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Travel Advice

How to Pack Light: Five Weeks with a Carry-On!

Packing for any trip–a weekend in wine country, a month in Europe, or something in between used to be second nature for me, but my skills got rusty during the pandemic. What I did and did not bring on my first post-Covid lockdown trips were proof of that!

Here’s how NOT to pack! What do they have in those big bags? And why?

I just got back from five weeks in Europe with only a carry-on roller bag and one personal item. If I can do it, so can you. Here’s how to to get organized and travel lightly on your next adventure.

These are my bags– for a five-week trip to Europe.

If you’re like me, waiting until the last minute to pack means throwing stuff I don’t need into my bag and not bringing the things I do. Make a list or download one from one of the many online sites that offer them free. Do a “preliminary pack” about a week before you’re leaving and finalize right before you go. This goes for your suitcase and your one allowable “personal item” — mine is a tote that carries a small purse, laptop and essentials like travel documents and medications.

Light layers took me comfortably from hiking in the Dolomites…

Check the weather.  Unless you’re traveling in the heat of summer or mid-winter cold, you’ll want to pack light layers.  On my first international trip since Covid began, we stayed in a castle in Tuscany, went hiking in the Dolomites, wine tasting in Friuli, explored small cities in the Marche, spent time at the seaside in Abruzzo, and revisited the eternal city.

…to the Adriatic seaside, and lots of places in between.

The weather was very different in each of these places but by taking layers, my five-week wardrobe fit nicely in my carry- on (thanks to packing cubes) and I had the appropriate clothes for all the weather we encountered.

Don’t check your bag.  In the old days I used to drag along a suitcase that was nearly as big as I am.  I’m not a tall person, but you get the idea. After a certain British airline lost my luggage on the way to a Mediterranean cruise, I now check a bag only under duress. 

Go carry-on! Don’t give airlines a chance to lose your bag or waste time waiting at the baggage carousel.

A friend’s luggage was recovered at London’s Heathrow four months after she returned from what should have been a romantic anniversary trip– everything was wet and ruined. Don’t let lost luggage ruin your trip before it even starts.

Imagine dragging these bags around Rome? I can’t.

If your flight is cancelled or delayed, your chances of rebooking or going standby are much better if you haven’t checked any luggage.  When our flight home from Brussels was cancelled at the end of a busy Easter Week, we got the last seats on the next flight out because we had our bags with us.

While these aren’t huge bags, she’s got two of them, and a duffel, and a purse. Take at least a third of what you think you’ll need out of your bag– you don’t need it. I promise.

Pack light!  Chances are you’re going to be moving from one destination to another and seeing different people in all of those places. No one will know you’ve worn that outfit five times already.  People everywhere dress much more casually than they used to– keep that in mind as you select your travel wardrobe. Choose clothes you’re comfortable in– a trip abroad is not the time to discover your pants are too tight. I often bring a few things that are nearly ready for the donation bin, wear them a few last times and leave them behind– more room for new purchases in my bag!

Neutrals are always appropriate. Use accessories to change your look.

Choose neutrals as your base and use accessories for a pop of color. Everything should go together. Remember the 3:1 rule– three tops for every bottom. Lay out whatever you think you need and then put at least one third of it back in the closet.  You don’t need it—trust me.

People dress much more casually than they used to, even in European cities like Rome.

Pack for no more than a week, no matter how long you’ll be traveling. You can send your laundry out or wash things in the bathroom sink in your hotel. I bring inflatable hangers and a few plastic clothes pins (also good for keeping drapes closed) — and use hotel shampoo as laundry soap. If you’re staying in an apartment with a washer, lucky you! Don’t expect to have a clothes drier in Europe—you’ll likely have a clothesline or drying rack and that’s okay, too.

Check out their footwear– flats and sneakers. Cobbled streets like these in Seville are more the rule than the exception.

You do not need five pairs of shoes. Bring comfortable flats that can also go out to dinner, walking shoes or sneakers for daytime, and sandals or flip flops (good as slippers, too) if you’re headed to a sunny locale. Three pairs is plenty and be sure they’re comfortable. Blisters will ruin that romantic Parisian stroll you planned. If you’re hiking or going into wet/snowy weather that’s a different story. Wear your heaviest shoes/boots on the plane. Never bring new shoes and leave those cute heels at home! Streets are often cobbled or uneven in many destinations.

Bring extra prescription medications in case your return is delayed—and these days, it easily could be. Just last week we woke up to a text announcing our flight home later that day from Madrid was cancelled. Keep medication in its original container, or to save room, get pill pouches (tiny plastic bags available at pharmacies), peel off and apply the label from your Rx bottles and you’re set. Never pack medications in your luggage.  Ask your doctor for paper copies of any prescriptions you take regularly in case you need to get more abroad. 

Keep passports and other documents, medications and any valuables with you at all times, not in your luggage.

Leave jewelry at home.  Unless you wear it every day, don’t bring it.  You don’t want your bling bringing unwanted attention.

Hotels usually provide shampoo, bath gel, body lotion, soap, etc.– the basics will be waiting for you. No need to pack them.

They sell toothpaste and shampoo overseas. Don’t bring every toiletry and beauty product you use at home. Stick to travel sizes of the few you must have and buy what you need when you arrive. Remember–those liquids must fit into a quart- sized bag. British Airways’ bag seems a tad smaller to me and you must be able to zip the bag completely closed! Containers must be 3.4 oz. or less, or they’ll be confiscated.

Use your coat as an extra carry on. Fill the pockets with small items (not liquids). Put a second jacket inside the first and put a vest or sweater in the sleeves.  Make every pocket count!

Sunny skies can change in a heartbeat. Pack light layers and an umbrella and you’ll be prepared for anything!

Take an umbrella and a swimsuit no matter where you’re going.  If you unexpectedly find yourself at the seaside or it turns out your hotel has a pool, you don’t want to frantically shop for a swimsuit– a daunting proposition at the best of times. A small, foldable umbrella is great for sun protection as well as the rain that’s bound to fall.

We wouldn’t have wanted to miss a sunset swim at the Castello Delle Serre in Rapolano.

Electronics need chargers and converters so be sure to pack enough for all your devices. You may also want to add an international calling/data plan to your mobile phone before you go. Use WhatsApp to stay in touch for free and use free WIFI when you can, though obviously not for sensitive information. You can also get a new SIM card at your destinations but be sure to let friends and family know your new phone number.

Someone recently asked me if they needed converters for their hair dryer and other styling tools. No– because you’re going to leave those things at home. Every hotel and apartment rental I’ve ever stayed in has a hair dryer.

He’s heading to the gate with just the right amount of carry-on luggage, no matter how long the journey.

The take-aways–Pack light. Leave valuables at home.  Keep passports, medications and other hard -to -replace items with you—not in your luggage.  Don’t check your bag unless you absolutely have to, and remember, if you forget something, 99 percent of the time there will be stores where you’re going. Ready, set, pack!

Navigating Travel as Covid Continues– Updated!

Remember when we could book an airline ticket, grab our bags and go? Covid has changed how, and even if we travel, for what feels like a long time now. As I prepared for my first international trip in nearly two years last fall, I learned just how different things had become. When I returned to Europe last month, the rules had changed again.

Covid has changed so much about how and even if we can travel.

Vaccination and documentation requirements, for leaving the country and returning, seem to change almost daily both in the USA and abroad. Check government websites for any and all countries you will visit or transit through for updated Covid information.  Some countries still require testing, proof of vaccination, and forms that must be completed online before you can board the plane.

We traveled to Italy last fall, transiting through London’s Heathrow airport. We needed proof of a negative Covid test within 72 hours of travel (we scheduled free tests cvs.com), a completed EU locator form euplf.eu, a UK locator form gov.uk, an Italian Declaration Statement esteri.it, our vaccine card showing at least two doses, and of course, USA passport, before we could obtain our boarding passes.  The UK has no restrictions right now, and masks are no longer required there or on planes or airports in the EU. When we went to Portugal and Spain last month we still needed to test to enter Portugal and locator forms were also required. Had we flown into Spain, none of that would have been necessary.

We didn’t realize we needed a UK Locator Form just to pass through Heathrow Airport last fall. All restrictions have been lifted in the UK– for now.

We flew on American Airlines which uses VeriFLY, an app you upload your documents and test results to for easier airport check-in.  See if your airline uses one of these services. I wish we had downloaded it before we started our trip– we would’ve known we needed the UK Locator form before we got to the airport, saving time and undue stress as we scrambled to complete the form on our phones before we could check in.

If your airline uses an app like VeriFLY download it– it makes check-in much easier and lets you know exactly which forms you’ll need before you head to the airport.

I strongly suggest you carry paper copies of all of your documentation in case you can’t access digital copies.  Not only did we need these to obtain our boarding passes, but also on arrival in the UK, before we boarded our flight to Rome and again when we landed in Rome.  We also had to show negative Covid test results, vaccine card and EU locator forms when we checked in to our first hotel in Italy. This spring, we used Verifly again and it made life a lot easier!

Check specific requirements for every country you plan to visit.

Carry your Covid-19 vaccination card at all times. You will be showing it a lot if you’re traveling in an EU country.  In Italy we needed our vaccine cards to enter all buildings including museums, shops, restaurants, hotels—nearly everywhere we went. In Spain and Portugal we rarely needed to show it, though we kept it handy just in case.

A clear plastic sleeve will help protect your card. I got ours on amazon.com.  At the moment EU citizens and people from 16 other countries can get a digital “green pass” but most Americans cannot ec.europa.eu.

You’ll show your vaccination card at the Green Pass check everywhere you go. Keep it handy!

Bring disposable masks. Mask mandates are changing all the time. They are still required in many places where social distancing is not possible in the EU and other parts of the world.  No discussion. No exceptions. Wear your mask if you’re asked to.

Masks may be required in EU countries and many other parts of the world.

Check your documents!  Is your passport up to date?  And by that, I mean will it be valid six months from your scheduled departure?  If not, renew it now and be prepared to pay extra to expedite this if necessary. Everything takes longer in the time of Covid. I just renewed mine. It took six weeks with expedited processing, though the website said it could take up to 11 weeks. For more visit travel.state.gov.

Make copies of your passport and leave at least one copy at home with a friend or family member. Keep one with you in a secure location and keep a copy on your phone. This will come in handy if your passport goes missing.  Having a color copy helped my husband get a replacement passport in a hurry when his was stolen in London. It also was helpful for the police report he had to file before the new one could be issued.  Never pack your passport in a checked bag.  When you’ve reached your destination lock it in your hotel safe and carry a color copy. Do not leave it in your room unsecured.

Be sure your passport is valid for six months from your departure date.

Notify your bank and credit card companies that you will be traveling abroad.  Nothing will ruin your trip faster than having your credit card frozen because of fraud concerns. Make a note of contact numbers for your cards and keep it in a secure location in case they’re lost or stolen. If you don’t already have a four- digit pin, create one as soon as possible.

We haven’t always been notified when a flight has been delayed or cancelled. Check your travel plans with your airline regularly.

Check in with your airline regularly.  Flights are cancelled and changed with shocking frequency these days.  Both our outbound and return flights were cancelled, rescheduled, and changed again before we left for Italy. Our return trip from Madrid last month was cancelled the same day we were scheduled to fly and we got a “bonus” day there. Your airline will also have updated Covid information for the countries you’ll be visiting.

Book your rental car ASAP. Rental cars are harder to come by and much more expensive than they used to be.  This is true everywhere.  The sooner you book the more likely you’ll get what you want and at a better price. Try autoslash.com for price comparisons for the major rental companies.

Coming home can be fraught with anxiety these days as everyone must be tested for Covid before returning to the USA.  We are one of the few remaining countries to require this and it is not as easy to organize as it was even last fall. At the moment rapid tests taken within 24-hours of departure are needed. Your hotel can usually book you an appointment.  Ours had a nurse come to our room in Madrid to administer the test. If you’re going elsewhere, bring your passport to the testing appointment–you will need it to receive your documentation.  We paid 50 Euro each in cash in Madrid for our tests in April.  Last year in Rome it was 22 Euro each at a pharmacy. Be aware that some pharmacies do not test on the weekend, appointments are required, and because few countries require tests, not all will provide necessary documentation.

You still need proof of a negative Covid test to return to the USA. Check for current requirements.

Summing it up—Check current requirements for all countries you’ll visit or transit through, as well as testing needs for returning, and make appointments in advance. Keep your vaccination card handy. Be flexible– and very patient. Now go out in the world, be safe, and have fun!

Note– This article was originally written in January 2022 and updated in May 2022.