The great hand luggage only challenge!!!

[simongr]

That is a great site! Maybe a little too hard core for my styles (I dont see me washing underwear in a sink!) but lots of useful tips.

I am working from home tomorrow and will make some assessments of the baggage required - and whether I can actually make it without checking luggage.

 

[NM]

That is a great site! Maybe a little too hard core for my styles (I dont see me washing underwear in a sink!) but lots of useful tips.

Why not? They even provide you a mini scrubbing brush with a long handle just in case there are any difficult-to-remove stains . And the hair drier can be used to dry the smalls at times when you do forget to remove them from the line before showering.

 

[serfty]

I want to join the 'legends' who can fit 2 weeks worth of clothes into a carryon for their travels. Qantas has such limited cabin baggage weight restrictions that this makes it very hard if travelling with them. American Airlines have much greater limits. ...

I don't believe one can fit two weeks worth of clothing in carry-on, even in J/F class. Three-Four days is easy but after that you need to make the time to recycle/launder.

Last year I departed MEL on a Friday for DFW. I was still learning this caper and by the time I arrived in HKG the following Friday my clothes were almost self supporting. :shock:

I had some laundry done, but in the end I hit Wing-On for a new pair of trousers and a shirt.

Changing into these after a cleansing shower in one of the Wing's Cabanas, it was a great feeling putting on these clean/fresh clothes for the final leg of my trip.

 

[NYCguy]

They... Provide you a mini scrubbing brush with a long handle just in case there are any difficult-to-remove stains .

Thanks for that... !

 

[codash1099]

That is a great site! Maybe a little too hard core for my styles (I dont see me washing underwear in a sink!) but lots of useful tips.

I often get around that by taking old underwear and discarding it as I go, but these days I don't take a lot of long trips.

 

[straitman]

I often get around that by taking old underwear and discarding it as I go, but these days I don't take a lot of long trips.

:mrgreen:

 

[StevePER]

So much great information on this site. I have dried clothes with a hair dryer on several occasions and did a load of washing in a spa once. That worked quite well because you because there's no need to agitate it manually.

 

[Evan]

Why when in Japan i love the business hotels there ! a coin op (150-250yen usually) washer and dryer.

I think this thread may get really interesting to read

E

 

[dot]

I am new to the carry-on only game, but on the past three trips (6 days, 11 days and 12 days), I have managed to get away without checking any luggage. I took with me:

• Backpack form my Laptop, Power supplies, CDs, DVDs, Bose headphones, MP3 player, security cable etc
• QF Domestic sized rollon (since I often need to do a domestic leg in transit through SYD) with:
  • Polo Shirts (work) x 4
  • Casual T-Shirt x 2
  • Dressy shirt with a collar x 1
  • Jeans x 1
  • Flip Flops (dressier than thongs, but just as compact)
  • Socks & Jocks for 4 days
  • Shorts (going to quite warm spots in China)
  • Togs (for the pool after a long day )
  • Toiletries

On the plane, I like to wear chinos, T-Shirt or Polo Shirt, Blundstone Boots (dressy ones) and my flight belt (with a lighter buckle than I normally wear so that it doesn't cause a problem at security checkpoints). If I need more formal attire for work (rare, but it does happen), then I plan to swap some of the work polo shirts for more formal shirts and wear a sportscoat on the plane.

My company has a policy that allows for laundy for travel longer than 4 days (thus the 4 days worth of clean clothes) - shorter laundy intervals would draw un-needed angst from the expenses folks.

All of this was quite manageable and saved quite a bit of time on arrival at both ends (although I still got caught up in the customs queues in MEL and SYD on return)

WRT the runners, I would wait until getting home to take up running - extra shoes just take up too much room to cope with carry on only.

My 2c worth
Dot

 

[serfty]

Another trick is, if your hotel room has a bathrobe, use it whenever you can and give your clothes a rest.

If there's no Bathrobe supplied, Plan B is to simply use a towel wrapped around your torso. (Best done when not entertaining ).

 

[Shano]

I am reading this thread with much interest as I am also contemplating no checked luggage for my trip to the US next week.

This will be a 12 day trip where attire will be pretty casual (so definitely no suit required).

I will have a backpack for my laptop, IPOD, etc and looking at maximum permissible roll-aboard for the rest.

My biggest problem is shoes - with size 12 feet taking an additional pair of shoes occupies a significant amount of luggage space. Not sure how to deal with toiletries for flights to and through the US.

Keep the ideas coming as it will help determine what I do

 

[NM]

My biggest problem is shoes - with size 12 feet taking an additional pair of shoes occupies a significant amount of luggage space. Not sure how to deal with toiletries for flights to and through the US.

On my last ATW trip, I travelled for three and a half weeks any although I carried a total of three pair of shoes, I realised I had not worn two pairs at all. I lived in the one pair of shoes for the entire trip. So next time I won't be packing any extra shoes.

I also found I had only worn my jeans once, spending most of my time wearing the three pairs of Dockers trousers.

The only toiletries I carry are deodorant (50ml bottle of roll-on) and toothpaste (small tubes from previous in-flight amenities kits). I cut my hair short before the trip and it copes ok with any grade of shampoo provided in hotel rooms. I carry a rechargeable electric shaver that I fully charge before leaving (will last me about 2 months before needing to recharge again).

 

[flyingzzzds]

I find jeans the most valuable piece of clothing. They look great with a variety of shirts, are comfortable, don't show the creases/wear as much as chinos and can be dressed up with a jacket. I always go with a dark rinse pair though and stay with a fairly classic style.

Because jeans can be heavy, I usually wear them, along with the suit jacket onto the plane and my favourite boots, with the one and only belt I take (reversible black/brown). Once on the plane, the jacket is hung, the boots are stowed, and my socks changed for the ammenities ones.

In a perfect world I'd be grabbing my light track suit down to change into but if you're really trying to keep things light, then you can just about do all of your flying in the above outfit with clean underwear each day.

 

[serfty]

... My biggest problem is shoes - with size 12 feet taking an additional pair of shoes occupies a significant amount of luggage space. Not sure how to deal with toiletries for flights to and through the US. ...

I have size 10½ feet and find my small toiletries bag will easily pack inside one shoe; I place spare smalls, socks etc in a plastic shopping bag, roll this up and place them inside the other shoe. Both shoes then go into their 'own' separate plastic shopping bags.

 

[Shano]

Well, I have decided that I am up to this challenge - simon, are you going to join me??

After reading the tips posted in this thread I am reasonably confident that I can manage my upcoming 12 day trip with just hand luggage, which will consist of a suitably sized roll-aboard plus a backpack for my laptop. Oh, and the risk of misplaced luggage on my MEL-SYD-LAX-DFW-ORD-PIT in a day itinerary kept gnawing away at me due to the recent experiences of simongr and JohnK.

I checked the luggage situation at home last night and my existing roll-aboard will be too small (did a preliminary dummy pack) as it is well below the allowable 45 linear inches. So I am now the proud owner of a new 45" High Sierra cabin trolley - or at least will be once it get delivered this Friday (the convenience of on-line shopping).

I may have to forgo niceties such as aftershave due to the liquids rule as just the solution/drops for my contact lenses will take up a reasonable portion of my 1 quart plastic bag. I don't have an electric razor either, but may purchase one so that I can do away with the shaving cream (no, I am definitely not man enough to dry shave). I also pilfered the bottles of shampoo, etc. from the Rooty Hill HI last week so they will accompany me on this trip.

The big test will be this weekend when I try packing everything I need. The downside is that I am expected to bring back lots of Baby Gap clothes for Mini-Shano (and something called Chanel for Mrs Shano :?, however the return itinerary will be more straight forward so could just buy a cheap bag and check that through to MEL. ANd obviously a delay on return as not as serious - except for that stuff called Chanel....

This will be my first attempt at an OS flight with only hand luggage, so hopefully all goes well.

If the pre-pack fails on the weekend the contingency plan will be to squeeze enough clothes into my hand luggage to last a couple of days and buy chinos / shirts in the US if required.

 

[jasonja3]

so could just buy a cheap bag and check that through to MEL. ANd obviously a delay on return as not as serious - except for that stuff called Chanel....

My cabin bag expands past the allowable size, so after filling the required shopping list, I expand it, take some items and put into a duty free bag (or something suitable to carry on) or my soft bag if there is space and check my cabin bag through on my leg home, carrying the soft bag and other bag(s).

The only problem being, most of the time I arrive first thing in the morning and go straight to work for the day, carrying all these bags, looking like I have just done a shopping tour of asia.....:shock:

 

[simongr]

Well, I have decided that I am up to this challenge - simon, are you going to join me??

Well Shano I am planning to give the best go that I can. For a number o freasons - first to see what is practical (running has given way to swimming [I have foregone the speedo's in favour of some more shortlike trunks even though the speedos would be lighter ] - but am concerned if the trunks are wet - does that count as crrying on liquids?). I will be taking a 20in rollaboard and a garmet bag. Subject to space limits (the removal of the running shoes have created enough space to carry on board a small pygmy) I might slip in my small laptop bag for when I am overseas.

I wont be able to maximise the benefit of this due to the transits through LHR - unless the two items trial takes place and my garmet bag is classed as a personal item...

I don't have an electric razor either, but may purchase one so that I can do away with the shaving cream (no, I am definitely not man enough to dry shave).

Now this one is easily fixed. I recently switched to shaving oils such as "King of Shaves" or Dermalogica - enough shaving lotion for a 3 month trip in a bottle 1/3 the size of a box of matches.

Deodorant is one concern - are aerosol cans or deo allowed on board?

 

[Shano]

Now this one is easily fixed. I recently switched to shaving oils such as "King of Shaves" or Dermalogica - enough shaving lotion for a 3 month trip in a bottle 1/3 the size of a box of matches.

Will have to check this out as my preference is to use a razor blade, not electric.

Deodorant is one concern - are aerosol cans or deo allowed on board?

From the QF website:
Carry on Baggage Restrictions

• All liquids, aerosols and gels must be carried in containers of no greater than 100ml/3.3oz capacity (approximately 100gm in weight).

So it would appear yes

 

[serfty]

FWIW, I use a Roll-On Deodorant. It come in 50ml bottles similar to this:

These days I sport a beard, but a simple shaving soap stick and brush doesn't not take much space.

 

[tscharke]

The big test will be this weekend when I try packing everything I need. The downside is that I am expected to bring back lots of Baby Gap clothes for Mini-Shano ...

was in a similar situation last month - went a little KRA-A-A-ZY with the Baby Gap and ended up with excess luggage!!!! now that wouldnt happen if they just opened up a GAP store in Aus

Good luck Shano