What do you mean by an overhead bag? Do you mean one that fits in the overhead lockers on the plane? Presumably she knows which airlines she will be using and can check their websites for the actual restrictions.

One week is nothing. I travel for months with one smallish backpack and one day bag. And she's going to Cyprus - isn't she planning to spend a lot of time on the beach? In any case, I have a comprehensive packing list that starts here: http://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com/2010/02/08/what-to-take-part-one/

And I'm sure they have shops on Cyprus if she forgets something.

The trickiest part of going carry-on only imo is figuring out your toiletries and cosmetics. Being restricted to 3oz size bottles and only as many as can fit in a single 1qt ziplock baggie.

For just a week she should have no problems at all. Even for cosmetics/toiletries. Anything she uses that comes in large bottles (Shampoo, mouthwash, conditioner, etc.) she can put a small amount into travel bottles sold just everywhere (Walmart/Target/drug stores/luggage shops)

The weather is warm in Cyprus so she will be taking light weight clothing that takes up less space. A couple pairs of sandals. If she wants to take more substantial walking shoes -- she should wear them on the plane.

I do 1 week, 1 month - or three times that - out of a 21 inch rollaboard. Even in the dead of winter. A summer trip to a warm island I could easily manage in an 18 incher.

Since she will be w/ a family -- she probably won't need to take a hair dryer, and she can do laundry.

As a young person, she doesn't have vast travel/packing experience, so perhaps she should spend a few moments thinking about what she's worried about finding herself "without" once she gets there. I would have her drill down on her fears, and try to talk through whether or not they are reasonable. It may help her to try to imagine a few of her days/activities, literally picture herself dressed and moving about. Olympic downhill skiers are not the only ones who can benefit by visualization!

She should start by making a list of what she uses everyday in her regular life. It's often very eye-opening the difference between what we actually use and how much stuff we have.

The other thing about packing versus being at home is that you pre-plan your outfits, hopefully to make as many things go with the fewest shoes possible, so you don't have to worry about getting dressed and then not having a selection of tops/scarves/etc. Teenagers don't tend to think this way, but it's a good exercise.

Most of traveling light is preparation: advance planning and good lists. It's not rocket science. Anyone can do it. Hopefully she'll enjoy the challenge! Learning to travel light at a young age will get her off to an excellent start.

Finally, carry-on travel has a variety of advantages. First, your luggage will not get lost. Second, it forces you to travel light. Traveling light is easier on you physically, permits you to be more flexible in where and how you move about, and let's you move more quickly. Other than not having a different outfit every day, there's virtually no downside if you do it well.

This is a wonderful opportunity for you daughter. Read some of the older threads tagged "Packing" to get great lists and ideas. And don't be afraid to keep asking questions on this thread. There are lots of experienced carry-on travelers who stop by here from time to time.

Here's how I pack. A good month in advance of the trip I start layout out clothes that I'm thinking of taking in a separate place (I use my guest room bed but any location would work, the back of a door or whatever). I do much better being able to see everything. I think the visual is more helpful than trying to work off a list.

I also think about what is most important in terms of hard or impossible to replace once you're there. So you MUST have your passport, prescription meds, glasses or contacts (if applicable). That thinking is why I say shoes are more important than an extra top or two (easy to find a tshirt or hoodie, not so easy to find comfortable shoes you like that fit and are affordable).

suze's suggestion about laying or hanging the garments she is considering in a separate place is really important. If she is like most teenagers she probably has a closet bursting w/ 'stuff'.

It is almost impossible to pack efficiently out of one's closet. Well not impossible -- but pretty much impossible until she becomes a pro at packing light. Just too much to pick from.

I teach packing classes (yep--folks actually go to school to learn how ) and my first lesson is to use a garment rack or an over the door rack to hang the things one is taking. That way you can see at a glance that everything goes together, and to see duplicates (why take 2 pair of black capris for instance)

Www.one bag.com

Great info for u

Stay under 45 linear inches to be safe

Do this all the time always savings time money and risk of theft

All great tips! My other tip is to roll tightly to pack the items that are rollable. Really saves on space. QWOVADIS,are you on TA? I'd love to ask you some questions about Cartegena, Columbia.

hey janisj! I didn't know my idea was one you taught in your classes. That's funny. I didn't know I was that smart (lol).

www.ricksteves.com has sample packing lists. His are probably a bit stark fashion-wise for a teenager, but would be a place to start.

Another way is to get out the suitcase (assuming a small 18-21" roller?) and do a sample pack to see how many items generally will fit for her (1 pants, 2 shorts, 1 skirt, 5 tops, 2 sandals, 1 bathing suit, camera, books, toiletries, misc.

Shoes take up a lot of room, wear the bulkiest ones on the plane. For this trip I'd say wear the sneakers, and pack one pair of sturdy but decent looking sandals, and a pair of flip flops.

I forgot a couple things. Of course your undies, a couple pair of socks, and a packable straw hat is good for sunny destination. A long tshirt or something to sleep in, can double as a beach coverup.

Since they have a fixed destination in Cyprus consider shipping a 10 to 20 lb. package to the destination by UPS, DHL or FedEx.
If sent 4 days before they leave, it should arrive the day they arrive. The overhead bag is only for things they need to arrive safely at the destination. The Rick Steves site is great.
I carry a Rick Steves backpack for trips here in the US.

no need to ship anything. A rollaboard is plenty large enough for this trip. Why faff about w/ shipping things over, and then shipping things back?

Tell our daughter to put out all the clothes she thinks she will need a week or so in advance as suggested suze. Tell her to spend the next few days admiring the different outfits while she congratulates herself on her fine sense of fashion. Now comes the important part - a day or two before the trip tell her to put half of the clothes back in her closet and pack the rest.

Honestly, when going away for a week she shouldn't take more than can fit in one standard size 21" roll-aboard. There's no need to bring everything one owns and worst case scenario is that she might have to do a laundry once during the trip (after all you did say she was going to visit relatives).

Follow the old adage - take less clothes, bring more money!!!!!

FYI - were travel numerous times a year and NEVER take more than one carry-on each. Our mantra is "If it doesn't fit in one carry-on we don't need it".

I think you will enjoy this article on packing, it's full of great tips! www.AnniesNuggets.com

I can travel for more than a week with a small back pack under the condition your described.

A tooth brush, a hair brush, one set of under garment and socks and one change of clothes. A t-shirt and shorts/sweats for sleeping. That is probably all that is needed.

At the relative's home, all the daily necessities can be "borrowed". If not, buy your shampoo, tooth paste etc at the local store. You don't need makeups while visiting family. If you need them, go borrow.

Do laundry daily. Borrow clothes if needed. I will guarantee you the girls will purchase local garments and wear them and then bring them home as souvenirs.

I can travel for more than a week with a small back pack under the condition your described.

A tooth brush, a hair brush, one set of under garment and socks and one change of clothes. A t-shirt and shorts/sweats for sleeping. That is probably all that is needed.

At the relative's home, all the daily necessities can be "borrowed". If not, buy your shampoo, tooth paste etc at the local store. You don't need makeups while visiting family. If you need them, go borrow.

Do laundry daily. Borrow clothes if needed. I will guarantee you the girls will purchase local garments and wear them and then bring them home as souvenirs.

Pack one skirt, one pair of shorts, one pair of capris, all in neutral colors; pack two tops for each bottom, making sure each top goes with at least two of the bottoms. I would be more extravagant than Eschew and pack 2 or maybe even 3! pairs of underwear. Fill a few 3 oz travel bottles with shampoo and conditioner if she's really picky about her brands.

As stated before, wear the bulkiest shoes on the plane, and wear a light jacket on the plane. If she needs more clothes, it will give her a good excuse to buy a few!

I packed for three weeks in Europe in only a carry on and had plenty of clothing.

janisj: "why take 2 pair of black capris?"

If I'm going for a week, I would take 3 pair of black slacks. One pair would be longer to wear out to dinner with heels. The other two would be shorter length for flats/walking shoes and interchangeable during the week with my other things. I dry clean most of my clothes so doing laundry on a trip is not an option.

Preciousbane: why were they told of problems with checked bags? How many connections do they have? I've been to Cyprus and never had a problem with checked luggage.

Also, tell her there's no reason to take electrical appliancese as they won't work in Cyprus (if they are US made products).

" I would take 3 pair of black slacks. One pair would be longer to wear out to dinner with heels. The other two would be shorter length for flats/walking shoes and interchangeable during the week with my other things. I dry clean most of my clothes so doing laundry on a trip is not an option. "

Some people are just higher maintenance than others. If one only does dry cleaning/never launders things, and needs exactly the right length of capris at every occasion, etc. - then no, packing light probably isn't an option.

So CYESQ, what do you do if you're traveling for a month? And why dry clean mostly? It's bad for the environment besides adding to the expense of your clothes.

"Also, tell her there's no reason to take electrical appliancese as they won't work in Cyprus (if they are US made products)."

As a blanket statement that's flat wrong. If you mean her curling iron, OK. But if you mean her smart phone or iPod she can charge it with just an adapter plug.

You're right janis, packing light is not an option for me and I also pack too much because I like to have options. But it's my cross to bear and it's ok, I just deal with it. I don't consider myself high maintenance - I actually take out my own trash. But I do pack too much.

thurs with regard to electrical, yes I meant curling iron and hair dryer. I think phones and Ipods are considered electronics and not electrical. Yes I take an adapter and recharge these also. As for my dry cleaning, it's my expense and I don't mind. You can't exactly throw a wool suit into the washing machine. And I do respect the environment.

I realize that I have my own way of traveling, that's why putting in my two cents worth to some of the questions may be valuable to some folks. We respect diversity, don't we?

CYESQ: On the other thread you say you always wear business suits when you fly - so that explains quite a bit (re the dry cleaning, etc.)

Most flights from the US to Europe are overnight. Wearing a good, skirted business suit for 24-30 hours in transit -- and sleeping in it -- simply doesn't make sense to me.

I travel for both business and pleasure, and while I am a hard-core light packer for pleasure even I will admit that you can't do that for business trips. It's not a question of being high maintenance. Anyone having to travel and be dressed for business deserves our sympathy - it's hard to travel heavy.

That said, there's no reason that teenager in the OP couldn't travel light for a week.

Hi janis - I don't know why wearing a good suit doesn't make sense. Does to me and I have no problem. Generally pants though so I don't have to deal with pantyhose. My flights are not US to Europe, they are Middle East to US and Europe, much longer.

Thanks spcfa for your good words. And I agree that teenager should be able to travel light.