[003] Learning from a Costly Packing Mistake

7 COMMENTS

1. Beck says

   July 15, 2015 at 3:13 pm

   Transcript? I don’t have iTunes to listen to Podcasts…

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   • Brooke says

     July 15, 2015 at 6:42 pm

     Hi Beck- No transcripts at this point. You can listen to the episodes right here in this post, and you can download directly to your computer by clicking the down arrow in the player. Thanks for your interest!

     Reply

2. Jordan says

   July 16, 2015 at 3:15 am

   This was so relatable! I studied in France and put a smaller bag inside my large suitcase (like Russian dolls) to bring back souvenirs. I also had a small roll-aboard bag and a purse. BIG mistake. I brought way too much home with me, and looked like a fool struggling with my bags. I had to bring them down four flights of stairs, one by one, and had to call a taxi at 4am because I couldn’t fathom bringing this mess of bags on the subway. I missed my train because I hadn’t planned on such a long struggle with the luggage, and had to take another way to Paris with a weird connection. Of course, I couldn’t manage my bags on the train either, so I sat with them in a sort of waiting area near the train’s bathroom the entire 2-hour ride. Thankfully some strangers took pity on me and helped me carry them down the stairs. I got to the airport late and sweaty, just as they were finishing checking luggage for the flight. (Of course I had a fee for the extra bag, but I think they waived what might have been an overweight bag fee.) They rushed me through security and I barely made it onto the plane. When I opened my bags back up at home, I realized that I’d brought so much that wasn’t worth the struggle. I’m much more selective about what I bring on trips now. I’ve learned to pack light, and to only bring back what’s important. As young, inexperienced travelers I think we’re prone to the “Just In Case” mindset — I’ll bring this just in case I need it, even for the wildest scenarios. As I’ve gained experience I’ve learned what I can do without; the most important of which is struggling with way too much luggage.

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   • Brooke says

     July 22, 2015 at 8:41 pm

     Hi Jordan! Sounds like a VERY similar experience, and that you’ve also learned a lot since then. You’re so right… that “just in case” mindset is what usually does it!

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3. Bethany says

   July 20, 2015 at 10:52 pm

   I had a very similar experience myself coming back from a UK exchange! I flew from Birmingham, and I had made sure both of my checked bags (I was allowed two) were juuuuust under the line. However, I had done this by packing everything heavy into my carryon, and my personal item–a backpack–was overstuffed enough to count as a second full size carryon. The woman at the desk saw me struggling with the wheeled carryon and made me throw it up for a weight and it was far over–probably thirty plus pounds. She said I’d have to check it and quoted the price as three hundred fifty dollars. I guess she saw my blind panic and took mercy, though–she told me she’d let it go but I might have to check it at the gate anyway. I took the few minutes before the gate to cull what I could–a lot of my less-crucial school things were abandoned in the food court trash. But they didn’t check me at the gate, and I slipped by. My oversized backpack didn’t fit under the seat in front of me, but i set my feet on top of it and no one said anything. I’ve never been so glad to be short as that long flight home!

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   • Brooke says

     July 22, 2015 at 8:43 pm

     Oooh Bethany you got lucky! 🙂 How has that experience impacted your future packing experiences?

     Reply

4. Karina says

   July 30, 2015 at 2:53 am

   Most ridiculous time for me was arriving in the Falkland Islands in an icebreaker during a huge storm. Instead of being able to berth at the jetty so we could walk off – we were told we would have to do a 30 min zodiac ride to the jetty. So we all unpack our luggage and drag out our waterproof pants and jackets and boots to put on for the ride – then use our bodies to kinda lean all over our luggage in the zodiac for the 30 minutes of torrential rain and huge waves.

   When we got to shore we were thrown straight into muddy (the inside was filthy!!!) old coaches for an hours bumpy ride to the airforce base. Once we get there were all kinda did the same thing. Peeled off our sopping wet muddy bulky gear, pulled out plastic bags or similar – I had a small flattened sports bag – and put all the wet gear in it. Assuming we could just carry that on.

   But as we then joined the queue for the once per week flight off the island – we could hear passengers getting angry. It seems carryon was gaining to only be valuables – carried loosely. So we had to pull our cameras and laptops out.
   I managed to wrap my carryon bag in plastic and shove it into the bag with the wet gear to at least reduce my amount of bags.

   Every single person in the queue got pinged 120 pounds sterling for excess. The poor documentary crew who had special cards for all airports regarding their camera gear – got pinged badly.

   That lady at that counter that day improved her countries national deficit tenfold out of us poor suckers.

   I provide polar travel advice these days and I always tell people to make sure their trip ends in Ushuaia Argentina – not Falklands.

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