Even though we had a semi-formal event to attend (complete with nice shoes) I managed to minimize packing. We only needed clothes for three days, plus one outfit in which to travel. The travel outfit by necessity required heavy coats, since it was in the single digits when we left New Jersey.
I opted for a 21" roller - my eBags Mother Load Mini. Since I have a Presidential Plus MasterCard with United, I don't have to pay for checked bags, so we went ahead and each checked a bag (Priority - a plus!). When we arrived at EWR, we shed our outer winter layers and stuffed them into the bags we would check, keeping a thin fleece jacket for the plane. We each had a Tom Bihn Synapse (the. best. bag. EVER.) as a carry on.
In my Synapse, I carried an iPad, a Kindle, an iPhone, chargers for each, a Canon G12 and its accessories, and some essential toiletries with me. Once through security, we spent some time in the United Club Lounge (another MasterCard perk), and grabbed some snacks from there for the plane. Because we had checked our bags, and had gotten to the airport 2 hours early, we had plenty of time to relax before boarding.
Once on the plane, we had a nice surprise - we were the only 2 people in our row. The flight was smooth, my brother in law was waiting when we landed, and we had an enjoyable short stay. If only all our trips went this well :-)
