Traveler's Tool Box: Luggage

I deal with a LOT of luggage.  No joke.  When I work a big bus tour, I handle more than 50 bags every day.  I know which ones break!  I see some bags that don't make it 6 days on a bus tour.  This article I'm calling part 1 of my tool box. 

 Luggage

Even the word is daunting.  LUG anything around and it is a burden.  With more and more airlines charging for checked bags, and now carry-on bags, this is becoming even more important.  Square or round, soft-sided or hard-shell...?  I spoke to a contact who is an engineer in airport operations.  I have carried each of these bags at some point in time.  Long story short, I keep returning to this one bag that I got in high school every time another suitcase breaks.  It's an LL Bean Rolling Adventure Duffle.  Current retail price is $109.95, but I see this item on sale a lot, especially during the holidays.

The good, and the not as good...

Soft shell: This bag is tough, but beware, it's not a hard shell bag.  If your goals are to buy nice artwork, put it in a cardboard tube, and carry it home in this luggage, then you might want to consider a hard shell.  For everything else, this is great.  The soft shell means the bag is very light.  When on a long trip, every pound counts.  It is also a standard duffle, meaning it is meant to lay flat on the ground.  I roll my eyes watching people trying to stand this bag on end... so, watch out, this bag will end up being dropped a lot, but it can handle it (as long as your contents can handle it, too!).  I have brought home big bottles of olive oil wrapped up in clothes in this bag with no problem.  But, always double bag them in zip top bags!!! (just a side note- if you travel to Italy, Spain, or Greece and want to bring back olive oil, always pack 4 or 5 two-gallon zipper bags.  Then, you can double, or even triple bag it for added security on the flight home.

Wheels and handle:  Very sturdy.  This bag has been traveling with me for years to Europe.  It has rolled through snow, ice, cobblestones, and more.  I've never had to replace a wheel.  The handle fits flush into the bag, so no fears of those pesky airlines breaking it.  It also has a handle on the bottom so that you can easily pick it up with both hands to load it into a car, or carry it down the steps at a subway station.

Size:  Get LARGE.  The extra large is too big to fly with.  I find that the large stuffed to the brim with clothes is reliably under 50 pounds (the limit for most checked bags).  Add more weight for liquids, shoes, and souvenirs.

Interior:  This is a one-pocket bag.  Yes, it can be difficult to organize, but a purchase of some packing cubes can cure that problem!  Personally, I like the one large pocket.  It prevents that really disturbing scenario of pulling a bag out of the closet a year after a trip and finding a pair of dirty socks stuffed into one of the pockets!

The manufacturer:  It is rare these days to find a company that stands by their products like this.  LL Bean has a satisfaction guarantee.  If anything on the bag doesn't live up, they will replace it.  I have had this bag since high school, and I only sent it back once.  The reason?  One plastic buckle on the cinch-down straps broke off on it's 200th (?)  flight.  I tried to get them to mail me a new buckle, but they insisted on replacing the entire bag.  That's a company I want to buy from again!

Where have I been, and where is THIS going?

Hello from March!

If you read the first post back in November, and have been anxiously waiting to see the next one, I apologize if I left you disappointed.  During that time, I was out gaining some more new experiences that I am looking forward to sharing here for YOUR benefit!  Let me take just a moment and introduce the blog.  My goal here is to post a few basic kinds of articles.  Navigate the topics you are interested in using the labels in the menu.

1. General travel tips and advice - how to get good air fares, how to combat jet lag, when and where to go.

2. Location specific advice - I have worked as a guide in many places throughout the world.  I know what the tourist traps are, and I know how to get those one-of-a-kind experiences.  I want to share the how-to's with you.

3. Location reviews - I am not paid by any hotels, stores, or restaurants to post my thoughts on their establishment.  My opinion may differ from others, but you can always count on my honest opinion.

4. Do-it-yourself itineraries -  You can always adjust these for your own personal preferences, but if you want to travel independently, I've got you covered.

5. Guiding services - Doing it yourself becoming too daunting?  I am a professional tour guide and tour manager, and I have many friends and tour companies throughout the world who I am happy to recommend to you.

Why Travel?

A lot of people ask me, why travel?  My first answer would be, why not?  This blog is the culmination of many years' worth of free advice such as, "You should write a book!" or "You should publish a magazine!" I find that in today's world, when you want to know something, you simply pick up your smartphone or tablet and search.  I do love my travel books, but I think the internet has a much larger audience.  

So, why travel? Today is Thanksgiving in the USA.  Many people have taken to posting something they are thankful for on Facebook every day of November.  Not only am I thankful for travel, travel makes me thankful.  After spending most of my life exploring the world, having lived in 3 foreign countries, and visiting many more, I would like to try to share that piece of my heart with you.  

Travel can do many things for you.

1. It can take you to some amazing sights.  This one is a given, but, speaking as an avid photographer, I can personally vouch for the fact that you will never capture a photograph that is as vivid as your own memory.

2. It can tell you about where you came from.  As an American of mostly European descent, I have really enjoyed exploring Europe.  It is absolutely fascinating to see my history by visiting these countries.  If nothing else, there is so much of the 20th century that draws straight from Europe's history.

3. It will be a culinary journey.  Is anyone in the mood for Italian?  How about Thai?  Here in the states, we throw around nationalities as a food group.  Why not try the real thing?

4. It will give you a greater appreciation for home and what you have.  Has anyone read the news?  Even if you get all of your news from your social media, you will see that the world is constantly in turmoil.  Not only does travel help you see and understand other cultures, it will also show you how small our problems are.  There are a lot of people in the world who would greatly benefit from our help.  Earlier this year, I was walking the "streets" of Kampong Phluk, Cambodia.  I was there with 3 travel professionals and a small group of American tourists.  Every one of us ran out of cash somewhere between the orphanage and the small 3-room school.  Needless to say, visiting places like this will change you.

5. Experience is one of the few true investments in the world.  Money, possessions, status can all disappear in a heartbeat.  Your experiences and memories can be cherished forever.  On a whim, I decided to go climb half-dome with another guide friend of mine last month.  No pictures can even remotely capture the experience of standing on top of the world.  We watched group after group begin the descent after only 5 minutes on top.  We stayed for an hour and a half, and wanted to stay longer.  These experiences can't be bought.

In conclusion (for now), I encourage everyone to try it.  Get outside your comfort zone.  Try something new.  You never know where it may take you.