Who do you want to be - a sweaty man with two carry-on bags, a suit bag, and a suitcase large enough to hold a small piano or the carefree guy with a single duffle bag?
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: 60 minutes
Here's How:
- Choose a soft-sided bag suitable for carry-on. On crowded flights, pull-out handle luggage with wheels may be refused as carry-on, regardless of whether it makes the size requirements. A soft bag will almost always pass. Remember, European airlines usually allow only a single carry-on bag.
- Decide what you will wear to travel in. Deduct those items from the list below.
- Begin packing according to this list - it's what you need for spring-summer-fall travel in Greece:
- 2 pairs pants - 1 pair light-colored heavyweight pants, jeans type but preferably not blue as this still has a 60s "hippie" association which may not be positive in all contexts; one dark 'dressier' pair.
- 1 light sweater
- 1-2 pairs shorts
- 1 long-sleeved shirt
- 1 - 2 pairs bathing trunks
- 3-5 pairs underwear
- 3-5 pairs socks
- 1 pair good walking shoes, already broken in.
- 1 pair sandals, rubber-bottomed, strap-on, 'swimmable' types are best to avoid sea anemones.
- 1 windbreaker or other light, waterproof jacket
- 1 hat -or, buy it in Greece as a souvenir, along with any t-shirts you may need.
- Sample-size toiletries (shampoo is heavy!); necessary medications in original bottles; notebook with pocket for receipts, booklets, etc; camera, extra rolls of film (much cheaper outside of Greece, though more powerful X-Ray machines mean that it has to go in your carryon) or extra media for digital cameras.
Tips:
- Wear your bulkiest shoes and jacket as part of your travel outfit. What - your bulky shoes aren't comfortable enough for airport treks? This tells you that pair shouldn't go at all.
- Avoid metal spray cans containing toiletries - these can sometimes trigger a secondary search, especially if they are clumped together in the suitcase.
- Tempted to fill up any extra room? Don't! - leave it for souvenirs on the trip back.
