Packing For A Week Away - A Tech Geek's Oddesy

David J. Danto

Travel thoughts in my own, personal opinion

eMail: ddanto@IMCCA.org Follow Industry News: @NJDavidD on

Getting Ready for a Trip: A Tech Geek's Packing Odyssey – January 2025

A week from today – I’ll be landing in Europe for a weeklong conference in my industry. And here I am – panicking. Packing for an international trip isn’t just throwing clothes in a suitcase. It’s a mental exercise in logistics: what can’t I bring because it won’t work there, what I need to bring because it’s absolutely essential (hello, power inverters and adapters), and a whole list of other things only a tech geek would overthink.

This got me wondering – what kind of packer are you? My wife, for instance, takes about 40 minutes to pack for a weeklong trip, and she does it just a few hours before leaving for the airport. I think that’s pure insanity. I, on the other hand, create a checklist on my phone and start packing about a week in advance. Why? Because I never know what I might still need to buy, and I like having time to get it sorted before I leave. For example, the first hotel on this trip is across the street from a mall, so I’m planning to hit the supermarket there to stock up on bottled water and breakfast groceries for the week. That means I’ll need an extra suitcase to move all of it to my second hotel – and I haven’t even figured out how I’m going to pack that extra bag. Do I take one with wheels and nest it inside my regular four-wheeled suitcase, or do I take a duffel and dump my packed stuff into it so I can use the wheelie for the groceries? You see? This is why I need a week to think these things through.

That supermarket plan, of course, comes with its own challenges. I have a sensitive stomach, which makes grocery shopping in a foreign country a bit of a gamble. Translating labels can feel like a high-stakes game of roulette – is that yogurt, or is it some concoction that is going to ruin my day? And while it might seem easier to grab prepackaged snacks, the ingredient lists often read like a mystery novel in a language I don’t speak. I’ll likely stick to the safest-looking items and cross my fingers that breakfast won’t turn into a day-long adventure I didn’t sign up for.

As for packing, the old saying goes bring twice as much money and half as many clothes as you think you’ll need. That advice doesn’t really work anymore. Most of us rely on plastic for payments nowadays, and if one needs foreign currency, the least expensive route is usually an ATM that doesn’t charge exorbitant fees (or using any ATM with a bank account that refunds those fees – pro tip). As for clothes, packing for a business conference adds a layer of complexity. Do I pack for the way I want companies to see me, or do I pack for the way I want to feel? These days, that’s two very different looks. Odds are, I’ll end up wearing black cargo pants the entire week – practical for the convention floor with all those pockets – even if they’re out of place at cocktail parties. And while I refuse to wear a sports jacket on the convention floor as I hustle from meeting to meeting, I’ll still have to bring one to look presentable in the evenings. Fingers crossed it pairs somewhat respectably with said cargo pants.

So here I am, spending the better part of a week (at least mentally) preparing, with the final three days reserved for the intense debate of what stays and what goes – which often comes down to what fits in the bags. Sure, there are people who can grab their wallet and a change of underwear on the way to the airport and be perfectly happy. I admire those people. But after all my years on this planet, I know I’m not one of them – no matter how persuasive those old credit card commercials might have been. I feel personally defeated if I run into a situation I could have prepared for and didn’t – or even worse, did prepare for but left what I need in the hotel room. (That’s another pro-tip: if you pack an umbrella or a spare set of eyeglasses or anything for similar emergencies, HAVE IT WITH YOU!)

This article was written by David Danto and contains solely his own, personal opinions.

All image and links provided above as reference under prevailing fair use statutes.

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As always, feel free to write and comment, question or disagree. Hearing from the traveling community is always a highlight for me. Thanks!