Packing
Packing Tips
Please do not overpack! Storage space is usually minimal and closets in student residences are very small.
Luggage Size and Weight • Australian airlines have stringent baggage and weight limits. Visit your airline’s website to view checked baggage policies and any fees for checked bags. • Do not attempt to exceed your airline’s baggage limit. If you do, the airline staff can make you repack and/or pay an extra weight fee, or the airline may refuse to accept your luggage at all. • You will have to carry your luggage everywhere, so make sure that you can manage all your luggage by yourself. • Carry-on luggage must fit under the seat in front of you or in the overhead bin. We recommend that you keep your carry-on weight to about 10 pounds since you’ll be navigating very large airports.
Pack wisely and use suitable luggage. Trunks are too heavy and impossible to handle alone, and suitcases are bulky and tiring to carry. Past students suggest a sturdy, internal-frame backpack as the ideal piece of luggage. A backpack, small suitcase and small carry-on are all the luggage you should need.
Climate The seasons in Australia are opposite of the Northern Hemisphere, with summer December through February and winter June through August. Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne are humid and temperate, with warm summers and cool but not cold winters. Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville, Gold Coast and Perth have a subtropical climate similar to Florida. Canberra has a mostly dry climate with hot summers and cool winters. Australia’s winter is often cooler and more damp than U.S. students expect. Be sure to pack the cool weather clothing recommended on p. 39.
Protecting Your Luggage From Theft and Loss • Make luggage tags to identify all of your luggage, including your carry-on. • Put labels inside your luggage in case the outside labels fall off. • If you put a lock on your bag, make sure it is approved by the Transportation Security Administration (see www.tsa.gov); otherwise, airline security may cut it off. Protecting Your Documents and Valuables • Do not pack your tickets, passport, travel documents, medication or valuables in your checked luggage. Keep them on your person at all times. • Do not put valuables in a backpack; backpacks are prone to theft. General Packing Advice • Pack what you’ll need first on top in one bag. • Pack shampoos, toothpaste and any other liquids or gels in plastic bags. • A plastic bag can also be used to separate clean and dirty laundry and to hold wet clothes (resealable bags are the best). • Pack your carry-on so that you can live out of it for a few days if your checked luggage gets lost. • If you can’t decide whether to take something expensive or sentimental, ask yourself how you would feel if it was lost or stolen. • Leave room in your luggage to bring home the things you acquire while abroad. • Keep FAA regulations in mind when packing your carry-on. Do not bring anything that could be considered a weapon onto the plane.
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