# Negril.com Message Board Forums > Negril Message Board >  Have you learned the lesson of packing 4 Negril yet?

## Fred Stripe

Yeah,first trip you have like 3 pieces of luggage and by the 3rd trip you have a backpack...You learned that you really wore 2 bathing suits and like 3 shirts for 8 days because you really didn't care.

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## jimbo

There you go speakin' da truth again,  :Cool:

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## captaind

Less clothes. Have enough at the yard and a washing machine.......

MORE TOOLS!!!!

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## Ras Walleye

Funny, when I was single I could go for 2 weeks with just a backpack. Now that it's the wife and I returning home, it has become 4 suitcases.

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## NikkiB

No doubt! I'm managing with just a carry-on these days.

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## Momthor3

half the clothes and twice the money!!! Sure hope the bank machine doesn't eat my card this year.......that was a little stressful!!

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## DConkle

Over the last 14 years we seem to tweak our packing with each trip. Certainly less clothes but for some reason more "other" stuff. We tend to really set up housekeeping in our room. I think the more housekeeping has to do with less money!

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## Fred Stripe

*  I pack less clothes but pack things to "personalize" the room,beads from New Orleans,X Mas lights if it's December, hang my wifes sarongs in the room....*

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## Johio

We could probably go just carry on if my wife didn't go to the gym/work out every day or bring so damn many shoes.  But I guess a woman always needs options.  And the gym visits keep her looking great on the beach so I really can't complain.

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## Flipadelphia26

I'm going Carry-on this trip.

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## Hussyband

No.  I have not.  We are each taking two large suitcases, a huge duffel full of stuff we bought for saint Anthony's, my carry on (this is our beach bag, so there is at least some semblance of saving space) my laptop bag, my wife's carryon, and I imagine she will have a handbag as well.  We actually had to upgrade the car service that picks us up to get us in a suburban because the luggage will not fit in a regular town car for the trip to the airport.  My wife packs a virtual over the counter pharmacy every trip, we have gifts for the staff at Tensing, gifts for the kids of two staff members we made friends with, and I am trying to figure out a way to pack this four person inflatable raft I saw on amazon.  Someone had a larger version at tensing last year, and it looked fun.

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## original spanky

we bring one bag for us and two bags of give aways

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## Fred Stripe

*  I always pack little things to give to the kids but when I get there I buy the gifts from the HiLo to then give so I feed the HiLo also.Win/Win...*

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## love2travelchic

My first time packing a carryon this pass week to Puerto Rico and I love it!!!
I have already purchased a new carryon suitcase my next reach I will be ready!!

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## yetta

No, I guess I am a slow learner. Just going to have to keep trying and trying...till I get it right!!  :Smile:   :Smile:    However, I have improved!  If they would lighten up on the 3oz deal, I think it would be a lot easier, esp. for woman. Staying longer visits makes it hard to not have to check items, just to be able to get all the shampoos, lotions, sunscreen, etc .  I know one can purchase them there, but at a price. Plus, for those with some skin sensitivities...it ain't easy to find in JA.

Oh well, don't mind checking one bag anyhow...but I do need to make more room for items for dear friends that I have had for over 18 years. Got 2 likkle pickney that I have a special  Christmas gift...got make room somehow!

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## Beebeluv

The 3 oz. thing has got me too... I refuse to check a bag because I'm coming from California... and I don't trust them to get my bag from one plane to the other and some times possibly a third... scary... on the way home isn't soo bad to check a bag tho...

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## St. Anthony's Kitchen

Hey, Fred, when you finish with those Christmas lights you hang around the place give me a call.  I'm in competition with Coco La Palm, across the street from the church, which has great decorations--most beautiful on the Beach Road.  I'm always looking for more lights--shooting for 2nd most beautiful.  --Fr. Jim

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## Fred Stripe

*  O/K,,,I always give the lights away......*

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## St. Anthony's Kitchen

Hey Fred mon, when you are finished with those Christmas lights pass them along to me.  I am in competition with Coco La Palm across the street.  They have the most beautiful Christmas decorations on the Beach Road.  They have spurred me on and I'd argue that we are 2nd best.  So, why not shoot for #1!  Mary Gate of Heaven Church welcomes Christmas lights--used or new!  --Fr. Jim

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## St. Anthony's Kitchen

Hey Fred mon, when you are finished with those Christmas lights pass them along to me.  I am in competition with Coco La Palm across the street.  They have a the most beautiful Christmas lights on the Beach Road.  They have spurred me on and I think Mary Gate of Heaven is 2nd best.  Why not shoot for #1.  I'll take your lights--and anyone else's too--used or new.  I'm coming after you Coco La Palm!  --Fr. Jim

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## Maryann

Usually just take my carry on with mostly swimsuits and sundresses.  Usually save some room for some school supplies, which then leaves some room for coffee beans to bring back home, but have bought so many souveniers over the years, I really don't need extra bags for those anymore.

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## rinakim

This time I vow to take nothing but a duffle bag and my sling bag.  I always come home with a pile of clothes/shoes that have never been worn and a whole bunch of stuff that I think "what was I thinking when I packed that".

We are not bringing suitcases full of gifts this time.  Will buy locally.

I used a lot of the local brand skin/hair/hygeine products last reach that are just as good if not better than what I normally bring and they can be picked up very inexpensively.  The Jamaican Cocoa Butter Lotion that we picked up at Wise Choice for $135JA is awesome stuff, great moisturizing and smells like the beach  :Smile: 

Our next reach we have a very short layover (an hour) in Toronto and I'm scared it just won't be enough time to get our luggage transferred from one plane to the next.

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## captaind

37 lbs of tools and 13 lbs clothes in the checked bag.

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## tfw73

We got it down to one suitcase the last trip...aiming for each one of us a carry on for the next trip, however.  I don't know if it's possible, but we are going to try!

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## phineasfreakears

Seven day trip; one pair of sandals, three pairs of shorts, bathing suit, three or four shirts, fresh underwear for each day, my snorkeling gear, and the clothes on my back. All fits in a small carry-on with room to spare for a few gifts, and coffee on the way home. Why would you need anything else?

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## captaind

Packing finished.......

Two checked @ 49.5 lbs each......Two backpacks for carry on. (Meds, documents and my office set up)

Jet Blue non stop from MCO.. No charge for checked.....I watch the suitcases go in the luggage hold......

Luckily I have someone to carry them everywhere we go

36 hours and counting

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## Rambo

NEVER FORGET to pack my "Get off the plane with my First and Last Day T Shirt" on........

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## Fred Stripe

*  I wore my cleanest,dirty shirt.........Johnny Cash....*

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## M&G Montreal

> Hey, Fred, when you finish with those Christmas lights you hang around the place give me a call.  I'm in competition with Coco La Palm, across the street from the church, which has great decorations--most beautiful on the Beach Road.  I'm always looking for more lights--shooting for 2nd most beautiful.  --Fr. Jim


Ahhh, but Fr. Jim - your light from within dazzles the beach for sure!  Even Coco La Palm can't beat that!   :Smile:

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## M&G Montreal

Not quite there, but certainly getting better.  I used to do the whole Black & Decker Beauty kit thing, never wore any of it (especially in summer 'cause it just melts off ...).  Rinakim, you're so right - they have a blue Alberto VO5 we can't even get here and it's just wonderful!  And not expensive!  Always haul back some for our girls!  Take the absolute minimum to get us thru the first few days, til we can get to the wholesale place and get what we need and give it away when we leave.  Shampoo, Creme Rinse, Lotion, yada yada yada weigh a tonne!!!  

Now, smart packers that you are - what can you NOT leave home without????  Me?  My apricot facial scrub (squigeed into a travel bottle) and my fave toner (also squigeed into a travel bottle!).  And my squishy yoga mat flip flops, even if they're useless in the rain or wet!  I love them!

Last trip, I actually did it with 2 prs of shoes and 2 flip flops.  That is awesome.   For me!

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## tfw73

Hey M & G!!!  I hope y'all are making a trip to Negril next summer...I would love to see y'all again  :Smile:

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## Accompong

*What I have learned about packing, especially now that I live in Jamaica, is to take full advantage of sending a pallet with most of my stuff except the clothes and electronic gear so it is at Customs when I arrive.  From Ft. Lauderdale I can send 27CF (3 X 3 X 3) for $200 (which is only around $100 more than the airline checked baggage fees) and then fly Caribbean Air where I can take 4 bags for free.  2 checked, a computer bag and a carry-on bag.  Now my pallet is ready to go!

*

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## Lola

Accompong, you wrote 'so it is at Customs when I arrive' - are you able to retrieve it from the same customs hall as you are going through as a passenger, or do you have to go to another location?

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## Accompong

> Accompong, you wrote 'so it is at Customs when I arrive' - are you able to retrieve it from the same customs hall as you are going through as a passenger, or do you have to go to another location?


No, Lola.  You have to go to the Customs Warehouse.

A pallet of goods of this size and not flying with you as "accompanied baggage" must be claimed at the Customs Warehouse.  The process is a little more involved but I send it to my Jamaican friend and he clears it for me.  As I need a truck to carry the goods back to my hometown deep into the Cockpits and a ride at the same time, it is more cost effective to do it all in one trip.

I am just trying to help out those people who have a lot of things to send to Jamaica which would exceed their luggage space.  I do this at least once a year as that is when I go back home anyways.

Hope this helps some people.

Peace and Guidance

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## M&G Montreal

> Hey M & G!!!  I hope y'all are making a trip to Negril next summer...I would love to see y'all again


We are working on it, girl!  I will keep you posted.  We try get the back-to-back long weeks here in Quebec (234 Jun and 01 Jul - only takes 8 vacay days!).  Want to go this winter, too  ... actually, I want to go right now, too ....

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