I was packing a checked bag for every trip like a total fool
The moment came in a tiny airport in Guatemala, watching a guy with just a backpack breeze past the huge fee line I was stuck in. I'd paid $65 extra because my 'budget' flight didn't include a bag, which I only found out at the counter. For years I thought having more stuff was safer, but that fee was more than my hostel for two nights. How do you guys pack for a week in a carry-on without looking like a wrinkled mess?
Honestly, I'm still team checked bag for anything over a few days. Wearing the same two outfits gets old fast, and I hate wasting vacation time hunting down a laundry spot. Sometimes the extra cost is worth the peace of mind.
Ever run the numbers on how much time you actually save? Like, add up the extra airport arrival time, waiting at baggage claim, and the risk of a lost bag delay versus a quick trip to a laundromat near your hotel one evening.