Eaglecreekluggage.co.uk Blog

We rise early on Wednesday morning looking forward to our rainforest adventure and, for once, the weather looks promising. 7.30 am sees us in reception waiting for our tour bus which arrives promptly and we board to be transported to the first leg of our journey, the Kuranda scenic railway http://www.kurandascenicrailway.com.au/ . After the usual trip around various hotels we are transported to Freshwater Station to pick up our tickets for the day and board the train. During the journey we are given a brief history of the railway and hints and tips of the things to look for, you can find much of this information on the website if you feel like doing some homework before your visit.

The station is bright and clean and after around 15 minutes we have our agenda for the full day and take the opportunity to look around the station, its well worth a look and helps to pass the time whilst the train arrives. At around 08.45 we board the train for the journey to Kuranda. The carriages are very quaint if a little utilitarian that said, for a further slug of money you can travel gold class and not have to mix with the plebs like me. The train winds its way up the mountainside providing great views back along the coast and of the Barron River, the journey takes around an hour and 20 minutes accompanied by the obligatory commentary. During the journey there is a stop at the Barron falls which allows you to get out, take a few photos and enjoy the scenery. Take care when you are entering or exiting the train as the steps are very steep.

Around 10.15 we arrive at Kuranda railway station, the destination for the first leg of our visit. Again, the station is very pleasant and clean and the staff very helpful. We leave the station and walk into the village http://www.kuranda.org/ . A map of the village is available here http://www.kuranda.org/?p=89   . At this point I should caveat that I’m not a natural tourist so the vista that greets us of row upon row of tourist shops selling low brow tourist gifts doesn’t exactly inspire me. That said, I do my duty and faithfully follow Marilena into a number of establishments, grunting and nodding in agreement when prompted. Thankfully, I only have to endure this for a short period (there are only so many aboriginal boomerangs, stuffed koalas and beware of Kangaroo signs you can sensibly browse) and we disappear to find something to eat. Having agreed that a picnic on the Kuranda village green would be a good idea, we buy our provisions just in time for the rain to commence it’s “bucketing down” impression.

After a soggy lunch we have around one and a half hours to kill before we meet the coach for our rainforest experience so agree on a forest walk to pass the time. I have to say that one of the great things we found in Tropical Queensland were the forest boardwalks which allow you to get in amongst the flora and fauna and Kuranda is no exception. We take the Jum Rum Creek, Jungle Walk and River Walk http://www.kuranda.org/?p=20 which is listed to take around an hour but took us slightly less even with numerous stops for photo opportunities. We make our way back to the Butterfly Sanctuary http://www.kuranda.org/?p=23 our rendezvous point for the coach that will take us to the Rainforestation with 10 minutes to spare. Sat outside the tourist information office across the road from the sanctuary a guy is trimming old branches from one of the palm trees, as he clears up his trimmings he finds a chipboard boomerang which he jokingly offers to me, low brow simply doesn’t come close….

The coach arrives and we are whisked to the Rainforestation http://www.rainforest.com.au/ , the journey takes around 10 minutes. Our visit commences with a tour of the small zoo accompanied by a member of staff. Now I definitiely prefer to see my wildlife “in the flesh” so to speak but given this is not always possible, the attraction proves a good second choice. We see all the usual favourites including cuddly Koalas and not so cuddly salt water crocks, I can’t help but be impressed with the range of exotic species this country possesses and Australia’s motivation to preserve its indigenous fauna. Have completed the “girlie” bit we get to do the “blokie” bit, a trip around the rainforest in an Army Duck amphibious vehicle http://www.rainforest.com.au/attractions/armyduck.htm .  Our driver and guide shows a genuine interest in his visitors and explains the history of the area as well as pointing out various plants and animals along the way. He has an uncanny knack of spotting animals and lizards in particular, so much so that I can’t help but think they are rubber toys strategically positioned around the forest. My faith is restored when one of the lizards moves its head. The journey concludes with a trip through the tropical fruit orchard followed by the obligatory “flash for cash” and opportunity to sample some of the fruits. Resisting the temptation to waste $15 on a cheesy photo we return to the coach for the trip back to Kuranda where we are dropped adjacent to the Kuranda Skyrail http://www.skyrail.com.au/ for the final leg of our journey.

The Skyrail is a 4 mile gondola ride over the top of the rainforest, think back to your last ski trip and you will get the picture. There are two stations along the way which provide the opportunity to get out and take a walk in the rainforest. We share the gondola with a couple from Melbourne up in the north for a holiday and share our experiences to date, we leave them at the Barron Falls station and take a walk out to check the views of the Barron Gorge and its falls, there is also a very interesting Rainforest Interpretation Centre http://www.skyrail.com.au/barronfalls.html which provides a history of how the rainforest came into being. Time is getting on so we return to the gondola for the journey to the second station. Again, this provides the opportunity to view the rainforest close up after which we join the gondola queue for the final run into the terminus. By this time the weather has taken a turn for the worse and the forest is shrouded in mist restricting our views but the whole experience is thoroughly recommended.

Out tour bus meets us at  the Caravonica Terminal and delivers us safely back to the hotel. It’s been a busy day so we decide to take the easy option and eat in the hotel. This is finally starting to feel like a holiday!

Tuesday morning arrives and we are looking forward to a day of orientation, sun and a dip in the pool. On drawing back the curtains, things are not as we anticipated. I don’t know if the weather gods have it in for us but once again it is cloudy and raining – forget Bali, think Bognor!
 

We set out into the torrent, at least the heat means we can dispose of the waterproofs but the umbrella is an essential. Thoroughly depressed we opt for a walk around the town followed by a visit to the Botanical Gardens. We arrive at the gardens just before 1pm and in time for the guided tour, unfortunately, this has been cancelled due to the weather, arghhhhh….
 

Undaunted we check out the gardens anyway and I would thoroughly recommend a visit. There is also a rainforest board walk which is fully signed and introduces the visitor to the may varieties of plants in the area, just make sure you spray with insect repellent before you go. You can pick up a bus back to the town from outside the park but we opt for a leisurely walk back, after all, what else are we going to do?
 

On the way we stop to pick up provisions and I stupidly mention the weather (cue whinging pom response) “there wouldn’t be a rainforest without the rain”, it was a comment that would come to haunt us over the next few days. I suppress the desire to retort “well it rains all the time in the UK but we don’t have any £~*&ing rain forest as I don’t think it will go down very well.
 

Finally we get back to the hotel, soaked to the skin. Taking relief in strong drink crosses my mind as we get ready for the evening then I think back to Friday evening (scroll down the page for more details) and think better of it. Instead, I go downstairs and book us onto the Rainforest adventure the following day - $262 each for the train, Rainforeststation experience and skyrail - bargain!
 

Avoiding the lure of the bright lights of Cairns Esplanade we wander down the streets one block from the front and stop for a drink in Outback Jacks. The menu looks good if you are into kangaroo or big beef steaks, we prefer something a little lighter so head to a small Italian restaurant “Ti Adoro” just up the road from Outback Jacks in the direction away from the centre. We share squid, pizza and a bottle of Aussie red  - plus an umbrella of course. (By this time dear reader,  you must be coming to the conclusion I am obsessed with the weather – I am!).
 

After an excellent meal we return to the hotel for a nightcap then off to bed, as the song goes, things can only get better…

Well it is Monday morning and we have a leisurely start as today we travel to Cairns in tropical North Queensland. At least the weather has now taken a turn for the better and we are blessed with sunny skies. After packing we have a quick debate about the best way of getting to the airport and the train shows a clear lead over the $50 taxi fare.
 

We walk just one block to the train station  and purchase our tickets, just $14 one way. 20 minutes later we arrive at Sydney Domestic terminal and check in at the Virgin Blue desk – a tip, use the check in kiosks and bag drop if you want to avoid the long queues. The airport has a relaxed feel you just don’t get in the UK, security is pretty straightforward and the staff friendly and helpful, just what you need when embarking on a 3 hour flight. Check in takes around 20 minutes after which we make our way to the Virgin Blue lounge.
 

Fortunately, our Priority Pass cards are accepted and we settle into the brand new facility, definitely the best way to pass the couple of hours wait for the flight. We are called on time and boarding is hassle free. The staff on the aircraft are great, very friendly and helpful, there is plenty of leg room given this is an economy flight ( $200 each ). We have one moment of uncertainty when the stewardess  informs us the destination if Brisbane but after a quick check and some laughter we are informed that the destination is indeed Cairns.
 

The flight passes with no delays and we arrive into Cairns just as the sun is setting. I don’t know about you but I always get that feeling of being somewhere exotic when you step off the plane to be greeted by a wall of hot, humid atmosphere and the smells of the tropics, makes a pleasant change from Spain
 

As this is an internal flight there are no immigration formalities so we are soon in a taxi on the way to our hotel, the Rydges Tradewinds on Cairns Esplanade, the taxi costs $20, much more reasonable.  It’s a resort type hotel with everything you need, pool, restaurant, spa etc. the rooms are large if somewhat functional but they more than suffice for the 6 days we will spend here. After unpacking, we go to the lobby and enquire about trips. We have two pencilled in, the obligatory trips to the Great Barrier Reef and the Rainforest experience. Fully loaded with information, we go back to the room to check out itineraries and prices for the various options.
 

The time is getting on and wary of the 9pm Sydney rule we head out for food. The Esplanade is jam packed with restaurants serving every type of cuisine you could reasonably expect. We also find a food court in the central shopping mall with lots of choice and great value food. We opt for Thai and have an informal dinner ( $13.90 )amongst the crowds of holidaymakers and backpackers. We enjoy a walk around the town, a few more drinks in the numerous bars then head back to the hotel.  All in all, our first evening in Cairns has been a success and we retire to bed excited about the day ahead.

Sunday morning and the daylight is creeping through the gap in the curtains of our hotel room, dare I take a look at what the day brings? I look down into the street to be greeted with a strange site, no umbrellas!! Wow, so the sun does shine in Australia…

Buoyed by our good luck but nervous about ditching the cagoules just yet, we plan our day. First off, it’s a return to The Rocks for some picture taking for our daughter, something seems strange, then I realise, we are no longer dressed in blue and red nylon wrappers, what a relief…

After the obligatory quaint housy shots and a visit to the Rocks Sunday market ( 101 ways to spend your money on souvenir rubbish ( chilli sauce bottles anyone?) - sorry bric a brac, we decide to take a walk across the bridge. The stairway up to the walkway is adjacent to the market, you can’t miss it just follow the tourists, and what an experience this is in the sun. We look down on one of the major hotels which is built on the shores of the harbour and there is a wedding underway in the gardens - you lucky guys, one day earlier and things wouldn’t have been quite so memorable, we wish them luck from afar, both metaphorically and actually ( I heard on the news this morning that Aussie marriages now last around two years so they probably need it) bless…

The views across the harbour and onto the Opera House are to die for as we watch the bridge climbers doing their thing, contrast this with the damp photos we had taken from the Manley ferry a few day earlier. Spirits rise and this is starting to feel like the holiday we were so looking forward to. We get to the northern end of the bridge, there is not a lot going for it, just another business district so don’t waste your precious time there. “I know let’s go to Bondi beach” I suggest, we cross under the bridge to the railway station and buy a couple of tickets to Bondi Junction, the cost is about $10 for the tickets which includes the bus to the beach and return to the city - outstanding! The journey to Bondi junction takes around 20 minutes on a pleasant if functional train. From the train we get in the queue for the bus with the rest of the crowds, sharpen your elbows in preparation for the fight to board - Sunday is clearly the day to go to the beach, if it’s not raining that is…

Bondi as you would expect is dominated by the beach but a little disappointing given how its reputation is “bigged up”, hey I’m not complaining, the sun is shining, and that and my fleece are keeping me warm! Surfers in the ocean, Sheilas strutting the promenade, this is what Australia is about, I think…..

Bondi is a little like your typical UK seaside town but with sun and BIG breakers. So what do you do at the seaside, have fish and chips of course (don’t you??). My F&C are great, Marilena opts for the Tuna wrap, eat one of those at Skegness and they will laugh you off the front (only joking Skegness). Seriously, the food is tasty, good value and it is great to picnic beside such an iconic beach. After our splendid lunch it’s still not raining so we opt for a walk around the town…. that was the town then, what next? After an ice cream (the other obligatory seaside fare), we decide to head back to town. Buses are packed again but hassle free and the train from Bondi Junction stops 2 blocks from the hotel. What a relief, a full day and we are only wet on the inside.

Back at the hotel we start the packing process, Sunday is our last day in Sydney, Monday we travel to the tropical north and Cairns. For dinner we return to a pub on The Rocks and share a pizza - just, come on guys, life does exist after 9pm! A steady walk back to the hotel with thoughts of lazy days on the beach, soaking up the tropical sun, well that’s the plan….

Day 3 again dawns cool and wet not that I notice much given the size of my hangover. As I mentioned previously, beware the Aussie hospitality. I try the “I’m absolutely fine” approach whilst inside my head the Irish National Folk Dancing Team are practicing, Marilena is not impressed and don’t I know it!  By now the constant heavy rain is becoming something of a bore, I thought this was supposed to be the driest continent on the planet! By the way, don’t complain about the weather to the Aussies unless you want to be derided as whinging pom, I guess hospitality, as ever, is at its best over a glass of beer :-0)
We decide to do the Darling Harbour / The Rocks circuit today. Darling Harbour is only a 5 minute walk from the hotel - albeit into the lashing rain - but let’s not complain eh…
First things first, I desperately need a hangover cure. There are lots of restaurants around the harbour but the prospect of sitting outside under an umbrella somehow doesn’t appeal. We pass the Aquarium  and think about a visit but i’m in no fit state to waltz around the fish tanks and thoughts of mal de mare surface. Luckily, the Harbour has a small shopping centre which includes a food court, if you need a 10 minute tour of all the culinary high / low lights of the world from MacDonalds to sushi, this is the place for you. I opt for the Japanese Ramen noodles, Marilena opts for the coffee and seems more interested in buying a pair of socks to avoid the onset of blisters. I meekly enquire  if I can get her anything else, her looks provides the answer….
Refreshed by my noodles we continue the sock hunt, how on earth can a shopping centre not have somewhere that sells socks!! In the end, we find a pair in the Australian Maritime Museum, don’t ask…..
The Sydney monorail has a stop at Darling Harbour so we go to check it out, as we climb to the station we are greeted with the sound of a church choir in full flow, we take a look around to find the source of the singing but there is no choir, the music is being piped around the harbour, best not to ask why pommie.  We give the monorail a miss and once again venture out into cyclone Sydney,luckily our Gore-Tex Mountain jackets and umbrella (brought for the temperate climate of the Blue Mountains, more of which later) are up to the task and we head for the Rocks, luckily, it’s only a 20 minute walk. The area ( according to Lonely Planet ) is the site of the first European settlement, the place has a quaint oldy worldy feel to it, a major contrast to the Sydney CBD it abutts. We check out the place, more photos of cagoule clad tourists then decide to head back to the hotel thoroughly soaked.
Luckily (for me at least) we pass a cycle shop and I can’t resist the chance to take a look inside. The good news is they have a Giro D’i Italia Leader’s Jersey in stock, I have been trying to get hold of one in the UK but with no luck ( did I mention I’m a mad keen cyclist?) the bad news is that it looks as if it would fit a 12 year old, my hopes are dashed once again. No worries, we pick up a copy of Lance Armstrong’s book - something to read between the torrential downpours - and head back to the hotel.
Saturday night is high culture night ( a complete contrast to Friday’s low culture night ) and we are booked to see Bizet’s Pearlfishers at the Sydney Opera House. I scrub up surprisingly well - I even have a shave - and we head for Sydney’s icon. The Pearlfishers is superb but it doesn’t have the heat and passion of my favourite Bizet opera Carmen. That said, it is a real treat to have the chance to see opera in such a place.
The show ends around 10.30 pm and we head out to find something to eat. Alas, the curse of the 9pm Sydney restaurant closure strikes again - is it just me or are we looking in the wrong parts od town? - and it is a pretty low-brow finish to the evening in MacDonalds. The Weather forecast for Sunday is sunny and fine, I can’t help but think it is probably some sick Aussie joke but here’s hoping…..

Day 2 in Sydney dawns cool and rainy - that is when we awake. We put on our waterproofs, grab the umbrella and leave the hotel around 11am. After a quick coffee and a slice of toasted banana cake (recommended), it’s on to the days itinerary.

First off if you are staying in central Sydney and are reasonably fit, there is no need to worry about taxis and public transport, all the main sites are within walking distance and you are better off saving your money for the expensive drinks and food $4-$6 for a coffee, same for a sandwich.

Our first stop is at the Governor’s House, It’s about a 20 minute walk from the hotel passing the main shopping area on Kings Street Gucci, Louis Vuitton et al. It is adjacent to the Botanical Gardens and the Opera House and there are free guided tours starting at around 1pm. we pass on the tour and take a walk around the gardens which are very extensive. Adjacen to the house is a Giant Fig tree with an amazing root system, we had seen similar trees in the centre of Valencia, the gardners where very helpful and informative.

Next is is on to the Opera House for a quick tour around the outside of the building plus great views of the Harbour Bridge, more photos of us wearing waterproof jackets and we check out what’s on over the weekend. There is a tour of the opera house but, again, we decide against this.

The rain is still beating down so we head for the Central transport exchange, the place that all the buses, ferries and trains meet. We grab a sandwich and drink then join the queue for tickets to Manley via the ferry service - cost is around $14 return each. As the weather is poor the sea gets very rough as we pass the harbour enterance then dock at Manley, from there it is a short walk along the Corso the the beach. Manley has an extensive beach with large breakers rolling in off the South Pacific. A few brave souls are our surfing and we take a short walk around cabbage tree bay to Shelly Beach where there is a headland and good views along the beach.

Manley is pretty much like most seaside towns, lots of bars, cheap souvenier shops and fish and chips. Maybe it’s the weather but we are far from impressed and after a further soaking it’s back to the ferry terminal and the return to Sydney.

Thoroughly soaked, we return to the hotel to plan our evening which includes a visit to a Chinatown resturant and then a few drinks. The restaurant is very friendly with lots of chice and resonable prices - $45 for two people including drinks -  but at 9pm the place closes and we are out on the wet streets again. Beware, restaurants seem to have a habit of closing early by European standards so don’t get caught short (as we did on the first night). We then return to the hotel area - it’s still raining buckets - for a quick drink. The locals prove to be quite friendly and too many drinks later it’s time for bed and the hope for better weather.

My name is Brent and along with my partner Marilena, we run Eaglecreekluggage. I created this blog 2 years ago with the objective of giving our customers a forum for sharing their travel experiences so I thought I would take the opportunity to share our recent experiences. The following posts are a record of our holiday to Australia in September 2008. We hope you find it useful, if you would like additional information drop us a line at www.eaglecreekluggage.co.uk

So let’s begin the journey, 3rd September 2008 (Our wedding anniversary) finds us at Heathrow Airport awaiting the Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt where we join the first long haul leg to Singapore. Check-in and Security pass without any hassle and we are soon in the lounge enjoying a coffee. Foolishly I make a comment about how easy it has been so far. We board the flight on time but then join the endless queue of aircraft waiting departure. Time ticks by and with only an hour between our arrival time and departure of our next flight from Frankfurt, things are getting tight. Finally we are airborne and the flight to Frankfurt continues without any problems, that is until we join the queue to land. We sit in the holding pattern for 20 minutes which doesn’t help my blood pressure, and when we finally land it’s on an outer stand so we now have to wait for the bus…

Thankfully, we get to the flight just as boarding commences and after the preliminaries, we are settling into our seats. After a glass of champers the Steward informs us that the entertainment system for our seats isn’t working and would we like to change seats. 11 hours of nothing isn’t very apealing so it’s back downstairs to our alternative seats - told you I should have kept my mouth shut. Let’s hope our luggage made the transfer successfully.

6am we arrive in Singapore and it is a 3 hour wait for our connecting flight to Sydney, time for a browse of duty free, a quick shower and we are on our way to Sydney - thanks for looking after us Singapore Airlines.

We arrive in Sydney at around 6pm and thankfully so does our luggage, passport control and immigration are great, customs try to ask Marilena in Italian if she has brought in any food, “mangiare” he says mimicking eating to which she replies ” I live in England”. We all have a laugh and next we are at the taxi rank and on our way into Sydney. We are staying in The Grace on York St. the taxis cost $50 and we find out over the following days that the airport train stops one block away from the hotel and costs $14 each. We will soon find out just how expensive Sydney is.

The Hotel is good, typical business type hotel but it has everything we need and is within walking distance of all the main attractions. After unsuccessfully trying to find something to eat - most restaurants close at 9pm -  it’s crisps and a beer at a local pub then off to bed in anticipation of our first day in Sydney, let’s hope the jet-lag doesn’t kick in.. 

You’re off to New Zealand, or the Ardennes Mountains and you’re going to be gone for a while. Should you travel with a travelpack or hoist a backpack on your back? That question is as old as, well, probably only a decade or so because that’s when travelpacks were invented. But if you’re reading this and you’re ten, it’s an age-old question. Before you can answer what to carry, consider where you are going and how you’ll be traveling. 

Let’s pretend you’re at that moment in life when School / University / your working life just ended, you saved every penny and just bought you a roundtrip ticket to Europe / Asia / America (delete as necessary). We call this the “lucky so and so” period. 

During this “lucky so and so” period (which, incidentally, is also called a “sabbatical” when you’re older even though behind your back everyone will be referring to you and to it as ” lucky so and so “), you’ll most likely be hopping from plane to train to bus to hostels and to B&Bs. You’ll walk through train stations and over dirt roads, across beaches and up hundreds of stairs. You’ll stow your pack overhead, check it through, toss it in a pick-up and use it for a pillow. If you’re lucky, you’ll do all these things. And if you’re really lucky, you’ll have a bag that adjusts to the situations as easily as you do. And that bag would be a travelpack. Travelpacks are one part suitcase, one part backpack, and one part filing cabinet. In a travelpack, the suspension straps zip into a fully enclosed compartment so you can check the bag in at the airport without fear of the straps becoming entangled in the jaws of the conveyor belt and shredding like a block of Muenster cheese. When you need to lug it over a cobblestone road, unzip and toss it on your back. 

During any LB trip, you’re also constantly buying trinkets, handmade leather belts and t-shirts from the Interlaken Hostel, so you need the extra room of a main compartment and the pockets to keep your stuff organized. A good travelpack has a place for everything, especially hidden places for all-important documents, passports and the last of your money that’s quickly running out. Now let’s imagine a different trip. After years of threatening, you finally decide to hike the GR 20. Just you, your husband, and 20 kilos of clothes, gear, and the essentials to keep you alive. And maybe a book or two. And a radio. And your favorite titanium coffee mug. 

For this trip, you’re less likely to need a super versatile pack than one that’s built for hiking. You need something that can easily and simply hold your “essentials” and is rugged enough to stand up to the elements. What you need is a backpack. Backpacks really only need to be unpacked at the end of the day at camp, so organization is less critical than if you’re rifling through your travelpack looking for your insurance policy on a night train bound for the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona. Each pack has its advantages. Travelpacks are extremely versatile, easy to organize all your travel essentials, built with tougher fabrics and zip or stow away suspensions to stand up to the occasional evil baggage handler. Backpacks are designed with the backcountry in mind. Lighter weight fabrics, uber-technical suspensions and hefty price tags all describe modern backpacks. 

Decide first how you’re going to travel. Then that age-old question won’t seem like such a mystery after all. 

Boxers or briefs? Paper or plastic? Check or carry-on? Age-old questions, yes, but are you truly prepared to travel like a pro without submitting to the dreaded ticket counter check-in? If you prefer to pack the left side of your closet and want to be prepared for all possible weather, business and social occasions, we kindly suggest you stop reading now and skip down to the “How to Pack 50 lbs into a 20 lb Bag” article.

For the rest of you, here’s a quick overview of why carry-ons make the grade:

For the rest of you, here’s a quick overview of why carry-ons make the grade:
Line avoidance. Curbside check-in, ticket counter check-in and baggage carousels all have waits associated with them. If you are on vacation this time can certainly be better spent. On a business trip this time could be better invested.
Your back. A checked bag can weigh a ton. Avoid the strain. Avoid the pain.
Your wallet. Large volume luggage pieces can easily tip the scales at 20 to 25kgs. The airlines need some way to get out of bankruptcy and are cracking down on ANY luggage that comes in over their weight limits.
Your gear staying your gear. Between TSA searches, luggage handlers and meeting your connections…well, enough said. So, now that we’ve got you thinking, here’s how you can REALLY get several days stuff into that single carry-on piece.
The Layout
Use your bed as the landing pad and don’t even think about pulling the luggage out of the closet yet. Think head to toe, except in reverse. Start with your feet and remember you only have two! The trick here is to find a set of shoes that can be worn casually as well as in almost-formal situations. Ladies, forget the heels and gents, wingtips: verboten. Grab that all-purpose set of shoes that works with jeans or with something a bit nicer. If you like to exercise a pair of cross-trainers can also make the cut.
Now add socks (which can be stuffed into the shoes you just picked), underwear, exercise wear, skirts, pants and shirts/blouses/sweaters. The best practice would be to group each into an outfit. One outfit per day, minus one. In other words, if you are out for 4 days you need 3 days of outfits. Better yet, bring one or two coordinating tops for each bottom piece. For “day-of-travel” clothes, wear you bulkiest stuff. Another good idea is to try to wear a top that has easy-access pockets for tickets, ID, and itineraries. As for hats and gloves, don’t pack them: throw them into the pockets of the jacket you are going to carry.
Now let’s move onto toiletries. We are not going to bore you with what to bring here. The trick is what NOT to bring. With hotels supplying a bevy of amenities, most items in your medicine cabinet can stay home. On the “do not pack” list: hairdryers, any toiletry that comes in a full size bottle, anything breakable, and medicines for rare diseases or maladies. Investing in a travel bottle set will downsize the medicine cabinet significantly. Also, if your toiletry kit is over 5 years old, take a look at some of the amazingly organised and compact kits offered by Eagle Creek but “Don’t Forget The Current Restrictions On Carrying Fluids!
Let the Packing Begin
As you might expect this is where we get commercial and begin recommending Eagle Creek products. But then again, we are a company committed to making travel easier, so we are on your team. In general, we recommend using a travel backpack (e.g. Day Trek Pack) rather than a shoulder bag as your companion piece. This saves your back and keeps your arms free.

Now let’s organize the inside of the bag for easy packing, maximizing space and minimizing wrinkles. A good starter kit should include a Pack-It® Folder 18, Cube, two Half Cubes, Shoe Sac and a Compressor Bag. Place your socks and underwear in one of the Half Cubes and your T-shirts, work out clothes, belts, ties and other roll-worthy items in the other Half Cube. Jeans and sweaters can be folded and rolled in the Cube. All other hanging garments should be carefully folded and compressed into the Pack-It® Folder. Drop your shoes into the Shoe Sac. Throw the compressor bag into the bottom of the bag and use it as your dirty clothes hamper to collect and compress the load for the return trip.
The Tarmac 22 or the Switchback 22 would be the largest carry-on legal bags we would suggest. Drop all your packing items into the bag. Zip it up and away you go.
One last hint: check in online the night before you go. That way you can proceed directly to the gate with your boarding pass in hand.
A well-packed carry-on can make your journey faster, easier and safer. So choose carry-on and treat yourself to that grande latte with that extra free hand.

It’s virtually guaranteed that somewhere right this minute there’s a car cruising down the highway, its windows rolled down, arms surfing in the wind, with the volume on eleven cranking “”School’s Out”" by Alice Cooper. It’s a rite of passage. Classrooms shut down, grills fire up, and the long awaited and much loved summer vacation season is upon us.
No matter where you go, be it backpacking in the Rockies or safari trekking in Namibia, the one thing that remains true is that the summer is hot. Shocking, we know. But what might really surprise you is that proper, lightweight gear can really help you beat the heat when you travel. And heavy, non-breathable fabrics can make you feel like a pack mule in Pago Pago.
If you spend your vacation days on your feet, say walking among the ruins of the Acropolis, you need a daypack that is both super-light but still technically advanced. Our Boundary Advance daypack weighs in at  ess that a kilo because it’s made with a combination of light but rugged fabrics including Cordura®, Tough Weave and Mini Diamond Helix. It’s 30 litres so it can carry everything you need for the day and includes organisation pockets and a large main compartments The Air Stream Suspension®, also helps your body stay dry by circulating air between the pack and your back. It gives maximum ventilation as well as maximum load stability.
If you’re one of the lucky ones, just finishing college with a sweet job waiting for you in September with nothing to do but cruise around Europe for two months staying in hostels, meeting people from all over the world and having experiences you’ll think back on for the rest of your life, well, we want you to know that we aren’t bitter. Seriously. We also want you to know you’ll enjoy the trip that much more if you’re carrying all your gear in a lightweight, internal frame backpack with an adjustable suspension for maximum comfort. Our Meridian 55L backpack is built with airflow channels and moisture wicking mesh, plus pockets for every thing you would ever want to carry.
There are other times when you travel that you need the efficiency of a wheeled piece of luggage as well as the flexibility of a great backpack. Instead of carrying two pieces of gear, pack everything in one Switchback.
The Switchback® Max ES 22 is built with all-terrain ORV wheels, an ergonomic handle and has a zip-off daypack. It’s lightweight and durable and works great as a main piece of travel gear. When the rocky terrain or cobblestone streets make wheeling your bag difficult, unzip the hidden suspension system and toss it on your back. The foam padded and air-channeled suspension makes carrying it a breeze. Plus, you’ll save the extra weight and extra hassle of a second piece of luggage.
School may be out, but it never hurts to get a quick lesson in how to travel easier. Enjoy your summer and enjoy your vacation. And as they say in the yearbooks, “”always stay cool”.