Getting old - - advice requested

[artringwald]

So, maybe I just need to figure out how NOT to have to personally shlep all of the heavy stuff from baggage pickup to the rental car place.

For years I've taken the baggage off the carousel, put it on a rental cart, found a comfortable place for DW to sit with the cart near the curb, while I went to get the rental car. When I get the car, I drive back to pick her up and load the luggage into the car.

 

[Luanne]

For years I've taken the baggage off the carousel, put it on a rental cart, found a comfortable place for DW to sit with the cart near the curb, while I went to get the rental car. When I get the car, I drive back to pick her up and load the luggage into the car.

This is what we do when we have to pick up a rental car. We do the reverse on the way home. Dh drops me, and the luggage off and then returns the rental car. Usually I wait for him and then we check the luggage together. On this last trip home from Maui I used the United curbside porter check in.

 

[rapmarks]

This is what we do when we have to pick up a rental car. We do the reverse on the way home. Dh drops me, and the luggage off and then returns the rental car. Usually I wait for him and then we check the luggage together. On this last trip home from Maui I used the United curbside porter check in.

I find it interesting that lots of tuggers are talking about checking bags for a trip. The only person denigrated is me, who packed only a Cary on for four months. Is it personal?

 

[tombanjo]

 

[VacationForever]

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Now, that is sexist! My luggage is usually smaller and lighter than my husband's. I used to get by with just a carry-on, until I found out that some of my problems are related to being allergic to preservatives in almost all off-the-shelf and hotel shampoos and soaps. So, now I have to have a checked in luggage with bottles of shampoo, body wash, conditioner and mouth wash. However, if I travel between homes, it is just a small carry-on because I have the same toiletries in both homes.

 

[Ralph Sir Edward]

One question is - how much are you willing to spend? This is not a trivial question. If you are going to a timeshare (this is a timeshare site, you know!), you could check with the timeshare check-in office in advance, and see if they will hold incoming mailed packages. If they will, you can mail things to yourself, C/O the timeshare. Check with the timeshare the day before you leave, to see if the package(s) have arrived. If so, you don't need to pack those items. If not, you do. Obviously you want your meds with you, but you can pack lots of other things clothes, kitchen items, bath items, ect. Keep the boxes, and mail them back the day before you leave.

Now this costs money, are you willing to pay for this convenience? That's a personal choice. I do, (Bay Club has this service) and it saves a lot of stress. Just an idea. . .

 

[easyrider]

Thanks to all for the encouragement.

Currently we DO arrange for wheelchair assistance and have for about 5 years. That helps a lot (except when no one shows up...which has happened). It also is great for going through TSA.

My wife's carry on includes all of her meds (pills, inhalers, and an injectable). Mine is just my heavy laptop (and a few other electronic things).

So, maybe I just need to figure out how NOT to have to personally shlep all of the heavy stuff from baggage pickup to the rental car place. So, yes, curb-side drop off (I didn't see it in Maui, but next time I'll search for it). Maybe, get a cart to haul the luggage from the carousel to the curb (on the way to either public transportation or the rental cars) even if it is only a few hundred feet. And then just leave the cart for someone else.

I checked on the price to ship luggage and it seemed pretty high priced.

But you-all gave me some good ideas.

It may have been suggested but have you looked into porter service ? I know nothing about this for flights but my inlaws had a porter service pick up their items at the hotel and it was placed in their room on a cruise.

Bill

Passenger Services - Smartecarte

Passenger Services Smarte Carte sets the standard with its premium transportation services, redefining the passenger journey. Our wide range of concession and non-concession airport services is tailored to meet the ever-changing needs of airports and their passengers. 65,000+ Luggage carts...

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Airport Porter Service

www.airportporterservice.com

 

[Luanne]

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And in our family my husband is the one who needs to travel with two pieces of check in luggage while I make do with one.

 

[tombanjo]

It’s humor people. Obviously men or women can be more or less organized than other men or women.

Studies do show women pack more, as they are better at planning and anticipating then men - overall - when it comes to packing.

Seriously- being efficient in packing can reduce the amount and weight of luggage.

Just cause a man might consider “baggies” in black with a white stripe formal wear, doesn’t make it great for a wedding, on A beach or not.

No surprises there then: Women DO pack too much when they go on holiday

One in five women pack a week or more in advance but 'over-packing' actually shows women's ability to plan for every eventuality says a leading psychologist.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[youppi]

I travel with a carry-on (4 wheels hard shell) and a backpack even if I travel for a week or a month (thanks to the washer&dryer at the resort) like the following picture.
The carry-on goes in the overhead bin and the backpack goes under the front seat (I travel in economy so I lose a lot of space for my feet especially in a small plane but normally small plane are for short leg of 1 or 2 hours).
My wife and my kid do the same except their backpack is a little bit smaller than mine (I can put a 17" laptop in mine and only a 15.6" in theirs). So, no checked bags for us.
We distribute liquid stuff (100 ml shampoo bottles, ...) between all of our backpacks because each person can bring 1 litre bag through the security.
Our backpacks also carry our laptop, headphones, sunglasses, Brita bottle, snacks, travel pillow, hoodie in case too cold in the plane.
Clothes, sandals, cap/hat, goggles/mask/snorkel, ... are distributed in all of our carry-on because kids clothes take less space than men's clothes.

My backpack is an old Swissgear 9965C from Costco in black but it doesn't exist anymore (I found this old video review on the web

and on Amazon https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07DFPH1KL).
My wife has a Samsonite backpack.

 

[tombanjo]

my phone double posted

 

[Luanne]

"There have been two suggestions thus far:

1) Be a billionaire with a private jet.
2) Pack less -- much less. Considerably less than that. Seriously, keep going. [Excrement]can that, too. And that. And that. [Excrement]can that, too. No more hauling too much stuff. Now put what's left in a smart, all-weather bag which fits in the "personal item" space (with a bit of cramming)."

Someone hasn't been paying attention.

There have been many helpful suggestions in regards to the original question:

Use porter service at the airport.
Use wheelchair service at the airport.
Have one person drop the other passenger and the luggage at the airport.
Ship the luggage to the destination.

Those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head.

 

[Luanne]

Unless they're hiring the porter to live with them for the entirety of the trip -- carrying all that stuff up and down to the room and back, unpacking it all, and then repacking it all -- having an airport solution solves a small part of the problem.

A wheelchair service at the airport stops helping even before the traveler leaves the airport. Then what?

Lightening the load helps all the time for all trips in all weather for all occasions. 100-pounds of stuff in Hawaii is 80 pounds too much stuff. I typically get by with 15 pounds, including the bag. And often I can go even lighter -- particularly to hot, humid destinations, where I pack all my high-tech, fast-drying clothes. I can pack a week's worth of that in a 1 gallon ziploc bag.

Getting over the need to pack a trampoline, a hammock, a clothes iron, and the full Monty of cast-iron cookware liberates travel. This is why I'll cheerfully drop everything, grab an appropriate bag, and fly to Mongolia or Angola. I'm already packed for either trip. The people who hate to travel invariably make two mistakes: they try to cram too much into their trip; and they try to cram too much into their luggage.

You do you and the rest of us will do us and not pay attention to your "advice".

Hope you remain healthy for the remainder of your life and don't need any assistance.

 

[slip]

Unless they're hiring the porter to live with them for the entirety of the trip -- carrying all that stuff up and down to the room and back, unpacking it all, and then repacking it all -- having an airport solution solves a small part of the problem.

A wheelchair service at the airport stops helping even before the traveler leaves the airport. Then what?

Lightening the load helps all the time for all trips in all weather for all occasions. 100-pounds of stuff in Hawaii is 80 pounds too much stuff. I typically get by with 15 pounds, including the bag. And often I can go even lighter -- particularly to hot, humid destinations, where I pack all my high-tech, fast-drying clothes. I can pack a week's worth of that in a 1 gallon ziploc bag.

Getting over the need to pack a trampoline, a hammock, a clothes iron, and the full Monty of cast-iron cookware liberates travel. This is why I'll cheerfully drop everything, grab an appropriate bag, and fly to Mongolia or Angola. I'm already packed for either trip. The people who hate to travel invariably make two mistakes: they try to cram too much into their trip; and they try to cram too much into their luggage.

Total over exaggerated nonsense as usual. Read the posts, The OP was asking about options like a Porter service. Then you added your post about traveling forever with a half a bag as a carry-on. Then the OP and others were insulted but you kept going anyway.

There's always help with a couple of bags, at the airport, the cab, the hotel.

Not everyone travels like you and checking a bag is totally normal and not the end of the world. Not everyone that checks a bag is "enter whatever what you think is a funny name here". They are all not miserable and heading to divorce court either.

You could save even more time on your vacations by not judging everyone from a 3 minute snippet of their lives that you happen to witness and then coming here posting about it.

I know your in the middle of a move to Hawaii. My wife and I came with 2 bags each. Should I call you a princess and tell you that you don't need to bring your trampoline. No, why would I judge, it's you not me.

Take some time and enjoy life and let others do the same, the way they want to.

 

[slip]

The difference is that I'm not asking how to move to Hawaii inexpensively, avoiding a shipping container for all my woodworking machines and astronomy gear.

I swear, someone could post, "No matter what I do, I can't seem to lose any weight! What can I do?"

And an answer of "have you tried consuming far fewer calories than you burn" would be hounded right out.

But you could have taken the hint when the OP and others were offended. Plus you come across like your way to travel is the only way. That's the other difference.

You live in Hawaii, have some Aloha.

 

[Ralph Sir Edward]

"There have been two suggestions thus far:

1) Be a billionaire with a private jet.
2) Pack less -- much less. Considerably less than that. Seriously, keep going. [Excrement]can that, too. And that. And that. [Excrement]can that, too. No more hauling too much stuff. Now put what's left in a smart, all-weather bag which fits in the "personal item" space (with a bit of cramming)."

Someone hasn't been paying attention.

There have been many helpful suggestions in regards to the original question:

Use porter service at the airport.
Use wheelchair service at the airport.
Have one person drop the other passenger and the luggage at the airport.
Ship the luggage to the destination.

Those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head.

You left out mail/ship in advance.

 

[Luanne]

You left out mail/ship in advance.

Nope it's there. It's the last in my list of suggestions that had been given.

There have been many helpful suggestions in regards to the original question:
Use porter service at the airport.
Use wheelchair service at the airport.
Have one person drop the other passenger and the luggage at the airport.
Ship the luggage to the destination.

 

[Luanne]

@BJRSanDiego I hope you got some helpful, practical and useful ideas out of all of this nonsense that was posted.

 

[BJRSanDiego]

@BJRSanDiego I hope you got some helpful, practical and useful ideas out of all of this nonsense that was posted.

Yes, I did. Helpful but "no cigar". I enjoyed all of the posts, even the ones that others viewed as vapid as they did offer another perspective.

On Sunday I fly out of Honolulu airport back to the mainland. I Googled sky cap and curbside check in and saw one Hawaiian air post from 1998 saying they have it. But when I looked further one "hit" said that they discontinued the skycaps during Covid and on their website it is silent and only addresses other options (web, kiosk, TSA pre). So, I'm planning to try dropping my wife off with the luggage and get her into a shady spot and then leave her while I check in the rental car. If I see a sign for Hawaiian air curb side I'll stop there. I usually like to have her with me in the car for rental return because I have early-stage macular degeneration and she is helpful guiding me through those mazes.

Maybe the next time we go to Hawaii (2025), I'll stick with just one island (Maui where they have curbside check-in based on a post in this thread).

 

[1Kflyerguy]

I had to get antibiotics prescribed on the Big Island two weeks ago after a video appointment with my CA based doctor. So maybe it changed? At any rate, I just had them send the info to Costco and I was able to pick up the meds on our way home from the snorkel trip. I am so thankful that I didn't have to take time out of our trip to go to the local urgent care.

Its possible, i have read this a few times, but it could be out of date or only apply to certain meds. The only time I needed an Rx on vacation was in Maui when i came down with pink eye, so a quick trip to urgent care and i was on my way with eye drops.

My wife needs some specialty drugs for her transplant and my pharmacies wont carry those due to costs. Better to plan for those needs

 

[geist1223]

One thing with all of ScoopKona's replies, their tone, and attitude (holier than thou and derogatory) I think in my 3 week trip to the BI next winter I will with little effort not drop in to his place. I do not need his attitude. Plus I will probably being doing everything wrong on my trip. Wrong clothes, wrong shoes, wrong socks, wrong hat, wrong underwear, wrong rental car, wrong tooth paste, wrong wife, etc.

 

[Patri]

One thing with all of ScoopKona's replies, their tone, and attitude (holier than thou and derogatory) I think in my 3 week trip to the BI next winter I will with little effort not drop in to his place. I do not need his attitude. Plus I will probably being doing everything wrong on my trip. Wrong clothes, wrong shoes, wrong socks, wrong hat, wrong underwear, wrong rental car, wrong tooth paste, wrong wife, etc.

You have the right wife!

 

[heathpack]

Follow the example of Jack Reacher. Travel with a toothbrush! If buying everything you need in Hawaii (they have a Ross and a Saks off Fifth in Waikiki) isn’t realistic, then just pack one large roller bag and check it in. Yes pay the porters … I can’t carry more than 10 pounds anymore so I check in my roller bag. There is always someone to lift your bag into the Uber and out… Keep going as long as you can! It will keep you young.

So you want to go to Oahu and spend your vacation shopping for clothes?!

Makes sense.

 

[TUGBrian]

some people must wake up in the morning with a need to just be unpleasant to a stranger that day...

anywhoo, I liked this thread (minus some of the nonsense ive now removed), i hope it results in some helpful suggestions and options to make your future travels easier!

 

[Talent312]

Even with checked luggage, a wheelchair aide usually helps us to a taxi or Uber.
-- At SLC, he stayed with us for the 1-hr it took to reclaim our checked bag.

With a car to drop or pick-up, I leave DW in a chair near entrance with one bag.
If there's curb-side check-in, I try to let them know we need wheelchair assist.
For departures, I allow an extra 30 minutes, or 60 if there's a shuttle involved.