Packing light is a thing of the past in a pandemic
Weekend away? In these pandemic days you’d better pack for two weeks, just in case.
Seasoned travellers pride themselves on their packing prowess. Whether you roll or fold, there is a logic (and sometimes even an Excel spreadsheet) to justify each item and its place in a suitcase.
The perfect capsule travel wardrobe has always been the goal, without a single item extra to tip you over into excess baggage. Did you say check-in? I even have met those rare creatures who travel long haul for a week with just carry-on.
But these are, as we are still being reminded, unprecedented times in which the best laid plans can be knocked out cold.
A weekend away interstate? With one Covid case and a premier’s swift signature, the nearest border could be closed behind you for, well, who even knows how long? Or you could find yourself suddenly in an outbreak epicentre and needing to quarantine far from home for a fortnight.
So, how do you even prepare for a trip these days?
It’s something I’ve been contemplating since we started to return to interstate travel a few months ago. In the same way that we might wait to book flights until the absolute last minute, because things can change from day to day, do we also have to factor any possibility into our suitcases? Does a weekend away mean you actually need to pack for a fortnight at a pinch?
As if to test said theory, I was caught in just this situation recently. The trip was already a tricky packing exercise. Along with my usual day-to-day attire, a visit to Western Australia included a week on a farm in the southwest (RM Williams and flannel shirts), back to Perth for a singing gig (sequins and heels) and a family anniversary (midi dress and boots). So far, so unusual.
Then, in my infinite wisdom, with a Sydney lockdown looming, an extension in the city seemed logical – until Perth also went into lockdown.
So began a week in a hotel with, well, not everything I would have packed had I known how things were going to pan out, and some items that seemed illogical in retrospect. Three pairs of jeans? Really?
That activewear I always pack and never use? Didn’t bother to bring it this time. Comfortable (but publicly acceptable) pants for loafing around the hotel lobby? Nah. And no, the flannel pyjama bottoms were not an option. Even in a crisis, I have standards.
However, I was very happy to have remembered my warmest, oldest favourite jumper – you know the one you always wear at home but never in public? It was a welcome addition for a sense of familiarity and comfort, as well as its warming qualities.
While The Australian’s associate editor (travel), Susan Kurosawa, is yet to have been caught up in any cross-border closures, she has come close and has changed her packing habits along with our new world order.
“I have always been a mean packer, always aiming only for carry-on bags where possible,” she says. “But in the present era of uncertainty, I have a layer of ‘just in case’ … in my suitcase. I am a Covid-age bag lady.”
Her extra items include spare reading glasses and eye drops; an extra pair of walking shoes and socks “as daily exercise is allowed in even the most punishing of lockdowns”; extra books or pre-loaded e-books; and an extra jacket and sleepwear. “I even carry sachets of laundry powder and take two iPhone/iPad chargers in case I misplace one and can’t easily hop out to buy another.”
Another must-pack is “doubles of medication and any repeat prescriptions”.
I can speak first-hand to the latter, having been caught out on this occasion. But a trip to the local pharmacy was able to sort this quickly, with the pharmacy being able to access my records with my Medicare number and photo ID.
Andrew Ngeou, branch president of the Pharmacy Guild of WA, says most prescriptions can be filled interstate, even by organising for them to be faxed through to the pharmacy from your general practitioner.
“When you do travel, we encourage people to be as organised as you possibly can,” Ngeou tells The Australian.
“Most prescriptions, apart from the opiates – Schedule 8s – you can get filled within the country as they are all covered under the PBS (Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme), so no problem at all.
“It’s also really important to note that 95 per cent of Australians live within 2.5km of a community pharmacy, so that distribution of pharmacies around the country does ensure people have access to medications at all times.”
Kate Blythe, the new chief marketing officer for Mecca Brands, relocated with her family – including four children – from London to Melbourne, via Sydney quarantine, late last year with 18 suitcases between them “to make sure we were not left without shoes and the basics of life” while their home contents were shipped over.
It was an anomaly for the “pro packer”, who in her previous London-based roles undertook long and short-haul travel every fortnight.
Now, she says, her travel planning has changed, including swapping booking flights a year in advance to now committing “as last-minute as possible”.
As for what goes in the suitcases, she is happy to skimp on extra clothing to allow for other essentials.
“It’s all about contingency planning and being away, things can change in a hot second,” Blythe says.
“I try to keep fairly light on the clothing front, but instead of taking travel-sized (beauty) products I will now take full-sized products. I definitely think that’s worth doing.
“If you’re stuck somewhere you don’t want one tiny bottle of shampoo for everyone.”
Blythe also takes her best products with her, including perfumes, and she travels with miniature scented candles to make any new space “immediately feel like home”.
“If you end up in lockdown a bit longer, you want to feel a little bit self-indulgent,” she adds.
Of course, if you’re heading off on holiday, the last thing you want to be thinking about is work. However, if you get caught out for longer than your approved leave, you may find yourself in need of a backup plan.
For those who can do their jobs wherever they are, Wi-Fi permitting, lockdowns are no impediment to clocking on. So, having the bare work essentials might be worth factoring in, even if that means packing a laptop alongside a bikini for your beachside holiday.
Ultimately, it’s a matter of asking yourself: what can I absolutely not live without for the next two (or more) weeks? And putting in your suitcase those things that you know you always turn to at home, whether that’s your favourite pyjamas or a well-thumbed copy of War and Peace.
Perhaps the greatest thing we need to pack at the moment is a sense of adaptability – and, where possible, humour.
And if we need another pick-me-up in trying circumstances, Kurosawa has a final suggestion: “I also make sure in advance that all my close family and friends are easily located on my Facetime app as that’s the best lockdown cheer-up tactic of all.”
Don’t leave home without ...
● A week’s worth of underwear; no one wants to wash socks and knickers every second day.
● Your favourite jumper or comfort item.
● Activewear; you’ll need to get out and walk if that’s an option.
● All your grooming essentials; two weeks is a long time without tweezers and a nail file.
● Full-sized face and body products; those tiny travel sizes will run out in a matter of days.
● Medicare card, health fund card, photo ID.
● Your #WFH basics if suitable – laptop, headphones and so on.
● A good book and/or a crossword book, both excellent for whiling away time in lockdown.
● A pack of cards; patience is not only a virtue but also a great card game for the solo traveller.
● A pet-sitting/plant-watering/mail-collecting contingency plan in place should you be away for longer than expected.
● Swiss Army knife; trust me, you’ll need the corkscrew at the very least.