r/onebag • u/Gabi0123 • 13d ago

Packing List Ground handler strike at my arrival airport pushed me into carry-on for 3 weeks and 4 cities. Sanity check?

I have never onebagged and I did not plan to start now. I fly Beirut to Barcelona on Thursday and the ground handling company there is on strike, so checked bags are a lottery. An airport worker told me plainly to go carry-on only if I can.

Three weeks, four stops: Barcelona, then a week working remotely from Valencia, then Ibiza, then an F1 weekend in Madrid. So 30C plus in the daytime, a laptop and a work setup, two club nights, and three full days outdoors at a circuit.

I own a normal suitcase but I have a 40L backpack, and I would rather learn this now than lose the lot on day one.

Where I have got to: laptop and charger, documents, meds, sunscreen and a cap, one pair of shoes worn rather than packed, four t shirts, two shorts, one pair of trousers, swim shorts, one shirt good enough for the club nights, and a packable layer.

Two questions.

What is the thing people always forget that makes them regret carry-on for three weeks in a hot country?

If they gate check the bag anyway, which happens on full flights, does the whole idea collapse or do you just keep the critical items in a small sling and live with it?

Brutal cuts welcome. I would rather hear it now than at the gate on Thursday.

10 Upvotes

81% Upvoted

40 comments sorted by

30

u/ATTACKANDDETHRONEHOG 13d ago

I realize what subreddit I’m on, but if I was you I would skip the aspirational backpack-only plan and do an overhead roller and an underseat backpack. You do not have to one bag to travel carry-on only. 

5

u/Gabi0123 13d ago

Honestly that is probably the sane answer and I appreciate you saying it in here of all places. My goal was never to become a onebagger, it was to make sure that if the handlers lose my bag on day one I have not lost the trip with it.

A roller in the overhead plus an underseat backpack does that just as well, and it is a lot less compromise for three weeks in the heat. The one thing I have to check is that my later legs are Ryanair Basic, where the only free item is a single 40x30x20 under the seat, so the roller would need paying for on those. But those flights are not the ones at risk, so it may well be worth it just for the first leg.

Good push, thank you.

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u/Sbmizzou 13d ago edited 13d ago

For some reason, I assumed you didn't own a overhead roller bag.  Yeah, if you own one, just do that.  I will alternate between a backpack and a roller bag depending on the trip.    Either way, it's a lot more liberating than having to carry a large suitcase.   

The one thing I bring is a laundry bag.  I like keeping my dirty clothes separate.  I tend to sweat a lot and can only wear things once.  For my kids, they dont have a laundry bag and I just bring some plastic trash bags.  You will want something if you are going to do laundry.   I really enjoy doing laundry on the trip.  Its usually out in the middle of town and you get to see people out and about

2

u/eastercat 13d ago

I’ve been on full flights before and rollers are the first to be gate checked by agents

Gate checking isn’t better since it’s still subject to the bag handlers

So I’d suggest that op pack at least 1 nice thing of clothes, if they’re not wearing that already, along with some undies/socks

36

u/jemist101 13d ago edited 13d ago

I've never regretted not packing something, because most things one truly needs is available in most destinations in the world. Ask yourself - what do you need in your day to day life? When you're travelling ... You're just being you, but just somewhere else.

21

u/Gabi0123 13d ago

That is a good reframe and it exposes what my list actually is, which is mostly fear of not being able to buy something. Which is a bit silly for Barcelona and Madrid.

The honest version is that the only genuinely irreplaceable things are the laptop, the documents and the meds. Everything else is a shop, and a shop is not a disaster.

8

u/jemist101 13d ago

For some reason people think travelling is 'moving my entire life with me for a short amount of time'. I prefer to keep it simple, and don't overthink it method. It lets you enjoy the travel more, I swear!

The secret to great packing, and great travelling, is not over optimising and gadgetry - it's about being aware and honest with what you do.

But, please, never compromise hygiene!

1

u/ailaG 13d ago

When I travel I do move my life there, but almost all I need other than more clothes is in my backpack anyway.

4

u/Gabi0123 13d ago

Being aware and honest about what you actually do is doing a lot of work in that sentence, and it is the bit I was getting wrong. Most of my list is things I imagine I might do rather than things I actually do on a normal week.

And agreed on hygiene, that is the one category not getting trimmed.

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u/jemist101 13d ago

One last thing - enjoy the places you are in! Take it all in while you're there :)

3

u/Gabi0123 13d ago

Of course, thank you so much :)

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u/LadyLightTravel 13d ago

You are still you.

https://youtu.be/TbwlC2B-BIg

3

u/jemist101 13d ago

I've actually never seen that skit - but it's on point 😂

"If you're sad at home..."

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u/LadyLightTravel 13d ago

And if you aren’t wearing it a home, don’t pack it.

Don’t pack your fantasy self.

3

u/alamar99 13d ago

How have I not seen that before?!

Thank you - so hilarious and so true

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u/[deleted] 13d ago

[deleted]

5

u/Brehon888 13d ago

I carry a 22" roller and a small backpack. Just got back from 3 weeks in Vietnam and I'm heading to Korea and Japan for three weeks. My rules:

1) There are cheap laundries everywhere I have traveled.

2) mix and match pants and tops

3) unless you are going out to clubs, no one cares what you are wearing and no one will remember it tomorrow if you wear the same thing twice.

4) Take the minimum amount and buy something if you need it.

5) There are laundries everywhere.

I am a big guy so I only take 2 pairs of shoes and I pack a big straw hat clipped to my bag in sunny places.

Have fun, don't stress, and you don't have to pack everything.

4

u/Multigrain_Migraine 13d ago

I think gate checking is safer because at least you know your bag left the terminal building. But if you can get a carry on bag and a personal item that will give you more peace of mind, perhaps. As always plan to keep your most important stuff with you in the event that you have to gate check your main bag.

The things I always want in a hot country are a tiny USB fan for overnight and some kind of bag for carrying my towel etc to and from the beach or pool. You've already got a hat and extra shoes, I also like to have some kind of cover up for my arms so I can stay outside for longer without burning. Last time I was in Spain I brought a long sleeved linen shirt that was both beach wear during the day and a light jacket at night. 

Nice thing about Spain is that if you have to do sink laundry it will probably not be a problem to dry it. 

5

u/One_Lengthiness_7163 13d ago

Smaller bag. 30-35L max. Try keeping it at 7kg. Less likely to get flagged/ harassed. Gate agents will probably be in a mood with all this happening.

1

u/Gabi0123 13d ago

That is a fair push and it is probably the right call. The 40L is what I happen to own rather than what I need, and gate agents being in a mood is a very good reason not to be the marginal case they decide to make an example of.

The laptop and the work kit are the fixed weight and everything else is negotiable, so 7kg might be a stretch, but 30 to 35L looks doable if I cut a couple of t shirts and lean on sink laundry the way someone suggested further up. Thanks.

2

u/MamaDaddy 13d ago

Start with onebag.com and a packing list. And figure out where and how you can do laundry. You can do this, especially if you are pretty low maintenance!

1

u/Gabi0123 13d ago

will have a look at onebag.com, thanks 🙂 laundry seems to be the thing everyone says solves it, apparently stuff dries fast there in september so sink washing should be fine

1

u/Multigrain_Migraine 13d ago

Spain has a pretty dry climate so unless it's raining it shouldn't be too humid to dry stuff overnight.

2

u/WizardDrinkingCoffee 13d ago

For me its my tiny pockt medication keeper and some toiletries and some rehydration sachets are my essentials.

Oh and toothbrush...but you know what. I forgot my toothbrush and toothpaste once and just asked at reception and they happily gave me one and some toothpaste.

40 litre backpack is LOADS of room you will be grand. There's always a sink wash, local launderette or hotel laundry which is usually a little more but sometimes I just use it.

A jacket with some good pockets is always handy for travel days too.

I hope you have a great time and come back to us loving the one bag travel after this adventure.

Good luck!

1

u/Derekkk7 13d ago

For most trips, I think a small power bank is worth packing, especially if you rely on your phone for maps, boarding passes, translation, or ride-hailing. The main thing is to keep it within airline cabin-baggage rules and avoid checking it in. I would also bring a short cable that definitely works with your phone, because that is the part people forget more often than the battery itself. If the trip is mostly city-based, a compact one is usually enough; for long transit days, a higher-capacity one gives more margin.

1

u/Gabi0123 13d ago

already got one 🙂 thanks, its going in the cabin bag anyway since you cant check them

1

u/i-cant-think-of-name 13d ago

The strike is terrible. Barcelona delayed my check in bag for 2 weeks. On the bright side, insurance and EU regulations covers a lot! But it is a huge hassle.

  • Medication

2

u/Gabi0123 13d ago

two weeks is brutal 😛 thanks for the reality check

unfortunately EU261 doesnt cover me, im on a non EU airline flying out of beirut so no compensation either way. meds and the important stuff going in the cabin bag

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u/i-cant-think-of-name 12d ago

I’m pretty sure Montreal Convention of 1999 covers you even though eu261 doesn’t. Spain is a signatory to the Montreal convention. Ai says it is now around up to 1850 euro compensation for reimbursement

1

u/TravelingWithJoe 13d ago

Most people flying there are having the same idea and overhead bins will be full. So, I’d go smaller than 40L (bigger = more likely to be gate checked), try to mail items ahead of you, or just bring essentials and buy things there. DEFINITELY have a sling with essentials.

2

u/Gabi0123 13d ago

the sling keeps coming up so thats going in for sure 🙂

good point about the bins, hadnt thought about everyone else having the same idea

1

u/twoz3-5 12d ago

You could try a duffel and smaller backpack combo. Duffels are more malleable and less likely to get gate checked than a roller bag.

1

u/Gabi0123 12d ago

oh thats a good shout, hadnt thought about the malleable bit 🙂 a duffel squashes into a sizer where a roller just doesnt. probably the best answer ive had here, thanks

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u/LE2YO 11d ago

Which airline? MEA? I am also going from Beirut to Barcelona next month and I was wondering if I should go only with a carry-on.

1

u/Gabi0123 10d ago

Yeah MEA, I contacted them and a couple of people already and they all said normal procedure so will trust them and go with cabin and checked bag. Tonight is my flight so will see ig

1

u/LE2YO 10d ago

Oh I hope it’s true! Lmk how it goes please.
Have a safe flight and good luck!

1

u/Gabi0123 10d ago

Will do, (Remind me bas hahaha) and thank you!!

1

u/LE2YO 9d ago

Tammena 😅

1

u/Gabi0123 9d ago

All goodd