Travel Packing Tips

Travel Packing Tips

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I have the biggest packing challenge of my life ahead of me.

From Melbourne spring, to Dubai, then from Dubai straight into winter in New York. All this and only two pieces of luggage allowed.

If I were just doing a basic, pared down tourist style adventure (who are we kidding, I never do that), it would be easy. Instead I need to pack for safaris, swimming, cocktail parties, spa days, conferences, photo shoots and walking in the snow! Organisation isn’t the half of it.

I have called on all my packing expertise and fashion knowledge for this one, pairing up silks, merino wools, layers of stockings, pashminas and scarves, with plenty of bling and one huge dramatic coat.

When you consider that I also have to pack a load of photography and video equipment, this becomes a precision exercise. My worst nightmare is arriving some place without all the proper plugs, chargers and cables. They are much harder to buy in an emergency than a pair of sparkly heels.

The extent of my travel wardrobe is such that I think it deserves it’s own post, but the most important thing I’ve learnt over my years of travel is this; weight. Not just the weight you are allowed by airlines, but also the weight you are prepared to lug around.

Let’s take for instance, that one time I was in Tokyo at midnight in the rain, with two 40kg suitcases, handbag and carry on, no umbrella and no cash for a cab. New swear words were invented that night as I vowed to never again travel with so much weight and certainly not in stupid two wheeled suitcases that failed to navigate gutters and almost cut my legs off!

Even empty, many of my suitcases weigh in at 7 kilos, and I’m not about to loose precious packing weight to some clunky monstrosity. I can thank American Tourister for the most beautiful hot pink, ultra lightweight, one finger-gliding suitcase that will be a godsend on this trip.