Packing for China 2014 - what shall I take this time?

So when I returned home from China this year (June 2014) on Sri Lankan Airlines, I was lucky enough to have 30K of baggage weight.  But, the problem was I was coming back to China so I didn't need to take a lot of stuff with me. In the end I only took about 17K in my check in bag and most of that was taken up with presents for Matilda, my daughter.  In terms of my stuff I only took a couple of t shirts, a pair of jeans and underwear. As I knew I had clothes at home I could use.

Coming back to China though is a different matter.  On this flight I was only allowed 20K checked in baggage which can be pushed to 23k without any financial penalty for being over weight.

So as usual I needed to really think about what I was bringing back.  This means packing, weighing, repacking, re-thinking and stripping unwanted weight.

This is basically the final cut after a couple of weigh ins. 

The full list of what I bought back with me is this.

Main Bag

Buckaroo Game (for a friend)

Operation Game (for a friend)

8 x 35mm films (for a friend)

Ralph Lauren Polo  (for a friend)

Knee brace

CK1 (200ml) Gift

CK BE (200ml)

Hugo Boss 100ml Gift

240 Teabags

Suit - Jacket and Trousers

Hoody

5 x Shirts

1 Pair Jeans

Underwear x 5

5 x socks

5 x socks (short)

Running shorts

Marmite 600gms

T shirt x 1

Shaving oil 250ml

15 lemsips

4 toothbrush heads (Oral B)

9 x blister packs Anadin Extra (6 tabs in each)

2 x Lemsip Day time tabs blister packs

5 x Ibuprofen blister packs

13 razor blades

Face mask and filters

Mug

2 x Brut 200ml Gift

Body Creme 200ml Gift

2 x Decaffe Coffee 227gms - Gift

Mini Wifi Speaker (for friend)

3 canvas bags - Gifts

7 x bags of rock - Gifts for students

12 x Walnut Whips - Gift

2 x Simple moisturiser 125ml 

Small book - gift

6 x Sure Deodorants

400 ml cough medicine in 4 x small plastic bottles

Cod Liver oil Tabs 250 (for Snooky)

Aloe Vera Gel 200ml

Camera - Gift

Dog treats (for Snooky)

7 x ties

Beconase x 1

And that was pretty much pushing the full 23 kilos

So I had to depend on my backpack and computer bag which I was allowed to carry on board.

BackPack

Rain Jacket

Hat

Curry powder 400gms

Dog treat

Longsleeved t shirt

Soap

2 cameras Gifts

Sweets (gifts)

Segs x 4 (for a friend)

2 tee shirts

Shorts

2 shirts

Plugs and wires

Neck pillow

Water bottle

Denim Jacket

Computer Bag

Computer in bag

Google Tablet

Kindle

external hard drive

Camera Book

Cards/postcards/envelopes x 12

20x tourist maps of Plymouth (classroom materials)

headphones x 2

plugs

various paperwork

Plus I had a tube with a large artwork in it to string over my shoulder

Plus I was carrying a leather jacket

Plus I also had another bag in which I had three books and my various bit and pieces to have on board. 

It was a lot - and heavy.  But It all went on board the airplane. The hardest part of the journey was the London Underground which still doesn't have good access to the platforms so you have to bump and heave your luggage up and down stairs. By the time I got to Nanjing my Jeep bag was ruined - ripped and the metal frame bent.

If you want to know what to pack for a first time visit to China look here:

2013A    -  2013B

Packing for China the final countdown.

Thats it, its about 10:30 in the evening and my taxi is booked for 9am tomorrow morning so I think I've finished packing.

I had confirmation today from Cathay Pacific that my ticket did indeed have a 30 kilo check in allowance.

I havent gone mad and added loads more stuff. I added a pair of shorts that were always going to be on the list but I had been wearing them and they were then in the wash.  Ive also added a fleece and a rain jacket but these two items are in my carry on at the moment. I've decanted my medicine out of the glass bottle that I rejected yesterday and put it into two 100ml plastic bottles. I've added some more teabags and a few bits and pieces such as Snook Dogs Ducky, two balls, plus tomorrow, I'll have to add her lead, collar and harness as she is not allowed them on the plane she's going on. But nothing else significant so the main bag is up to about 25 kilos. I think thats about it, Im happy with that. Plus it also gives me a bit of leeway if my carry on bag is heavy or they don't like my stuffed computer bag, or the overcoat I'll be carrying, on the airlines website I don't think they like carried overcoats and will want to add it to the carry on tariff.

Im a bit exhuasted as its been non stop the last couple of days just tying up loose ends, getting the house ship shape, sorting out snooks pet passport, paying my tax :-( sorting out the bank, credit cards and so on.

The last thing to do I suppose is try on the clothes I think Im wearing tomorrow, a bit late but I think it'll be OK - famous last words huh?

My bags

Packing for China Part 2

The on/off, can I/can't I? Will they/Won't they saga of my baggage allowance seems to have been settled by the agent. As I mentioned the agent told me I could have 30 kilos and the airline told me, no no no, its 20 kilos for you in cattle class.  Anyhow, the agent has confirmed the 30 kilos and re-issued my ticket, Im still ringing up Cathay Pacific tomorrow, just in case - just in case I don't have $600 on my person when they tell me my baggage is overweight!

As it is I have just re-packed my bag, reassessed the contents and at the moment my main bag is about 23 kilos.

This is the full list:

Main Bag

Running shoes

Black shoes for work
Running shorts - Lycra
Running shirt - long sleeves
Polo Shirt x 2
Waxed type Jacket
Black and White Kefeya Scarf

Casual Rugby style shirts x 1 - long sleeve 
Track suit bottoms  - new and thick and warm x1
Towel (small hand towel)
2 x blue jeans
7 cotton shirts -  for work etc 5 x long sleeve formal 2 x short sleeve casual
2 x thermal vests and 2 x thermal long johns - there is no heating in Chinese schools
6 pairs underpants 
7 pairs of socks 

2 x ankle socks for running

1 woolly hat 
1 woolly bobble hat
2 x pair thick socks
Running trousers (Lycra)

8 ties

Lumberjack style hat (bought in china last time)

1 x neck scarf

Long sleeve top

Polo neck top - long sleeve

White England Nike rugby top

Linen Suit

Trousers (work)

Grey work jacket

Micro fleece

Swimming shorts

Hiking boots

Dark Suit

Wash bag with razor, toothbrush, small toothpaste, small bottle Calvin Klein One and other bits n pieces

Bigger wash bag holding various medicines including 20 lemsips (gold dust in China), some anti Beijing tummy remedy, migraine medicine, anadin, anti indigestion medicine etc. 

Plus:

3 brown puffers (cenil modulate)

4 blue ventolin

Canvas bag (present)

Shoe brushes x 2

3 x pairs of insoles

small canvas artwork 6 x 6 inches

2 x filters (for friends hot tub)

4 x anti perspirent roll ons, 

Swiss army knife 

When I started the repack the bag was weighing in at about 26 kilos. So I have reduced this by removing all the packaging from various medicines, removed a glass bottle of cough medicine ( I might regret this), the short sleeved rugby shirt, removed the bath towel, I can buy one in China, removed gloves, removed scarf and anything in superfluous packaging i.e., took shoes out of shoe bag.

Computer Bag carry on

Spare dog lead

Neoprene knee brace

Office folder containing papers, certificates etc

Ventolin

Hair clay

Olbas Oil 10ml

Kindle

Google Nexus tablet

Hanky (cotton)

Notebooks x 2

Spare mobile phone

Glasses x 3 (reading)

Business cards

8 x USB memory sticks

Oxford School Thesaurus

Apple Mac Book in case

Dr Dre Headphones

Dogs papers

Lead and Harness

This is about 7 kilos at the moment, it might be too heavy, the airline only stipulates a computer case or briefcase. 

Back pack carry on

2 x electrical plug adaptors

Camera

All Charging leads for gadgets

Camera lens wrapped in scarf

2 bags sweets for friends kids

spare glasses and sun glasses

spare razor blades (1 pack)

Hat

moist toilet tissue

Head torch (wind up)

anadin

3 x Typhoo tea packs (I know coals to Newcastle etc - but you can't beat a good cuppa, even in China!)

This is about 5 kilos at the moment and can be 7 kilos as my carry on bag. 

I have a waist belt as well which will have another pack of moist toilet tissue (a boon in China believe me), my sunglasses which I can wear around my neck when boarding, my small camera which I can wear on my belt when boarding. 

I also will carry an overcoat with stuff in the pockets.

Plus of course I will be wearing shirt, trousers, jacket, probably my fleece, doc martens etc. 

Once I have called Cathay Pacific tomorrow and confirmed my baggage allowance this is pretty much it I think.

Watch this space.

Packing for China 2013

I've started to pack for China. It seems I've had a stroke of good luck in that my airline ticket bought online via  www.airexpress.co.uk  gives me 30 kilos of checked in baggage as oppose to the 20 kilo the airline advertise. I have checked this with the agent and have had an email from them confirming it, I will be ringing Cathay Pacific tomorrow to double check. This is simply because if I end up 10 kilos overweight I'll be charged $600 excess baggage!

Anyway the 30 kilos gives me a bit more scope than the 20 kilos I had to pack last time. In
2011 this was pretty much my final packing list:
Running shoes
Black shoes for work
Running shorts - Lycra
Running shirt - long sleeves
Fred  Perry Polo Shirt
Waxed type Jacket
Black and White Kefeya Scarf
Casual Rugby style shirts x 2 - 1long sleeve and 1 short sleeve
Track suit bottoms  - new and thick and warm x1
University of Plymouth Hoodie - parting gift from my job - I asked for it, and they are warm and good quality
Large Bath sheet - smaller ones can be purchased in China but not bath sheets
1 pair black jeans
1 pair Khaki Chinos
4 cotton shirts -  for work etc
2 x thermal vests and 2 x thermal long johns - I'm told that there is no heating in Chinese schools
6 pairs underpants (M&S of course)
10 pairs of socks (1 pair a month huh?)
1 woolly hat (courtesy of Matilda, she bought it in Marrakesh)
1 woolly bobble hat
1 pair thick socks
Running trousers (Lycra)

That's it in terms of clothes

Also in the suitcase is:

A bag with 6 underarm deodorants - reduced from 10 - apparently you cant get deodorant in China! Plus 5 small bottles of shaving oil. Various prescription medicines, 3 Ventolin and 3 of the steroid puffers.  3 packs of Imodium (just in case!), about 12 of my migraine drugs (but hopefully will not need) cliploc bags x 2 boxes for teacher in china. 2 x large bars of chocolate requested by teacher in china. Swiss Army penknife.

At the moment my bag is pushing about 23 kilos and is looking pretty full with all this stuff (not including the dog, she's going on her own flight, i'm couriering her stuff)

So in no particular order here we go again:

Running shoes
Black shoes for work

Running shorts - Lycra
Running shirt - long sleeves
Polo Shirt x 2
Waxed type Jacket
Black and White Kefeya Scarf

Yellow Indian Scarf
Casual Rugby style shirts x 2 - 1long sleeve and 1 short sleeve
Track suit bottoms  - new and thick and warm x1
Bath towel
2 x blue jeans
7 cotton shirts -  for work etc 5 x long sleeve formal 2 x short sleeve casual
2 x thermal vests and 2 x thermal long johns - there is no heating in Chinese schools
6 pairs underpants 
7 pairs of socks 

2 x ankle socks for running
1 woolly hat 
1 woolly bobble hat
2 x pair thick socks
Running trousers (Lycra)

8 ties

Lumberjack style hat (bought in china last time)

1 x pair of gloves

1 x neck scarf

Long sleeve top

Polo neck top - long sleeve

White England Nike rugby top

Linen Suit

Trousers (work)

Grey work jacket

Micro fleece

Swimming shorts

Hiking boots

That's it in terms of clothes

Also in the suitcase is - to be listed when I'm sure I've got what I need. So that's a first attempt at getting what I think I need/want. Theres a couple of other items I could take if I want, but I have to decide do I really want them as, after all, I will have to bring most of this back and I may not get 30 kilos of baggage allowance next time. 

I've still got 7 kilos in my backpack and a computer case to go yet as well and I more week top sort it out as me and snooks are off on the 20th August.