Traveling with Luggage between Check in and Check out

[organicfarmer]

I will be staying at separate AirBnb's in separate cities in Western Europe and will travel via train/bus between them. Some are only an hour or two apart. Checkout at some is about 10am and check-in at the next is 4,5,or 6pm. Time in between is traveling, catching lunch in a cafe, and a surplus of 2-4 hours. I am not trying nor desire to make those days travel exclusive, nor make requests of the hosts to allow me bag storage until later in the day while I tour the local town prior to leaving or traveling. Such request would be last resort to occupy some of the time.

I am having a mental block how to best handle the surplus time with all my luggage.

I am traveling one bag, under packed 30 Liters (A30). Not that it would be heavy to carry everywhere for extended time period with absolute strap, my worry is bag/backpack rules at museums or sites. I would worry about bag lockers or the like as "my entire world is in that bag minus my wallet and documents on my person" and anxiety would set in thinking about my bag, Carrying a sizeable, yet small bag around makes me look like a tourist, but even if it didn't I look American anyways.

Among the outlandish thoughts I pondered was to travel without my Surface 3 tablet/laptop, so my bag only would have clothes, toiletries, and papers while I carry my passport and wallet on myself. Much less to worry about. Another thought was to adapt to culture and start drinking coffee at coffee shops, but I don't consume caffeine with any regularity (soda, coffee, tea, chocolates) not a medical reason, just don't. Unsure how I would adjust to coffee.

I don't want to resign myself to waiting an hour in the train station, an hour on the train, sit an hour in a café, and still have 4 hours of nothingness. Overall I am intentionally traveling slow, not stationary.

So any suggestions are welcome.

[kathryn]

I would worry about bag lockers or the like as "my entire world is in that bag minus my wallet and documents on my person" and anxiety would set in thinking about my bag

I have stashed bags in train and bus station luggage lockers and storage rooms all over, and I’d suggest you not worry that much. The biggest problem I encountered was forgetting how to find my locker again in huge train stations like Osaka. The bus terminal in Riga was delightful in that respect: I think there were maybe 15 lockers total.

Make sure you have a small day bag with essentials (not just wallet and documents, but meds, phone, etc.) that are difficult/impossible to replace on the road. Take that with you, and leave the bulk of your stuff behind. I’d guess you could fit your Surface into the day bag too, so that’s not left in the locker.

In the unlikely event something does happen to your stored bag, it’s critical to have travel insurance that covers luggage theft (and I’d double check the fine print on theft from lockers to be safe). That way, you can replace the clothes, toiletries, whatever and carry on with your trip.

At the end of the day, stuff is stuff, and it’s much less valuable than time, because you can’t replace time.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[organicfarmer]

I have stashed bags in train and bus station luggage lockers and storage rooms all over, and I’d suggest you not worry that much. The biggest problem I encountered was forgetting how to find my locker again in huge train stations like Osaka. The bus terminal in Riga was delightful in that respect: I think there were maybe 15 lockers total.

Make sure you have a small day bag with essentials (not just wallet and documents, but meds, phone, etc.) that are difficult/impossible to replace on the road. Take that with you, and leave the bulk of your stuff behind. I’d guess you could fit your Surface into the day bag too, so that’s not left in the locker.

In the unlikely event something does happen to your stored bag, it’s critical to have travel insurance that covers luggage theft (and I’d double check the fine print on theft from lockers to be safe). That way, you can replace the clothes, toiletries, whatever and carry on with your trip.

At the end of the day, stuff is stuff, and it’s much less valuable than time, because you can’t replace time.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Good to hear luggage lockers work. I will be intentionally traveling smaller towns serviced mostly by 1-2 bus stops to local train stops. I had not looked at similar smaller stations if they had lockers, because I previously stayed at one place and traveled daily or 1-2 days from there.

About not replacing time, that is my worry. Not my electronics with files stored in the cloud or my particular clothes, its the time when it is 7pm and all I have is what I am wearing and an hour from a major city with replacements. That is the time loss that worries me, that risk of lost time.

I think I will use my PCSB which fits my Surface 3 without a cache just fine. Then take the other essentials too. Not as freeing as touring with just a passport, wallet, and phone, but less worry than replaceable things not near me.

[imperator]

In most cases, I just planned to do more sightseeing in those times where I had to have my stuff with me, or just slogged it out and hoped for the best. 6'-3" with a fully-loaded Western Flyer meandering around the Tower of London wasn't ideal, but it wasn't a dealbreaker, either. I didn't go anywhere that turned me away, but they always wanted to look through it.

[G42]

It's worth asking for late and/or early checkouts too... if they aren't immediately flipping for the next guest, they may allow it for free or a small fee.

Some museums, etc. have lockers or bag check stations - many list them on websites - so that's another potential option.

[Rei]

[]
Among the outlandish thoughts I pondered was to travel without my Surface 3 tablet/laptop, so my bag only would have clothes, toiletries, and papers while I carry my passport and wallet on myself. Much less to worry about. Another thought was to adapt to culture and start drinking coffee at coffee shops, but I don't consume caffeine with any regularity (soda, coffee, tea, chocolates) not a medical reason, just don't. Unsure how I would adjust to coffee.

I don't want to resign myself to waiting an hour in the train station, an hour on the train, sit an hour in a café, and still have 4 hours of nothingness. Overall I am intentionally traveling slow, not stationary.

So any suggestions are welcome.

You don't have to adapt to caffeine habit, you can try time to time for fun, but no one will watch you weirdly because you order a tea or a soda, or just something to eat and tab water (=free drink), it is pretty usual in Europe (at least in France).

How much you use you tablet/laptop while travelling? is it required? doesn't your phone can do the job instead?
if it is not required for you to enjoy your trip and you guess you will use once or twice, I don't think you have to bring with you (less luggage, less trouble)

30L sounds right but yes you will have to store it for museums and stuff.

[organicfarmer]

You don't have to adapt to caffeine habit, you can try time to time for fun, but no one will watch you weirdly because you order a tea or a soda, or just something to eat and tab water (=free drink), it is pretty usual in Europe (at least in France).

How much you use you tablet/laptop while travelling? is it required? doesn't your phone can do the job instead?
if it is not required for you to enjoy your trip and you guess you will use once or twice, I don't think you have to bring with you (less luggage, less trouble)

30L sounds right but yes you will have to store it for museums and stuff.

I think I will use the combination of café sitting and bag lockers for traveling. Off topic, I struggle with this luggage issue over 30L, I only imagine the time and money people dragging multiple large luggage around. Not just the extra effort and expense, but having to think about the logistics. Makes sense why organized tour groups are popular.

I use my laptop for business work, primarily Excel spreadsheets. I still have phone calls to make for pricing inputs and contracting grains so I can only remove myself so far from home. (I love no one calling before 2pm when I am in Europe) I also find the days I choose to take a break traveling and just go for lunch or dinner, I am able to focus so intently on my computer work because I don't have anything else pulling my attention away to go do. At home, there is always something to do or some fixing that my focus is often diverted from the computer task at hand. It is now a 4 year old computer and I clean everything off of it before travel so it is not heavy, large, expensive to replace, or possesses sensitive data. My balance of taking would shift if it was larger, heavier, or less essential.

[Rei]

@organicfarmer
you're right if you want/need to work while travelling and your laptop is not too cumbersome to your taste, it sounds ok to bring with you

my 2 cents, 2 years ago I was in Argentina with one 40L bag (daybag/purse fit inside) with one quite filled 60L bag friend, we did have some struggle to store our luggages, with this same friend but 25L+purse for me and underpacked 60L for my friend we did have less struggle in South-Asia this fall

[Bogiesan]

Business travel is a bit different than leisure exploration. You might explore anti-theft products from outfits like PacSafe and research the many practices that help deter theft. Your attention to your bags is dramatically reduced while you are fully engaged with your computer.

Just me, of course, but I cannot imagine carrying a computer around. I'm retired and travel for enjoyment. And I travel with as little as possible. Not even bringing the iPad next time.

[GrussGott]

You might explore anti-theft products from outfits like PacSafe and research the many practices that help deter theft. Your attention to your bags is dramatically reduced while you are fully engaged with your computer.

just tossing this out there relative to doo-dads that help with security:

An Ottolock cinchlock - a bit spendy, but surprising how handy to cinch a bag fairly stealthily to just about anything and also works to just cinch around your bag in crowded environments (or to a roller or whatever!)



Matador re-ties (or you get re-usuable zip ties) which work great in place of luggage locks (which can be an attractive nuisance, IDing you as a tourist and transient)

[bijoux]

Cinema
Dept store - customer service desk that holds parcels while one shops
Town information centre - sometimes they have a bag holding service
Sauna/gym - always have lockers

Regarding air bnb - we had to pay city taxes to the host in cash in Europe. Perhaps you could organise to pay the host when you arrive, drop bag with them ...then enter the apartment later.

[imperator]

Binder clips will work in a pinch, and you should always have a few of these around.

[GrussGott]

Binder clips will work in a pinch, and you should always have a few of these around.

Ho. Ly. CRAP! This, is freaking genius!

[Frank II]

To keep the zippers of my Pilot connected I use cable key rings such as these

https://www.amazon.com/Pawfly-Keycha...2873860&sr=8-7

They come in different colors and sizes. I know using them thwarted a distracted pickpocketing attempt on my bag at the Venice train station.

Sent from my SM-T713 using Tapatalk

[Bogiesan]

For locking zipper pulls, I prefer locking-gate carabiners. Beefy and a bit obvious. Not inexpensive but oh-so-cool. These types of devices put a thin layer of complexity between an opportunistic thief and your stuff but you cannot rely on this simplistic almost illusory security.

https://www.rei.com/product/100232/t...lock-carabiner