Does it fit?

Now that holiday season is slowly creeping up thoughts are turning to how much to take with you! I can almost hear the men moaning and sighing already.... their opinion is what more do you need apart from a toothbrush and spare pair of pants! But I´m afraid that most girls will struggle with a mans approach to packing and what is and isn´t an essential. I have got my packing off to a T now.... but in days gone by I too would take a pair of shoes to match each outfit for the evening - and yes you´ve guessed it, wore the same pair for the entire week! I now only travel out with hand luggage, which at 10kg is adequate, but "sometimes" find that after a good shop around Sainburys, Tesco et al need to check a bag in.

Some of those look rather large!

But the hand luggage rules are very confusing ... all stipulate ONE piece but it´s a hit and miss. I discovered on Tuesday, when taking my daughter back to Alicante airport, that Monarch actually allow you to take a handbag in addition to your hand luggage, as long as they both fit into the cage. This I assume must be a recent change because when I travelled with my son back to Spain last summer the staff at the gate (Gatwick airport) made all the ladies put their handbags into their hand luggage. They stated clearly only ONE piece of luggage would be allowed through and they counted a ladies handbag as one! My "handbag" probably challenges trade descriptions but then I have a lot of what I deem essentials that I carry around with me.

Certainly not Asda prices!

However, Ryanair must take top spot for rigidly adhering to rules, especially with weight and size of your hand luggage. The eagle eyed cabin crew at the gate can spot a potential commission 100 metres away!
It makes the flying experience so stressful - it use to be a pleasure but now all you see are worried passengers fretting whether they will get through without being pulled up and slapped with an extortionate excess fee. It is a common sight spotting cases flying open and being "rearranged" whilst queueing at the gate to board...

Oh I hark back to the days when you didn´t have to worry about size of bags or whether your liquids exceeded the 100ml rule! Every since they stopped you taking your own drinks and water through security its been open season at the airport, with shops charging what they want - you are held to ransom... airport prices are a disgrace! Having said that, airline prices aren´t that much better - 1.70GBP for a half litre bottle of water or 2.40GBP for a cup of PG.... as for the price of alcohol, don´t even get me started!

Minitures for sale at Duty Free

I did notice that at the "Duty Free" in Gatwick they were selling miniatures at the tills - and on a 3 for 2 offer!
You are technically NOT allowed to drink your own spirits on board but many do, refusing to pay the airline prices - and obviously by selling them at the airport they are cashing in on this!
I see many passengers purchasing just a mixer then adding their pre bought spirit to it. Why, when you are "allowed" to bring soft drinks onboard and consume can you not bring alcohol on? I don´t understand their reasoning ... Oh silly me, its all to do with profit! Next they will be charging you to eat your own sandwiches - hope Mr O´Leary doesn´t read this, it may give him ideas!