Pack Heavy or Pack Light?

[courtleigh]

The debate continues! LOL!

My husband is one of those people who refuse to check bags when traveling. He travels a lot with his work hates waiting for the luggage and just generally prefers to travel light. (if you've seen George Clooney's airport scene in "Up in the Air", then you have an idea of what I'm dealing with here!)

So, while usually I humor this side of him (and must admit, traveling light does have it's pluses) I'm worried that it's not going to be feasible for this trip. I keep reading about all you guys bring down with you (soft coolers, ziplock baggies, clothes pins, extra towels, snorkel gear, wine openers, insulated tumblers, oh my!), I'm thinking we're really going to need to suck it up and pack our big suitcase and check it. The horror!!! :rolleyes:

Before I start working on this battle, I was wondering if any of y'all have opinions/experiences with such dilemmas. I've got 2 months to work my magic! ;)

Gracias!

[susan]

Pack light. I am a carry on only person. Last trip was 12 days for me and my sons. We managed just fine and that included 3 full snorkeling sets, netbook and camera.

Of course everything was casual, no fancy clothes. REI sells these great beach towels which are compressed to the size of a hockey puck and lots of great travel friendly options.

If you are going skiing yeah your stuff is big and requires checked bags. But a beach vacation doesn't require much. Do carry on.

[Isla Nut]

Aren't you allowed a purse or laptop case AND a carry on? I say get the biggest "purse" you can find & the biggest "laptop case" for your DH you can find & use space bags. Now having said this, I will be doing not only this, but we will also have a checked suitcase each. LOL, I am a chronic over packer! And I am afraid if I don't bring it, since it's Mexico, I might NOT be able to just buy it there like we do in FL. Sorry, I guess I'm not much help. ;)

[BuckFuna]

I saved this article about packing light for Europe.

http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/packlight.htm

[Westybchbum]

Weighing in on this one too, lol (bad joke)!

I think it depends on whether you are okay using other shampoo, etc. This is definitely one place you don't need a lot of hair products, etc. that you would normally have to put in a "checked" bag. I will tell you I'm infamous for overpacking and I did for Tulum. You truly need good walking shoes, flip flops and then TOTALLY casual stuff. A couple sun dresses, shorts, tees, tanks, bathing suits. Really. I way overpacked. We went in May and thankfully didn't have to pack anything long or heavy. I'm pretty sure it will be like that when you go. When we go in Oct. we likely won't pack long pants/shirts then either. That said, maybe I'll follow the above advice and do a carry on this next trip! Hmmmm, a first for me. :)

[Westybchbum]

I take it back, in December you will probably need something a bit warmer... Oopsy, I keep getting myself mixed up with who is going when....

I'M UNDER 30 DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gonna go read some more trip reports and get myself even more psyched up!!
:beachball::sun::palmtree::boat:
:cool::cool::cool::cool::cool::cool::cool:

[mayaflya]

Another consideration to ponder....You will need to take your luggage through customs when you arrive in Cancun. Depending on how many other planes are arriving at the same time, this can be the result:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4132/5014171681_18edb6e569_b.jpg

Baggage carousels are against the far right wall...with our carry-ons, we were able to join the line as it formed here on the left...the people collecting bags joined behind us. The line eventually extended the length of the baggage area four times. It took about twenty minutes to get to the checkpoint from where WE were....

My dear wife is notorious for overpacking....she set her mind on carry-on for this trip, first time we were able to pull that off....I was soooooo happy with her!!!

[Margoinmexico]

:wave:You should SEE the stuff I pack back and forth! YIKES!!!

I do recommend some warmer clothes....I get laughed at, but there are nights even in July I have long sleeves on.....in the winter time, you just don't know what the weather is going to be...it got down to 50 last year in January....of course, that won't happen when YOU are there!!!

[courtleigh]

Alrighty, then! That's all I needed to know! :)

Thank you all so much for the feedback on the baggage! After all your suggestions, (and that picture of customs!) I think we will DEFINITELY be packing light for this time! Haha! :D I need to look into the travel stuff at REI, for sure!

And, on that note, it never entered my mind that it might get cool in the evenings down there! We've traveled all over the Caribbean in January and it never got close to being anything but HOT!! Haha! I guess the the islands are further south? Hmmmm. I grew up in Houston...I'm assuming Tulum would be a bit warmer in the winter than Houston, right? :crossfingers:

[courtleigh]

:wave:You should SEE the stuff I pack back and forth! YIKES!!!

I do recommend some warmer clothes....I get laughed at, but there are nights even in July I have long sleeves on.....in the winter time, you just don't know what the weather is going to be...it got down to 50 last year in January....of course, that won't happen when YOU are there!!!

Ha ha! Of course it won't happen to us!! :)

So, do you think a pair of jeans and a lightweight jacket/hoodie would suffice for cooler evenings? Well, we'll have a fantastic time what ever the temperature, but it warms up during the day, right? :cool: :)

[courtleigh]

Weighing in on this one too, lol (bad joke)!

I think it depends on whether you are okay using other shampoo, etc. This is definitely one place you don't need a lot of hair products, etc. that you would normally have to put in a "checked" bag. I will tell you I'm infamous for overpacking and I did for Tulum. You truly need good walking shoes, flip flops and then TOTALLY casual stuff. A couple sun dresses, shorts, tees, tanks, bathing suits. Really. I way overpacked. We went in May and thankfully didn't have to pack anything long or heavy. I'm pretty sure it will be like that when you go. When we go in Oct. we likely won't pack long pants/shirts then either. That said, maybe I'll follow the above advice and do a carry on this next trip! Hmmmm, a first for me. :)

You can totally do it! I never thought I could either, but travel sized toiletries help a lot and rolling your clothes up, packing shoes that can go with anything (this summer I took a pair of goldish nicer looking flip flops and wore them to everything from the beach to my birthday dinner!)

It's very liberating to realize how much you really don't need!

[Westybchbum]

Hey, I cut loose my laptop for Tulum in May and I couldn't be happier I did... I even shut my cell off the whole week. Now that's how you do it!!!

;)

[Margoinmexico]

:wave:yes, at least one set of warmer stuff, and you should be fine. If you have it, you won't need it.....murpheys law:crossfingers:

[elvo73]

I'm checking a suitcase because I'm taking bunch of stuff for the school down there, but if I was traveling with no stuff for the school, probably just a carry on, bathing suits, a towel, flip flops 2 shorts, 3 tshirts and one dress. Probably my light jacket on and my jeans on as well. I can't wait!!
Wait!! maybe one flash light :)

[courtleigh]

I'm checking a suitcase because I'm taking bunch of stuff for the school down there, but if I was traveling with no stuff for the school, probably just a carry on, bathing suits, a towel, flip flops 2 shorts, 3 tshirts and one dress. Probably my light jacket on and my jeans on as well. I can't wait!!
Wait!! maybe one flash light :)

Ooh! A flashlight! I can fit that for sure! Yeah, I think the caryons plus the allowed personal bag will be more than enough as long as we stop at Wal Mart or where ever to get the stuff we can't bring b/c of security. No hay problema! :)



:wave:yes, at least one set of warmer stuff, and you should be fine. If you have it, you won't need it.....murpheys law:crossfingers:

Sounds like a plan, Margo! :D Actually, I'm SO SICK of heat and hay fever right now, a nice cool beach breeze with a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt sounds heavenly!!


Hey, I cut loose my laptop for Tulum in May and I couldn't be happier I did... I even shut my cell off the whole week. Now that's how you do it!!!

YES! I LOVE that! That's actually how I'd prefer to live everyday! LOL! The only thing about completely unplugging for a week is the panic inducing pile of emails that you have to sort through upon your return! Scary!

Ooooh, how I wish we were going right now!!!!! We soooo need a break!