“I lost visual contact with my carry-on suitcase for no more than 60 seconds while on a train between Milan and Venice and in that instant it was stolen,” said Anthony Grant, features editor with Forbes Traveler.
Grant was a typical victim of suitcase theft.
Confirming the need for visual contact took a twist when I left my Budget rental car unattended for less than a minute. In that moment a savvy thief opened the truck and took off with my suitcase. Despite the fact I had purchased insurance from TravelGuard, which covered $750 of the loss, the experience was traumatic. A second runner up to that disaster was having to pay $25 for a “baggage fee.” I landed but my checked suitcase has yet to be found.
ItÃs time to strategize. Here are defensive steps you can implement immediately. The operative word is visual contact and restricting your luggage to one carry-on is a good place to start.
The privilege of distraction can cost you more than your ticket. Travelers have to rethink packing, and that is why compressing your travel wardrobe into one suitcase puts you ahead of the travel game. TravelSmith, a time-tested travel wardrobe specialist, has an “easy-to-pack, easy-to-wash” attitude. Their hassle-free fabrics, Comfort Sizer waistbands and exclusive accessories, such as their Hands-Off Handbag, reduce not only the size of suitcase you need but consolidates the number of items you need to carry from plane to train and ship. For example, its “four easy pieces that pack into one sleek bag” is a panacea for mix and match outfits. Women have four versatile pieces (in wrinkle defiant poly-spandex) in black that can be dressed up or down. Their “Destinations Collection” poised for long flights and longer days, is new this fall, featuring two jackets (with inside and hidden pockets) to choose from and pants with a contoured waist, a hidden zippered credit card pocket under the waistband and back darts.
Men now have a choice with a new fabric called Dri-Release that wicks away moisture while FreshGuard keeping your wardrobe agreeable. Washable, these pants dry four times faster than cotton and can be worn for eight days without washing, TravelSmith says. After paying a dry cleaning bill of $71 (the dismal exchange rate from dollars into Euros didn’t help) for four items at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Istanbul, it’s safe to say these wonder fabrics save time and money.
Put all chosen wardrobe items together and pack them into a ZUCA Sport Pro (www.zuca.com), an innovative suitcase which includes its own seat you can actually sit on, so you won’t lose that “visual contact.” It has an integrated seat that doubles as a gear platform. Engineered with fast, silent urethane wheels with tough plastic skids to make curbs and stairs less an obstacle course, this new age carry-on is a problem solver.
When you have a quick trip and want an instant amenity kit that lasts up to six days, check out My Smart Pac. This is a TSA-approved, carry-on ready disposable and conveniently packaged personal care kit stocked with essentials to keep you refreshed during your flight. It comes in handy if you are delayed enroute. Place the products in a plastic bag and you are set to go. Personal care products such as face cream, cleanser, body lotion, hair gel, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner and toothpaste can travel with you in your carry-on.
And if you’re concerned with making your next flight more comfortable, in view of the fact that in-flight amenities are vanishing from the scene, consider organizing your own survival kit. Select comfort-inspired products, from pillows to inhalation products that “clear the air,” to avoid purchasing them “on the fly” at the airport.
There is a failsafe list of comfort and wellness products from Plane Defense, inhalation pouches filled with aromatic beads to Buddha Nose, a booster salve formulated by New York aromatherapist and shiatsu therapist Amy Galper. She recommends you rub the salve around your neck and shoulders to help relieve the discomfort of sitting for hours on long haul flights.
It all adds up to being a smart traveler.
Resources:
Pamela Price is the co author of the ninth edition of “Fun with the Family in Southern CA.”