Bags - Packs & Other Luggage   .

"For an American you don't have much luggage!"  was one of the most consistent comments I elicited along with: "Do you always travel alone? —I couldn't do that!" ---The Eagle Creek Bag I bought from TERC is wonderful. It grew and grew to accommodate my purchases. The spontaneity of my trip  (& 1 piece of luggage) allowed me to get off the tourist map. Thanks for all your friendly advice. Lots of fond memories!   Rosemary Jones—Big island I would like to add my comments!                                     Top of Page

Travel Clothes

I live in levis and so decided to take a pair with me. I never for a moment regretted it. Yes, they are bulky, they are a pain to hand wash and take forever to dry but they are what i like to wear. For me the advantage was that I was comfortable in them and they can be worn forever w/o washing--so one pair was adequate. I only had to wash mine once in three weeks and altho it was an experience it worked out ok.    Marlee    27 June 1999   How to handle cold weather—take enough clothing, and still manage with one portable bag was one of our big concerns. After talking to a number of people and some research we did the following which worked well for us. We wore lots of layers. Silk long underwear, turtlenecks, jeans, pullovers, and jackets. Good gloves are very important because it's hard to do anything when you can't feel your fingers. Vincent used a Pantagonia "synchlla" pullover over his turtleneck and then a Gortex jacket over that. He felt it was sufficient for most of the trip. I get chilled easier than he does so used a "syncilla" pullover and a HEAVY quilted, lined Land's End jacket with a hood that buttoned partially over my face. It came down to my knees so when I sat my seat didn't get cold. I wore my jacket EVERYWHERE. We also got shoes that wouldn't get waterlogged, in case we had to walk through rain or snow (which we did). I got a great deal on a pair of boot-like shoes from Bass in Waikele Center, which held up well.      Alison Shigekuni Warm & Light with Silk:  Silk garments reduce bulk of winter clothing. Make sure you pack washable silks. Veteran traveler, Jimmy Leong of Oahu, says he wears 100% silk undershirt and underwear instead of thermal underwear--and keeps very warm. They weigh about 2 oz. each. Lilly Teperow of Oahu says she packs a number of hand washable silk items such as long sleeve blouses, scarves and PJ's,  She said silk is great to sleep in to stay warm--particularly when a hotel's heating isn't on. She said silk wrinkles allot in her bag--but 30 minutes after she puts in on, the wrinkles fall out from the warmth of her body. She added that silk dries fast when you handwash. I would like to add my comments!                                     Top of Page

Laundry Tactics

For drying my levis I used a neat trick that I'd read somewhere....   I took some baloons with me and put my clothes over them to dry. This worked really well for heavier fabric items like tee shirts as well as the levis. I didn't find it necessary for lite weight items like undies, silks, polyesters, etc but it worked really well on those items that are slow to dry.                           Marlee    27 June 1999            OH Laundry! I would like to add my comments!                                     Top of Page

Packing Useful Extras

Pack your Driver's Licence.  Many places in Europe will ask for ID to hold as security while you rent museum head phones, a bike, cash a traveler's check, crossing borders, etc.  Francis Santa Monica of Hi  said he took his driver's licence and used it instead of his passport--which stayed safely in his money belt in  "theft vulnerable areas".   26 May 2000 Used the emerser TERC sells  - it was great to be able to make tea "at home" in the evenings.  Marlee  14 June 99 Tips--from Postcards to mini bags--My husband and I spent a few weeks in Europe a year ago and in June we spent 10 days in England. We brought home wonderful memories each time and a few ideas we would like to share with those who are Europe-bound. GENERAL TRAVEL TIPS Carry a suitcase inside a suitcase—A small, collapsible nylon zippered bag or backpack has been a lifesaver on each of our trips. Filling the smaller bag helps to keep things organized inside the suitcase & when emptied becomes a welcome carry-all for souvenirs acquired along the way. Bring along a few Hawaii picture post cards to leave as thank you notes for hosts of the B&B's.   We even left cans of macadamia nuts with a few extra-gracious people. They truly welcomed this small but exotic gift. If planning to send picture postcards to the folks back home, take along some adhesive envelope labels which you address while still in Hawai to save time when writing the postcards as you travel. Save time by purchasing stamps for the postcards at the airport money exchange window at the same time you obtain foreign currency. "Capture the Moment" throughout your travels by keeping a daily journal of your experiences. Acquire picture postcards of the places you visit to keep for yourself. Chronicle the highlights on the back. You can relive your trip without having to wait for photos to be developed.   Bill and Dianna Neal I would like to add my comments!                                     Top of Page

Pack Lite Demo Feedback

Again, Mele, I would like to thank you for all of your help in planning our trip. Your pack lite class was a godsend - wish I 'd taken even less than I did. I shudder to think how much unnecessary stuff I'd have dragged along with out the benefit of your guidance in this department.    Marlee    27 June 1999 I would like to add my comments!                                     Top of Page

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