Travel prep

[redbird]

Expecting to pack for a week in Montreal in winter in one carry-on bag may have been over-ambitious. But I probably could have done it if my parka zipper hadn't died; I'd collapse from the heat on the way to the airport if I tried to wear my wool coat and my down vest, rather than packing the latter, and that's enough bulk to have put it over carryon size. I am resolutely not throwing in more stuff "because I'm checking the bag anyway," because I still have to carry it to and from the airport. Tomorrow, I'm packing a handful of things that I can't pack yet because I'll need them in the morning, and I might allow myself one paperback.

Relatively soon, I should stop talking to cattitude and adrian_turtle, put away the last of the laundry, brush my teeth, and see about getting some sleep.

Comments

[adrian-turtle.livejournal.com]

If it's just the down vest that's causing bulk problems for you, you might be able to reduce it. Good down is highly compressible. Fold, then roll, then pack in a ziploc.

[papersky.livejournal.com]

Please keep the down vest as far from me as you can, it's one of my worst asthma triggers.

Packing light ...

[the-magician.livejournal.com]

... is something I've never managed to do (not repeatably!) ...

... though my last trip to the US was very light (on the way out! On the way back, as I put in my LJ, I brought back something like 90Kg of stuff (two bags at 30Kg each, one carry on at about 12Kg, one double-neck guitar in hard case at another 15Kg or so, plus whatever I could cram in my pockets and the plastic bags from the airport shops/duty free)

For you, my suggestion would be, put the down vest in a separate plastic bag and if they tell you you can't take the bag on the plane, then (and only then) take it out and put it on over what you're wearing just long enough to get past the jobsworth and then put it back in the bag.