page 8
travel supplement
friday, february 17, 1978
Packing rule no. 46 you can't fold a St. Bernard
By Mary Jo Pitz!
To some people, traveling light means
leaving the kitchen sink at home and only
taking half of the winter coats even
though the destination is the Caribbean.
As old and repetitive as it may sound,
packingiight is a prerequisite for traveling,
unless you have a personal valet to accom
pany you. However, it seems that experi
ence is the best - and in many cases the
only- teacher when it comes to cutting
down the travel wardrobe to the bare
minimum.
I should know because I am one of
those poor unfortunates who had first
hand experience teach me the folly of my
ways.
As I packed for my winterim visit to
France, I thought I was a step ahead of
everyone else as I bravely eliminated six
pair of jeans, two skirts, one of my three
sets of day of the week underwear and four
pair of shoes. My wardrobe for the entire
20-day journey fit snugly into my Samso
nite, with overflow tucked away inside a
small shoulder bag.
Puffing and heaving as I lugged by suit
case into the airport's baggage check, the
thought crossed my mind that perhaps I
had violated Traveler's Rule Number Five
and overpacked. But small worry, I
reasoned, since I wouldn't have to see that
suitcase until I arrived in London.
Well, I made it to London, but as my
half-hour wait at Heathrow Airport's
baggage claim proved, my suitcase was of a
different mind. Panic-stricken at the
thought of having no luggage for almost
three weeks, I quickly ordered a trace on
my lost luggage and checked into my hotel,
where I consoled myself by unpacking my
shoulder bag.
I figured that the pair of pants, change
of underwear and two extra shirts I had
packed in the little suitcase would suffice
for a day or two. As it turned out, that was
all I had to wear for the whole trip.
As our travels unfolded, I began to re
alize what a stroke of good luck it was to
have lost my suitcase. My friends puffed,
panted and groaned through London sub
ways and French train stations, always
with their heavy suitcases in tew. However,
devoid of luggage, I was able to speed by
everyone and spend my nights enjoying the
city, instead of staying home nursing sore
hands and welted shoulders.
The few necessities in my shoulder bag,
along with a crash course in the joys of
hand laundering, were more than sufficient
for my European visit. The only difficulty
arose trying to find enough space to pack
my souvenirs in.
According to a travel guide compiled
by the Overseas Opportunity Center in the
Nebraska Union, luggage should be lighter
than light.
Before leaving, the traveler should pack
his bags and walk a couple of blocks and
up or down several flights of stairs. Then
he should take out "whatever is not worth
its weight in sore shoulders. Repeat this
process until you are down to an
irreducible minimum."
Gene Topp, a supervisor for United Air
lines, said that he has seen many overladen
passengers come through Lincoln Munici
pal Airport.
"I can't imagine how they could lift it
(their luggage), much less carry it," Topp
said.
He advised that any luggage that will fit
under an airplane seat would be the best
for a short-term vacation.
"Some of this soft-sided luggage doesn't
wear well," Topp said, adding that
although hard-sided luggage is heavier, it is
the best protection against damaged bags.
Greg Smith, senior station agent at
Frontier Airlines, said metal suitcases are
the best way for travelers to go.
"You don't need that expensive
luggage," Smith said. "The best 1 can think
of are metal suitcases. They're not very
aesthetic, but when you consider they're
shoved in with about 80 to 100 pounds of
mail on top, you don't care about looks."
Smith said the best packing guide is to
limit everything to one suitcase, noting
that he has seen too many overburdened
rs "A (
1 ( rrii(flu.Y
"
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travelers.
According to Topp, even the most ex
travagant travelers arc limited in how much
baggage they can take along on a flight.
For domestic and overseas flights, air
lines impose a 70-pound maximum for all
checked baggage. Passengers arc allowed to
carry only one suitcase on board, he said.
All extra baggage has a $6 fee, and if the
70-pound limit is exceeded, travelers must
ship luggage via freight.
As far as what to pack, experienced
travelers recommend dark wash and wear
clothes that will not easily show dirt. Make
sure all clothes will match.
Footwear is important, as most trips
include a lot of walking. Pack shoes that
are sturdy, rubber-soled and well broken
in.
A small toiletries bag with travel-size
rations of the basic necessities will tuck
away in a suitcase corner.
The rest of your packing depends on
destination and length of stay. The rule of
thumb is to pack everything you think you
need, then take out half. After all, where
else will you have room for sourvenirs?
In a nutshell!
March of Dimes
TO PROTECT THE UNBORN
AND THE NEWBORN
THIS SPACE CONTRIBUTED BY THE PUBLISHER
v sw Jim
So much like money yet so
much better. You'll want to carry
them with you everywhere.
To apply for a Visa or Master Charge card, contact
First National Lincoln Havelock Bank
Citibank Union Bank
Citizens State Bank Westgate Bank
Gateway Bank
'4 iMMMaaaB.
I O "JT(LPHONt 402477 7253
