Packed and Ready!
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at 20:00 by BeckyBoop.
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Marcos180ParticipantFellow Travelers, I was wondering it would be interesting to share with other travelers the way we pack and get ready to go on our business trips.
What is it that you pack to small trips?, Are you a lightweight packer or the other way around??, What about your packing methods??26 Jan 2011
at 13:32
MartynSinclairParticipantThis question is just up my street Marco and I am replying from the wonderful BA lounge at Heathrow just before I go to Asia. I put all my clothes in plastic shopping bags, shoved in, with no care in the world, other than to check I have what I need.
On arrival from the airport, I go to my hotel, via a launderette, drop the plastic bags off (they are packed in a case of course) and 2 hours later they are hanging up in my wardrobe, washed, pressed and looking good.
26 Jan 2011
at 19:19
FlyingChinamanParticipantMartyn:
You have refined the art of using cheap Asian labour!! Fast and good. Avail yourself the opportunity while you can.
I am in Buenos Aires right now and the outside laudrary service is slow and bad and NOT cheap!!! How I miss Asia!
To go back to packing. I have two suitcases (one large and one small) and they are permantly travel-ready with all essentials plus 1 to 3 sets of clothing but using the mixing and matching technique as no body will remember what you had worn 3 days ago.
The main thing is never take more than is required!
Happy travelling to all.
26 Jan 2011
at 21:09
Tete_de_cuveeParticipantBrilliant Martyn – thanks for the tip.
When travelling to Asia my suitcase is one third full max as made to measure is top quality. Shoes especially – Lily Shoes in the Mezannine Peninsula Hotel, Kowloon – you will never have the pain of breaking in new shoes again!
In carry-on always keep running shoes and small kit so even if case goes awol you can google H3 or HHH in any Asian city and you will find the social runners who are a great social community whilst waiting for a suit and shirt to be made up.
26 Jan 2011
at 21:53
robsmith100ParticipantGreat topic.
I agree with FlyingChinaman – never take more than what you need.
So yes, I am a very light packer and don’t mind wearing the same tie twice. My business trips are no longer than two nights (max) and I am almost certainly travelling on my own (which I prefer). So I use an army style holdall, on trips and prefer it to a suitcase, its light very durable and water proof. The best thing about this bag is that I can sling it over my shoulder and dodge past everyone in airport terminals very quickly especially after I have got off the aircraft and straight into a bus/train/car.
I don’t take any other luggage unless I need to use a company laptop.
Essentials things with me other than my phone are the iPod, Nintendo DS and charger. Never take a book as I can never be bothered to read it – especially on planes.
I always try to get a service wash at a laundrette if I am on a holiday and usually the morning of the day before the flight home. So once back home we don’t have to worry about doing this when half jetlagged.
One good tip for those of you looking for a good travel bag/case, have a look at the Wheelie collection by Burton (they make snowboards).Their luggage collection is absolutely superb. I try to use my brothers when ever I go on holidays which are one week or longer. You can get them in two sizes, not cheap but so worth the price!
A demo in French
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLm0Kxy3R1s&feature=geosearch.Happy travels…
26 Jan 2011
at 22:16
stevescootsParticipantdepends where i am going, if long haul usually 1 large case half full with toiletries, pair of formal shoes, suit, 2 ties, 2 shirts and a suit. my long huals are usually always 10 days + tho. Short haul I just try to get it all in my carry on, fly in my suit with a t shirt on. fresh shirt and tie in my bag…if i need to be formal which most of the time i dont. other than that its power adaptors, network cable, 2 phones and usb charge cable. laptop, spare laptop battery. Some eyedrops for the flight (plane AC dries my eyes out terribly and a scarf to roll into a little pillow if flying sleazyjet or similar
27 Jan 2011
at 04:28
andrew.gillParticipantIn my company, I’m known as the master of packing.
After having luggage delayed twince in 2008, I’ve not checked a bag for a business trip since. My longest trip being 14 days.
I wear jeans, dress shirt and sneakers to fly in. My laptop bag has all my tech stuff and a folded sweater. In my carry-on I have enough clean clothes for three days. I take one sweater but never an extra pair of jeans as the hotel can be washing those when I’m in the office.
As hotels don’t offer a discount, it makes no difference if I launder five shirts in one go, or five times one, so I drop off by 08h and get back by 18h means I can drop clothes on the second day and have one complete set waiting in case the laundry is delayed. Getting heavy starch on shirts helps them look good and be a little extra dirt resistent.
Jeans can be fun, just ask for them not to get pressed unless you like a white crease in the front and back.
This *really* works for me and helsp avoid the stress of baggage claim and those 45 minutes for Minimum Connection Time are no longer a worry
best
andrew
27 Jan 2011
at 12:40
TiredOldHackParticipantNikon digital SLRs x2, lenses x4, flashgun, MacBook, ancillaries like spare batteries, chargers, download leads, power and plug socket adaptors, memory stick and a couple of blank CDROMs, spare compact digital camera, old-fashioned notebook and pens & pencils, bottle of ink (just you try buying one abroad…).
Oh, clothes? Enough socks and underkeks to last the trip, bare minimum of shirts (on the basis that the hotel can simply keep laundering them). A couple of old T-shirts, which are regularly junked and replaced with cheap new ones on trips.
Golden rule: if it can’t be packed into the (capacious) luggage boxes on a BMW motorcycle, it generally doesn’t get taken. Park bike in free motorcycle parking bays that exist under every single terminal at every UK airport I’ve ever used, lock up riding kit in luggage boxes, saunter into terminal, board flight. On return, five minutes’ stroll from airside exit to parked bike, dig out kit, shove travelling stuff into luggage boxes, and on my way home before other passengers have managed to hail a taxi. Simples.
27 Jan 2011
at 12:54
LGPPRESParticipantFellow travelers
Rule: If it cant go in a wheeled knapsack on the plane with me it doesnt get packed.
Quality black jeans that look good on a weekend and just as well in a business meeting, ligtweight jacket that doubles as business attire and informal weekends as well,
I am abroad every other week-Europe or Asia or Middle East and sometimes from Thailand to Japan -very warm to very cold and my rule holds
Be ruthless , be consistent and pack carefully-travel safely27 Jan 2011
at 14:25
M.MooseParticipantI always have my toiletries ready in my travel suitcase. Apart from that, everything is packed accordingly to the itinerary. I usually visualize from morning, what I want to look like, and pack accordingly. Use this formula regardless whether it’s a short / long trip. If I’m going to multiple locations (and meeting with different people) on one trip, then I don’t mind wearing the same ties. Used to do laundry at hotels until I found that they were “damaging” my clothing. So I use the laundry service only when I absolutely have to.
After traveling more than 50% of my time, realized one can become an ‘expert’ in packing – so now I usually pack “just-in-time” (using the same above-mentioned method of course!).
Safe travels in 2011 everyone!
27 Jan 2011
at 14:43
LuganoPirateParticipantJust bringing this thread alive, rather than starting a new one.
Mrs. LP thinks I’m becoming American. Firmly grounded in her Italian ways and Italian chic, she believes I should wear my suits to meetings, or at least my Blazer and grey trousers. Typical businessman’s uniform!
I now like the US way of chinos, shirt and tie and blazer. I can wear the chinos for traveling or for leisure, then adding a tie I’m ready for meetings and, in my opinion, just as respectable. It also means I just need one spare pair in my carry-on and that’s it. No checked baggage!
Anyone else agree and any thoughts? Ladies what do you wear for combining business and leisure.
28 May 2012
at 15:43
Tete_de_cuveeParticipantYour post reminded me of the Atlantic difference LP. – I too find the US way preferrable – However there are some US companies who expect an even higher/smarter standard than Europe – you could always tell an EDS (Ross Perot’s tenure) employee by the guaranteed White Shirt and plainish tie with blue or grey suit regardless of the weather, even in Texas heat.
Drifting a little, I initially skied in typical European fashion – tight parallel, dinking little turns, modelling the suit – it looked good. When I subsequently spent time on US slopes the instructors were far more about what feels best as opposed to looks best. US Ski shoulder width apart, turning according to the momentum of your size – it maybe didn’t look as good but it felt much much better!
28 May 2012
at 15:54
TiredOldHackParticipantI’m with you. Smart/casual. I tend to wear a linen jacket in hot climates, and slacks. A short-sleeved shirt. Addition of a tie just smartens it up enough for business, although I do admit that I’m one of natures scruffies.
28 May 2012
at 16:01
MartynSinclairParticipantHowever hard I try to match in to a clients dress code, never quite manage to predict.
I now generally ask for dress codes in advance, but usually take a suit that can be used as seperates if necerssary, i.e. blue jacket with beige slacks.
I attend fewer meetings where strict dress codes are required.
Flying in clients aircraft, very rarely requires formal clothes, even when in the front seat.
I guess it will all change (again) in time…..
28 May 2012
at 16:37 -
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