Taking flight, packing light

At our house, the summer thus far has revolved around packing and unpacking. Our suitcases and duffel bags are dug out of the basement and then hidden away again. They have been used and abused and look it. Our sons have come and gone and returned, collectively, from an apartment in Brooklyn and from a dorm at university to home, to camp, to Greece, to home, to school, back to the borough of Kings and soon back home again. This may sound confusing, but it makes perfect sense to me, since as the mom of our family I keep five persons’ schedules in my head at all times. I write down the details in my pocket calendar, but that’s just a reminder of the various comings and goings.

This week, three of us are getting ready to fly out to a family bar mitzvah in Austin. Yes, in Texas, and yes in August. I was a bit nervous about dealing with the heat there, but honestly it’s been pretty darn hot right here in New York. Instead I’m focusing on the task of packing for a long weekend. In recent years, I’ve decided I don’t want to waste time checking in luggage and waiting for it to appear, or not. It’s always the last one out on the conveyor belt at our destination. For shorter trips, I’ve challenged (forced) my family to minimize what we take to carry on size.

Packing for a drive to camp or college or a flight for a year in Israel is one thing; we take the largest luggage allowed and fill them up with assorted clothes and toiletries for every possible occasion and eventuality. Packing for a weekend or week long jaunt is quite another thing; we squeeze in only the bare essentials, taking along those tiny three ounce containers of liquids and gels and curtailing the shoe count.

It takes a lot more effort to pack less than more. I have been known to sit on my small suitcase to make the zipper close and worry that I’ll be singled out during boarding to check in a bulging carry on. I weigh and reweigh the bags to make sure they’re within the limit. Despite that, I see it as a fun puzzle to solve. This is one of the rare instances in which I actually live “less is more” and find it quite liberating. I love not having to fear that my belongings are lost. I feel a little bit smug walking off the plane and right onto the taxi line. I find pleasure in realizing how little I really need and notice that I don’t miss much of what I’ve left behind. If I’m really missing something I can replace it at my destination. I have discovered that even with the smallest suitcase I may come home with something extra I didn’t use.

Of course, this light and easy travel is quite the opposite of what we did for so many years. It’s easy to be self righteous now, but for a dozen years or so, we couldn’t fit our stuff into a normal size cab, needing to reserve a minivan. Relatives awaiting us at our destination were appalled to have to fetch us in two cars. We were the ugly Americans, traveling heavy - lugging car seats, strollers, port-a-cribs, packaged foods, extra changes of clothes and hostess gifts. We schlepped stuffed animals, Legos, Game boys and snacks. I carried a diaper bag that weighed me down into a hunchback. It’s no wonder I now wear only the tiniest of handbags.

Now let’s discuss unpacking. There are two schools of thought. Some (like my husband) relish unpacking every single item out of the suitcase into hotel drawers and the closet, making himself feel at home, even for an overnight stay. Others, (including myself) can live right out of the luggage, even for a couple of weeks. I don’t like to spread out into alien surroundings, and confine myself and my stuff to a small radius, continuing with the theme of minimizing, or perhaps a way of controlling my unfamiliar, temporary environment.

As we back out of the driveway and get on our way to begin any trip, I anxiously quiz each traveler, “do you have your ticket, your id, your wallet?” What do we really need to bring on a voyage? Passport, cash, appropriate clothing, comfortable shoes, toothbrush, glasses and medications are essential. A great book, notepad and a pen are important, too. Someone you love with whom you can share your journey is extra special. An open mind, sense of adventure, positive attitude, sense of humor, and being in the moment are vital ingredients. At the end of the trip, what will really matter is not what you brought with you, but what you took away from the experience.

Wherever you’re headed - whether for a day at the beach or an end of summer getaway, whoever you’re going with – just one partner or an entire gang, however you pack – traveling light or weighing yourself down, I wish you nesiya tova, happy travels!

Miriam Bradman Abrahams is Cuban born, Brooklyn bred and lives in Woodmere. She organizes author events for Hadassah, reviews books for Jewish Book World and is very slowly writing her father’s immigration story. She can be contacted at mabraha1@optonline.net