Heaven, my luggage! | The Press

The carousel turns, turns, turns, desperately empty. We have to face the facts, the luggage got lost somewhere. And the long-planned little sea kayaking expedition to the islands starts early tomorrow morning, there’s no way to delay the start.

The agency that organizes the package provides the kayak equipment, but for the rest, you will have to make do.

There is a way to minimize the damage by planning ahead, says Mariana Ledesma, guide at Karavaniers. Above all, we must maximize what we bring on board the plane.

“For example, when you go on a trekking trip, the most important thing is the boots,” she says. I know it’s not super comfortable to fly with boots on, but that’s the thing you can’t really find on site. »

A pair of well-used boots that haven’t caused blisters for a long time is indeed irreplaceable. In developing countries, the choice of hiking boots may be limited, or even non-existent.

Mariana Ledesma also dresses in trekking clothes for the plane and places a second outfit in the carry-on bag.

It is also necessary to place in the cabin baggage the more technical elements linked to the planned activity, whether we are talking about hiking or kayaking. For example, it might be a good idea to keep your high-performance waterproof-breathable coat with you. Or, his favorite diving mask, which perfectly matches his face type.

Unfortunately, many airlines do not allow walking poles to be carried in the cabin.

Obviously, you must place all your medications in your carry-on baggage, as well as the electronic devices and various types of batteries necessary for the trip.

“The other advice I often give is to bring a water bottle. But that’s more a question of hydration because sometimes we have long flights. »

When you go on an expedition to a hot country, it may be possible to put everything in your carry-on baggage. However, care must be taken to respect the air carrier’s limits regarding the size and weight of carry-on baggage. It is therefore difficult to fit everything in this luggage if you are going on a camping expedition, with sleeping bag, mattress, etc.

When baggage does not appear at destination, it is important to keep the baggage stub that we were given at check-in and to file a claim immediately. Some air carriers can quickly issue a voucher to purchase essential items.

“But it may only be a small amount and it can easily be exceeded,” says Mariana Ledesma. You also have to deal with insurance. »

However, you should carefully check what your travel insurance really covers.

She adds that often, the insurance company claims that the liability for lost baggage lies first with the airline. However, it could reimburse the difference between what was paid and the amount offered by the carrier.

Some credit cards also offer protection against loss of luggage, but again, you need to check the extent of this coverage.

In some countries, it is relatively easy to do a quick shop to replace lost equipment. For example, Kathmandu, Nepal is full of hiking equipment shops. However, you need to have time to shop, which is not a given when you have signed up for a trekking trip or a sea kayaking expedition.

“I often suggest travelers arrive a little early, in case there are flight delays, or if luggage doesn’t arrive, or to recover from jet lag. »

When they have to quickly replace their clothes and equipment, many travelers discover the virtues and limits of minimalism.

“One of our travelers in Panama, who had put almost nothing in his cabin baggage and who had to buy all the basic equipment, told us that we could have reduced by a quarter the list of equipment we had recommended , recalls Mariana Ledesma. He was very minimalist with his toothbrush, his toothpaste, two bucket hats, a sweater. But in the end, he was fed up, he really wanted to change. »