Lost luggage can genuinely blight a holiday or short trip, so where ever possible it’s well worth taking carry-on luggage only.
This effectively means taking on board one bag measuring no more than 22 inches x 18 inches x 10 inches. Fitting in all your holiday wear can be a definite squeeze - but it is possible if you know that your hotel provides the following:
1. Laundry service.
2. Beach and bath towels.
3. Dressing gowns.
You can also save weight and space by doing the following:
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Anybody heading off for a camping trip this summer will probably forget some key piece of kit. It’s inevitable!
Packing a handy camping torch might just give you a little less to worry about. This particular gizmo includes an array of useful bits and pieces:
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One of the most stressful parts of traveling abroad is the transportation of luggage. Whether it be lugging bags to the check in desk or waiting hopefully for your suitcase to arrive safely on the conveyor belt; the whole thing offers an unsettling experience.
However, there maybe a solution at hand.
First Luggage offer a service that will pick up bags and deliver them to your destination virtually anywhere in the world. Particularly helpful if you have a large family, are disabled or elderly.
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There is of course no full proof way to prevent your suitcase going AWOL.
However, there are some precautions that make it less likely:
1. If you have a rucksack, ensure that all loose straps are tied in. Loose straps can catch on conveyor belts - resulting in your bag being put to one side.
2. Ensure that your bag or suitcase has a distinguishing feature. Something like a colourful strap can be helpful when determining ownership.
3. Attach luggage labels for both your destination and your home address. Include flight details and destination address.
4. Work on the basis that your luggage will go missing and pack essential items in hand luggage.
5. You can always try and squeeze everything you need into hand luggage. Don’t forget hand luggage dimensions are limited to 22 inches X 18 inches X 10 inches - plus 100 ml bottles of liquid only.
Taking only hand luggage with kids is not advisable. Children under two years of age don’t enjoy any sort of baggage allowance - that includes hand luggage.
Older children tend to be a little careless with carry on luggage - and the last thing you need while negotiating security is rounding up stray bags. Unless of course you have a Trunki.
The golden rule here is to pack your checked luggage light and with the expectation of losing it. Then select your most important items for hand luggage. Leave anything vaguely important at home whilst keeping your clothing to a minimum. T-shirts and shorts can be dirt cheap abroad and they don’t need to last. It’s always crucial to take things like reliable sun cream, anti insect bite creams, calpol / paracetamol etc.
If you have young children under two, you might want to consider offloading some of the mass of baby paraphernalia by having it sent in advance to your destination. Tinytotsaway provide a worldwide delivery service (genius idea!) - pricing depends cost of products plus cost of delivery. Alternatively, Bebebel supplies food, nappies, toys, baby milk to mainland Spain, Balearic and Canary islands. It does take some foresight to arrange these services as the general requirement is 14 days notice prior to departure.
