Leaving Friday and I finally starting getting my clothing together - I discovered agreat thing about summer travel - you can over pack and still travel light.<BR><BR>Summer clothes take up so much less room than winter clothes that I can afford to throw in some of the maybes and that extra pair of shoes!<BR><BR>Donna

Donna;Buon Viaggio!<BR>Pam

For Joanne....Try ECCO walkers-nubuck black. They are the most dressy comfort walking shoes on the market. A close second is Rockport World Walkers, again in black nubuck.<BR><BR>Good luck

I just bought Mephisto "Nada" sandals for 50% off at Nordstrom ($90 per pair!) and they are perfect travel shoes, as they go with skirts and dresses as easily as pants.

Please tell me, am I the only "under-packer" here? I always find that I get to my destination and decide I did not bring enough to wear. I ALWAYS pack way to light. When I get home I am dying to wear fresh clothes! :-)<BR>Anyone else?<BR>Marlena

To the top - what a great thread!!!

Well I am the "slightly wrong" packer. I remember what I didn't have or needed to have differently from the previous trip -- I change for the next trip and then find the first trip "assortment" would have worked better for the current trip! I chalk it up to some, as yet unnamed, universal law.

What is the weight limit on international flights? I always found that my backpack was OK on flights. I think the Eagle Creek packing system works great. Nothing wrinkles and the pouches keep everything orderly in the backpack.

My corollary for s. fowler's unnamed universal law is that it doesn't matter what I pack because it's always the wrong thing! Seriously, I find it more difficult to pack when I'm spanning seasons. For example, we're going to Italy in October when the weather will probably vary. So do I pack for hot weather or cold weather? If we were travelling in January the weather would be more consistently cold, so it'd be easier to decide what to take.

YOU PEOPLE MAKE ME SICK. I cannot travel with less than 3 bags (including my camera bag) I carry 2 changes of clothes which fill up one bag. My carry on bag is on wheels with a strap to hold my checked in bag.

I have traveled to Europe 17 times and the airlines have NEVER lost my luggage (and each of my trips have involved connections out of London or Amsterdam).<BR><BR>Couple of tips on how to lessen the chances of losing your luggage (I've learned these from talking to airline desk clerks, baggage handlers, and people who continually lose their luggage!):<BR><BR>Remove ALL tags from previous trips. If your ID tag is from an airline that is different from the one your are currently flying on, fill out a new one from the current airline.<BR><BR>Show up to the airport on time. Late arrivals tend to lose their luggage.<BR><BR>Don't overpack your bags. Heavy bags seem to get lost more often.<BR><BR>Have some sort of unique identifier on your bag, like a sticker or ribbon.<BR><BR>Obviously, things can still go wrong, but I'm not about to give the airlines any additional help when it comes to losing luggage.<BR><BR>Double-check that the desk clerk has the correct connection information, if your luggage is being checked through.<BR><BR>Be nice to the desk clerk! People can be vengeful!

I find that when I check my bags in late they are the first to come off the plane...I don't check them in late intentionally though...

Thanks for all the wonderful tips. <BR><BR>Tonight is packing night so I sure can use them.<BR><BR>This board is a wonderful place!<BR><BR>Donna<BR>

To the top!<BR>I have been acquiring a black and white wardrobe for traveling, but would still like more advise on shoes and weather for London and Paris in August. Thanks for all the great tips!

Mine is black, beige and a kind of green/gray -- white [for me at least] gets too dirty too fast! <BR><BR>Shoes are a personal matter. I wear easy spirit tie shoes that are not clunkers and ecco sandals, which,while not the last word in "chic", have a certain panache to them. My feet are happy -- that means *I'm* happy:)<BR><BR>Now a question: What's wrong with black socks and sandals?? Granted I wouldn't wear them with a light beige outfit, but with a dark gray and or black outfit I think they look better than light colored socks. I LIKE wearing socks with sandals for a little protection and to absorb some of the foot ummmmmm.... "dew"?

sfowler-you're a Brit, aren't you? Are you also wondering what's wrong with wearing a hanky on your head?<BR><BR>Socks should never, ever be worn with sandals. Light or dark. After all, what's the point of sandals if you're going to wear socks?

Now *thats* funny:) I'm quite "American" indeed! [But I live in the midwest, which might or might not explain anything:]<BR><BR>And I'm going to need a better reason that it just isn't done:) The advantage? It is cooler than closed shoes and I feel a little more protected.<BR><BR>More voices here?

Sally: Sandals with socks?? Huuuh *never* !<BR><BR>You can find nice comfortable shoes, something between closed shoes and sandals that look great without socks. I usually take very soft and almost flat Italian loafers that I have been wearing some time already and I normally change the shoes in the evening. However, for myself, which shoes to take is always kind of a challenge.<BR><BR>

I don't get the ziplock bag thing. I guess I will have to try it when I get home, but I would think this would take up just as much if not more room?

John - I had never tried the ziploc bag thing before either. Until last night when I finally decided it was time to pack (I leave in 2 days). It worked wonders! If you roll your clothes and put them in the large freezer size bags and push all the air out of them, it's great! Not only is everything spill/leak-proofed, but organized! (which is something I'm not) If I'm looking for something, I don't need to go rooting through my bag to get it! I managed to get all of my clothes in 4 large freezer bags - and I'm going away for a month!