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To all the ladies out there ....

mil

Packing ! not sure how you all are doing... but, I have lost my packing light skills! (
My tour to Jordan & Egypt is next Sept.- it will still be hot! it is 13 days and I'll stay at the end an xtra 4 days in Dubai, also hot!
I have changed suitcases 3 times... nothing fits!
I think I...'m over packing, but cannot take anything out, everything looks like it is an essential, weather will be hot!, I don't do laundry on Vac. and like to wear clean - fresh smelling clothes , shoes... ? I cannot go barefooted.
I'm taking 4. * flip-flops,1 set for night time, 1 for afternoons at hotels or river boat and my daily tennis shoes. Also ,my water socks for the dead sea rocks while entering.... and last a set of sandals.....
I'm going to wear one of those on the plane.. so only packing 4.
This is CHAOTIC!
Yes, Emirates allowance is 2 suitcases at 50lb each......well, we are taking 2 med. size ones; 1 ea. for one of us and 1 small carry-on that I'll be sent as checking baggage . Plus ea of us will have a small carry-on for the plane- camera gear, medicines etc...
Any suggestions.... any funny solution... should I go to a Nude resort?
I'm dead serious.... I feel like traveling like Elizabeth Taylor.... TOO MUCH!
XOXOXO

Comments

MCD

First of all, MIL, no one cares what you wear or what you look like! Most likely, you will never see your traveling companions or anyone you meet in Dubai again. The most important thing you can wear is a smile.

I do suggest that you plan to wash out some clothes in the hotel sink and hang them to dry on foldable plastic hangers. I bought mine on Amazon. They are lightweight and take up very little room in your suitcase. If the clothes are not dry by the time you leave one hotel, put them in a plastic bag till you reach your next hotel and hang them up as soon as you get to your room. It can be done!

If you get the chance, please take a day trip from Dubai to Abu Dhabi (which I liked much better than Dubai) and, at the very least, visit the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. It is truly spectacular!

NancyCohen

Mil - I agree with MCD. Wash as needed! On my first trips, I brought enough of everything to avoid washing on vacation. And it was a lot of stuff since I usually travel for 1 month at a time
But then, I was somewhere that was extremely hot and I needed to change clothes at least 2 or 3 times per day. Since I knew that I would be running out of clean clothes, I was forced to either send to laundry (not my style) or wash out in the sink (Yes!). Usually it’s only undies and tops but I have even ventured into washing slacks!! I use the hotel soap, squeeze out excess water and hang over the tub or hook or whatever. My pattern over the years is that I do a ‘load’ of hand laundry at the first hotel where I’m staying more than 1 nite or the hottest location if there is a balcony! This system works well for me … but I do not iron! I press things out with my hand, if that! The plus of this system is I pack less and have more room in my suitcase for purchases!

British

I try not to do laundry, but like Nancy, do some smalls at the first hotel as we have usually been traveling for a couple of days before we get there. Occasionally we wear our oldest underwear on the plane and then ditch it when we arrive, so we start with everything fresh... just hope that if I end up in the hospital on that day, they won’t judge me by my old underwear 😀. All our clothes are lightweight and versatile, often able to wear day or evening. We really pare down the shoes we take. Noticed that many women wear black every day. So who knows if they wear the same thing all week. Only been on one tour where a woman wore the same t shirt every day, orange tie dye and she stunk to high heaven… not a Tauck tour. Mr.B these days, may send the odd thing to the laundry. We do send stuff to the laundry in Africa as it’s harder for them to ruin that stuff. Have known laundry go missing and never found on a tour. But thank fully not ours

AlanS

Not a lady, not even female , but with regards to laundry- we were always wary of doing laundry unless we had at least two nights at the hotel and could do laundry the first day and have a day for it to dry. However, for some reason during Classic Italy, I didn't get around to doing laundry until the morning of the second day. I was originally just going to do a few pairs of underwear and socks, but decided what the hey, why not do all of them (in the sink). Then I hung them up to dry. Well, you guessed it, when it came time to repack, my underwear and socks were still quite damp. We spent a few hours drying them with hairdryers- fortunately, our room had two.

It wasn't until much later that I had an epiphany (a real palm to forehead, D' oh! moment) and realized I could do what MCD suggests- as long as I had something to wear the next day, why was I concerned that the rest of it wasn't dry? I could put the damp stuff in a plastic bag or a big ziplock, put it in the suitcase, then hang it up to dry at our next overnight stop!

kfnknfzk

The trick is to wear lightweight, wrinkle free tops that will dry quickly. After washing and wringing, place the item(s) on a hotel towel, roll tightly, twist, unroll and hang the items. You can always ask for additional towels. You can also buy disposable underwear that, if washed gently, can be re-used before they start to disintegrate. Pre-packaged face cloths work great to refresh your face and body throughout the day. I also carry a very small "spritzer" that works great on long flights and in hot climates. Don't forget to bring a lightweight scarf to cover your head and shoulders when visiting mosques/synagogues/cathedrals, et al.

Enjoy your trip!

Claudia Sails

I'm in the pack light, make at least some of my wardrobe sink wash easy, don't over do on the dressy stuff group. However, if you absolutely can't downsize , don't want to sink wash, and and don't want extra bags, have you checked into whether the hotels have laundry services? I always check the websites for each hotel we stay at to see what they're like, what facilities/amenities they have, etc. If the website doesn't say or you want more detail like a price list, email them directly and ask. You might start with hotels about mid way on the tour.

mazalea

I recall fellow travelers having laundry done at the Movenpick at the Dead Sea, which is a wonderful place. The rocks going in and out are not bad at all - staff pus out towels to make it easier on your feet in and out, they are strong and will help you out, so don't worry. All the things you mention are lightweight, so that is good, but maybe ditch one of the sandals as you will never miss it. I always bring things I can wear minimum 3 times and often four; no one cares what I'm wearing, only what they're wearing :-) We do all of the things above and sometimes actual laundry, too. Don't forget, most important, pack extra undies/t's/ tops/shorts in your carry on in case your bags go amiss. It's happened to others, and can take 3 or more days to catch up. Your hotels are geared to laundry service, so perhaps revisit your strategy? You will have a fabulous time!! Tell us how it goes when you return, please.

MarketArt

No one should leave town with a suitcase weighing 50 pounds! I have inflatable hangers; found them in Europe. Maybe not in Middle East, but bathrooms often have clotheslines. I'm counting 5 pairs of shoes and not sure, is a "set" the same as a pair? In the heat, you may end up wearing sandals most of the time. Keen has colorful hiking sandals, infinitely adjustable as your feet expand in the heat; worked well in a hot Morocco in March. My travels are not often hiking-oriented, but even on Tauck's Patagonia, I took one pair of comfy walking flats that work with skirts or slacks; I'm not a sneakers person and have never worn heels, but if I did, would never bring them on a nonstop Tauck tour. In warm weather, I might add a pair of flip flops or sandals; sometimes I add foldable ballerina flats for evenings. I was amused at the recent women's shoe photo on the Forum; several pairs of black sandals looked identical (to me). As a frequent indy traveler, I rarely take more than one skirt or dress/2 pairs slacks + several tops, which I know sounds scandalous, but I prefer to travel in cooler weather. I try to keep my suitcase emptyish for shopping. We all have our priorities. Enjoy! 🏝

mil

Thanks everyone... including AlanS. well, I have empty out my suitcase and re-did it... only took 2 shirts out and 1 pant... not much but better. still we are taking with us , 2 mid suit cases and 1 small carry-on , all to be check in.
I might take a bag for my camera gear and the meds inside my mom's carry -on that it is half full.
I just don't like to do laundry while on vac, I rather mingle around the hotel , go to the Spa or take some extra tour around town.
MCD, thanks for the advise about Abu Dhabi, Yes I have been to both and to the Mosque... Amazing indeed but this time we will visit only Dubai.
The Abu Dhabi government wanted tourists to quarantine for a week before entering the city... at least that was the case last month.. I will check again, but if mandate still on... we won't go, I have to come back to work.
Thanks everyone, have a great evening.
Take care , be safe )
Mil.
.

Claudia Sails

Did the first test pack and weight of my checked bag for our back-to-back Switzerland then Normandy/Brittany tours. 36 lbs - wasn't sure I believed it but tested with both our new luggage scale and our bathroom scale. Surprised me frankly given that I was pretty generous with clothing choices, items to allow me to layer as needed and bonuses like a dual voltage tea kettle. However, to get there I did a lot of near obsessive weighing of items, picking things that were light and easily sink washable, then sorting based on both weight and whether it was a multi use item. Now I just have to get Mr Sails to start packing.

MarketArt

I love tea (sencha/oolong/ginger), and sometimes bring my own, but never thought of traveling with a kettle, let alone a dual voltage one! I always learn something new from the Forum. When there's no teamaker in the room or nearby in the lobby, Reception has usually been able to find me one. Assume you have already checked hotels' specs. I also "brew" green tea in the fridge overnight (learned this in Japan), esp. nice in warmer weather. Bon voyage(s)!

mil

How exciting, Claudia...
I have decided to do the mid. size suitcases, 1 ea. and 1 large carry on ( 24.7 Lb.) I just weight it. all going as checked baggage.
and 1 small carry on for the plane- no purses or anything else.
I just finished all the forms and put them in the travel file. So, now I have to wait to get the PCR test and on my way....

Please keep in touch, have a fabulous trip and enjoy!
Take tare.
Mil.

British

Claudia, great to know traveling light can be done!

Instead of a traveling kettle, you can take one of these!

https://smile.amazon.com/Diximus-300W-Portable-Immersion-Electric/dp/B07ZSYKJPR/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&keywords=Traveling+hot+water+boiler&qid=1629671863&sr=8-7

Claudia Sails

My suitcase is a 25" Travelpro Maxlight that I got from Tuesday Morning at a big discount. It's lighter than my previous bag but has several features I like - except the handle is wider than usual and makes it hard to stack some luggage on top.

Sarah Murdoch is the light packing guru. She has several YouTube videos and was the one that got me weighing things.

British, I considered the immersion heaters but read enough reviews to figure I stood a good chance of burning it out. Found the kettle on Amazon almost two years ago and now there are a bunch more available. I did check out the hotel room amenities and most of the Swiss ones didn't mention one way or another. And that was before covid. Now I just have to find an appropriate souvenir mug.

kfnknfzk

Claudia Sails -

I like your organization skills! It took me many years to refine my packing skills, most of which I learned from my husband since he traveled quite extensively during his career. And those were the days when he had to wear three piece suits for business meetings!

And you are doing two back-to-back tours! Since you are traveling so lightly, may I suggest that you pack some bubble wrap so you can protect that souvenir mug? That being the mug for tea, not the "mug" shot of you hiking down the Swiss Alps!

Have a wonderful time. Safe travels.

AlanS

Claudia Sails
8:05PM
" . . . . .British, I considered the immersion heaters but read enough reviews to figure I stood a good chance of burning it out. Found the kettle on Amazon almost two years ago and now there are a bunch more available. . . .. "

Claudia, I see you've had the kettle for two years, but have you used it overseas, yet? Remember, like hairdryers, irons, immersion heaters, etc, the kettle has a heating element which must be rated for dual voltage or designed to operate on 240V, or like a 120V US hairdryer it will burn out in short order if operated on typical European 240V wall power.

British

When I was looking on Amazon to find an example of an immersion type….which by the way have been around for at least 50 years, my mum never went on her vacations without one and we had one years ago, I came across collapsible travel electric kettles, both for just 120 v and dual, but the dual was for 110 to 220 v so it would be fine for Europe but not the UK which is 240 v. It looks as if you have to manually switch to whichever current you need, it’s not automatic like on phones or cameras.
Alan, I’m sure Claudia knows this, but I know you are like me and want to be sure..

BKMD

British
... .both for just 120 v and dual, but the dual was for 110 to 220 v so it would be fine for Europe but not the UK which is 240 v.....

Nominal voltage is 230V in Europe , including the UK, but varies from 220-240V (just like in the US it varies from 110-125V). Anything rated for 220 will work on 240.

... you have to manually switch to whichever current you need...

120, 220, etc. is the voltage, not the current.

British

Yes, got my currents mixed up with my volts in the middle of the night.

Claudia Sails

Yes, I have to manually switch to 220-240. I notice that most of the ones offered on Amazon now have grounded plugs so anyone buying them need to make sure your adapter can handle that type of plug.I

British

We sure have gotten off subject, my fault as usual. Please remind anyone reading this, that in the UK, never try using any outlet in the bathroom for anything other than a shaver.

AlanS

Well, there ya go!

Claudia Sails

Well the flagger's having fun. Sure would be nice to know what the list of allowable topics are. I would have thought discussing packing was allowed. The Rick Steves travel forum has a specific category just for Packing.

mil

Hello everyone, Happy Monday!
I'm not taking any immersion heaters( not really sure , what to used for..) , but I'm taking my conversion plugs to charge phone & camera. Type B, D and F.

British

Well Mil, you got a flag!

mil

British, yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BSP51

Dear Flagger. You know we all love you. Please keep up the amazing work. 👍

mil

no flag, you're no one....... !
Keep Flagging ))

AlanS

mil
11:18AM
Hello everyone, Happy Monday!
I'm not taking any immersion heaters( not really sure , what to used for..) , but I'm taking my conversion plugs to charge phone & camera. Type B, D and F.

I'm sure you have seen this recommendation in the archives during your research, but many of us take only a universal/multi-country adapter or 1 adapter for each country and a multi-outlet travel power strip with a short cord that stows neatly. That way we can recharge everything at one time, from one outlet, with only one adapter.

Most travel power strips now have 2 or more USB charging ports as well, so you can leave your power modules at home. Just remember, once the power strip is plugged into a 220V wall outlet, all outlets on the strip are energized with 220V! If you plug in a device that only runs on 120V, you'll let the smoke out! Amazon has tons of travel power strips like this one:

British

Alan, what is the reference numbers on that one, I like it! Our original doesn’t even have USB ports on it, remember the Monster brand. I guess it’s expensive but maybe time for a new one.