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I always packed a checked bag for a week trip, then a guy at the laundromat in Lisbon changed my mind
For years I paid $35 to $60 each way to check a bag on every trip, even a 5 day one, because I figured no way could a carry on hold enough. Last month in Lisbon I was doing laundry at a place near Alfama and got talking to a guy who had been traveling for 3 months with just a 40 liter backpack. He pulled out this tiny bundle and said he wears the same 4 shirts, washes every 4 days, and pays about 3 euros per load. I did the math on my last 6 trips and the checked bag fees alone came to $340, plus one time the airline lost my suitcase for 5 days in Denver. So my question is, for those of you who made this switch, how do you handle shoes and any cold weather layers?
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young.emma2h ago
Question whether saving $340 is worth wearing the same 4 shirts for a whole trip. Sure the fees add up, but you're trading real money for a whole lot of hassle, like hunting down a laundry spot every 4 days and hoping the machine actually works. What happens when it rains for 3 days straight in some cold city and all your stuff is damp because you only brought one layer? And shoes alone can eat half a 40 liter bag, so now you're wearing the same pair every single day. The lost bag in Denver stinks, but that's one time out of how many trips? Sometimes the $60 is just the price of not doing laundry on vacation.
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