Try it some time.
Take a plane trip without a carry-on. Of any kind.
On my recent trip to California, they had me check in my carry-on because it they didn't have any over head room. Reassured that my carry-on and its contents were checked to my final destination, I didn't worry. Until my last leg got canceled in San Francisco, and I was rerouted to Los Angeles. No carry-on on my arrival. But no worries, I didn't need it for weekend, per se.
What it did was give me a little of an experience I've always wanted to do. On my way home from California, I had no carry-on, with nothing in my pockets except my passport, some cash, an debit car, driver's license, and my cellphone (with charger). And my trusty camera.
The mobility was remarkable, which added a new dimension to the trip. Stairs were fun again. I wasn't worried about making it through security check, or hustling to my connecting flight. I had lots of chances to take advantage of this previously unexperienced freedom. Dallas, La Guardia (as of today, officially my most detestable airport ever!), Portland. I was a lighter traveler. It was wonderful! No toting things around, finding overhead compartments, trucking rolling baggage to the restroom. I could eat where I wanted, roam the shops, and I was free to move about the terminal without any baggage (now if that isn't a metaphor, I don't know what is). Although I wasn't sure when I'd see my camera gear, laptop, and car-keys, I wasn't terribly concerned. It wasn't my lack of planning that put me at this fortunate inconvenience, so I had no doubt God's Providence would take care of the details. Besides, even if I did stress, it wasn't going to let me retrieve my things sooner. This bearable lightness of being was such a remarkable experience, I didn't even have a backpack, just whatever I could slip into my pockets! If every travel experience could be like this! I realized that we pack our carry-on for convenience not necessity. If we could only realize that many of our necessities are really conveniences and work towards traveling instead of hauling around those conveniences, we'd be only more efficient travelers, but more able to experience the journey....
Next time: International travel without a carry-on!!
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ReplyDeleteI actually tried that this past Christmas on my trip back to school. Like the situation you described, my experience was definitely unplanned, although mine included long delays and pat-downs from overworked security officials before being allowed to board, sans carry-ons, for our 45-minute flight across the boarder. Having no carry-on was a kind of nice treat though. My back sure enjoyed the break!
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