Seasoned Tauck Travelers: Any packing tips for the frequent moves?
Although we have traveled a lot, Tauck's Classic Italy will be our first guided tour with frequent location changes. I already know to pack light, use packing cubes, etc., but I was wondering if any of you have come up with clever tactics specifically for the repeated unpacking/repacking. Thanks!
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We have taken several Tauck tours. You are usually never in the same hotel more than two nights. We pack light and use folders and cubes. We don't unpack. I'm probably a bit over the top, but I make a list of what is in each folder and cube. And we put the items back as they were originally packed. That way, it's easy to find when you are looking for it. And everything fits on our return. Hope this helps.
If you hate packing and unpacking, chose a Tauck river cruise, we will do that when we get too old to have the energy to do all of the above, meanwhile, to see the best of a country, you have to keep moving every couple of days. It's worth the inconvenience even to someone who is meticulous about how her clothing is normally stored at home.
Zippered containers with mesh on one side so you can see what is in them. We use Eagle Creek Pack-It cubes but there may be other brands as well.
The first thing I do is to create a table/chart of each day's and night's activities (we like to change for dinner, especially if we are dining at one of the nicer hotels). I then start filling in the boxes with outfits...pants, top, shoes (the most important)...I then track how many times I wear a specific item if it doesn't meet the "at least twice" criteria, it doesn't go! I change up tops, pants, etc to create different outfits. This a about a 3-week procedure. When it comes to packing, I, too, am a HUGE fan of the Eagle Creek folders and cubes! I use one folder for pants and one for tops. When I pack the folders, I use my chart to pack in the order the items will be worn. That way, if I hold to my chart, the next day's outfit is right on top, so there's no rifling through the suitcase each night. Once worn, I carefully repack the item in the correct order to be worn the next time. please understand that my chart is a guide...I do deviate from it if weather or activities change or I just feel like wearing something different. I use a double-sided cube for underwear and smaller items. It is partly mesh as is easy to see what it holds. For me, it is all about organization! About my aforementioned husband?? He also uses cubes and folders (actually has more than I do) and that is all I will say about his method of packing!
Probably the most difficult trips to pack for are those with a number of one nighters (think Grand A/NZ) and those with extreme temperature variations (Southeast Asia, Peru/Galapagos and the one I am packing for as I write, Portrait of India). Some trips are extremely casual (Classic Safari) or dressier than others (riverboat).
Joyce
We discovered this laundry tip in France last summer: Our steamer -- coupled with a travel bottle of Febreze -- kept our clothes clean and fresh in addition to handling the wrinkles. It had never really occurred to me, but since steam is a sanitizer it does make some sense. Armed with this knowledge for our next trip, we will pack much less (but maybe throw in a backup steamer!)
Thanks again -- can't wait for our first Tauck adventure in April.
I'm retired (Navy & Fed. Gov't), but I tinker in my workshop and am an inventor of sorts- I designed and have licensed two woodworking accessories to two woodworking tool and accessories manufacturers (Google "INCRA I-BOX," and Infinity "Lock Miter Master") who are successfully marketing them. I have given this packing issue some real thought over the last couple of years of trips (Tauck, etc.) and think I have come up with a novel approach. Once I have built and successfully tested a prototype, I'll attempt to market it. Hopefully some enlightened luggage manufacturer will see its benefit and license my design. Until then, folders and cubes will have to do! :~)