nukesafe

We would no longer dream about travelling with more than a 21" carry on and under the seat duffel for a trip of any length.

As for the jacket, I'm of a generation that feels most comfortable in a jacket (and perhaps a necktie) in a high end venue. I'm also of the generation (translates as "old as Moses") that remembers when one dressed up to travel on airplanes. That said, I have a closet full of aging sport coats that I use for packing light. I wear one of them on the aircraft, packing my light windbreaker jacket in my carry on. I then wear the jacket with a dress shirt (and perhaps tie, depending on the formality of the occasion) when dressing up is called for.

When I come home I either put the (now gravy and wine stained) jacket in a charity donation bin or simply throw it away. I now have more room in my one bag, and more room in my closet. If I ever run out of the supply of blazers I have not worn since I retired I can always pick up another in Goodwill for ten bucks.

Leely2

I always check my bag then take a tote or messenger bag or something in the cabin. I am usually also taking a small camera bag with a DSLR and two lenses, so no carryon-only for me.

AlessandraZoe

Oh I'm laughing here. I sure never said <b>I</b> had panache or that those who packed more clothes were lacking in self esteem.

But I do admire people who can dress to please themselves WITHOUT MAKING OTHERS UNCOMFORTABLE IN THE PROCESS.

Yes, I can assure you that there are still many trips where when my husband, who may not have that panache but certainly is not lacking in self esteem, takes a look at the upcoming restaurant reservations, sighs deeply, and drags his sport coat out and perhaps a tie or two.

I can also assure you that my spiffy black pants, interchangeable tops, and silk scarves go on EVERY trip--just in case.

But next weekend, we'll be having dinner at a Michelin star with a top legal firm partner who never worries about her wardrobe.

From past experience, I can guarantee two things:

1) She will be dressed in some mishmash but
2) Every single person in the room, from the waitstaff to the people in tables next to us, with be in love with her charm, her wit, her sheer intelligence and her laugh.

I have no idea, though, how much she packs

nytraveler

Justinparis -

Sorry - DH would not be wearing on pair of trousers 2 or 3 times - but 14 times in our 2 weeks trips. By that point they will be wrinkled, baggy, and yes, quite possibly have had something spill on them along the way. We do change to go out to dinner almost every night. And IMHO panties are clean only after going through the wash - so yes, I take at least what I need for the trip. Not sure why clean underwear is funny.

I did one meeting - 7 days in Paris - and one of my colleagues did a tiny bag. Even though she had mix and match she was so sick of her things at the end of the trip (we had 3 evening events as well as 7 business clothes day) that she threw out everything she wasn't wearing back on the plane. Said she couldn't stand looking at the things again. I tried to convince her to ship the stuff home - but she refused.

As for moving from place to place - we are almost always driving - so just have the bellman pack the car at one hotel and another bellman unpack at the next. So - no luggage is not an issue.

But it all depends on how each person travels and what they need. I don't haul a lot of hair electronics with me - but I have a friend that takes half a salon with her everywhere (like Pavarotti and his bed).

noe847

I have to say I love your blazer solution, nukesafe. A variation on the throw out the old undergarments approach, but one that produces a bit more room in the suitcase in the end!

Sojourntraveller

Nytraveler, I would really like to hear what you would do if you ever had the opportunity to travel for more than 2 weeks. I'm imagining this is you on a 3 week trip:
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/...6_634x1035.jpg

Or here is what happened when the 'bellman' loaded your luggage onto your transportation when you were on a 2 month trip:
http://www.spainforpleasure.com/wp-c...il-672x372.jpg

Seriously now, what are you going to do if you ever go on a year long RTW trip?

simpsonc510

Been there, done that. I've often come home from Bangkok with 3 70lb suitcases (well, maybe they aren't 70 lbs, but more than 50 lbs). I'm on my way to Hawaii in the morning for 9 days and I tried really hard to take a smallish bag (larger than carry-on, which I simply cannot do in any way shape or form) and that bag is full, but not expanded, so I do have a bit of room yet. I do like a variety of clothing to wear rather than putting on the same stuff time and again!

To each his own. I have status with United and I use that status! We always rent a car and I do not need to schlep bags all over Europe on the train. I just returned from a 9-day trip to Italy and I had a check bag and small carry-on. No car was rented on this trip as it was not with my DH, but a friend who wanted to see a bit of Italy this summer. She also had a large bag plus a roll-aboard carry-on which she ended up checking on the trip home. We were on and off trains, boats, planes, cars, vans, you name it. We managed. No lifting to an overhead bin was required other than her bag in the bin on the flight over to Venice.

Sojourntraveller, and any and all who can travel with carry-on only, I have no problem with you traveling your way. Good on you! Planes do have a cargo hold and I always have something stashed there. It might be one bag, it might be two, or in race cases it might be three!

nytraveler

Soujourntraveler -

Now isn't that just silly?

There is a huge difference between one 24 or 25" bag and shoving everything you own into boxes and bags (although I have seen people at airports trying to check in disintegrating cardboard boxes and being refused).

And that poor donkey has nothing to do with the Audis or similar that we usually rent (and 2 25" bags plus 2 carry-ons fit easily into the trunk). And for 3 or more weeks I don't more than for 2 weeks - we just have laundry/cleaning done at one of the hotels we stay at for several nights.

janisj

nyt . . . don't feed the beast

NewbE

<I'm also of the generation (translates as "old as Moses") that remembers when one dressed up to travel on airplanes.>
Gosh, I'm not old as Moses and I remember that! My college roommate had to wear a silk dress on the plane home to Charleston or risk her mother's ire, and that was in the late 80's.

I used to work with a guy who traveled with an electric coffee maker because he wouldn't use the one in the room, and a full size bed pillow, and perhaps the kitchen sink as well. This was back in the days of unlimited free checked bags, of course. The schlep alone would have killed me, but that was his choice.

As for the donkey, lol--can't anyone take a joke any more??

I think the question of how to dress boils down to confidence: if you can sail into a fancy place (you supply the definition) in very casual dress, great for you and I have no doubt you'll be accepted. I may need to be a bit more "dressed up" in order to achieve that same level of confidence. Without killing a donkey with my luggage, I hope!

AlessandraZoe

NewbE--
I so agree about the confidence in what you can get away with.

I have a decent amount of hutzpah, but it's more my confidence in knowing what would be a dressing standard anywhere. That very basic knowledge allows me the freedom to do the backpack and carry-on roll-on.

Yet...

...I just don't have enough overall confidence for the large purse and duffle (yet). My sister, the QUEEN of always-looking-fab, has been able to do that. Go figure.

Or hey, let's look at it this another way:

Richard Branson is regarded as the totally "chill" guy who will wear anything and get in anywhere, but one DOES see him in a sports jacket.

Athough I do wonder if he is wearing shorts on the bottom.

WeisserTee

I take my 24-inch, 4-wheel Rimowa on trips that last from 3 days to three weeks. On short trips, it means I have lots of extra room in the suitcase and can stuff it with shopping purposes if so inclined. Or that I can take extra shoes, extra bags just because I feel like it. On longer trips, it's still pretty easy to maneuver on a train, a bus, a tram, etc. It looks good and it has very sturdy wheels that make pulling it or pushing it effortless even when loaded to the max. It's not carry-on size but it's still very manageable.

How much I pack into it also depends on where I'm going. In Paris and Brussels, laundromats are very easy to find and open 7 days a week so I take fewer clothes but more accessories (shoes, bags). In Vienna, OTOH, and other places, they're thin on the ground and that means hand-washing or wearing the same stuff over and over -- or packing more clothes. When not flying, I prefer to take my own toiletries rather than shopping when I get to my destination.

When I am flying, I prefer a small carry-on bag. I can't wheel two bags with ease through a crowded airport. I just don't have that level of dexterity/finesse.

ceezee

This has all been very interesting as I'm in the process of trying to get my husband to cut back and travel lighter. His view is to put everything he owns on the floor of a room and remove everything he is certain that he will not need and pack the rest. Adding to this is the fact that over several years we've been mainly doing car trips and it is moving towards a disaster.

This time we are going to Japan for a trip of the lifetime. Almost 4 weeks. From Tokyo through the mountains, down to Kyoto, then further south. This is mid-October through mid-November. We'll have temperatures ranging from high 60's in the cities to near freezing in the mountains.

Layers, I know. Grew up in Minnesota and I can do this. He, however, is a mess. Add to this his bad feet and weak ankles (which require SHOES) and we're talking packing issues.

At this point I have convinced him that two 21" carry-ons, two backpacks, and one nearly empty 24" to check is going to have to do it. He's okay with doing washing during the trip as long as he's convinced things will dry. Not an unreasonable request.

All I can ask is wish me well. We're going to do a test packing session in the next week or so. As I said, this should be interesting.

Gretchen

Good luck with that much to lug around.
You would think that hotels don't offer laundry services. And believe me, I know they are expensive--probably especially in Japan, but isn't just a part of the trip?
The new fabrics are terrific. Silk underwear would be a need, with cold temps.
go to a camping store or catalog.

ceezee

Gretchen, what would you eliminate?

The small backpacks are just for under the seat stuff (electronics, 3-1-1 ziplock, husbands CPAP, my purse, etc.). The carry-ons will have pretty much everything else - all the clothes. The 24" is mainly for things we might buy there.

Keep in mind that Japan has the luggage transportation system so you send luggage ahead easily. As we travel from place to place we'll only have the backpacks or one 21". We just need enough for 2 or 3 days. You then catch up with the rest of the luggage and change out things as needed. Also on the trip going to the airport one of the carry-ons will fit into the 24".

We've picked up quick drying clothes and are expecting to do some wash every few days. Staying at ryokans pretty much everywhere with no laundry services and don't want to spend time finding laundromats.

NewbE

<Adding to this is the fact that over several years we've been mainly doing car trips and it is moving towards a disaster. >
Actually, considering that packing for car trips is a whole different animal from your trip to Japan, I think you're doing OK. We would bring a packable duffle for things we might buy--you know, the kind that folds into a 4 inch square zip purse--but once it's deployed we'd have the same number of bags as you. So I have no room to criticize!

Hope your test pack goes well!

ceezee

NewbE, we considered just bringing that kind of duffle but think that the addition of wheels (it's also a duffle) will be an important help when we arrive back in the States.

Quite possibly the toughest part of the whole trip will be getting back home from the airport! We live in the Philadelphia area and are flying in and out of JFK. Taking public transportation the whole way. Trains but with two changes. We could make it easier if we taxi it from JFK to Penn Station. Then just hop on a train to Philly. Taxi would be slower but easier.

thursdaysd

Besides the test pack you should do a test wash. Hand wash and drip dry everything you will take. If it doesn't dry fast it doesn't go - unless it's socks. If it doesn't dry without wrinkles it doesn't go.

Personally, I would ditch the 24 inch, but I've learned not to buy souvenirs - I take pictures instead.

jane1144

ceezee...it is the stairs in Japan that will kill you, especially in Ryokans. Try schlepping all your stuff up 2-3 flights of stairs.

ceezee

Again, I won't be schlepping in japan. All my luggage except for a backpack each for overnight stuff will be delivered to the room in my ryokan.

It is a marvelous system that I don't think exists anywhere else in the world. Your luggage keeps leapfrogging from place to place on your trip. A backpack each should be totally doable for us to carry up the steps. All of the ryokans where we are staying handle the transfer process.