carry it
is not necessarily the bottom as you pack it. Put the heavy stuff on the side
opposite the handle.
Roll 'em or Fold 'em
I've packed both ways and have concluded that folding works best. Fold
your outer garments, shirts and slacks especially. It's OK to roll your underwear,
though I don't find any advantage in doing that with soft sided luggage. If you made
the mistake of buying a hard case piece of luggage, rolling your underwear would
allow you to stuff those items in the corners.
Vacuum Pack
I learned one of the best travel tips from a friend in Holland decades ago. Use
the 2 gallon Ziploc bags to pack your clothing. Each Ziploc bag holds a
couple of shirts or slacks. After neatly folding your clothes put them in the Ziploc
and zip it up except for the last
inch. Lay it on your bed, sit on it, and zip it up. The result is like vacuum packed
cheese. This keeps your clothes reasonably well pressed, and clean and dry no matter what.
Use smaller Ziploc bags for other items also, especially liquids. I pack a couple of sandwiches
whenever I go to the airport for a flight. Security takes their time and my homemade sandwiches
sure beat the airport stuff, in price and quality.
I always write my name and telephone number on the Ziploc bags. This will help you
recover your stuff if a baggage handler rips the bag open. This has happened.
Trial Packing
Do a trial packing a few days before you depart. If you do
the pack light field test you will have done this. See
chapter 5, "What to Wear in Europe."
If you don't do the field test at
least do the trial packing. My trial packing usually turns up the fact that my luggage
needs repair work, something I conveniently forgot to do after my last trip.
BUSTED BAGS
The men and machines of the airlines handling your bag behind the wall
can easily inflict severe damage. If your bag is damaged complain immediately.
The worst harm that I experienced was
on a KLM flight from Los Angeles to Amsterdam. The zipper had been ripped out
and destroyed, leaving the bag wide open.
KLM's service desk told me to see the luggage repair shop in Schiphol airport and
they would pay for repairs, or KLM would give me a flat $25. I went to the luggage
repair but it was a Sunday and it was closed. So I looked in the luggage
shop and was surprised to find the exact same bag available for $75. Only
then did I remember having bought my bag there the year before. So I bought
a new one and went back to KLM's service desk with both bags and the receipt.
They paid the full $75, but were not especially happy about it.
LOCK IT UP
It is a good idea to secure your luggage against casual snooping which
can lead to pilferage.
Locks
Small locks designed to hold the zippers
of soft sided bags can be purchased in most stores selling luggage
or travelers supplies. I use one of these on my carry-on bag. My favorite is the
combination style. It is stronger than those flimsy things with tin foil keys that
usually come with the luggage set.
But I don't trust those bright brass locks on checked luggage, and I think that
they make a statement — "there must be valuable stuff in this locked bag."
The TSA is infamous for destroying locks, even those which are advertised as being
approved by the TSA because they have a master key and can open them. Good theory.
TSA agents are government employees. Some of them have an attitude. It is easier or more
fun to use the bolt cutter instead of finding the master key. If they do this to yours
file a claim.
Wire Ties
For checked luggage, when I have it, I prefer to seal the zippers with
a wire tie, also called a cable tie. Wire ties are strong. The black ones are
inconspicous and don't advertise the fact that you have locked your bag.
To use a wire tie, you insert the small end in the
eye and pull it through to lock it with the ribbed side on the inside of
the loop. Snip off the tail with nail clippers. To remove these you must cut
them off so bring nail clippers in your carry-on bag.
There is a chance that the TSA will open your luggage for a bomb inspection.
After they open it they might put their own style of plastic lock on the zipper pulls.
Therefore, it would be a good idea to leave a little slack in the loop of your wire
tie to make it easy for them to cut it off.
Wire ties can also be
used to tie your luggage to the rack in a train. This gives you additional
security when you go to the toilet or to the café car. Loop the wire tie through
the handle of your bag and around a sturdy member of the rack. Wire ties can be joined
together if you need more length. Just put the point of one
into the eye of another.
Strapping Tape
Another security and identification measure is to wrap your checked bag with
nylon reinforced strapping tape. This helps keep the contents inside if the bag is ripped
open by airline personnel or equipment, and discourages free-lance operators.
It also makes your bag easily identifiable at baggage claim. So many bags
look alike nowadays that this tape will help you find, and help prevent
others from accidentally grabbing, yours. The tape also makes your bag
look rather shabby in transit. That's good. You do not want your goods
traveling in a fancy bag shouting "steal me." I have seen other travelers use
duct tape, also called duck tape by those who cannot pronounce duct. But duct tape
usually leaves a messy residue and is not nearly as strong as strapping tape.
Ribbon
Another worthwhile identification measure is to tie a ribbon on the handle
of your luggage. I've noticed that a large number of travelers do this nowadays. You
can just barely see the ribbon on Stephanie's bag in the photo above left.
THE INVENTION OF THE WHEEL
Rolling Luggage
I used to scoff at people who used those little luggage carts or luggage
with wheels. Not any more. Even when packing light a set of wheels can be a tremendous
help. One of the biggest backaches for travelers in Europe is lugging your
luggage around town if there are no luggage lockers available in the train station.
The French have a habit of sealing train station luggage
lockers when terror is in the air. Spain did this long ago
thanks to some malcontents who put bombs in a few lockers. The over reaction
of security functionaires is to prevent anyone from using the lockers.
For independent travelers wheels can make a big difference in comfort and
convenience these days, especially on a hot afternoon in Rome.
You might as well put your bag on wheels as on your back.
Buy It Over There
If your luggage does not have wheels, consider buying a luggage cart when you arrive in
Europe. This way it will not be in your luggage allowance on the plane. Wheels
add volume and weight. Whereas American airports charge $3 for temporary use of a
luggage cart, European airports generally give you free use of one, all the way from baggage claim
through customs and to the curb. Wheel your luggage out to the shopping zone after
you clear customs. There is almost always a store where you can buy a luggage dolly
if you packed too much.
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