How Carry On Only got its name

I should address the name of this blog.  Some years ago we took a couple of trips in a short space of time (one to Sydney and the other to Singapore) where both times our luggage was lost.  In each instance it was delivered to our hotel within 12 hours but it could have been so much worse. It got me thinking that I really should have 24 hours worth of clean clothes, toiletries etc in my carry on bag in case it ever happened again.  When we got home from Singapore I did a trial pack in my day pack and realised if I just put a couple more outfits in that bag I was pretty much good to go for the entire trip.

I decided to test this out on our next trip which was to Malaysia where we flew to Singapore first and then caught buses to Melaka then on to KL and ultimately Penang.  The entire trip was for two weeks and I packed three complete outfits.

That trip was a success and I loved the freedom of not having to wait for our checked luggage at the airport.  It was also easier not having so many options of what to wear and, travelling by bus, so much more manageable to have a small bag I could carry on my back.  My partner was less enthused but humoured me. We have never looked back and have taken more than 20 trips since that time still always with carry on only.

Over the years the backpack became a wheeled trolley bag and we sought the lightest possible option so we could pack more into it.  I now use a Samsonite Cosmolite which meets (the smaller) domestic airline guidelines. It’s the lightest wheeled case on the market. Baggage restrictions have tightened up over the years but I can now pack around five pairs of pants or shorts and about 10 tops as well as underwear, nightwear and a couple of dresses/kaftans/ beach cover-ups and swimsuits.  I generally wear good walking shoes on the plane and pack some light sandals. It’s a challenge when you travel in a winter climate but we have found jeans and light layers with a warm puffy jacket to be the best option in this case.

There are certainly some good tips and tricks to employ:

• Take well worn shoes that will be comfortable for all the walking you’ll do while sightseeing but then leave them behind at your last stop.  This will take some of the weight out of your bag to allow for all those souvenirs you’ll buy!
• Similarly, take old clothes that are on their last legs.  Wear them once or twice and leave them behind. I only ever bring home the underwear I am wearing – the rest gets thrown out over the course of the trip.
• Use a Duty Free bag (saved from a previous trip if necessary). These are never checked and basically give you an extra bag for heavy items in case your bag gets weighed.
• Wash a few things every few days in the hand basin of your hotel room using the shampoo or body wash provided by the hotel.  I always pack an elasticated washing line and hang things in the shower – they generally dry overnight.  Even better if you have a balcony in a warm climate.
• I’ll admit women have it easier as our clothes are generally a bit smaller and the fabrics more wrinkle free.  If I’m having a trip with lots of socialising in nicer places I will pack a few silk tops. These weigh next to nothing, don’t wrinkle and are super fast to wash and dry.  One pair of neutral pants and a few colorful tops and you won’t look as though you’re always wearing the same thing.
• Pack travel size toiletries.  I keep reading that you can buy everything when you get there but that’s not how I choose to spend my first hours in a new destination!  I use a combination of travel size toiletries and refillable plastic bottles, tubes and jars. With airline liquid restrictions these need to fit in a small ziplock bag but I don’t find that too hard to manage.
• If you travel with a tablet or smartphone you can pre-load it with enough books, magazines, guidebooks etc that you won’t need to lug these heavy items with you.  I download almost everything from my library so it doesn’t cost me anything either!