The duffle????

Nanos

We are given a duffle bag to use for a night or so on this trip and will reunite with our luggage later. What size is the duffle...I am contemplating using the duffle as my "carry on". Thanks!!

AlanS

Nanos wrote:

We are given a duffle bag to use for a night or so on this trip and will reunite with our luggage later. What size is the duffle...I am contemplating using the duffle as my "carry on". Thanks!!

I assume the duffels provided with Portrait of India are the same as with other trips. We haven't received our duffels for Peru & Galápagos yet, but I included a photo and dimensions of the ones we were given for K&T in this post.

If you do a search (click on "Search" on the right side of the light blue bar above) on the terms, "duffel" and/or "duffle", you find other discussions about them. Search "all forums," because many of the posts are in Africa trip forums.

Ken from Vegas

We went 5 years ago, so this may have changed. The duffels were not provided in advance, we were given them during the trip. They were pretty cheaply made (the tour director noted that the ones given on Africa tours were much better). We left ours in India. As I recall they were a little over a foot square and a little less than two feet long. You could use them as a carry on for the return flight, but if you fill them they wouldn't fit under a seat.

Nanos

Ken and Alan,
Thanks for the info. I will just bring my own carry on bag to India and will wait for an African adventure for the upgraded duffle!
I am just trying to consolidate everything since I will be traveling for a month.

joycesw

Hi Nancy,
I had totally forgotten about the duffels and actually went to look for ours. They are about 10(H)x15(w) x21(L). They do fold up in a nice carry bag (always good as shoe holders) and are part canvas and part some other material (almost kind of rubbery) and are black. They are not as cheesy as the ones we got in the Galapagos (they must have changed since we went) and not the outstanding $80 Eagle Creek ones we got in Africa. But, they are not bad and have a couple of zippered compartments. And, Ken is correct that you receive then once you arrive in Delhi. Our travel papers explained that. You will be glad to know, however, that they make wonderful carriers for all of the wonderful things I just know you are going to buy once they have fulfilled their utilitarian mission!

AlanS

joycesw wrote:

They are not as cheesy as the ones we got in the Galapagos (they must have changed since we went) and not the outstanding $80 Eagle Creek ones we got in Africa.

Now you tell me! I guess I will have to re-think P&G this March!

Nanos

Joyce-- this is good news. I may need it for purchases or dirty clothes-whatever happens first!!...I am having 'issues' limiting my large suitcase to 44 pounds. My suitcase weighs only 5 pounds. However my medicines and drug store stuff (from malarine tabs, adapters, cords, big jar of Advil in case my leg acts up, cough syrup, bandaids, moleskin, bug repellant, sunblock, conditioner, hand sanitizer, on and on) weighs it at 10 pounds!! My shoes are another 7-8 pounds...doesn't leave much for clothing or purchases! I have packed and weighed my suitcase multiple times. Currently it weighs in at 50 pounds...so for the next week I will contemplate what to remove...10 days to go!!

joycesw

Oh. Sorry about that, Alan! I have to believe they have improved the duffels for your tour since we went. Ours at that time were sort of big canvas squares with some sort of rubber tabs on the bottom that promptly fell off! I will be curious to hear what the replacements are, and, there must be newer versions. I suspect they will be similar to the ones we had in India. Those Africa ones were sweet and had to be good for some pretty rugged traveling! The India ones are actually very nice, but after the Eagle Creeks for Africa...well, no comparison!
Nancy, I feel your pain, although I did weigh in at about 42 pounds. I think you are very smart to bring the OTC medications. I have mentioned that a horrible respirory thing ran through our group. I brought about 5 doses of medication, but it was not nearly enough, and proper medication there was not easy to come by. The amount I bring will change in the future. Ironically, I now find that I buy travel clothes with weight in mind. Heavy shoes stay home, etc. good luck with your "downsizing"! I will be anxious to hear how you enjoyed the tour!

British

I can't remember whether we had to use duffels for the Spotlight of India tour that we did, but it was obviously not a problem if we did, or I would remember. Now I am thinking maybe Galapagos was the first time we had to use a duffel. Those were canvas, the end came off and converted into a backpack, it was an awesome design and we used it for week long vacations to the Caribbean as carryon with no checked luggage until the liquids restrictions came into play, then our copious amounts of high factor sunscreen supplies put a pay to just carry on. Alan, can you report back if a duffel is used for the Galapagos part of the tour and what it is like! We go back in December, we just booked our flights.

[Deleted User]

AlanS wrote:

Now you tell me! I guess I will have to re-think P&G this March!

Alan, never fear, the P&G tour gets the same Eagle Creek duffles as you (and we) received in Africa. We are now well duffled (though not as Paul Theroux described).

AlanS

Portolan wrote:

Alan, never fear, the P&G tour gets the same Eagle Creek duffles as you (and we) received in Africa. We are now well duffled (though not as Paul Theroux described).

Well, ok then, I guess I won't cancel : ) Like that would ever happen!!!! Only 48 days, 23 hours, 50 min. and 25 sec. to go, but who's counting? : )

British, I will file a 'P&G Duffel' report in April after we get home.

There are four of us going, my wife and I and two nice ladies we met on K&T in 2015, and who joined us for a pre-tour day trip to Arusha National Park. I will also report back on one of my suggested Lima pre-tour activities, and how many of us actually did it. The dog is extra!