Travels with myself (part one)

 The Big Pack

Recently I flew to North Carolina for 12 days’ vacation. I don’t fly often. The previous time was in 2004. But despite some people's apparent amusement, it’s no exaggeration that as a result of my preparations for this trip, I became an exemplary traveller.

I began my quest for travel information on the Delta Airline site and discovered the many rules for happy flying.  Or at least flying that would make the security people happy. This involved a lengthy  detour to the Transport Security Administration (TSA) site. I decided to take just a large purse and one carry-on bag: hence, no checked luggage to worry about.

First of all, the carry-on bag had to be the right size. Mine was fine ― at least in two of its dimensions. The depth was just centimetres off, but I pressed on anyway.  I paid close attention to the image of the bad messy bag, with electronics packed all higgledy piggledy, and the good tidy one. I resolved that no electric cords of mine would entangle the x-ray process and packed my phone charger carefully.

Then I watched videos. The first featured a “traveller with special needs” (he apparently had prescription drugs). The second showed a “female business traveller,” which I watched even though I was travelling for pleasure (at least in the long run). She was shown carefully removing a small plastic bag of tubes and bottles from her purse and putting it in a dish provided for that very purpose.

Next I learned about these gels and liquids: bottles, not to be over 3.4 ounces in volume, had to be placed in one, clear, quart-sized, zip-lock, plastic bag. Difficult to determine in metric, as numerous web-sites devoted solely to this topic attested.  Greg bought me a box of foot-square bags before I realized they were too big. Finally my neighbour came to the rescue with the right size:  a box of 6.5 by 7.5 inch plastic zip-lock bags from the Dollar Store. She gave me several.  My  toiletries fitted nicely.  

Medications posed another challenge; fortunately, daily dose containers are allowed. I bought two weeks’ worth, filled them with my cranberry, probiotics, calcium, glucosamine, diuretic,  fish oil in a gel cap (!), Gravol,  and  Imodium (on the advice of the pharmacist’s wife “as you could be miles from a drugstore”).  Then I included an extra day in case of an airport delay. I felt I was covered coming and going, as it were, and put them in a second quart-sized plastic bag.  As a special nod to the TSA, I also listed the name of every medication. It felt good.

My passport was fine; I’d be home a week or so before the six-month time limit after which it could not be used unless renewed.  I designated a special pocket in my purse for it where I checked it frequently.

My cane could travel with me; it was not a weapon but an assistive device.

 I was allowed my breast prosthesis, but if I didn’t want to tell security about it out loud, I could pass them a note. This seemed too much like what a bank robber might do, and I wasn’t sure if they would be able to both read and understand  the meaning of “prosthesis” in time.  So I decided to brazen it forth when the time came. I was curious as to why the gel in a breast prosthesis was allowed past the guards but not a 4 oz. bottle of shampoo but decided not to raise that issue at the airport.

Next were shoes: Velcro fasteners were recommended for their easy removal but thankfully I am neither so old nor so young as to have a pair of shoes with Velcro, so I ignored that. I did check to be sure there was nothing which could be construed as gel in the soles of my shoes.  In fact, I changed insoles just in case.

Next, as requested, I emptied all my coat pockets. I found several old wrapped candies, transfers, ticket stubs and Kleenexes as well as my gloves, which I absentmindedly put back.

Finally I decided to wear a pair of pants with no pockets or belt loops so that I would not accidentally have something in my pockets and then also have to take off my belt. It just seemed easier that way.

I am pleased to say that five days before departure, I was all ready to go.