In light of the luggage meltdown, what to...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is my new favorite carry on:

https://www.awaytravel.com/suitcases/bigger-carry-on?color=lavender&usb_charger=not_included I got it in lavender.

I just took it for a ten day trip to Chicago and I still had clothes that I never wore. It's very easy to organize and it's much easier to pack lightly in warm weather. I plan to take it as my only bag for a month-long trip to Italy in September. I pack mostly light dresses and light hiking clothes. A couple of linen or gauzy pants and tops. Bathing suit. Enough underwear for a week and do laundry.

OP you can easily take a bag like this one for a ten day trip to Greece. Light clothing is key. Good luck!

Check the allowable size on the airline website. Domestic carry on sizes are larger than international allowable sizes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think strategically packing a carry-on so you can manage for a few days is smart, but I just don’t think it’s realistic to plan on a ten-day trip without checking a bag.

+1. Everyone who is doing carry on only either has to do laundry (which I would not want to do) or re-wears clothes, which is smelly to me and also suboptimal for pics. Also I like to have a few shoe and bag options for 10 days, and that’s hard w/carry on only.

[Anonymous]

Can you ship luggage to your first hotel?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think strategically packing a carry-on so you can manage for a few days is smart, but I just don’t think it’s realistic to plan on a ten-day trip without checking a bag.

+1. Everyone who is doing carry on only either has to do laundry (which I would not want to do) or re-wears clothes, which is smelly to me and also suboptimal for pics. Also I like to have a few shoe and bag options for 10 days, and that’s hard w/carry on only.

I think you could do it without laundry given that part of time will be on islands and you’ll be wearing swimsuits a lot. If you are only changing into real clothes for evening dinner it’s really easy to rewear. You could easily fit 10 tee shorts or tanks so you never had to rewear a tee, which is the most smelly.

[Anonymous]

Why are you all so smelly? Commando has it’s benefits. Long, hot, productive showers work well too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Eh I just got back from Europe and our bags were fine and arrived on time both ways.

Same. Now, we had several cancelled flights to contend with, but our luggage made it at the same time we did. I always pack some basic toiletries and a change of clothes in a carry on, but haven’t had issues with checked luggage. We

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Eh I just got back from Europe and our bags were fine and arrived on time both ways.

Same. Now, we had several cancelled flights to contend with, but our luggage made it at the same time we did. I always pack some basic toiletries and a change of clothes in a carry on, but haven’t had issues with checked luggage. We

You're fortunate. Our luggage went missing from a connecting flight to our final destination. Lucky to get the next day (and I had packed accordingly in my carry on), but have friends who have still not received their luggage after returning home from Europe on 6/28. There are a lot of Twitter accounts devoted to this phenomenon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I e done it. I’d bring 2 bathing suits and a rash guard. 2 pairs of shorts and 2 pairs of flowy pants. 2 light dresses, a few tee shirts or tanks. I’d wear long pants with a tank and cardigan that would work with the dresses on plane with comfy sneakers, and pack sandals that would work for walking or dresses. 10 pairs of underwear and several bras. Swim coverup and a couple of books and a small cross body purse You can fit that all in a carryon definitely. Then my personal bag would be a tote that I could fit some more stuff in. The worst of it is not being able to bring toiletries other than what fits in the 311 bag. Last week tsa took my conditioner which was 6 ounces even though it fit nicely inside the quart ziplock bag. Most of my lotions don’t come in 3 ounce containers—they are 4 ounces or 4.5. So irritating.

Flew home from Croatia and they took my 150 ml tube of expensive lotion even though it was VERY CLEAR that there was not even 100 mls left in it. First time ever that anyone even messed with that tube. Ever!

So you're mad that the rules applied to you.

I have flown with it all around the US with no trouble, so was surprised that it was even noticed. I find that most US TSA agents do not pull out lotions, but focus on liquids or homemade items, such as jams/jellies. Once heard of an agent who clearly collects preserves to consume at a later date.

[Anonymous]

I had no problems packing for a week in Greece using carryon luggage. It’s fairly easy because you spend so much time in light clothing/bathing suits. I even fit a portable steamer in there for my linen! Wear your heavier shoes and pack sandals that would work for both pool/beach and a sundress. Don’t forget a wrap for windier dinners and the sun. You’ll need ten sets of underwear or bring a small amount of detergent and plan to wash lingerie in your sink.

I’m very fair so my liquids issue was sunscreen. I had a liquid that I use for my face in a carryon size, but for the body I used a Neutragena sunscreen stick. Aka not a liquid. I wore a Coolibar UV wrap as much as I could while sightseeing etc - but sometimes it got hot and I had to take it off and rely on the sunscreen and a hat. I didn’t burn at all, that stuff works beautifully.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think strategically packing a carry-on so you can manage for a few days is smart, but I just don’t think it’s realistic to plan on a ten-day trip without checking a bag.

It's realistic and possible. Google capsule wardrobe or check out the travel warriorette website.

[Anonymous]

3 swimsuits (one to wear, one to be damp from yesterday and a spare)
2 linen or cotton dresses with pockets
A pair of loose linen pants
3-4 simple tops.
Chacos or similar for beach/touristy wear and nice ballet flats for dinners out or dressy things
A few light sarong-type scarves that can serve as a beach cover up, or wear as a shawl if you go out to dinner and want an extra layer or need to cover up to enter an old church while touring a city, etc. At least one that you can convincingly wear as a skirt.
Lots of underwear
several camis for sleeping.
Some statement jewelry if you want to be able to dress up a bit.

[Anonymous]

What will the weather be? I would think cooler, in the fall -- average high in October in Athens is about 75, per wikipedia. So not thinking that it would be swimsuit and a coverup kind of weather all the time.

For 10 days, I would bring:
One outfit for the plane
7x undies
3-4 packable dresses, one of which can be a swim coverup
1-2 outfits with pants
2 swimsuits
1 pair of walking shoes
1 pair of beach shoes/sandals (or nicer sandals + flipflops)
hat
2 warmer items -- a cardigan and a light jacket, ideally that can be layered together
1 warm scarf

wash undies on day 5 or 6; wash the outfit you wore on the plane to wear it home. Everything else can be reworn if it's not too hot, or washed mid-trip. Pack lightweight, quick dry items.

[Anonymous]

I just did 3 weeks in Europe with a carryon (and knapsack). Believe me, by the end of the trip even that felt too heavy to lug around. You can definitely switch out several outfits every few days. We did laundry once. It worked out fine.

(2-4 pants, 2-3 shirts, 5 shirts, sweater, raincoat, underwear, sandals, sneakers.) What actually took up room was toiletries, COVID tests, medication, make up, camera,etc. Still, very doable. I will never travel with a large suitcase again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just did 3 weeks in Europe with a carryon (and knapsack). Believe me, by the end of the trip even that felt too heavy to lug around. You can definitely switch out several outfits every few days. We did laundry once. It worked out fine.

(2-4 pants, 2-3 shirts, 5 shirts, sweater, raincoat, underwear, sandals, sneakers.) What actually took up room was toiletries, COVID tests, medication, make up, camera,etc. Still, very doable. I will never travel with a large suitcase again.

Forgot pj’s and swimsuit!

[Anonymous]

You can go indefinitely in a carry on if you do sink laundry.