Packing
The one-bag rule is a constraint, not an achievement
Travelling with a single bag is not about minimalism. It is about removing an entire category of failure from every journey.
Ivo Mercer
Aviation writer, Suitcase Theory
Ivo writes about airline operations, fares and why your connection was always going to be tight.
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11 articles
Packing
Carry-on electronics: the rules that vary and the ones that do not
Batteries, drones and power banks are governed by international rules, national ones and airline policy, and the three do not agree.
Packing
Compression works on air, not on objects
Vacuum bags and compression sacks do something real and something imaginary, and the difference decides whether they help you.
Packing
The spare-of-everything instinct, and where it is right
Redundancy is worth carrying for a specific and short list of items, and worth nothing for the rest.
Packing
Adapters, voltage and the plug problem nobody solves once
Plug shape, voltage and frequency are three separate things, and an adapter only fixes the first of them.
Packing
Bikes, instruments and luggage that will not fold
Oversize and fragile items follow a different set of rules, and almost all the cost is decided before you reach the airport.
Packing
Medication crosses borders under its own rules
Rules on carrying medicine are set by each country, not by your airline. The practical work is documentation, quantity and where…
Travel Routine
Feet fail first on a travel day, and it is predictable
Travel days involve more walking, more standing and more heat than ordinary ones. Feet are the part that notices, and the causes…
Travel Routine
Getting ill abroad: the decisions before the doctor
Most travel illness resolves on its own. The useful skill is recognising which situations need care, and knowing how to reach it…
Travel Routine
Travelling with someone else needs a rule, not goodwill
Most friction between companions comes from unmade decisions rather than incompatibility. Agreeing a few rules in advance removes…
Travel Routine
Vaccinations and medical prep run on lead times
Some travel health preparation takes weeks to become effective. That makes it the first thing to check after booking rather than…