What Not to Pack

[Foreigner]

Good reminder of what NOT to pack.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/29/t...on&region=bottom-well&WT.nav=bottom-well&_r=0

What I choose to pack (and to not pack) depends very much on my destination and purpose of travel. If travelling Jetstar (in Y) the inflatable pillow and noise cancelling earphones are always with me.

 

[Atleastonce]

Interesting article, and I always stop at Walmart when I am in the states, for toiletries, US candy I can't get at home, and bottled water.

I remember when my youngest son (8 years old) was packing for a domestic SYD OOL flight. We went through his bag prior to leaving home and took out a balaclava and night glow sticks. He just thought he might have needed them on holidays......

 

[OzEire]

A very happy packing change was the advent of smartphones with real power, which meant that I didn't need a laptop anymore, and so nothing to remove from cabin luggage at security.

On the flip side, I did take a flight in a 'rural' part of the Pacific where another pax had a bow and arrows for hand luggage. The airline took safety very seriously and made another pax check their speargun. Still the pilot was good enough to wait until the top of climb before texting, then reading the paper. Sorry, a bit off topic there.

 

[harvyk]

I'm a big fan of HLO, when it makes sense to do so. Flying HLO and then spending time buying stuff from 'Walmart' to buy the stuff you already have at home seems like a massive waste of time and money which completely offsets any extra time and money saved by not just checking in bags in the first place.

 

[Denali]

Considering my husband risked being arrested for attempting to procure sexual favours while actually trying to buy mouthwash and toothpaste at a very small chemist in a tiny French town (he thought it would be a good idea to mime brushing his teeth - you are doing this now, aren't you?), I tend to pack pharmaceuticals (antibiotic cream, curash powder, betadine gargle solution) but I leave the hair products at home.

Otherwise Im guilty of hitting walmart/grocery stores on arrival. I think its in my DNA, arrive in foreign country, no house/no kitchen but must squirrel provisions for the oncoming apocalypse.

Edit: This may also explain why my husband now raids the plane and hotel for those tiny toothpaste tubes.

 

[get me outta here]

Yes, I was mining it, they certainly had a vivid imagination to think of that before teeth.

Considering my husband risked being arrested for attempting to procure sexual favours while actually trying to buy mouthwash and toothpaste at a very small chemist in a tiny French town (he thought it would be a good idea to mime brushing his teeth - you are doing this now, aren't you?), .

 

[Jeffrey O'Neill]

Yes, I was mining it, they certainly had a vivid imagination to think of that before teeth.

Oui Oui it's French for Sexual harassment

 

[SamR]

If only he'd done up and down instead of in and out.

 

[Lowjhg]

Yes, I was mining it, they certainly had a vivid imagination to think of that before teeth.

Next time, try starting the conversation with "Excuse-moi Mademoiselle, parlez-vous anglais? Je ne parle pas bien francaiçe!"

 

[get me outta here]

Good idea, and end with, 'Ju suis un Australien', and look apologetic. Much better than being a Pom or an American.

Next time, try starting the conversation with "Excuse-moi Mademoiselle, parlez-vous anglais? Je ne parle pas bien francaiçe!"

 

[JohnK]

There is not that much I need in terms of medicines, toothbrush and toothpaste, shaving kit. They fit into an amenity kit bag I have had for ~20 years but unfortunately I tend to hoarde lots of things in my luggage. The junk I also pick up from hotels can add up quite quickly. Sometimes ~1kg-2kg of soaps, toothbrushes etc.

I try to clean my bag out when I get back from overseas.

 

[SamR]

Next time, try starting the conversation with "Excuse-moi Mademoiselle, parlez-vous anglais? Je ne parle pas bien francaiçe!"

My first husband did that once. The waitress was so insulted that she almost threw a plate of steak tartare at him.