Fear of traveling light

It’s amazing how many travelers I run into who give me strange looks when I tell them the carry-on bag I’m holding is all the luggage I’m taking. They just don’t understand it. And it’s gotten even worse since I switched to a non-wheeled bag.

In a follow up to the recent posting, “Solution: Wear it,” I thought it might be interesting to post reasons people have told you why they can’t “one bag” it.

Here are some I’ve heard:

1) What if I need something I leave at home?

2) I’m on vacation, I don’t want to do laundry.

3) My wife won’t let me.

4) Everything I carry is essential and there is no way I could get it into one small bag.

5) I need a bag that size just for: shoes, electronics, make-up, my work out clothes—take your pick.

6) I don’t want to smell bad.

7) I’m not some hippie backpacker.

Your turn…….

(Frank II)

Solution: wear it

This Washington Post article will break no new ground for OBOW readers. The writer says she only travels carry-on, but…

MMMMM….R-R-RIGHTHonestly, though? Packing light is a giant pain. It requires tough decisions and a willingness to sacrifice both vanity and dignity (see black pants, above). Carrying on is not for the weak.

Which is why, when getting ready for a long-awaited trip to France several months ago, I found myself wavering. It was just a 10-day vacation, but try as I might, I couldn’t fit everything I needed into my regulation 20-inch roll-aboard. City clothes, country clothes, guidebooks, hiking shoes, laptop - none of these things was expendable. Yet I was committed to flying with the proverbial one personal item and one carry-on. What to do with all my extra baggage?

Reader, I wore it.

Now, she’s a member of the Scottevest cult. I’ll bet we could teach her a few other ways to cut the weight.

(Brad)

Cuddle Class?

In today’s USA Today, Laura Bly writes an article with tips on sleeping in economy class on long-haul flights.

She also mentions a new offering, first from Air New Zealand but possibly soon with other airlines, called the Sky couch—a row of three seats that converts into a bed. While she points out this is not a good idea for strangers, it might work for couples. A couple can buy two of the seats and get the thrid at a discount.

I don’t know, this could spawn a whole new industry—“Skycouch Matchmaking.”

Of course, I have the answer to much of their worries—-bunk beds.

How To Sleep in Economy Class

(Frank II)

Verizon Gets the Iphone

Finally, the wait is over. In early February, Verizon customers who have waited for months on rumors that the Iphone is coming have to wait no longer.

And I was one of those people. Currently, I travel with a Blackberry and an Ipod Touch. Now, I thought, I can get an iphone and only need to travel with one device. One less device, one less charger.

Or so I thought.

While the ATT IPhone is GSM and can be used all over the world, the Verizon model will be CDMA and only CDMA. No quad band as I had hoped.

So, outside North America, and a few countries, spattered here and there, the only way to get connected overseas is via wi-fi—and I can do that now with my Ipod.

Oh well, I still have a year left before I can upgrade. I wonder what Verizon will have in store by then.

Quad band droid?

(Frank II)

But what's it weigh?

Baldanzza, the company behind some of the best digital luggage scales on the market, has decided to come out with their own carry on size luggage. Very high tech, very stylish. Unique design..yada, yada, yada.

But, something they forget…..the specs. No dimension info (except to say it’s a full sized carry-on) and no weight. No weight? You’d think someone from the company would have thought to get one of their own digital scales and weigh the thing.

Balanzza Truco

(Frank II)

Pilot delays departure and airline approves

In today’s airline environment where schedules are more important than people, one Southwest pilot did the right thing and is getting applause for it:

Southwest Pilot delays departure for murder victim’s family

(Frank II)

To bring food on board or not?

Just how far should we be allowed to go to bring food on board? A sandwich? Salad? A turkey?

Well, if you prefer the latter, don’t do it in the UK. It seems it’s illegal to bring perishable food on as carry-on.

Over the holidays, one passenger at the Cardiff, Wales airport tried to bring a Christmas turkey on board in his hand luggage. The turkey was confiscasted and destroyed because of the above rules.

I did some extra digging and found out the real reason……the turkey was stuffed with exploding giblets.

On another day, someone tried to bring on his pet goldfish. The goldfish was also not allowed to board since it refused to be still while being sent through the nude-o-scope nor the pat down. 

And if you think I’m kidding about either of these two events…I’m not:

Turkey refused boarding

(Frank II)

Feeling mule-y?

Not my idea of a good time:

Go to Gadling to learn more, if you dare. What would you say to this lady — “Darling, you tow divinely…What’s a nice mare like you doing in a place like this?”

(Brad)

Update on January 10, 2011 by Frank@OBOW

It’s not a joke. It really is for sale at SkyMall. Looks like an injury waiting to happen. And a way to make rolly towers take up even more concourse real estate.

Update on January 10, 2011 by Frank@OBOW

When I first saw this earlier today, I thought it was worn on one shoulder leading to a definite shoulder injury. But upon further inspection, I realize it’s worn on both shoulders like backpack straps.

If you’re going to wear backpack straps anyway, why bother with this contraption—which really looks silly, puts horrible strain on the lower back, and changes your center of gravity—and just get a non-wheeled convertible bag(?)  Unless, of course, your wheeled bag is huge and  in that case, it should checked.

(Frank II)

Tips for avoiding bedbugs

Okay, I know what you’re thinking….not the most pleasant subject. But sadly, a reality. Everywhere you turn, there are more and more reports of bedbug infestations in hotels, apartments, stores and even movie theaters.

So, what’s a traveler to do? Well, here’s an article with some great suggestions:

Cleaning Specialists’ Tips for Evading Bedbugs

(Frank II)

Heather's 14-day/12.5 lb. outfit

Here’s a picture of Heather’s sub-13 pound kit (read the details here):

I love looking at others’ packing photos on OBOW, so I’m sending a belated re-creation of my 14-day, 12.5lb. Germany/Czech Republic trip (hoping that other readers will send theirs).  Included are the clothes I wore on the plane, except for my 3-in-1 coat.  Also, the camera isn’t there because I’m using it to take the photo! - Heather

The trend is to tablets

The monstrous consumer electronics show in Vegas is said to feature more than 100 new tablet devices sized from big phone to netbook. Those wanting to slim their tech gear to one device or to something smaller than a laptop need not bemoan a lack of options. Read the BBC overview here.

Will airline fees go up?

With the new round of profitablilty after a few years of losses, airlines are looking for new ways to tack on fees. It was the extra fees that brought the profit.

According to the Tampa Tribune, some of these fees will be new to North America, although already practiced in other parts of the world, and some would become more widespread.

Examples are fees for:

—paying with a credit card

—for making a reservation over the Internet

—for not using the Internet or a kiosk to get a seat assignment

—on checked bags but by the pound (something one baggers need not worry about)

—to assign tickets to another passenger

—for carry on luggage (can I have a big “boo” on this one)

—for infants not holding a ticket

—to lock in a fare (already started on Continental)

It seems the airlines are trying their best not to raise fares which gets more complaints than extra added fees.

If you want to read the entire article, here’s the link:

Tampa Tribune

(Frank II)

Lifehacker posts Till's vid

Lifehacker likes Till’s jacket folding video which happens to be the only video on the OBOW YouTube channel.

One woman's travel light story while cruising

Here’s how one Vancouver journalist took a cruise with only carry-on sized luggage. Good info for women who want to pack light and cruise.

Once you travel light, you’ll never go back

Note, in most newspapers, an editor writes the headline and any photo captions needed. In this case, I don’t think the person writing the photo caption read the article.

(Frank II)

More airports think of tossing TSA

Here’s a link to the article:

Airports toy with the idea of tossing TSA

(Frank II)

New Year, new call to ditch TSA

More talk of airports opting out of the TSA security regimen/regime:

Rep. John L. Mica (R-Fla.), the incoming chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, has written to 200 of the nation’s largest airports, urging them to consider switching to private companies.

The TSA was “never intended to be an army of 67,000 employees,” he said.

“If you look at [the TSA’s] performance, have they ever stopped a terrorist? Anyone can get through,” Mica said in an interview. “We’ve been very lucky, very fortunate. TSA should focus on its mission: setting up the protocol, adapting to the changing threats and gathering intelligence.” -  WaPo

(Brad)

Come Fly With Me

On Christmas Day, the BBC aired the first episode of a new comedy series, “Come Fly With Me,” about life at a London airport. It’s by the same people behind “Little Britain.”

While not available in the U.S., someone has decided to post it on Youtube. The link is provided below. I hope you enjoy it, I did.

Come Fly With Me…Episode 1>

(Frank II)

Update on January 1, 2011 by Frank@OBOW

I should mention that a few years ago, the BBC aired  a documentary series, “Heathrow,” a serious behind the scenes look at the airport and a few key people that work there.   “Come Fly With Me” is a satire of that series.

Continental gets "Sky" interior

Continental Airlines is the first U.S. airline to get a 737-800 with Boeing’s new “Sky” interior.

According to a Continental press release:

This all-new interior features newly sculpted sidewalls, energy-efficient LED lighting and larger overhead bins that retract into the ceiling, permitting stowage of additional roll-aboard bags. Other features include improved ventilation and cabin-noise reduction for customers and new, touch-screen flight attendant panels and controls.

Bigger overhead bins?  Can we hope to see that on all future airliners? Only time will tell

(Frank II)

How to handle "Winterchaos"

We’ve all seen the mess snow storms have caused in the last couple of weeks on both sides of the Atlantic. Thousands of flights cancelled. Holiday plans ruined.

Would you know what to do if you were in this situation. Budget Travel magazine has come up with some excellent suggestions on how to avoid being one of those stranded for days:

Winterchaos

(Frank II)

Travel + Snow = Problems

If you’ve been watching the news, much of the eastern seaboard has been blanketed with snow. Thousands of flights have been cancelled stranding who knows how many passengers.

Anyone traveling this time of year knows they take the risk of weather working against them. But at what point does the blame go from mother nature to the airports.

Last week, London’s Heathrow Airport, arguably one of the world’s busiest, was closed for days due to snow. With it being the week before Christmas, tens of thousands of travelers were stranded—many of whom were just transiting through. EVen after the snow stopped falling it took three days to get back to normal. Many of the stranded never made it to their destination for Christmas.

Well, you say, nothing they could do, it was all that snow. Or was it?

London’s other four airports also closed for a short while but re-opened and got up to full speed while Heathrow was still shut. 

Why?

That’s the question the British Government is asking. So much so, they are thinking of enacting legislation that would “give the regulator the power to fine an airport where it does let passengers down and doesn’t prepare properly for severe weather conditions.”

BAA, the operator of Heathrow, said they would welcome legislation that would “improve the experience of passengers.”

The company also said they are launching their own investigation into what happened. In response to the claims they did not have enough equipment is spending $15 million on new snow ploughs.

One consolation, BAA CEO Colin Matthews said that in light of what happened at Heathrow last week he would not take his nearly $1 million dollar bonus this year. 

BAA is a Spanish owned company. It owns six airports in the UK and the Heathrow Express train.