How to Avoid Lost Luggage…
and be prepared in case it happens to you.

Summer is just around the corner and while ‘tis the season to be jolly, ‘tis also the season for family holidays! For those lucky enough to fly to this year’s holiday destination, it can be a challenge trying to fit everything you think everyone will need in a limited number of bags. So imagine what it would be like if you lost just one of your bags along the way…

Having almost done just that on a recent family holiday to the US (the bag I almost lost had all our passports, cash, and credit cards!), I am quite happy to share some tips on how to avoid lost luggage… and be prepared in case it happens to you!

Firstly, how to avoid it…

The Country House at Brunkerville

Gills Road, Brunkerville, Hunter Valley
New South Wales

A country retreat with style.

The Country House has a special feel about it… as you drive up to the property you have a sense of being welcomed to this spacious home set in classic Australian country at the southern end of the Cessnock Shire.  The house is 30 minutes to the vineyards, which is close enough to visit, but far enough to feel that you can enjoy the country ambience without the grapes!

Overall rating?  Outstanding

Where are the most romantic places to stay in Australia?

The 2009 state winners have been chosen for the leading holiday rentals across Australia with guests rating their favourite hotels, motels, hostels, B&Bs and accommodation parks.

TakeABreak.com.au, Australia’s only independent boutique accommodation website, is presenting the “Best Places to Stay” awards for the tourism industry, which recognise outstanding service in specialist segment categories.

State winners were selected via an exhaustive process from over 13,000 properties in 1400 localities and 39 accommodation types. National winners will be announced in early November. But for now you too can vote for the ‘People Choice’ national winner for each of the specialist categories.

TakeABreak Romantic Accommodation State Winners:

Weekend getaway review – Villa Merlot

Cypress Lakes Resort
Cnr McDonald & Thompsons Roads
Pokolbin Hunter Valley NSW

This self-contained apartment is within the Cypress Lakes resort, but has a feeling of privacy and solitude, thanks to the elevated outlook and the leafy surrounds.

Overall rating?      Excellent

What makes Villa Merlot different?
It is wonderful to be so close to all the facilities that a world-class resort offers, and yet feel separate and private. The upstairs location, coupled with the beautifully tended grounds and bushy outlook, means that you feel quite apart from the bustle of the resort – yet with access all the facilities you could want.

Accommodation overview
Villa Merlot has one spacious bedroom with a king-size bed and fine quality linen.  There is a double sofa bed in the living room for an extra person or children.

We all know we need to put ID on our luggage when we travel.  Personally, I used to do it out of habit (now I do it as an excuse to make myself another tag from my favourite designs).  It’s just something that I’ve always done as far back as I can remember. It wasn’t until a recent trip that I really saw the benefit of this habit.

A few months ago, I set off on a 5-week family adventure to the US with my husband, John and 3 kids - Katrina, 9, Bea, 5, and Miguel, 3 months. Our itinerary involved moving through 5 cities (New York, Pennsylvania, Washington DC, Florida, Boston) in a span of 5 weeks. Friends thought we were crazy to attempt this trip with a 3-month old. I thought it was great!

Travelling light was not in our vocabulary. We had 8 check-in bags, plus 5 on board bags – Each bag had one of our personalised luggage tags with our surname, frequent flyer number, and address on it. I had all our passports and cash for the trip in my backpack.  My husband had his camera gear and laptop. The kids had their own backpacks with their stuff to keep them busy on the plane.  I carried our 3 month old in a Baby Bjorn pouch in front of me, with the backpack on my back. This is how I went through Sydney Airport and onto the plane.

After a long flight, we finally got to the other end – a stopover in Los Angeles. We had to change planes for our onward journey to New York.

Save Your Soles

I often hear the phrase “necessity is the mother of invention” when reading about new products or services.  It has never applied more to the new product I am currently obsessed with, fold-up ballet flats!  When I traversed the globe for my former job I would often have to whittle my luggage down to carry-on only.  This meant only 2 pairs of shoes would make it.  With my runners taking up one pair (I had to, too much delicious food was resulting in excess baggage) a pair of “business” heels were the other.  Great for business meetings, hideous for the rest of the trip.  They fold up into a teeny bag and weigh just 200grams.  I wish the mother of invention had gotten her act together a little earlier and invented fold up ballet flats when I was traipsing the globe.  My feet would have thanked me and they would have still looked great.  But I am so glad I can share these with you.  I also hear they are particularly popular at the end of race days.  Again, where were they when…but that’s a whole other story.

Fold Up Ballet Flats available from www.ciaobellatravel.com.au for $45.00

Ciao Bella!

Kirsty

Kirsty Keane from Ciao Bella Travel Style your trip with gorgeous travel clothes and accessories from www.ciaobellatravel.com.au before you depart.

Holiday travel can be nerve wracking, especially with a small child in tow. Kate Kelly, Managing Editor of American Baby Magazine, has some tips for making trips go smoothly.

First and foremost, slow down! "The vacation starts the minute you walk out the door," says Kelly. "You have to get out of this mindset that you're going to rush to get there and you just want to get the trip over with."  Trips with kids take time. You have added potty breaks and stops for food. You may even need to stop to just let your toddler run around and blow off some steam. Accept that this trip may take longer, but that it'll be worth it in the end.

A stress-free trip, however, starts with some careful packing. First, be sure to take along some healthy snacks for your little ones. "Eating is a form of entertainment," says Kelly, but she warns not to give into junk food pleas. Avoid sugar at all costs - no one wants hyper, bored children wailing in the back seat on a long trip. Be selective

• Make a list. From clothes to toiletries, list everything you'll need for your trip. Then lay it all out on the bed, and check off items so you don't forget anything. It's also great in case your luggage is lost or stolen, because you'll have a record of everything you've packed.
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