I thought I would share a TechEd tip while I am packing for the trip. Always remember when attending these events that SWAG HAPPENS. Right now, most of you are filling your bag with 10 pairs of clothes (4 you will never wear), swimming trunks you will never use, and an endless supply of dress socks that will stay folded the entire trip. You then lay on top of your bag to get it closed hoping the security at the airport won't open it and go through your stuff because it will be impossible to shut unless you do it yourself. Then you arrive in Boston and spend a week in the Expo Hall, roaming for meaningless pieces of marketing materials, but you can't get enough. Before your flight home you visit the magnificent Company Store where you buy every member of your family a Microsoft shirt they will never been seen wearing. Shorting after you arrive back at your hotel you start packing to go home, but wait, you don't have any room for the new stuff you acquired!!!! Now you can go to the airport and buy a bag marked up 4x the retail price or do what I do, take out 4 of the outfits and pack an extra bag. One that will fold up nicely and can be filled with Swag, books, shirts, and whatever else you bring home from Boston.
In Summary (for you lazy readers), pack an extra bag!
- Jeff Julian