Luggage tips for the Summer Trip

More so, if you are going to travel alone. A solo traveller has only himself to count on, no extra hands to hold his things or extra feet to run things around. If this is your case, all the more you need to plan your trip very carefully. This can start with your choice of the right luggage.

You wouldn't want to carry around more personal belongings than necessary. More so, you don't want your luggage to fall apart at the transport station, whether at the bus terminal, at the pier or airport. And, for sure, you wouldn't want your suitcase to break open along the way.

Carry only what you can manage by yourself. The piece or pieces you take shouldn't be too heavy for you to carry or so bulky that you can't get on a taxi or bus with them. When choosing a luggage, look for the right size that can hold all the necessary things that you need on your trip.

Particularly if you're taking the plane, make sure your luggage meets the size and weight allowed by your airline; otherwise you could be charged extra for the excess. But first, decide which items you have to bring from home or to pick up along the way. As much as possible, have only one luggage to contain everything.

If you still need to buy a luggage, go to a good store and pick a luggage you like. Try it first; walk to test your find around the display area. If it's hard to pull on wheels while you're holding your purse and something else (a garment bag, perhaps), look for another one. Remember that at many locations, especially at stations for connecting trips, it is almost impossible to get help with luggage. Everybody else is also on a balancing act with their own. Bulky luggage can make any trip difficult.

Be sure that your luggage has sturdy wheels securely fastened to its body. Consider the size of the wheels - small rubberized wheels will wear out quickly. Go for large, sturdy ones.

Yet, no matter how carefully you choose, wheels can really be a problem sometimes. They can be hard to roll particularly over rough surfaces where they can get stuck. Or they can be difficult to steer. If you think this could be a problem, consider buying a fold-up luggage cart instead. This is very useful even for those travelling with the family and need their hands free to tend to children. Carts are easy to tuck away on buses and boats, even on airplanes.

A luggage with hard sides is advisable. Soft-sided suitcases may be lightweight, easy to carry and pull and a little easier to wedge into a car's trunk - but the drawback is that rough handling can damage them more easily. Also, look for luggage handles that are padded, comfortable to grip and strongly attached.

Check how the suitcase feels when it's full. At the luggage store, stuff up the case you intend to buy, to give it bulk and weight. Carry it around the store for a few minutes, and then put it down. If it was comfortable to carry around, it's probably the right one for you.

For extra luggage space, especially if you like to shop on trips, buy an extra, lightweight bag that folds up into a small square. Some of these come in a handy little pouch. Simply pack this along with your clothes, and you're ready for all the souvenirs you'll pick up on your trip.

As soon as you've decided on the luggage to carry along, mark it. These brightly colored, wide metallic tapes available in most office-supplies stores will do it. Simply cut a size that will be easily visible and stick it to one corner of the suitcase. (The same mark should be on all pieces, in case you have other bags.) This is very helpful in recognizing your luggage, especially on the airline's conveyor belt.

Travelling can really be a lot of fun. But only if we have everything in order on our trip. Tracking several luggages can be head-wrecking. Worse to be picking up personal belongings scattered about from a broken suitcase. These can easily turn a dream-come-true trip to a real-life nightmare. (E-MAIL: [email protected])