Delta on checked luggage

Delta allows one checked bag on flights to Europe without charging a fee. The bag must be under 50 pounds and must fit the specifications. Here are the guidelines:

"To avoid extra charges for oversize or overweight baggage, your checked bag must:

* Weigh 50 pounds (23 kg) or less.
* Not exceed 62 inches (157 cm) when you total length+width+height."

For additional information on baggage, check out Delta's website.

Delta Carry-on Bag Specifications

Since we're all flying on Delta Airlines, we'll need to be familiar with Delta rules regarding baggage. Currently, Delta allows you to carry on one bag and one personal item. The bag must meet airline size specifications, and there are also restrictions on the personal item. So here is what Delta says:

"You may carry on one bag and one personal item at no charge. Please note that all items must easily fit into the overhead bin or under the seat in front of you.

Approved Personal Carry-on Items

• 1 purse, briefcase, camera bag, or diaper bag;
• or 1 laptop computer (computers cannot be checked and must be carried on);
• or 1 item of a similar or smaller size to those listed above.

Additional Approved Carry-on Items

You may also carry on the following items, which do not count as personal items:

• A jacket or umbrella.
• Food or drink purchased after clearing the security checkpoint.
• Duty free merchandise.
• Special items like strollers, child restraint seats, or assistive devices such as wheelchairs or crutches.

Carry-on Baggage Size Restrictions

When oversized bags do not fit in the overhead bins, delays occur. Fees will be applied to the oversized bag if it has to be checked at the gate. To avoid delays as well as fees, follow these size requirements:

• Baggage may not exceed 45 linear inches (or 115 cm) in combined length, width, and height.
• Baggage must fit easily in the Carry-on Baggage Check, which is located near the check-in counters and at the gate and is approximately 22" x 14" x 9" (or 56 x 36 x 23 cm)."

When packing, I recommend that you include what you would need for one day—just in case your luggage doesn't arrive at the same time you do. And then add only what you absolutely cannot do without on the trip over. We'll be changing planes and sitting in airports for awhile, so you will probably need a few things. Just keep it light!

Bank holidays

If my calendar calculations are correct, we will miss the bank holiday in England during our travels but catch the start of a different bank holiday in Ireland. The public holidays in Great Britain are often referred to as bank holidays, and while the official holiday is on Monday, the entire weekend becomes a holiday weekend much like our Memorial or Labor Day weekends. In England, there’s a bank holiday on the last Monday in May, so we’ll miss that with a later departure and by traveling first to Ireland. In Ireland, there’s a bank holiday on the first Monday in June, so we may catch some preparations and special events for that holiday during our last couple of days on the island.

In the news . . .

London is currently engulfed in smog, and temperatures are a balmy 77 degrees—warm for this time of year in London. You can check out some pictures by linking to British newspapers: The Independent, The Daily Mail, or The Guardian. Of course, as I said in my earlier post, weather changes. My bet is the smog will be long gone by the time we arrive!

Converting Celsius to Fahrenheit

There is a simple formula for converting from Fahrenheit to Celsius—multiply the Celsius temperature by 1.8, then add 32 to get Fahrenheit temperature. For example, 10 Celsius multiplied by 1.8 is 18, plus 32 is 50 Fahrenheit.

Of course, there is also an app for that!

Preparing for weather

I begin with a qualifier: one thing that is certain is the uncertainty of weather! That being said, I want to share some weather information for the trip. :)

You can expect the weather in Ireland to be mild but somewhat cooler than we are accustomed to in May and June. Today in Shannon, for example, the temperature at 4 p.m. was 18 Celcius or 65 Fahrenheit, and in Killarney it was 60 degrees. As we get closer to trip time, check out the temperature links in the right hand column for daily weather forecasts.

One bonus to traveling in May or June is that daylight hangs around longer. Because we will be so far north (due west is Newfoundland!), we won't have nightfall until about 11 p.m. (But north doesn’t necessarily mean cold since Ireland is constantly swept by warm tradewinds from the southwest.)

In both Ireland and England you should be prepared for rain. On my first trip to England I had many sunny dry days. On the next trip it rained nearly every day! Preparation is the key. You want something that will keep you warm and dry, but you will not want to carry around a huge umbrella or a heavy coat. Look for a lightweight rain jacket or lightweight small umbrella that you can easily tuck inside your day bag. The keys are lightweight, fast drying, and compact so that you can forget about raingear when the sun comes out!

What to wear? Layering is your best bet. Avoid heavy clothing items such as jeans and coats. Opt instead for lightweight fabrics if possible, and layer so that you can peal off that extra warmth when the sun comes out or when riding on the bus.

One final piece of advice: buy your shoes now and start walking. New shoes are a sure way to get blistered feet! Just wearing the shoes to work or school is not enough. Go walking in them! And pack a couple of adhesive bandages just in case!

Gee, we'll miss the royal wedding!

While I'm sure London will be a fun place to be the week of the royal wedding, I am pleased our tour does not fall in that week. I think we're better off arriving after the event so that we miss some of the lines, the crowds, and the traffic jams, and we might even pick up a wedding souvenir at a discount (well, probably not).

I hope that some of you are getting a chance to watch all the hype leading up to the wedding, because regardless of whether you are interested in Kate's dress and nail polish or the names of the horses that will pull the carriages, you can watch lots of London city street scenes—places we will be seeing in a few weeks. CNN is running lots of prenuptial stuff. You can check out the videos and the schedule at this CNN website. I'm sure there are other sites that are running special programming about the wedding. NBC also has announced a special wedding coverage schedule. Check it out here. NBC's website allows you to check out some of the wedding souvenirs that are sure to dominant many of the London shops. My favorite? Well, I usually go for the china, but this time I may have to check out the Legos. See the photos here.

Meeting in May

Just a reminder to everyone that our final trip meeting is set for May 9 at 6:30 p.m. I am checking on a location and will post/email more information when I get it. Meanwhile, keep watching the blog for more tips and information.

3-1-1 Rule

Be sure that you familiarize yourself with TSA rules to avoid complications when going through airport security. You need to know about the 3-1-1 rule for liquids in carry-on luggage—3.4 ounces or less per container, all in 1 Zip-lock quart-sized bag, and 1 Zip-lock bag per traveler. Here's a link that gives you more information:

3-1-1 Rule

This applies to carry-on luggage only. If you have larger containers for items such as shampoo or lotion, you can just put those in your checked bag. But one thing the 3-1-1 rule has done—it has lightened the carry-on luggage! Ask yourself whether you really need that big bottle of shampoo! Take only what you need for the 10 or so days of the trip. Remember, you have to carry that luggage in and out of hotels and on and off of buses. Less is better!

Government rules and regulations for airport security can change often, so I'll continue to check for updates and keep you posted of any changes. One good thing about group travel is that we get to move through lines together, and that sometimes makes the processing simpler and less time-consuming.

New links

I've posted a couple of links of interest—a currency converter and a weather forecaster for Ireland that also will allow you to look up other UK cities and convert Celsius to Fahrenheit. These links are in the right hand column on this page.

Link to Travel Site

Back in 2007 when we were planning our second UK trip, Brad put together a website designed to lighten the traveler's burden. He called it OneBagOneWorld.com. Since that time the site has grown tremendously, and Brad has taken on a writing partner. Check it out for all types of travel tips—clothing, luggage, airlines, and so much more!

Here's the link:

OBOW
aka
1bag1world

Power Connections in the UK

What follows is information on power adapters put together by Brad for our 2007 trip to England. I've done some checking and learned that the power adapters we used then will work for both England and Ireland. So this is good information that should help you decide what equipment you need. Don't waste your money on converters. You don't need to spend that much. Notice the link below—you only need to spend $1 on an adapter if you have a dual voltage appliance! Read below:

ELECTRICAL ANSWERS

Power outlets in the UK use a different style plug than the USA and the current it 220 volts - not 120 volts. The simplest way to handle the power conversion is to make sure that your charger, hair dryer, or curling iron is a dual voltage model. With dual voltage appliances all you need is the little plug at the right.

Dual voltage appliances automatically adjust to the higher voltage. This is how you can tell if your equipment is dual voltage: it will say 120/240 volts somewhere on the appliance. The label may be a sticker or it may be molded into the item. Most chargers and AC power adapters for electronic equipment produced in the last few years are dual voltage. Make sure by checking the label! You can get the adapter plugs locally but it may be cheaper to mail order them from the source above. Most adapter kits you buy locally will have both Euro and UK plugs and will cost about $10. You only need the UK plug for this trip. The one mentioned above is $1 plus shipping. You may want to buy two or combine an order with another tripper to save on shipping.

If your appliances are not dual voltage you'll need a power converter - not just a plug. The problem is that these converters are heavy (about one pound) and expensive (up to $40), and they don't always work properly. It may be cheaper to just buy a new dual voltage hair dryer. Target has one for only $15.

If in doubt about power conversion, do your own research. Damage can result to your AC-powered stuff if you get it wrong.

This link has a detailed discussion of power conversion.