first trip to Europe. what should I carry on - it makes sense to have valuables, but do any of you have a list of what you always carry on or not?<BR><BR>thanks

There are poeple who strongly beleive in only carrying on. I'm not one of them - I carry on only a small bag. It contains: book, sleeping pills, eye gel, eye shade, ear plugs, inflatable neck pillow, tylenol, toothbrush, deodorant, chapstick, kleenex, bandaids, and of course all cash, credit cards, passport, plane tickets.

I carry on valuables, things that might leak from pressure that some cosmetics, anything that might break, and one change of clothes. I also carry on my trip research because without it I would be lost, medicines, eye glasses, all the things you could not lose if your luggage gets lost for a day or two. Someone has a great list on a web page, but I am currently on a trip and don't have it handy. Try doing a search for a travel list. Just use common sense and remember anything you have to have on a daily basis,you should carry just in case. Have a great trip. Kay

All the above, with an emphasis on an extra change of clothes -- you never know when that luggage might get lost! <BR>Also... I ALWAYS carry on a big bottle of water, some light snacks, and a warm sweater for the chilly plane.

Basically I carry on anything critical that I could not get along without if my luggage is lost or delayed along with some comfort items for the plane:<BR><BR>Reading book<BR>Guide book<BR>Passport<BR>Tickets<BR>Gum<BR>Itinerary with hotel contact info <BR>Change of underwear for one day<BR>Money, credit card, ATM card

I keep with me anything I can't afford to lose - even if I carryon, these items stay in my tote/purse with me at my seat: money, ATM and credit cards, passport, tickets. If I had prescription drugs, they would be in the tote as well. <BR><BR>I carry, but I could do fine without, something to read, xword puzzles and a mechanical pencil, sleepaid, hard candies (Vitamin C or zinc), eyemask, earplugs, kleenez, booties. I use 200 speed film, so the camera and film go in the carryon or checked luggage. My handwritten itinerary - with confirmations, phone #s, addresses, etc. - also stays with me. I've had carryon luggage appropriated by airline personal and shoved into checked luggage; I do NOT want to be scrambling through a suitcase looking for "stuff" to take on board. That "stuff" is already in my tote. I don't even bother with a change of clothes or personal hygiene products in the tote - I can always buy them.<BR><BR>There's no magic - you can't take 3 paperbacks, 2 bottles of water, a sweatshirt, pair of shoes, a Gameboy, your entire jewelry box and the medicine chest in a 10" x 12" x 3" totebag and have it weigh a few ounces. I've pared down each trip, and the two lists I gave are IT for the totebag. <BR><BR>

Not to be contrary, because Elvira always generously gives good advice, but a word of caution: you can't _always_ buy underwear, etc. if your luggage is lost. Example: last summer, flew into Brussels--sans luggage thanks to US Air--and arrived in the early evening. Foolishly stayed "on schedule" and took the next train to Brugge, where I discovered a) Stores close A LOT earlier than I had anticipated (despite the 10:45 sunset); and b) Nothing is open on Sundays. Thank God for layering and hotel sinks!

I carry on everything (which is one 22" roller suitcase plus a large purse) when I depart.<BR><BR>On the return trip I lock & check the 22" and carry on a bag of some sort with breakables, valuables, and/or special things I bought along the way plus my purse.

In a totebag that is my only carry-on (and that becomes my combo daily purse and tote while I am traveling) I take approximately the following<BR><BR>water for the plane, food if I want it, pillowcase for the airplane's pillow<BR><BR>obviously wallet, passport, cash, credit cards, tickets, passes, faxes or emails I received from the hotels<BR><BR>camera (it's small) and film<BR><BR>My essential travel information<BR>(a guidebook I could buy there, but my travel notes are important to me)<BR><BR>two or three basic cosmetics (including moisturizer), plus contact lenses and solutions and an eyeglass case<BR><BR>Prescrip. sunglasses<BR><BR>prescription medicine<BR><BR>pen and little notebook for travel journal<BR><BR>one change of underwear and socks<BR><BR>something to read<BR><BR>eyeshade and inflatable neck pillow<BR><BR>kleenex

I carry on everything. Now don't jump on me here thinking I drag on severa; bags. <BR><BR>No (except on VS and BA which have strict weight limits for cabin luggage), I mean I can get everything I need for any trip in one 19 to 21 inch roll aboard. I also carry a medium sized handbag. The handbag fits under the seat and holds my travel documents, reading materials, some toiletries, etc so they are easy to reach during the flight. <BR><BR>Everything else is in the overhead in my rollaboard.<BR><BR>This doesn't work on British and Virgin because they have a 5 kilo weight limit. Since my rollaboard weighs between 18 and 22 lbs, on those lines I put a few more things in my handbag and check the rollabaord.

As the others have said, carry on anything that would be expensive or difficult to replace, from passport, credit cards, cameras, and jewelry to your itinerary and contact info.<BR><BR>Having been in a few weather-related delays and disasters, I would never board a plane for a long flight without everything I would need to get through the next 24 hours -- food, water, meds, clothing, etc. I'm not kidding!<BR><BR>I usually don't check anything, but when I do I make sure I have at least 24 hours worth of fresh clothing with me. I'd rather tote it unnecessarily than get stuck spending my first day of vacation shopping for undies.<BR><BR>If you are traveling with a companion, you can provide extra insurance against lost or delayed luggage by splitting your stuff between the two suitcases, instead of each of you exclusively using one. My kids and I always put an outfit in each other's suitcases if we're checking them.

I carry everything on in a 22" soft-sided bag with wheels (which goes in the overhead) and a 14" messenger bag (which goes under the seat in front of me). I can go for more than 2 weeks at a time without bringing more than that.<BR><BR>I never bring any "valuables" unless you count my camera which isn't that valuable. I bring a few pairs of earrings, etc., but nothing that would bring me to tears if I lost them.<BR><BR>The bag under the seat in front of me has passport, tickets, credit card, ATM card, a little cash, itinerary, prescription medications, chewing gum, water, inflatable neck pillow, a few Advils, antibacterial wipes, travel toothbrush & toothpaste, glasses, small hairbrush, little vial of lotion/moisturizer, book, lip balm, eyedrops, tiny notepad & pen. <BR><BR>Camera & film, all clothes, extra pair of shoes, umbrella, toiletries, etc. go in the bag in the overhead.

I always carry on film, cameras, a few toiletries (toothbrush, shaver), and a book or two.