Ok, I get that it keeps travel costs down and appreciate that most airlines try to extract every last dime from passengers with extra luggage charges, but for me, trying to pack everything I need, into carry on baggage, even for a short break is just too much hassle.
I don’t travel light, I never have, even when working as cabin crew, I was the one with a full-size suitcase for a night-stop in Cairo, holding up the crew bus as I went to grab my suitcase from the baggage claim.
As I moved on to travelling commercially, my penchant for large items of checked baggage has only increased. I simply don’t see the point in cramming everything in a carry-on and then trying to find somewhere to store it in the packed overhead lockers on the aircraft, when the cost to check a bag is around the same price as a lunch in your destination.
I should add at this stage, before anyone asks…yes I do wear everything I take!
Take advantage of baggage allowance
On long-haul flights, where I always try to fly in at least premium economy, I take full advantage of the generous allowance of two checked-in bags (plenty of room for shopping purchases)…as I say, I don’t travel light!
I kind of admire backpackers and their air of freedom, waltzing through the airport with everything they need, strapped to their back like an oversized turtle. I guess it goes with the backpacker lifestyle, casual and carefree.
Why scrimp on the cost?
What I can’t get my head around is people who invest in more luxurious holidays and then scrimp on the cost of a checked bag. I have taken two-week Transatlantic cruises, where you can expect every possible kind of weather, with fellow passengers who spend a week in Europe prior to the cruise (so three weeks in total) and only take carry-on baggage!
Cruises these days are more relaxed when it comes to evening-wear and my four suitcases between two of us could be called excessive, but just a carry-on..really?
I get it, each to their own, but this kind of travel is not for me.
That time I gave it a try!
I did try it once, on a short, solo trip from the Spanish mainland to Tenerife in the Canary islands.
I was popping over to visit my parents who were staying there for a couple of months, I knew I wouldn’t need ‘going out clothes’ or anything particularly warm or heavy so I thought I would challenge myself to travel with just carry-on baggage.
My flight was with Vueling (a fairly low-cost Spanish airline, owned by the IAG group which also has Iberia and British Airways in its stable).
Thankfully Vueling is pretty generous with its carry-on bag allowance, with one larger bag (55 -40-20 cm) to go in the overhead locker, plus a smaller bag (35-20-20 cm) to go under the seat in front of you, they even allow a further bag if you purchase items in the airport!
I should point out that the main carry-on bag should weigh no more than 10 kilos so I had to bear that in mind for my challenge.
The challenge
I dug out a roller-bag from my large collection and as none were the correct size, I decided to live dangerously and go with the slightly larger one, this along with my deceptively voluminous Guess tote bag, I felt almost confident…I got this!
Packing strategy
To keep things simple, I tried to stick with a monochromatic clothes theme and a pair of Converse which would go with everything. That’s where it started to go downhill, I mean who actually ever only takes one pair of shoes anywhere? So in went a second pair of Converse, well I would be wearing one pair so I guess that only counts as actually packing one.
I am not a fan of re-wearing clothes I have travelled in, so my travel outfit wouldn’t be worn again, meaning for three days I needed three outfits plus two sets of travel clothes.
I also dislike sitting around my hotel or apartment in regular clothes so I needed what I call a ‘slouching around outfit’, a good selection of underwear is a must and something to sleep in.
Next came the dilemma, what about my gym gear? I love using new gyms or going running in different destinations but I wasn’t convinced I would fit my gym clothes in or indeed if I would have time to workout, so the first sacrifice was made. (sorry waistline)
So that’s the clothes pretty much sorted, now for the extras. Hair curling wand or straighteners, I have long unruly hair and don’t travel anywhere with something to tame my locks, I decided on the curling wand to make for more adaptable styling. (Before anyone suggests it, no, I can’t cleverly curl my hair with straighteners, I tried it once and looked like Diana Ross circa 1975).
Despite hunting high and low, I couldn’t find my travel hairdryer so in went my rather weighty regular one. Yes, the apartment was advertised with a hairdryer but I have had too many run-ins with those old ‘hose’ hairdryers stuck on the bathroom wall which barely do more than breathe warm air on your hair, I wasn’t taking any chances.
Next up, make-up and toiletries. Fortunately, being a frequent traveller, I have a box full of hotel mini-toiletries from around the world and this was the perfect time to use them.
Make-up was a struggle, although I don’t spend hours doing my face, I do have a huge collection of colourful eye palettes, luscious lipsticks and gorgeous creams, how could I leave any behind?
It was at this stage that I remembered the ‘limited liquids rule’, any liquids or pastes needed to be placed in a transparent bag to go through security screening, so out came the toiletries and make-up to be separated into their designated bags.
Well that was that for the main bag, so far, so good, now for the smaller bag. I was surprised at how much space I still had. I just had to hope that Tenerife wasn’t suddenly hit by an unprecedented snow storm. I always like to buy decent quality cabin bags, four wheels are must as is a long telescopic handle.
My Macbook was the first to go into the smaller bag, I rarely travel without it, then of course the charger and mouse, Kindle and iPhone together with their respective chargers, a 4-way USB charger, charger for my Apple watch (think there’s a theme developing here), notebook, document folder (I am a very OCD traveller), passport, purse, sunglasses and case, antibacterial wipes (I meticulously wipe down all my seat area as soon as I board, OCD again), a spare lipstick, car keys and that’s it, I did it!
The journey
I felt a little sense of achievement strolling though the airport, bypassing the check-in desks, the feeling turned to dread as I stood in line for the security check, hoping none of my make-up would be confiscated or some stowaway pair of scissors would magically appear in my bag, but all was good, I was officially a ‘light traveller’, well at least for this trip.
Off to the VIP lounge for a well-deserved Bloody Mary.
(At this stage I must thank, my personal trainer for all the arm work he tortures me with, which enabled me to effortlessly, lift my 12 kilo (yes I know it was supposed to be 10 kilo) bag into the overhead locker as my fellow travellers, the Tenerife Basketball team, looked on.
“Running through airports with pounds of luggage – that’s a good workout.”
— Rachel McAdams
Future travel
Would I do it again. My answer is probably not, in fact I recently flew from the mainland to another Spanish island, Menorca in the Balearics for a few days. I travelled with friends who decided to only take carry on bags whereas I paid for the upgrade (which incidentally included priority boarding – see ya later girls). On the return journey after indulging in a little retail therapy, they were begging me for a few inches of space in my checked bag!
