Getting old - - advice requested

[rickandcindy23]

My wife and I fly to Hawaii EOY and it is growing more difficult to do so.

My wife has mobility issues and strength issues. She used to be able to pull her own roll-around. But not any longer. So, I end up pulling the baggage for both of us - - pulling two suitcases, a personal item and a laptop case. Total weight? Over 100 pounds. While I can still do that, it is getting more difficult. I'm wondering WHEN I can no longer do that what will we do? Sell our Hawaii timeshare?

I'm wondering if there might be another solution. Has anyone heard about an airport "porter" service? I suppose that I could pre-ship my bags, but that adds another layer of complexity and delay getting access to the luggage and adds one more thing to take care of before departure.

Suggestions? What are other seniors doing?

There are luggage pieces that might work better for your use. Tach luggage has sets that fasten together with velcro, and you can push up to 9 pieces with one handle. That would be nuts, of course.

 

[Ralph Sir Edward]

I will mention one more, very limited, possibility. If you go to one place over and over again you might check into personals storage units. Look for as small as possible, and keep things there. I did for a while, until the unit got sold and the prices went way up.

 

[planada]

We have used Luggage Forward ( there are other luggage shipping services that compete) a number of times for cruises. Its not cheap but every time its been waiting in our cabin on the cruise ship. They will send u luggage tags and a list of things they dont accept (toiletries/ liquids). In our case its always been DSL that comes to our house at a pre designated time. This usually occurs 1-2 weeks before we actually sail. Works the same at the other end. We get off the ship luggage free as the shipping representative is picking up our things the day we depart…… is waiting at our front door either the day we get home or a day after. Like I said, not cheap but thus past summer it saved so much frustration when everyones luggage was getting lost. Look on their website as u can plug in pick up and destination to get an idea of cost.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BJRSanDiego]

We returned from Oahu and things went smoothly. I did not drop my wife off at the curb because I needed her help to get to the rental car check in. The rental car shuttle driver saw that there was an empty luggage cart and grabbed it for us. So it was really easy to "shlep" our luggage to baggage drop off. We had arranged a wheel chair for my wife (again) and our "pusher" took us to TSA precheck and went around the line. That probably saved 1/2 hour. When we landed in our home city our driver met us at the baggage claim. So, again, it was easy.

Thanks to all for your suggestions. Next time, we are going to probably downsize to two carry-on bags that we will check anyways.

 

[rapmarks]

We returned from Oahu and things went smoothly. I did not drop my wife off at the curb because I needed her help to get to the rental car check in. The rental car shuttle driver saw that there was an empty luggage cart and grabbed it for us. So it was really easy to "shlep" our luggage to baggage drop off. We had arranged a wheel chair for my wife (again) and our "pusher" took us to TSA precheck and went around the line. That probably saved 1/2 hour. When we landed in our home city our driver met us at the baggage claim. So, again, it was easy.

Thanks to all for your suggestions. Next time, we are going to probably downsize to two carry-on bags that we will check anyways.

Sounds great. I usually gate check my carry on, but when I keep it, I find it easier to roll the bag and put my Cpap on it then to tote my personal,item and Cpap.

 

[rickandcindy23]

We returned from Oahu and things went smoothly. I did not drop my wife off at the curb because I needed her help to get to the rental car check in. The rental car shuttle driver saw that there was an empty luggage cart and grabbed it for us. So it was really easy to "shlep" our luggage to baggage drop off. We had arranged a wheel chair for my wife (again) and our "pusher" took us to TSA precheck and went around the line. That probably saved 1/2 hour. When we landed in our home city our driver met us at the baggage claim. So, again, it was easy.

Thanks to all for your suggestions. Next time, we are going to probably downsize to two carry-on bags that we will check anyways.

Because putting those carryons in the overhead compartment can be very difficult as we age, and sometimes there is no one to help us.

 

[Cornell]

Because putting those carryons in the overhead compartment can be very difficult as we age, and sometimes there is no one to help us.

I cringe when I see people dealing w/carryons in overhead bins when there is a baby or toddler being held in the seat underneath.

 

[jp10558]

Not extreme. And not an exaggeration.

I'm forced to travel with bags occasionally, too. And it's a royal pain. Increases the degree of difficulty by an order of magnitude. The worst was when I brought a flippin' bicycle along for the ride.

On vacation, I never have to worry about that -- because I'm self contained. And so is my wife. That improves our experience every step of the way. Getting in and out of airports is better. Getting in and out of train stations is better. Getting in and out of cabs and Uber is better. Checking in and out of hotels is better. Everything is better.

I don't know how you rate vacations, but I rate them by how much we get to enjoy our vacation, compared to the amount of time we have to spend doing drudge-work in order to enjoy it. This is also why you'll never find me at a timeshare presentation -- wasted time I'll never get back. And time is the only commodity which is worth anything at all.

Nobody ever said, "I wish I had spent more time at the office. More time in traffic jams. More time filling out government forms. And more time waiting in lines."

Bringing too much stuff on vacation is exactly the same as saying, "I really love waiting in lines and making things more difficult than necessary." It causes a cascade of waiting -- as people pile up because they're all trying to do the same thing at the same time. I'd rather escape all of that and get on with enjoying myself.

I wish I could travel light like I used to. And I'm not even old! Part of it is *why* I go on vacation, part of it is medical needs. I see you constantly ignore people have medical conditions. I can't leave them behind on vacation. I have to take a CPAP. I cannot sleep without it. I think even the newest CPAP is about as large *on it's own* as your bag you specify. If I'm dead tired or dead, I'm not enjoying a vacation either.

The second thing is I need a charger for my phone at a minimum, though usually I like to bring my laptop. The amount of sites that either don't work on Mobile *still* or work much easier on a computer is staggering in 2023. I had been bringing a battery pack that's big and heavy to run my CPAP because not all hotels have a plug near the bed, but that's *slowly* becoming more common. I guess alternatively I could carry or buy a 25 foot extension cord. Timeshares may not have that issue, at least the one I stayed in didn't.

Then, the reason I vacation is to enable me to do photography in new and interesting places. That's a large backpack of stuff. I could leave it home, but if I'm not taking it, I have 80% less interest in the trip entirely, because a MAIN POINT of the trip is photography for me. Then I need clothes and small amounts of medicine. It's not vitamins, but even if it's OTC, it's a lot cheaper to buy in bulk and take what you need on the trip. I use some medicine cases to really shrink it down from a bunch of bottles, works better than the old zip lock baggies IMO because it protects it against mashing and mixing up.

I've managed to get it into 2 backpacks and a large roller case and that's the minimum I can do, whether it's 2 days or a week or more.

 

[ScoopKona]

I see you constantly ignore people have medical conditions.

If people weren't so addicted to "stuff," they'd have more room for their medicine.

Again, people type "I can't. I can't. I can't." I read, "I won't. I won't. I won't." I've traveled ultra-light, ultra-heavy, and everything in between. Ultra-light is always preferable.

This applies to everything all the time -- maintaining a house is easier when it isn't crammed to the rafters with stuff. Cars drive better when they aren't packed 100% full of stuff. Hiking is more pleasant with a light pack compared to a heavy one.

Stuff is a problem. Not a solution. People are addicted to stuff. Watch them at Costco when they fly into Hawaii sometime. They buy a cart the size of a Sherman tank full of stuff on day one, and much of it goes straight into the dumpster on day seven.

Imagine if I posted, "I can't seem to save money. I make a good salary. But by the time I'm done buying three meals a day in restaurants, two cartons of cigarettes a week, daily Starbucks, and all my monthly streaming services, there never seems to be anything left! What can I do?"

Stop spending like a drunken sailor, obviously.

 

[Luanne]

If people weren't so addicted to "stuff," they'd have more room for their medicine.

Again, people type "I can't. I can't. I can't." I read, "I won't. I won't. I won't." I've traveled ultra-light, ultra-heavy, and everything in between. Ultra-light is always preferable.

This applies to everything all the time -- maintaining a house is easier when it isn't crammed to the rafters with stuff. Cars drive better when they aren't packed 100% full of stuff. Hiking is more pleasant with a light pack compared to a heavy one.

Stuff is a problem. Not a solution. People are addicted to stuff. Watch them at Costco when they fly into Hawaii sometime. They buy a Sherman tank full of stuff on day one, and much of it goes straight into the dumpster on day seven.

Imagine if I posted, "I can't seem to save money. I make a good salary. But by the time I'm done buying three meals a day in restaurants, two cartons of cigarettes a week, daily Starbucks, and all my monthly streaming services, there never seems to be anything left! What can I do?"

Stop spending like a drunken sailor, obviously.

And you keep trying to tell everyone else what to do, how to live their lives, how to pack. You really are tiresome.

 

[ScoopKona]

And you keep trying to tell everyone else what to do, how to live their lives, how to pack. You really are tiresome.

I'm not telling anyone how to do anything. If you want to pack a Conestoga Wagon full of stuff, that's great. It's your trip. But don't pack a Conestoga Wagon full of stuff and then complain about the load you carry.

 

[Luanne]

I'm not telling anyone how to do anything. If you want to pack a Conestoga Wagon full of stuff, that's great. It's your trip. But don't pack a Conestoga Wagon full of stuff and then complain about the load you carry.

This isn't telling people what to do? Try reading what you wrote.

"If people weren't so addicted to "stuff," they'd have more room for their medicine.

Again, people type "I can't. I can't. I can't." I read, "I won't. I won't. I won't." I've traveled ultra-light, ultra-heavy, and everything in between. Ultra-light is always preferable.

This applies to everything all the time -- maintaining a house is easier when it isn't crammed to the rafters with stuff. Cars drive better when they aren't packed 100% full of stuff. Hiking is more pleasant with a light pack compared to a heavy one.


Stuff is a problem. Not a solution. People are addicted to stuff. Watch them at Costco when they fly into Hawaii sometime. They buy a cart the size of a Sherman tank full of stuff on day one, and much of it goes straight into the dumpster on day seven.


Imagine if I posted, "I can't seem to save money. I make a good salary. But by the time I'm done buying three meals a day in restaurants, two cartons of cigarettes a week, daily Starbucks, and all my monthly streaming services, there never seems to be anything left! What can I do?"


Stop spending like a drunken sailor, obviously.

 

[ScoopKona]

This isn't telling people what to do? Try reading what you wrote.

Every word I wrote is both true, and fair.

It's like saying "Smoking is a stupid, self-destructive addiction." It is. Even smokers will admit that. And yet, people will jump up and down, "He called me stupid."

 

[jp10558]

If people weren't so addicted to "stuff," they'd have more room for their medicine.

This seems completely to miss most of what I was talking about. Your argument seems to be I should not take clothes that I'm not currently wearing on vacation I guess? That makes some of the you being smelly traveling comments make sense.

I mean, from my list I gave, please tell me what I should not take if it's not clothes, and justify why I should not take those things.

 

[Patri]

Scoop, just stop. No one benefits from your comments. I’m beginning to think you were bullied as a child, and this is payback, or you were a bully as a child, and this is your way of life.

 

[Cornell]

Scoop, just stop. No one benefits from your comments. I’m beginning to think you were bullied as a child, and this is payback, or you were a bully as a child, and this is your way of life.

Or just a superiority complex when it comes to every single topic.

 

[PigsDad]

Or just a superiority complex when it comes to every single topic.

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner!

 

[susieq]

Different strokes people!!!! Agree to disagree...................

 

[Luanne]

Different strokes people!!!! Agree to disagree...................

If only it were that easy.

 

[geist1223]

¿Narcissist?

 

[rapmarks]

Scoop, just stop. No one benefits from your comments. I’m beginning to think you were bullied as a child, and this is payback, or you were a bully as a child, and this is your way of life.

Original poster is already back from their trip!
I know there is no way I can go back to Florida with just a personal item, too much meds, medical hardware, paperwork, electronics, etc.
so he is not changing any mind.

 

[Cornell]

Just here to weigh in on the GREAT LUGGAGE DEBATE.

I'm normally a carry-on only person. Not because I'm worried about being nimble on cobblestone streets b/c I've had my bags lost 2x and I did put a damper on my trips.

However! This time I'm traveling w/someone who is checking golf clubs so I figured, "well if I have to wait around in the baggage area for his clubs, I might as well check a bag too".

It pains me to admit it but it was pretty nice not having to stress out at the gate hoping for overhead space (rarely an issue but still). And -- it felt luxurious and carefree when I packed last night tossing in some fun extras like my Pelton shoes (since most Westins now have bikes) and a pretty purse (that I normally wouldn't take) for a fancy night out.

I'm not going to check a bag from here on out but it had its PROS.

Random: I've sometimes seen people retrieve cardboard boxes from baggage claims and I've thought "hmmmm....what's that all about"? Well, I was one of those people last month. Went to help my daughter w/some stuff at college and she wanted an old toaster oven and blender that I had on hand. So I packed them in a box and checked them like a piece of luggage. I get two free bags on American, so why not? Way cheaper than shipping.

The bottom line is that we are all different and do our own cost-benefit analysis for so many decisions in our lives. What's right for me might not be right for you and that's ok.

 

[Laurie]

We always check 1 suitcase if/when we plan to do any hiking, since we can't carry them on board anymore. I'm not about to spend part of my vacation searching to buy ones I like. It's not that big of a big deal, and it's actually a little luxury to have one larger suitcase. (If no hiking planned, carry-on only.) But we've had our checked luggage lost for too many days before it found us, so we try to carry on enough to wear for some days into our trip, just in case... not to mention major guide books ... learned that lesson the hard way.

 

[TimesCalif]

We returned from Oahu and things went smoothly.

I'm glad it all went well! I bet a lot of us were looking to see what ideas were presented, we all have various versions of these challenges at some point

A couple ideas for your "next" fun trip - one, if you check bags, add either an Airtag or android version Tile to your bags - can be helpful and reassuring to be able to "see" where your bag(s) are during the trip if you have to check them. Second, next time you do a computer upgrade/update, see if what you need while traveling can be put onto a something more portable (smaller laptop, or a tablet).

 

[TimesCalif]

Scoop, just stop. No one benefits from your comments. I’m beginning to think you were bullied as a child, and this is payback, or you were a bully as a child, and this is your way of life.

BTW people, I'm "new" here and from the first post by "Scoop" I assumed that was someone paid thru the site to poke at people to create activity, or just a Troll. In either case, I was surprised anyone answered him/her. The phrase I see on other sites is ... Please don't feed the Trolls ...