Packing information - general

PACKING INFORMATION - GENERAL Packing is always a problem for first-time or inexperienced travellers, or when you are going to a country where the weather may be an unknown factor or a mixture of warm and wet. For this reason we include a lot of information and suggestions for packing. There is also a sample handout from one of the schools. Much of the information overlaps but it does not do any harm to emphasize the importance of making a packing list. ONE SUITCASE PER PERSON plus a carry-on bag is all the luggage that is allowed. Luggage for transportation on the plane must be no greater than the dimensions of the space below the seat: 41 cm x 23 cm x 51 cm. The luggage allowance is 20 kilos but you will have to carry or lift your luggage on many occasions; for this reason keep the weight down to 15 kilos. ALL LUGGAGE (including hand luggage) must be CLEARLY LABELED with your name, address and phone number. Be sure to label your checked luggage on the inside as well in case the luggage tag is torn off your suitcase while in transit. Some hints: ¨ Do not pack aerosol cans in your luggage; keep them with you in the pressurized cabin. ¨ If you intend to do a lot of shopping, your luggage should be one third empty on the way out to leave room for your purchases. ¨ A good emergency procedure is to tape your name and address inside your luggage. ¨ If you are taking liquids or lotions, put enough for a 2-week stay in small plastic bottles. Glass bottles are heavy and dangerous. ¨ Break in your clothes and shoes before taking them on a trip. Your feet will thank you. ¨ If you have no luggage and are buying it new, you might take the following points into consideration: softsided luggage is useful for accommodating oddly-shaped packages. It doesn’t crack, but it can be ripped, especially if something pointed is packed in it. It does not offer the same protection as hard luggage but is much lighter to carry. Luggage with wheels is definitely easier on the arms and can usually be managed on stairs. However, there are many uneven and ‘difficult’ surfaces even in airports. Attaching a luggage carrier to your suitcase means you have to manage more than one piece of luggage when the carrier is not in use and can be awkward on stairs. Most airports, ferry ports and train stations provide trolley carts, but again, there may be stairs or escalators which do not accept these carts. IT IS USUALLY NOT WORTH BUYING NEW LUGGAGE SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS TRIP. USEFUL ITEMS TO CONSIDER PACKING: ¨ Small pair of scissors ¨ Small notebook, ballpoint pen and a pencil ¨ Addresses for the FEW cards you may send ¨ Travel alarm clock (especially if you are hard to arouse or need extra time to get ready – DON’T count on hotel wake-up calls!) ¨ Extra pair of glasses or contact lenses if your trip will be ruined if you lose your only pair ¨ Bottle and can opener ¨ Sunglasses and suncreen, if necessary ¨ Knife, fork, spoon and cup for impromptu snacks and picnics ¨ Canadian pins, buttons, etc. ¨ Shampoo ¨ Soap ¨ Small plastic bag of detergent for hand washing in hotel rooms ¨ A couple of medium-sized plastic bags which are useful for soiled laundry or dirty shoes ¨ A few J cloths; they have many uses including facecloths. Facecloths are rare in Europe and a real one starts to smell sour after a while. J-cloths can be thrown out. ¨ Spare sink plug – for those with contact lenses who may drop them into the sink! There are still occasional European hotels that do not have sink plugs. FIRST AID AND COSMETIC ITEMS: ¨ Several Band-Aids ¨ Needle and thread or very small sewing kit ¨ A few aspirin ¨ A small packet of Kleenex ¨ 2 or 3 elastics and some string (often comes in useful) ¨ Razor and blades for those who need them ¨ Small mirror ¨ Hairbrush ¨ Gravol or Dramamine if you suffer from motion sickness ¨ Personal hygiene needs ¨ PRESCRIPTION (the actual small bottle or label) of any mediation you bring with you. This should be in a separate place in case your medication is lost and must be refilled. ¨ Deodorant (remember the note about aerosol cans) ¨ Toothbrush and toothpaste ¨ Hair dryer if you have the appropriate conversion equipment. It is recommended that you share with someone else. Electrical equipment has definite drawbacks; it is usually bulky and often heavy. European currents are 220 volts and their plugs are different from ours and often from those of another country. You could ruin your equipment and fuse the system of the hotel. It is possible to get adapters and converters but you must decide if they are worth the cost, space and extra weight. You can purchase appliances that have a dual-voltage switch, but is usually not worth specifically buying them for this trip. LEAVE YOUR JEWELLERY AT HOME CAMERAS See the note on insurance if your camera is an expensive one. If it looks valuable or new then it is a good idea to register it at the airport with Customs before you leave. This is a simple procedure; a card is provided for this purpose and you register the serial number of your camera before departure. If you do not have a proof of previous ownership when you return from your trip, the Custom inspectors are within their rights to make you pay duty on the camera. Most of what you will be seeing is non-moving; slides and prints will give you a better record than movies or videos in all probability. Film is available in Europe, but it is definitely more expensive and you may have to search for a particular kind. Taking all the rolls and extra batteries that you will need from home is a wise move. STATIONERY, GAMES, ETC. Two or three sheets of airmail writing paper and envelopes will remind you to write to Mom or Grandpa, but remember, you will be home before the letter arrives. If you enjoy writing cards and don’t mind waiting in line for stamps, then promise your friends cards BUT you could calculate that each card will take up to 15 minutes of your time to purchase, write, find stamps for and mail. Multiply this by the number of friends and each city you will visit and you will realize that it might be better to keep a journal and tell your friends about the trip when you get back. A pack of cards, a paperback you can swap with someone, a traveling backgammon, a walkman/discman (with a couple of tapes or CDs only!) are all items you will be glad to have with you on longer travelling days. ABOUT WALKMANS AND DISCMANS You are going a long way and spending a lot of money to see and hear things that are different from Canada. Walkmans and discmans should be kept for travelLing time or if you are relaxing in your room. They have no place on sightseeing tours and excursions and the guides will be extremely offended if you are wearing a walkman or discman during sightseeing tours. You will probably be asked to not listen to your walkman or discman during landing and take-off of your flights; this is so you will hear any instructions and information that is being given to the passengers. During the actual flight you will be allowed to listen to your walkman or discmans; please observe the regulations as outlined by the flight attendants. GENERAL PACKING TIPS: LUGGAGE: You will be allowed to take one large suitcase, one flight bag which will fit under your seat on the plane, and one purse (girls) or camera case (boys). All items, including your hand luggage, must be clearly labeled with your name, address, telephone number, and the name of your group. Labels will be obtained for you. Make sure you have an extra luggage key. PARTNERS: Have a roommate with whom you share the duties of carrying heavy items such as hair dryers and curling irons. You will only need one per room; electrical converters as well. WARDROBE: Plan your wardrobe around one or two color schemes so that every item of clothing matches. Pack with activities in mind and when choosing a coat, pick one that will do for all occasions. Ski jackets are too bulky, act like sponges in rain and do not look too fashionable worn over an evening outfit. All-weather coats or leather jackets are great. Sweaters and pullovers are invaluable as the weather is unpredictable, and it’s smart to layer your clothes. Select drip-dry or permanent-press articles. There may be chances to wash your clothes, but it takes a long time to dry laundry so carry enough socks and underwear for the duration. PACKING: On the road, pack the night before you depart and have your clothes that you are going to wear in the morning ready to go. Always check your hotel room before leaving and never pack on an unmade, messy bed. Look underneath the furniture and in all the drawers and in bathrooms and closets. Report all lost items immediately to your leader; insurance covers you only if proper reports have been filed. Use your suitcase as a ‘safe’ when you are out for the day and lock all valuables in it. Never take any really valuable items with you in the first place, especially jewellry. MEDICAL: Prescriptions must be packed in their original containers and registered on the medical form that your group leader carries. If you need a prescription filled or are afraid of losing the one that you have, make sure your doctor describes your mediation in international terms. If you wear contact lenses, please pack your old glasses and carry plenty of solution. SECURITY: When travelling, security is knowing where your passport is at all times. Do not carry it in your suitcase. You will need it at the airport, you will need it to cash travellers cheques. Everyone MUST HAVE a travel folder or neck pouch which will hold the passport and travellers cheques as well. A neck pouch or money belt is without a doubt invaluable while you are traveLling. COURTESY: Please keep, or at least leave, your room tidy. Be considerate of your roommates and their clothing and luggage. Avoid borrowing money except on a short-term basis due to the exchange problem. DO PACK YOUR GOOD WILL AND A SPIRIT OF CO-OPERATION. REMEMBER THAT CUSTOMS DIFFER AND THAT WE TRAVEL TO OTHER COUNTRIES BECAUSE THEY ARE DIFFERENT. ACCEPT THESE DIFFERENCES GRACIOUSLY AND TRY TO UNDERSTAND BEFORE YOU CRITICIZE. NOW – TAKE OUT ONE THIRD OF WHAT YOU HAVE PACKED AND YOU WILL BE READY TO GO! SAMPLE PACKING LIST (SCHOOL HANDOUT) FOR YOUR FLIGHT BAG: The following items should be placed in your flight bag as your suitcase will be check straight through, and you’ll need certain items to freshen up with on the plane. PACK AS THOUGH YOUR SUITECASE WAS GOING TO BE LOST FOR A FEW DAYS. Keep with you your passport, your travelers’ cheques, any cash you may want, something to read, addresses for postcards, maybe even your foreign phrase book. Place all toilet articles in a waterproof bag and buy the smaller size of any container; you really don’t need all that much shampoo for two weeks or less. Try not to select any cosmetics or other items that are packed in glass bottles. Pack as if everything you have might break or leak. Protect such articles by surrounding them with unbreakables. TOOTHBRUSH — TOOTHPASTE — DEODORANT — HAIRSPRAY — HAIR BRUSH — COMB — SOAP — SHAMPOO — CREAM OR LOTION — SMALL UMBRELLA — CAMERA & FILM — GUIDE BOOKS — CHANGE OF UNDIES — SMALL MIRROR — PAJAMAS — EXTRA BLOUSE/SHIRT — NAIL CLIPPER — KLENNEX PACKS — FOR YOUR SUITCASE: IN THE BOTTOM LAYER: Place all heavy and odd-shaped articles, remembering which side will be up when you stand it up. Wear your heaviest shoes. Tuck accessories and underclothes between these items and along the sides. Put underwear in a plastic bag to avoid turning red when your suitcase falls open in the airport! Other items such as belts, tuck in on the sides and shoes, packed heel-to-toe, can hide small breakable items. Wear your heavy sweater; there is plenty of room for it in the storage space of the plane. IN THE SECOND LAYER: Place your second-best and casual outfits here. Fold your dresses and pants once only, and place a plastic bag or socks in the crease. Shirts and blouses are folded arm to arm, then across the chest and placed in the center on top of the other items. Remember that your clothing should get lighter toward the top of your case…jeans near the bottom. THE TOP LAYER: Should contain the clothes that match your traveling outfit, and your best eveningwear. Always fold your clothes where slight creases won’t show…tops of slacks rather than the legs should be folded over.Carry a coat hanger or two to hang up easily crushed items. PLASTIC GARBAGE BAGS OF THE KITCHEN SIZE ARE THE HANDIEST THING YOU CAN CARRY. CARRY SEVERAL. PUT WET ITEMS IN THEM.PUT LAUNDRY IN THEM.PACK SOUVENIERS IN THEM. SWEATER — GOOD OUTFIT — SHOES TO MATCH — ACCESSORIES — SOCKS OR NYLONS — 2ND TRAVEL OUTFIT — EXTRA PANTS/SHIRT — SHOWER CAP — NEEDLE & THREAD — WASH CLOTHS — UNDERWEAR — EVERYDAY OUTFITS — CASUAL TOP TO MATCH— PRESCRIPTION(EXTRA) — TRAVEL ALARM — LINT ROLLER/BRUSH — DETERGENT — SAFETY PINS — TRAVELERS’ CHEQUE RECEIPT NUMBERS — COAT HANGERS — CLOTHES PINS — PLASTIC BAGS — OTHER BOOKS — SPECIAL ITEMS — TRAVEL DIARY — SMALL TOWEL — RAZOR & BLADES — DETAILED FINAL CHECKLIST BEFORE DEPARTURE – ON YOUR PERSON - · Passport · Travelers’ Cheques · Canadian Money · Foreign Currency · Comfortable Clothes FLIGHT BAG – Your flight bag should be packed as though your suitcase was going to be lost for a couple of days. Nightclothes J Cloths Change of underclothes Extra top Toothbrush & paste Deodorant Brush/comb Soap Shampoo Camera & Film Extra glasses Entertainment items (cards, book, etc) Gum/candy Pen/pencil Diary or notebook Walkman SUITCASE – Comfortable shoes – worn in, not new. Socks Underclothes Jeans or similar Dressier slacks Light top Medium tops Heavy top or warmer sweater or jacket Light jacket – windproof Gloves First aid supplies Cosmetics Personal items

Source: http://www.wctours.ca/documents/packinginfo.pdf