How to pack…what book to take…giving that couple shadowing you the slip – enjoy a stress-free break, courtesy of Tom Meltzer The lost art of packing a suitcase The secret of good suitcase packing is to fold as if your life depended on it. Fold each item as tightly as you can and then crush it a bit for good measure. Think of packing as a game of Tetris played with bits of sponge; be careful not to leave any empty space, and avoid taking awkwardly shaped green things. Put the Tetris music on in the background if you’re having trouble. The passport The first hurdle here is working out where you left it last time. Classic passport hiding places include last year’s suitcase, a folder full of bank statements, and the drawer in the kitchen with all the screwdrivers and bits of string in it. Check these first. Once you’ve found it, keep it on you at all times. If you’re holidaying with friends they will ask to see your passport photo. This request is to be refused at all costs. The aeroplane question Strictly speaking of course as a Guardian reader – and a global citizen – you shouldn’t be flying. However, like the rest of us, you are. Welcome aboard the hypocrite plane. Be sure to prepare a suitably moralistic explanation.

Original Source Summer holidays – a survivor’s guide