Palepu - How to pack: travel smart for any trip

Acknowledgments

Kim Perelwhere do I even begin? You are the fairy godmother of this book. There are no words in any of the worlds languages (and some fictional ones) to express how much I love you and the work you put into this book and me. Im grateful to call you my agent, my cowriter, and most important, my dear friend.

Kelly Lasserre, your illustrations breathed life into this book. You make packing, something thats typically messy and frantic, look absolutely beautiful. Thank you for bringing your talent and your warm spirit to this book.

Lisa Tauber, I will never forget how I felt when I received that first email from you, asking if I ever thought about writing a book. This book wouldnt exist without you. Thank you for seeing something that I didnt. Amanda Englander, how you managed to shepherd this book through the tight deadlines and my complete lack of experience is beyond me. Thank you for bringing this book to life.

Taking on this book on the heels of having a baby and launching a business was, in hindsight, insane. It also would have been impossible without my village. Mom and Dadyou always taught me to go after my dreams. I can never thank you enough for how you dropped everything to take care of Rho and me while I chased my dreams. To my husbandif theres anything Ive learned in the year I worked on this book, its that marrying you was the best decision I ever made. Thank you for your endless support, pep talks, and for the perfect cup of tea every morning. Samiramy work wife, my sister, my best friend. Thank you for carrying the B2A load when I needed to buckle down on the book, for our countless couch wine and work sessions, and for your constant support and love. NaleeniI cant remember my life before you, and I never want to. Thank you for loving and caring for my son the way you do. To my in-lawsthank you for welcoming me into your family and for all your support.

To my friends who rode my emotional roller coaster with endless supportthank you for the impromptu video chats, the frantic phone calls, and for meeting me at Hillstones when I needed it. You know you who are, and I cant thank you enough. But that wont stop me from trying.

Thank you, Hillstones, for your excellent spinach dip, dirty martinis, and sushiaka my writing fuel.

To my Hitha On The Go familythere would be no book or blog without you. Thank you for your generous time, comments, messages, and shares of my little corner of the Internet. You are the reason I keep writing and creating. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

And finally, to Rho. You are the best part of my life.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hitha Palepu is an entrepreneur and a writer with extensive global experience in the life sciences, travel, and technology fields. She is the founder of Hitha On The Go, a lifestyle website founded in 2009 focused on helping women live their best lives.

Hitha currently serves as the cofounder and chief operating officer of Bridge2Act, a start-up technology company enabling charitable giving in a rapid, easy, and more informed manner. The company launched NO.GIFTS, a platform for people to gift their special days to amazing causes.

Prior to founding Bridge2Act, Hitha served as vice president, Business Development, for SciDose, a research-focused pharmaceutical company specializing in developing enhanced formulations for existing oncology and hospital injectable products. She was responsible for worldwide licensing of the SciDose portfolio and closed numerous deals totaling over $300 million in several diverse geographic areas.

Hitha graduated from the University of Washington with degrees in biochemistry and history. She lives in New York with her husband and son.

Preparing for Takeoff

HOW TO PRE-PACK

A nything worth achieving requires preparation. Suppose you want to bake a cake. You decide the kind of cake you want to make, gather the ingredients, lay them out on the counter, mix them together according to a recipe, and then enjoy the results in all their delicious glory. You prep for meetings, dont you? You wouldnt show up to an exam without preparing for it, so why not with packing? As with most other things in life, advance planning ensures the best outcome. This is called pre-packing.

Your basic ingredients are your suitcase and travel accessories. By establishing a packing station, you will be confident about the choices you make and will set a calm and organized tone for your trip. When you arrive at your destination, youll know you have what you need, because you will have thoughtfully picked out every item in advance. Youll be setting yourself up to be at your best. Pre-packing is where your adventure begins. Its not when you step off the plane or out of the car; its here, its now. With planning.

A Carry-on Crash Course

When youre on the road, your suitcase is your home. Thats why finding the right one for you is a key step to packing perfect. Whats my rule? Dont buy a luggage set. You will end up with a fleet, the members of which you just might not needand trust me when I tell you that youll overspend. Instead, invest in your flagship piece: a carry-on suitcase that will meet all your needs. Lets discuss the details.

INTERNATIONAL CARRY-ON

These are the smallest of the carry-ons, usually standing at 21 inches or less. What they lack in space they make up for in convenience, as they meet nearly all airlines carry-on size requirements, including those of local and regional budget airlines. By the time youre through this book, this intimidatingly small suitcase wont be so intimidating.

DOMESTIC CARRY-ON

Domestic carry-on suitcases are a little bit larger, ranging between 21 and 23 inches in height, with an extra inch of depth, too. These bags meet the requirements of most major U.S. and European airlines. If youre going to be hopping from city to city and flying smaller carriers or traveling by train or bus, you may have to check this suitcase at certain points.

HARD CASE

Hard cases are often lighter and easier to lift overhead than their soft-case counterparts, simply because of their material. If you choose a hard case, go with one thats constructed from polycarbonate. It can scratch easily, but its very strong and can withstand rough handling.

SOFT CASE

While soft cases can be heavier because they are made with bulky, thick nylon, they are more durable and wont dent or scratch like their hard-case counterparts. If you know youll be checking your bag on occasion, opt for a soft suitcase for its increased ruggedness. In that situation, the additional weight wont matter.

FOUR-WHEELER

All-direction four-wheeled models are convenient because you can drag your bag behind you and wheel it alongside you, as well as maneuver it around obstacles with ease.