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So, there is this clean ceramic bowl with running water in your room and some of you get squeamish about what is was used for yesterday? What about the bed? What about the tub or shower? What about the other ceramic thingy? I wash my unders in the bidet and can't imagine why not. |
hopscotch, I guess it wouldn't be too bad if you just held your undies under the running water in the bidet, but why do that when the sink is right there?
The other ceramic thingy being the toilet and this ceremic thingy being the bidet, they both have traces of excrement. If it doesn't bother you that is fine, there are no bidet police. |
Yeah, seems to me it would be the same as washing your clothes in the toilet. Yes, the maids clean it but I certainly wouldn't wash my clothes in it. :O
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stillhouse- beware luggage salesmen!
seriously, i was a die-hard duffle bag traveler for many many years. then i borrowed a normal 22" roller from a friend one trip and never looked back. i also don't recommend luggage types that try to be 2 things (i.e., backpack with wheels, suitcases with straps that make them backpacks, etc.). anything wheeled has quite a bit of weight added because of the mechanism and frame, so why then carry that on your back? Which ever you choose I'd get a backpack, duffle, or a suitcase with wheels... not a combo anything. i found recently i don't even like an "expandable" top. the first time i used this feature and my suitcase which is normall quite easy to handle, was unbalanced and falling to the sides, rather than wheeling along nicely as usual. |
Hopscotch -
Why not just wash them in the toilet - it's exactly the same! |
stillhouse: Listen to suze. A large rolling duffle cannot be carried on. 21 or 22 inches is as large as can be carried on most airlines. (just like car salesmen - most luggage salesmen aren't travelers, they are salesmen)
Even if the duffle is narrower than a rollaboard - if it is over 21 inches in one direction it has to be checked. There are sizing boxes at the check-in counters and if the bag is larger than 21 (or 22) x 9 x 14 inches you have to check it. |
What's the problem with checking luggage?
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With all due respect, there are plenty of reasons why I won't check my luggage. 1. You tend to bring a bigger bag because you can and it's getting checked anyway, and then you wind up not "packing light" which by the way was the original question that you posed. Then you have to lug that around, and I am telling you it was a
pain to lug that suitcase to London to Edinburg to Glascow. Up and down the steps through the tube on the train.... and I thought that I did well with the packing light. (just lighter than my traveling companions) 2. Wasting time hanging around waiting for it to come off the carousel. and the best reason............. 3. Have you ever had them loose your luggage??????? Not fun. Although at this point in my life I would be happy because it would be an excuse for me to go clothes shopping. Hmm may have to reconsider on the checking. |
nytraveler, A bidet and toilet are not "exactly the same." Besides, I need the toilet now and again, but not the bidet. I can soak the wash for hours with no bother. |
<i>"What's the problem with checking luggage?"</i>
Absolutely nothing. I do it all the time and have never had a problem. It's actually less hassle and less stressful than wheeling or carrying a larger carry-on through the airport and hoping there is enough space left in the overhead bins on the plane by the time you board and that it's not all hogged up by all the other "light packers." When I get to the airport, I check my 26" rolled suitcase and don't have to mess with again until I'm through Immigration at my destination. And the luggage is usually already on the carousel by the time (or very soon thereafter) that you get through Immigration. Easy to push luggage trolleys are available to wheel your luggage to your ground transportation. If taking public transportation you may have to deal with some stairs, but as long as your luggage isn't excessively heavy and you are reasonably healthy it's not that big a deal. We just exit the train and step aside for a few minutes to wait for the rush of traffic to clear. Then we can take our time getting up any stairs we encounter. For me, a few minutes of hauling my luggage up a flight of stairs is worth having enough socks, undergraments and clothes so I don't have to spend my vacation time doing laundry. I don't over-pack, and I wear outer clothing more than once, but I prefer to spend my vacation doing more enjoyable things then rinsing out clothes and waiting for them to dry. Remember: Packing light isn't right, it's just a personal preference. It doesn't make you a bad person if you pack more than 2 sets of clothing for a two week trip. :) |
stillhouse- I do check my luggage on the flight, but still want to have the lightest, most easily handled bag possible for the rest of the trip.
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Hopscotch, YOU may not need the bidet, your room's previous guest most assuredly did. But the question of use aside, would you wash your clothing in the toilet if you didn't need the toilet--or if you had two toilets in your room?
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Doing laundry is not a big deal for me. Sometimes it is nice to have the break from sightseeing. I can sit and read, catch up on postcards, or chat with locals doing their own wash. Travel isn't all glamor and paparrazzi. And if my laundry demands attention on a day I'd rather sightsee, there's always a drop-off service at the hotel or nearby.
You're right, packing light is simply a preference, not a moral code. But having done it both ways, I'll never ever go back. Nobody ever says, "every year I pack heavier." |
No, actually I DO pack alot more now than I used to. But that is because in early trips I took packing light to an extreme and was ready to burn my few pieces of clothing by the end of 3 weeks. Everyone needs to find their own balance of how much they need to feel comfortable, how much they are willing to carry around with them, how clean they need there clothing to be.
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NO!!!! ONLY MY WAY IS THE RIGHT WAY!!!
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As suggested, take along only what you consider absolutely to be essential. And then take out about half of that. I make it a habit of finding second-hand or charity support stores where I purchase any necessary clothing items. Last trip I used this for an unbrella and also a coat which was heavier than the one I had hauled along with me. I packed back the umbrella and left the coat an another second hand store the day before my return trip.
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Finally I agree with Edward!
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Hopscotch has to be kidding. Somehow everyone is falling for it. I cannot believe anyone would wash their clothes in crap...much less crap that isn't their own. Come on now. Better to wear clothes that are full of sweat than clothes drenched in germs from bodily waste.
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I also agree with Edward, in that I find doing the laundry on my trip a good way to relax, read, etc. -- especially since we sometimes get a bit obsessive about seeing as much as we can we sometimes leave out the part about relaxing...we're learning though! In fact hubby and I had a grand ol' time at a laundromat in Scotland (town of Stromness on Orkney). It had a great cafe attached to it, also owned by the laundromat owners...we had good food and relaxation while doing our laundry and the owner even gave us some laundry soap for free -- nice lady!
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Well folks, do you know what a bidet is used for? The answer is that is for washing your crotch. It is a standard plumbing fixture in Europe. In America, instead of bidets, we have bath tubs and showers to wash the whole body. What is the difference between a bidet and a tub? Just the size. What is the difference between a bidet and a toilet? The water faucets and the small drain on a bidet versus the handle or chain and you know the rest, I hope. Now as an aside, my maternal grandfather made his beer in the bath tub during prohibition. I am not making this up. Mother told me and she doesn't lie. |
First trip to Ireland toward end of year but in all my other travels have found that I always bring less and less. Our plan is to each have a carryon size wheeled backpack plus he'll have the camera and I'll have a large daypack/purse all for 13 days.
As we will be mostly B&B plus Hostel, a ton of driving and only one nite for Castle banquet that I have to find out about dress...anything that says "toss" will be thrown away before we head back to make room for souveniers.I haven't tested it out yet on overseas travel and might have to add an extra item or two, but this about covers it. If we have to do a load of laundry while we have a pint in a pub...so be it, just part of the whole experience! Pack 2 pr. old jeans (toss),maybe 1 pr black pants (if room),7 pr. underware (toss),5 pr. socks (toss),1 xtra bra, 1 thermal set (poss. silk for ez rinse), 2 turtlenecks,1 not bulky sweater, 1 tee (toss), 1 top (tossable),1 denim shirt,1 fleece pullover,1 crushable hat/gloves,1 turbo towel,4 washcloth black shoes(stuffed w/ something above) frebreeze & antiseptic wipes goop & hairspray (short hair) share soap,shampoo, paste, deoderant a couple of "girly" essentials rinsing soap,nylon cord, sink plug digital timer for alarm, clip on flashlight, flipflops Purse: travel info, torn trvl books,map book, 3x4 journal, palm pilot, postcards and pics, scarf, energy bars, phone card,bottle water for plane, earphone, cards, book, wear hiking boots on plane (unfortunate necessity), carry fleece/nylon rain jacket(use as pillow when rolled inside the small pillowcase in the pocket). As for the bidet...yuck...the antiseptic wipes are for the sink before I use it...I don't want to imagine soaking anything in the other! I usually agree about the wheels on backpack but for a short time in narrow isles or stairs slinging it on your shoulder works, but I would not want to hike a mile there and back that way! |
I think that I must be missing something when I read that people are packing things to be tossed out after they wear them. Is it because they are "so cheap" that you can afford to do that? Which not having much money I cannot imagine that. Or is it because they are so old and ratty looking that you don't feel bad about tossing them. In that case why are you wearing them in public??
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I definitely attempt to look nice when I travel in Europe. I am certainly not going to wear clothes so ratty or old that they are ready to be thrown out.
Often I am fortunately to stay with friends, so I see the same people many day, get invited to dinner parties in people's homes... so take a reasonable but generous amount of my best casual outfits. When I am solo in a strange city I don't mind wearing only a couple outfits, but still I take good quality in good condition... simply wear the same things over and over and over. |
Actually to clarify on the throwing clothes away...they are not ratty. I find that tossing a $12.00 costco 7 pack of panties better than another hour of wash and rinse. I also shop for bargains and as most of my time on this particular trip will be hiking and such rather than a dressier venue, tossing a $5.00 pr of Tommy Hilfiger jeans from the Nordstrom rack seems to be okay to me.
All in all, it really depends on what you are doing during vacation to decide which works, although I do believe after more info that I will have to squeeze in one nice pants and possibly upgrade the sweater for the banquet. |
As for undies - since they seem to take up so much space in luggage: I've been told to check into Ex Officio underwear. Buy two - wear one, wash the other. Supposedly you could wear them a week without really needing to wash them, because of special antimicrobial something or other in them. (I do not plan to test this theory out.) They also supposedly dry within hours. Anyway: exoffico.com and search on "underwear."
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I wash my undies with me under the shower. They touch nothing but my hands :)
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I go commando.
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Edward can you say too much information?
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To be honest I think that packing light starts with buying clothing that fits well, is easy to combine and high in quality-then you can pack fewer things that are all going well together. But I will ever pack one more pair of shoes then necessairy and more then enough underwear.
So I have more place in my suitcase for shopping and books! |
we're going to london for 10 days in september, and i plan to pack only my 19" carry-on rollie, and a (small) daypack. i'll wear my heaviest/bulkiest items on the plane, and pack the rest...everything will coordinate, and i'm packing layer-able things so i'll be prepared for whatever weather we encounter, but anything that doesn't fit in the carry-on doesn't go!
i'll be handwashing socks/underwear in the hotel sink, and if we have to spend a few hours at a laundromat at some point (as i'm sure we will), then so be it. the benefits of not having to worry about lost/re-routed luggage (it's happened to me too many times to count), and of being able to completely skip the luggage carousel, makes it worth it. besides, i actually like the challenge. :) i've made and re-made my packing list several times already, and will be checking weather forecasts right before the trip for fine-tuning, but the rule still applies: if it doesn't fit in the carry-on, it doesn't go! |
Lord, pixielily, what a clotheshound you are! Only 10 days and you'll be lugging around a 19 incher, PLUS a daypack, AND you'll be wearing a bunch of heavy clothes. Real TRAVELLERS as opposed to lowlife, sleezeball tourists travel LIGHT.
For a 10-day trip you should be able to pack everything in a plastic sandwich bag (a freezer bag is acceptable if you have a couple of small children with you) and the pockets of your slacks (black, of course). You don't need any shoes at all--after all our cave-dwelling ancestors did without shoes for thousands of years. Rabbit pelts wrapped around your feet will do fine. Anything more and EVERYONE on the plane and in Europe will know that you are a loud AMERICAN who probably likes EURODISNEY, ROTHENBURG, NEUSCHWANSTEIN, and GONDOLA RIDES!!! |
Nothing brings out a fish story like a good rousing 'packing light' go 'round on Fodors.
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gosh, rufus...everyone's already going to know i'm a LOUD AMERICAN, what with me wearing my stars & stripes baseball cap, my dayglo fannypack, and my red/white/blue tee shirt that says "USA: THE BEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD!!"
come to think of it, i guess that's all ANY of us need when travelling abroad; you're right...i'll ditch the suitcase, cram a baggie full of "necessities" into my fannypack, and set off to explore england unencumbered! |
I am just topping this up because I did a search on "suitcase size" and this thread has me laughing with tears in my eyes.
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I agree! Great post!
Last year we traveled to London and Scotland for two and a half weeks. We each had a large 26/29-inch suitcase and a small over the shoulder tote. We had a variety of travel - city, hiking, possible rain and cold. We were lucky - the weather was amazing in both London and Scotland and so we never wore our fleece or sweaters. Raincoats only one day in Scotland. But - Not again - I hope. They were very heavy.... This year we are going to Paris for 10 days. We are trying for a 22-inch suitcase each with a backpack or tote. It should be easier to pack for a 10-day city vacation. Last year I bought the "travel" clothing for myself for London. It was easy to wash out and never creases. The only thing I don't like about it is that it doesn't "breathe" like cotton. Any other ideas? I love linen, but it does crease. Anyone travel with linen clothing? |
A very basic question after reading all the posts! what dimension are we talking about when we say the ideal is 22" or 24" or 26" suitcase????is it the length or breadth or height of the suitcase. and what is the full dimension of a 22" suitcase (lxbxh)
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The 20-something is referring to the measurement of longest length i.e., when the suitcase is laying down on its side. The depth and width can vary.
For instance I have one 22"er that is small only about 5" deep, but another technically 22"er that is a good 8" deep. |
We usually go away for only 2 weeks at a time and travel around a lot. If we went for a month and stayed in one place most of the time it would be different--there's not as much need to pack efficiently.
One trick to packing light--when you choose your clothes, stick with as few colors as possible, e.g., tan, white, black, blue, so that everything matches everything else. That way you don't have to agonize about color coordination. We travel cheap, and you really appreciate the small, light suitcase when you have to haul it up the stairs in a building with no elevator or up those narrow steps into trains. Also, I've found I really only need one sweater (black) and one lightweight raincoat (black or tan). I bring detergent in a ziploc bag and wash out undies, socks, etc every night so I don't have to waste time looking for a laundromat. One pair of comfortable walking shoes and one spare. Never bring a hair dryer--just wash and go hair that dries naturally. Don't need robe and slippers. I want to spend as little time as possible fussing over my wardrobe and as much time as possible out and about enjoying the sights. |
As above *except* I think a silk robe or something specific to sleep in is nice. Because I wear my clothes over and over (and over again) when traveling it is worth the space in my suitcase to me to have one clean something for nighttime only (even if its a long t-shirt). A silk robe truly packs very small.
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I think my wife and I have figured out the "packing light" thing. She has a 22 and I have a 26 and between us they are usually pretty loosly packed when we go to Europe except when we go in winter and a fleece takes up a lot of room. The rule is always, "you have to be able to carry your own so be easy on yourself."
Now we have a new problem. We are going on a cruise and we have to figure out how to "pack heavy". Formal nights on board mean formal clothes, simi formal nights mean another set of clothes, not to mention that we are going to Alaska and they say "bring hats, gloves, rain gear, binoculars, etc" Anyone have a steamer trunk they can loan me for a week? |
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