Backpacks for all?

[AndreaJ]

Hi - hoping some of you can help me! We leave soon for our trip to the Emerald Isle - June 26th. What do you suggest we bring for touring during the day? I don't want to bring my big old bulky purse - would you suggest a backpack, mini backpack, or an organizer type purse such as Travelon? Shoud the kids and DH have a backpack as well? The kids are 13 and 16. From reading the itinerary, it seems that we go back to the hotel at some point during the day - so do we need to take a lot of "stuff" while touring? Thanks for your suggestions!

 

[kristilew]

I am also wondering about this. The Peru itenerary makes it look like we will be doing a variety of activity and not going back to the hotel. (Rafting to lunch to museum, for example.) I'm wondering if we need a bag big enough for a change of clothes, or if the guides let us store a different bag on the bus? I'd love to hear suggestions!

 

[JulieWent]

Okay, we were on the London / Paris trip, so that may be different from the South and Central American tours, but we didn't carry much. As the days went by we carried less and less. I made sure we had our neccessities -- money, identification, etc., in a money belt type of thing a kept around my neck, tucked into my shirt. DH kept his wallet in his front pocket. On rainy days, we took one backpack with raingear for all three of us. If we were going on back-country outings, I guess I'd carry a change of clothing in the backpack as well. ABD provided water bottles constantly, so having someplace to put our water bottles was nice. Just don't over load is all. Hands free to enjoy. (I carried a back-pack like purse. In it I kept my camera and anything else that I had that my DH and DS wanted me to carry. I could switch it around to my front if we were in situations where we felt threatened -- I mean where it was really crowded or where there was a possibility of pickpockets, etc. We never felt threatened.)

Julie

 

[abdmom]

I struggle with this question too. We're leaving for Enchanted China in 2 days. I really should be packing!

I purchased a Pacsafe purse. It should be large enough for camera, phone, camcorder , money, passports etc. I normally carry a backpack, but didn't feel comfortable with one this time, since we will be spending more time out and about with lots of other people more than we usually are on our trips to VT or HI. The Pacsafe products are slash proof and more difficult to pickpocket. The kids will be carrying backpacks.

 

[sayhello]

I carried a decent-sized Baggelini travel purse most of the time, and it was enough, most of the time, on the Southwest Splendors tour. On the serious hikes (one I went on, on my own in the Grand Canyon and the Delicate Arch hike) I took a mesh Healthy Back bag for snacks, extra water, hat, jacket. *MOST* of the time, I really didn't need more than to carry my camera & personal stuff. I got a leash for my water bottle, which worked wonderfully for that.

On our tour (don't know if it works this way on all of them) we could leave whatever we wanted on the bus. We had the same bus for the whole tour, and the same driver (Tom, who was almost like a third guide!). Either the bus was locked, or Tom was with it. So changes of clothing, extra jackets, stuff like that could stay on the bus. ABD gave us a collapsible duffle-type bag, and a lot of folks used that for extra on-the-bus-stuff. Again, don't know if all the tours work this way.

sayhello

 

[AndreaJ]

Thanks to all of you for your great suggestions!

 

[mamafun]

I recently went to Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida with my husband and two kids and I have to tell you I took my Travelon Dolphin Slim Line Essentianls Only Messenger bag with me. It was great!!! All of your stuff can be on your body, in front or to the side -- not in back, where someone can walk up and get into it. So your kids aren't tugging at it all day long because it's not oversized and is really light and comfortable. I never had to take the bag off. You can sit, go on a ride, even use the ladies room without taking the bag off. Plus, the bag sits at your waist, so I could hold my daugther or son's hand the whole time. Speaking of PacSafe, Travelon offers a whole line of Anti-theft bags which are cut proof and offer all that organization as well. I am looking in to purchasing one because I was so happy with my previous purchase. You should look into it.

 

[abbyjt]

We did London and Paris 2 years ago and Southern Spain last year. I carried a tiny purse with only absolute necessities. The hotels room have safes in them to lock up passports etc. My husband and kids carried their cameras and hats mostly. Some days one of us would carry a backpack, but we didn't really need to. Some stops you can leave a backpack on the bus. I also bring a large purse for travelling days that I can carry all the passports etc, but it is packed away while touring. The guides carry first aid and water bottles. Pack light, carry light. We are going to Germany on June 25.

 

[nicolepdonnelly]

Thanks for that info abbyjt, I was wondering if we could leave items on the bus.


That bag looks like a great idea,mamafun! I hope it doesn't look weird on me- I'm big on top and around the middle

 

[kristilew]

So I picked up the Pacsafe Metro100 today. Pretty small, with a camera pocket and other organizer features. Plus it's cute. Must look adorable in the vacay photos!

Thanks for the input from everyone. I'll be interested to hear how all our various purchases performed, so we can tweak for the next adventure. (The guy at the luggage store actually said someone had invented the one perfect travel purse, but they were keeping it locked in a vault because what would happen to business if we didn't try a new purse every trip? )

 

[sayhello]

So I picked up the Pacsafe Metro100 today. Pretty small, with a camera pocket and other organizer features. Plus it's cute. Must look adorable in the vacay photos!

So where did you purchase the Pacsafe Metro100? I've been looking at them for a while...

sayhello

 

[wdwsos]

I recently went to Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida with my husband and two kids and I have to tell you I took my Travelon Dolphin Slim Line Essentianls Only Messenger bag with me. It was great!!!

eBags is having a sale on that bag this weekend, for anyone interested!

Dotti

 

[kristilew]

So where did you purchase the Pacsafe Metro100? I've been looking at them for a while...

sayhello

Our local luggage store had them. I've seen them on Amazon as well.

 

[AndreaJ]

Off to the luggage store this week to start comparing prices!

 

[kristilew]

The Budget board had a post about Marshall's having Bagalini bags for cheap this week. May be worth checking out as well.

 

[glassslipper2004]

Marshall's had a Travelon bag for cheap today, but it was a green color I didn't like.

I tested out a Baggalini backpack, and liked it quite well. I also liked a Baggalini city bag (not sure of the right name) that you could wear over your shoulder and more in the front, but it was really too small.

 

[kristilew]

Back from Peru. The Pacsafe bag did great. It was small enough and comfortable. Honestly, though, I think you could get away with leaving a bag on the bus and not carrying anything but your camera. DH carried cash. The guides had sunscreen and hand sanitizer on the outsides of their packs. I think I only reached into my bag for gum!

 

[MrPoppins2000]

We had the same bus and driver for the whole time and the bus was either manned or locked, so we left things on there continuously for the whole trip. We used our backpack and a collapsable bag for most days with cameras and other stuff. The guides provided water and snacks on the long rides

 

[sayhello]

Back from Peru. The Pacsafe bag did great. It was small enough and comfortable. Honestly, though, I think you could get away with leaving a bag on the bus and not carrying anything but your camera. DH carried cash. The guides had sunscreen and hand sanitizer on the outsides of their packs. I think I only reached into my bag for gum!

Oh! You went to Peru! Tell me all about it! I'm considering this trip for next year.

Was Chris one of your Guides? He was our guide on the Southwest Splendors, and he told us he was doing Peru, also this summer. He's fabulous!

sayhello

 

[kristilew]

Working on my trip report now. It was awesome! We had Aimee and Ali as guides. But they were both going on to othe trips, so I believe Chris was coming in for the June 17 departure. They had good things to say about him.

I posted a "with tips" thread a few days ago, but that more addresses concerns. I'll put a link up when I get the trip report done. Definitely put the trip on your shortlist!

K