While I have learned the ways of traveling alone, something I have not mastered is the art of packing light. While I prided myself in my packing expertise on my flight to Italy, I seem to have forgotten that I had the ability to return to the United States with up to six bottles of wine and lots of other Italian goodies that accumulated in my room over the course of my three-week stay. I also forgot that when traveling overseas, you’re authorized two bags to check for free. So, when I showed up at the Alitalia terminal at the Naples International Airport this morning with my oversized and overweight suitcase, the check-in clerk and I had a stare down contest.
{It’s 5am when this is going down, mind you…and envision this conversation being said in broken Italian/English and with lots of lip puckering and erratic hand gestures on her part.}
“I cannot put this bag on the plane” – Alitalia agent
“Umm, okay. What do I have to pay to get it on the plane?” – an aggravated, slightly hungover and ready-to depart-Italy Ali.
“No, no pay. NO understand. Too heavy. You must remove 5kg from the bag for it to go on the plane. You go ask store for plastic bag.”
At this point I’m thinking to myself – yes. I want to carry around 5kg of crap from my carefully packed suitcase in a plastic bag and cart it across the Atlantic Ocean. If I can lift my suitcase, then the guys on the tarmac most certainly should be able to. We then had a stare down and she shooed me away to the convenience store. Unfortunately, the store had either overpriced leather Vespa satchels or medium-sized cloth bags with NAPOLI written all-over it {and it SCREAMS tourist – a traveling pet peeve of mine}. I went with the NAPOLI tourist bag and while my suitcase was still slightly overweight she gave in and put my bag on the belt and I prayed that it would show up on the other end in one piece, not covered in either red wine or olive oil. What I should have done weeks ago is purchased one of the cheap suitcases at one of the MILLIONS of illegal souvenir stands that I walked past over the course of my adventures. DUH, Ali.
I sighed a sigh of relief though as I watched it tumble down the belt at the JFK baggage claim – drip free of either wine or oil. However, I am currently only 2/3 of my way home and will be ultimately relieved when I am happily in the car with all my bags and my fiancé and we merrily make our way home. Maybe one day I’ll learn the art of only packing the necessary items {those five bottles of Italian red wine were TOTALLY necessary} and become one of those professional travelers who seem to breeze through the airport with perfect makeup, in a super stylish outfit and the perfectly-sized carry-on. I guess until I learn that art, I’ll continue to lug my heavy suitcases around the airport, arrive looking disheveled and with rubbed-off makeup.
Great post! Love your writing and humor! Packing lightly I’ve mastered but I’m still working on the hangover part : )) Light Travels to you! EL