40 Days in Brazil

[longbob]

Here is a little background on my trip.

I am traveling to Rio, Brazil this summer for work. I will be there for about 40 days total. For the first two weeks or so I will be wearing normal clothing, jeans, shorts, polos, t-shirts etc. I will need to bring some dress clothing, probably a pair of slacks, shoes and a dress shirt.

During the next 3 weeks I will be issued some clothing to wear. Normally 2 polos, pants, and a light rain jacket. During this time I really need many changes of clothing except when going out after a day in the office.

I am challenging myself do to this whole trip out of a S25 and a Aeronaut 45. Checking no bags (assuming they will fit the personal item and carry on guidelines or they don't check) for the trip at all.

Do you all think it is possible? I don't currently own an Aeronaut 45 or its packing cubes but will likely but one soon to practice and set up a plan.

I don't have a packing list yet but only some ideas. Any packing tips for this bag combo and length of stay would be awesome.

I am not a new traveler, I have been around the world in many countries but always didn't take the time practice pack and conserve space. I just checked a bag and didn't bother. This trip I am testing myself as I found on other long trips I'm bringing stuff I never ever use that just takes up space.

So, do experts think it is possible? 40 days in a Synapse 25 and Aeronaut 45? Also, I assume the A45 cubes are a must for this kind of packing?

Looking forward to your responses and tips! I am going to keep this thread updated along the way with packing lists, questions, and pics from along the way.

Bob

[bchaplin]

Yes, it's definitely possible, but check your airline's requirements. I flew to Brazil recently on TAM, and they had extraordinarily strict limits for carry-on. They were not enforced on my Miami>Rio and Rio>Miami legs, but I have heard that on internal flights they do weigh carry-ons.

The other issue to consider is making sure there will be sufficient overhead space for your Aeronaut 45. Again, on my flight, it wouldn't have been a problem, but I have flown places (as I'm sure you have too), where the overheads completely fill up and bags are involuntarily gate-checked. It is something I always consider when choosing between a checked vs. soft-sided bag.

But in terms of packing, you should certainly be able to fit everything you need into an A45 and Synapse 25. I assume you will find a method of washing clothes during your stay.

[longbob]

Yes, it's definitely possible, but check your airline's requirements. I flew to Brazil recently on TAM, and they had extraordinarily strict limits for carry-on. They were not enforced on my Miami>Rio and Rio>Miami legs, but I have heard that on internal flights they do weigh carry-ons.

The other issue to consider is making sure there will be sufficient overhead space for your Aeronaut 45. Again, on my flight, it wouldn't have been a problem, but I have flown places (as I'm sure you have too), where the overheads completely fill up and bags are involuntarily gate-checked. It is something I always consider when choosing between a checked vs. soft-sided bag.

But in terms of packing, you should certainly be able to fit everything you need into an A45 and Synapse 25. I assume you will find a method of washing clothes during your stay.

I am going to check with my company on how we will be flying (which airline). Hoping United so I can priority board so I don't have to worry about overheads filling up.

Also I will need to figure out a way to wash clothing down there, likely in the sink when I can but several locals that work for us will have a better idea I think.

[bchaplin]

I can share my sink-washing method, but it's highly likely there's a better solution, in the form of a service that will do your clothes for you. Those kinds of things tend to be less expensive in Brazil than the U.S. I don't have first-hand experience, as I stay with relatives when I go.

HAVE FUN! It's a wonderful country, and people are great.

[bb93fo57]

Here is a little background on my trip.

I am traveling to Rio, Brazil this summer for work. I will be there for about 40 days total. For the first two weeks or so I will be wearing normal clothing, jeans, shorts, polos, t-shirts etc. I will need to bring some dress clothing, probably a pair of slacks, shoes and a dress shirt.

During the next 3 weeks I will be issued some clothing to wear. Normally 2 polos, pants, and a light rain jacket. During this time I really need many changes of clothing except when going out after a day in the office.

I am challenging myself do to this whole trip out of a S25 and a Aeronaut 45. Checking no bags (assuming they will fit the personal item and carry on guidelines or they don't check) for the trip at all.

Do you all think it is possible? I don't currently own an Aeronaut 45 or its packing cubes but will likely but one soon to practice and set up a plan.

I don't have a packing list yet but only some ideas. Any packing tips for this bag combo and length of stay would be awesome.

Seems like the A45 alone would be plenty.

I just spent a couple weeks in Europe with the A30, and I found it to be ideally-sized: large enough to fit everything I needed, but small enough to be maneuverable and easy-to-carry.

I appreciate that there is a substantial difference between 14 days and 40 -- and I was moving around a lot with the bag, so I really valued the smaller footprint -- but I doubt I would have packed any differently had my trip been 3x as long. In other words, I would feel totally confident about being able to live indefinitely out of an A45 (although I am not sure I would want to schlep the weight of a fully-loaded A45 around if I were changing locations a lot).

Instead of thinking of it as a 40-day trip, perhaps try to think of it as a five-day trip that you just happen to be making a bunch of times. :-) If you can fit enough for 5 days in your bag, you are good to go indefinitely, IMHO, whether it be 5 weeks or 5 months: just keep washing stuff. Conducting the thought experiment of packing for a single workweek might make it easier for you to leave behind some of that other space-eating "just-in-case" stuff that never gets used.

Good luck, and let us know how you fare. Hope you have a great trip!

[helder_jb]

You should check the weight limit. For national flights, the carry-on limit is 5kg (and most companies allow a "personal item" also of 5kg). But, if you're coming from abroad to Rio (even if you code-share with a local company), the international weight limits apply, and that is a little higher (I remember it's 7kg at TAM).
I guess you could have everything you need in your Aeronaut. You could take the synapse (or some other smaller bag) to use as your daypack, once in Brazil.

When I fly here (I'm from Brazil), I usually take my Western Flyer as my carry-on, and have a very small/light daypack packed inside to use once I get in my destination. This daypack can be used as my personal item to split the weight, if they decide to weigh my bags (never happened, but could've). I never check bags.

Also, the tips above (by @bb93fo57) regarding washing are very good