Returning to Italy – Spring 2022

We are at the SFO airport!

Wow it is so amazing to be traveling again. We are super excited. So far everything is going smoothly and feels very safe. Masks are required in the airport and nearly everyone is in compliance.  The airport is not crowded. We are in the BA lounge, and it is also not busy.

My thoughts on packing.

1. Do not overpack. This is hard to do as one wants to be prepared for everything. It is challenging when the weather could be hot, or cold or rainy. If you are going on a cruise or organized trip where someone else will be schlepping your bags, less of a concern. If you are going to a country with cobblestone walks, taking trains, carrying your own bags in places without elevators, pack less!

Obviously, different travel situations require different packing needs. Regardless, we have learned to carry on everything, after having our bags lost for four days in Mexico. Fortunately, in Mexico little is needed, and restocking was easy and inexpensive.

1.      We pack only the essential body care products for a few days. It is generally easy to buy small shampoo containers, toothpaste, lotions, etc. Granted, if you are off to a remote area without access to stores this would be an exception.  

2.      Packing cubes verses rolling clothes. There is much debate out there on what is the best method of packing a suitcase. I have come up with a combination of both packing cubes and rolling.  

a.      Packing cubes Pros: Cubes make a group of items much smaller, ie socks can be compacted down to a much smaller space inside a cube. Packing cubes are great for making bulking items, smaller and easier to fit in the suitcase. Packing cubes are great if you are packing for a location where you will be arriving and unpacking, staying in a location for a period of time.

b.      Cons: Once packed, it is very difficult to remember what is in each cube without opening it. Which then it must be repacked. Therefore, if one is traveling in a manner where you are moving frequently and living out of your suitcase, finding things in the cubes is crazy making. Packing cubes do condense items into one bigger packet, although, sometimes they do not fit well in the suitcase, there is space between and they don’t fit into the corners well.               

Bottom line, I roll shirts, pants, jackets. They fit better, can be shoved into the corners of the suitcase, and can be easily identified.  I use cubes for the less used items; bathing suits, extra sweater, clothes I will not need right away.

Next post from Italy!