BoomerGirl Diary

When I first flew to Europe, suitcases could weigh 70+ lbs. and you could bring two PLUS a hefty carry-on. Now you get one checked suitcase (or pay a second bag surcharge) and it has to weigh under 50 lbs. (or pay an overweight surcharge.) Lost or temporarily lost baggage is at an all-time high and next-day delivery is wishful thinking.

Flights are being delayed and cancelled at record rates. At the very moment I am writing this there are thousands and thousands of people stranded at airports across the country due to yet another FAA computer glitch. Hundreds of flights cancelled and delayed.

So, what exactly can a Boomergirl do? After all, it's not like we're going to stop traveling. A few roadblocks have never slowed us down. (Well, actually, they have, but we complain and moan… and then take off again.)

So, here is some advice for the Boomergirl on the move…

Get over it.

You just can't pack as much and you have to learn to pack much more strategically. Carry-on bags are no longer for a sweater, pillow, book and laptop. You need everything: medications, make-up essentials, 2-3 complete changes of clothes, extra shoes, bathing suit (one of the hardest things to replace… it can take days to find the right suit.) You have to go into this with the possibility (not as remote as we would like to believe) that the "real" suitcase, the Big-Mama, may not arrive with you nor find you until the vacation is almost over. I understand that you hate to lug a bag when changing planes, don't like hefting and shoving into the overhead bins, prefer to move with grace and panache then tilting sideways trying to negotiate the rolling bag behind you in throngs of people as the purse keeps sliding off the other shoulder. I do understand. But it's a different world out there for travelers, a tougher, less accommodating world.

Let's start with crisis mode planning:

1. You are in a distant airport, changing planes, when you find yourself stranded. Now, the airlines not only won't pay for a room because they say the cancellations are "weather related" but even if you throw $100 bills in the air there isn't a room to be found. Flights have been cancelled and delayed for hours and everyone else beat you to the rooms (for more specifics on this, refer to my past column on "Camp O'Hare). Now, get out a notebook now and start writing: What do you need to survive?

2. You have arrived at your destination, ready to attend a 5 day conference where you will present a workshop… but your suitcase never slides down the ramp at baggage claim and so you stand, alone, wilting, making bargains with the Almighty for one more bag to appear. Moreover, no one can say where exactly it is although you noticed there was a flight that left for Bali at the adjoining gate. They tell you, very apologetically, that they will contact you as soon as they have some information and what is a number where you can be reached? So, what do you need to make it through the next 5 days?

3) It's time for a cruise and you so deserve one. While scheduled to arrive in Miami at 10 a.m. Saturday you actually get there at 2:43 p.m. and the boat sails at 4 p.m.. You are jumping with impatience at the baggage claim but ...Ooops, no bags. They say they will get them to your hotel by 5 p.m. the next day "If possible." But if your hotel room is in the middle of the Caribbean, then what? It's 7 days with the carry-on. Will this just be a major inconvenience OR will you let it ruin the trip?

I am writing this on a computer in a library in Germany. You get the computers for an hour at a time, and when your hour is coming to an end, a ten minute warning flashes. But this time there was no warning… and so… just as I was about to finish this column, two pages from what you are reading right now, it all ... whoosh ... disappeared. I lost two-thirds of what I'd written. Now I'm wondering if it is some sort of cosmic counter-move, to make me more sensitive to the "lost" emotional spectrum. But, wishing won't so me any good, and trying to remember what I wrote ... well, I have a post-menopausal boomergirl brain. Memory is not our strong suit.

But here goes...

It is pretty obvious that investing in the legally biggest and best carry-on (definitely expandable) is a priority. And while you're at it, go for one with 4 wheels instead of 2. They slide beside you, slip through crowds, are delightful in long lines and can be dragged behind you if the situation (hills?) requires. Go to different stores and try them out. Do NOT buy on-line without making sure it is a good fit for you. I found I liked the shape and interior design of a bag that was 1/3 the cost of the one I almost bought.

But, back to the scenarios...

Scenario #1: Baby-wipes (since you may not shower for two days); mini deodorant; mini-everything essential to feeling like a human being; change of clothes; sweater that can double as a blanket (albeit short); inflatable neck pillow (helps to sleep upright); protein bars (many airports have no food after 11 p.m.); cell charger as your phone will die and it doesn't help if the charger is packed in the checked bag; ditto for laptop charger (with whatever international gizmos you need if going abroad); international phone cards if planning to be where your cell does not work; empty water bottle (can fill it in bathrooms even when stores are closed.) I love those individual iced tea mixers too. A list of all phone numbers you could possibly want, especially 800 # for every airline as you may have better luck calling to reschedule when standing in line then ever getting to the front of the line. For more details, go to my column on "Camp O"Hare."

Scenario #2: You know those travel lines of clothes made from some synthetic that does not breathe but never wrinkles and resists dirt and looks good after six days because it has no natural anything in it? Love 'em or hate 'em, they work. Get 1-2 pair of the slacks and a matching, soft pseudo-blazer, have 4 tops to layer (and scarves… definitely scarves), 2 shoes, undies. I had a friend who did an entire convention with the above. "Nobody noticed," she told me. "Same pants and blazer, rinsed out 3 tops in the sink, and thank God for the jewelry and scarves. I would have shopped but I was so busy and after 3 days I realized I could make it just fine."

Scenario #3: First, never take a flight the same day the ship sails. It is so not worth the anxiety. Delays are too common to risk it. Fly to the departure city the night before, even you get in at midnight. But as far as clothes: ships understand missing luggage. Some supply free tuxes for men (not that that helps you) and have dressy-wear to loan. Focus on what you need for every day: 2 capris (they go wherever shorts or pants can), 2 tops, bathing suits, cover up, sandals and sneakers. Then a set of slinky pants and tops. Every ship has shops (however pricey) where you can get something for evening, a few extra T-shirts, flip-flops. It is always easier to get a top that fits than pants or shorts, so make sure your bottom is covered first. When you get to that first island you can grab a few extras.

Now, looking at the list above, it seems that there is no possible way to get all that stuff into a carry-on. But it is possible. You have to be strategic, and pack for mix-and-match, functionality… not your favorites. If you are going somewhere colder from someplace warmer, wear as much of the heavy stuff as you can. Raincoat, blazer, boots. Perfect the refugee look.

There was more, but just as the computer ran out of time, I am running on empty as well. It isn't so much that these are the best tips or the right tips... and they certainly aren't the only tips. But if they get you thinking more strategically, and thus packing differently than you would have otherwise… my job is done. Because I travel a lot, and the process isn't as fun as it used to be (although once I get where I'm going I'm glad I came.) Planning and preparation go along way to making a potentially miserable experience bearable.