The Savvy Tourist

Let's Pack

By now you should have purchased your new Antler Luggage and are ready to take a trip. So, let's talk about all the great accessories you can pack now that you have that fantastic super lightweight luggage.

The handiest item I have found to assist me in neat and organized packing for a long trip is packing cubes. I was able to get nine days worth of clothes and assorted other things in savvy hubby's suitcase for one of his overseas adventures. Believe me that was not easy as hubbys do not do laundry while away from home. By packing similar items in the individual cubes, you don't always make a huge mess of your suitcase every time you look for something either.

Another great item is the space saving compressible bags that allow you to literally suck the air out of your clothes and pack 10 times as much stuff. I use these mostly for bulky items like sweaters and jackets. Some people may use them to keep dirty clothes separate from clean clothes or wet clothes separate from dry clothes. This works great too if you travel with your own pillow.

A good toiletry kit that doesn't take up too much room and keeps all your liquids and such separate from your clothing is a must have. The one I recommend here will also hang on a hook in the bathroom so you can keep the sink area from being cluttered all the time. This is good when traveling with a companion who also may have a lot of "bathroom stuff". You still have to be aware of the rules if flying and going through security at an airport. Your liquids (no more than 3oz bottles) must be in a quart sized plastic bag and out for inspection. So pack accordingly! If you aren't sure then try this 3-1-1 compliant kit.

There seem to be a lot of luggage limitations these days when traveling in the friendly skies so I try to eliminate the need for a purse (which counts as a carry-on or "personal item"). I have a large stylish bag that I use not only for my laptop or netbook, but I carefully integrate my phone, keys, wallet, business cards, sun glasses, make up, my Kindle, and a bottle of water in there. It tends to get a little heavy but it does keep me organized. Now because of this, I pack in my suitcase a "fanny pak" to use on the other end. I can just fill that with daily needs as opposed to my entire life that I have crammed into my big bag.

Everyone's needs are different and their destinations vast, so no matter what you pack in your suitcase, make sure you secure it with a TSA approved safety lock and a durable luggage tag. For all of your travel accessories, please visit The Savvy Tourist's Travel Store.

If you have any great packing tips to share please comment on this post.

 

 

 

Antler Luggage

Have you ever heard of Antler Luggage? Well, me neither until now. I always hate to admit that considering I am the "Savvy Tourist", but hey, I am here to advise my savvy readers and if I have to be humble to do so well so be it!!

It seems Antler Luggage has actually been around for over 90 years which is longer than all my savvy readers I am guessing. They specialize in light-weight luggage and they have been the #1 brand over seas for many years. They are British by the way!! It seems from my research that luggage in the UK typically weighs less than our American hefty luggage.

Antler has designed yet another class of lightweight luggage that can be lifted with just a finger. IT is called the Size Zero collection.  Now, the whole luggage thing is a case of weight and balance when it comes to stuffing everything you own onto an airplane. Therefore, if you have a lighter suitcase, guess what? More stuff!!!! Yes, you can pack so much more into these suitcases since they are so lightweight. Of course you better be a savvy packer! (That is something we will touch on in a few days after you order you new suitcase.)

Antler Size Zero 24" Medium Super Lightweight Rolling Upright

I cannot wait to share this information with my savvy 'Mum-in-Law" (that's British speak of course) because she loves to travel and she loves to take as much with her as possible.

Oh...and if there are any 90+ year olds out there reading my blog, please write in with some of your travel stories and experiences.

Quote of the Day

"The scientific theory I like best is that the rings of Saturn are composed entirely of lost airline luggage."

- Mark Russell      
 

Kindle it...if you can

A little over a year ago I did a post about the Amazon Kindle. My curiosity was peaked backed then and it is again, but for different reasons this time. Santa was generous enough to leave a Kindle under my Christmas tree this year and I just love it. When I started researching the Kindle last year, there was quite a bit of content available to purchase for this electronic handheld reader. I questioned whether or not it was cost worthy considering a lot of the books were rather pricey considering they weren't real books that I could put my hands on. Somehow they just get wisked through the air and appear on the Kindle within seconds at my request. I now know that is not magic but rather Amazon's Whispernet technology. Well, a year later and there is a remarkable amount of material available for the Kindle and so far it is cheaper than buying the real book. It is not limited to books either. You can subscribe to newspapers, magazines, and blogs. One of the first things I did was subscribe to the Reader's Digest on a monthly basis.

Now you might wonder why I think this has anything to do with travel or blogging. Well, since I travel and blog sometimes at the same time, I think I will find the Amazon Kindle quite useful. I like to take more than a few books with me in my luggage and we all know that is almost impossible these days since you have to stuff your life in one bag or be charged out the wazoo by the airlines. I will have my book that I am currently reading for pleasure, (usually a James Patterson murder mystery) and a current newspaper from the hotel, (usually USA Today), several blogging reference books and some travel guides depending upon where I am visiting. That takes up quite a bit of room in my luggage! But now, I can have all those things and more on just one small electronic reading device that stores neatly in my luggage or even my purse.

Another great feature is that if you are thinking about buying a book, but aren't quite sure about it, the Kindle lets you download a portion of the book and read to see if you are interested first. You can also subscribe to magazines and newpapers free for 14 days to make sure that is the best subscription for you before you purchase.

The Kindle is difficult to get, but it sure is worth the wait!

Airline Pilot Speaks Out on Flight Delays

One of my "savvy" readers alerted me to this very cool and informative article written for Reader's Digest (if you are also a Savvy Cafe reader you will know this is one of my favorite publications). It was written by an airline pilot using both wit and wisdom, stirred together with a little experience. Enjoy!!

by Patrick Smith

Welcome aboard. Our flying time this afternoon, not counting ground delays and holding patterns, will be two hours and thirty minutes.
Before we take off, I would like to apologize on behalf of this and every airline for the hassle you just endured at the security checkpoint. As is patently obvious to any reasonable person, the humiliating shoe removals, liquids ban, and pointy-object confiscations do little to make us safer.
Unfortunately, the government insists that security theater, and not actual security, is in the nation's best interest. If it makes you feel any better, our crew had to endure the same screening as the passengers. Never mind that the baggage loaders, cleaners, caterers, and refuelers receive only occasional random screening. You can rest easy knowing that I do not have a pair of scissors or an oversize shampoo bottle anywhere in my carry-on luggage.
Just a moment.
Okay, well, as expected, we've received word of a ground stop. Our new estimated departure time is 90 minutes from now, subject to change arbitrarily, without warning.
And while we're waiting, let me explain that these sorts of delays (and it's not your imagination -- late arrivals and departures have doubled since 1995) result not only from our antiquated air traffic control system but also from too many planes flying into and out of overcrowded airports. Passengers demand frequency-you want lots of flights flying to lots of cities. But this can be self-defeating, because many of these flights will be late -- in some cases, very late. At airports near major cities like New York and Washington, D.C., the proliferation of small jets has added to the congestion. They make up nearly 50 percent of planes at some of our busiest airports yet carry only a fraction of overall passengers. This inefficient use of air and ground space is one reason we will be sitting here for the next hour and a half.
Once we're airborne, flight attendants will be coming around with food and beverages for sale. I know many of you are irritated that an in-flight meal now costs $7 -- on top of the $25 you just paid for an extra checked bag. Unfortunately, with oil prices skyrocketing and jets requiring as much fuel as ever (a coast-to-coast flight takes 8,000 gallons), it's impossible for us to provide luxurious service and rock-bottom fares at the same time. We know that most of you are miserable and that you long ago learned to despise every aspect of air travel. But try, if you can, not to take your frustrations out on other passengers or the crew. The overall surly vibe is unpleasant for us too. And ridiculous as this might sound, look on the bright side.
Yes, there is a bright side: more choices and surprisingly reasonable fares. Domestically, you can now fly between almost any two airports in the country with, at worst, a single stopover. Internationally, transoceanic routes have fragmented, allowing people to fly direct from smaller hubs in the United States to points in Europe, Asia, Latin America, and elsewhere. Nobody enjoys holding patterns or sitting on a tarmac, but in earlier days, the overall journey would have taken longer-and cost more.
It's true that fares have risen sharply of late, but if they seem especially pricey, that's partly because they remained so cheap for so long, with many carriers selling tickets below cost. Fares in 2006 were averaging 12 percent lower than in 2000, despite a 150 percent rise in jet-fuel costs.
Current fares cost about what they did in the 1980s. And let's not forget that flying is much safer than it was in the past. Globally, there are twice as many planes carrying twice as many people as there were a quarter century ago. Although the raw total of crashes has risen, accidents are way down as a percentage of total flights.
I am well aware that airlines have become pariahs of the postindustrial economy. But it's rarely acknowledged that despite recurrent fiscal crises, major staffing and technology problems, and constant criticism from the public, our carriers have managed to maintain a mostly reliable, affordable, and safe transportation system.
Hang in there, and our crew will let you know if and when our plane might actually take off. In the meantime, those $7 sandwiches are actually pretty good.

Where's my luggage?

It could quite possibly be in Scottsboro, Alabama! That is where the Unclaimed Baggage Center is located. As airline "savvy" as I profess to be, even I have become separated from my precious life stuffed in a suitcase while traveling. Usually, I only do carry-on bags for obvious reasons, but on one occasion I was traveling with a 2 year old and it was necessary to pack half the house (not just the kitchen sink) in a suitcase and check it. I was going direct from Philadelphia (airport code = PHL) to Sacramento (SMF) on just one airplane so I figured "just how lost can my luggage get?". Well, even I was surprised when I arrived in Sacramento and there was no luggage belonging to me going round and round on the turnstile. I went to Baggage Claim to inquire as to where my luggage could've possibly gone and I was met with a very matter-of-fact "Poughkeepsie, NY...happens all the time." Well, as luck would have it, Newburgh/Poughkeepsie Airport has an airport code of SWF, very similar to SMF, or perhaps not.  Apparently some illiterate moron working the ramp in Philly sees fit to send about half a dozen bags a night to the "other" SMF. I couldn't believe my ears. They were actually telling me to my face that this happens nightly, but no one seems to be addressing the situation. After several days and many phone calls later, I was finally reunited with all the toys, videos, and clothes that I had packed to keep my 2 year old busy on our vacation, but I know some people aren't as lucky as I was. Some folks have lost their luggage for good,or so they might think! There is a good chance  you can go to the Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottsboro, Alabama and buy your stuff back at a discounted price. Each day, this Wal-Mart sized shopping warehouse stocks more than 7000 items they receive as lost luggage from over 21,000 flights in the United States. You can shop inside the actual store or online at www.unclaimedbaggage.com. It's like an outlet mall!

Lost luggage is the phenomenon in which a public carrier, airline, ship or train does not send a passenger's luggage to the correct destination to arrive with the passenger.