Planning for my holidays

How often do you enjoy your pipe? Does your wife approve/tolerate it?
If I were going away solo or with friends for a weekend, I'd take one pipe and a familiar blend. If my wife and family around, none.

Even with a sympathetic travel partner in my wife, I find my smoking limited when I travel. I'm not one who smokes and drives or otherwise multitasks much with a pipe. So I usually just do a bowl every day or two, outdoors of the lodging. For this purpose, three or four pipes and three or four blends in pouches or tins does just fine. Though I have a beautiful leather pipe case, I prefer an inexpensive nylon shaving kit that would attract few thieves, unless they are desperate for someone elses deodorant and razor. Don't forget your matches and/or lighter, pipe cleaners, and pipe tool. I don't take my most treasured pipes, hoping they're safe at home. But I take good pipes, valued cobs and nice mid-range briars, to fully enjoy the fewer smokes. You have a special problem with your travel party. If it causes discord, I'd consider not trying to smoke your pipe, if you're comfortable with that. Family politics are endlessly complicated and fraught in many cases, and you don't want much of that on holiday.

Well if you have to sneak away for a quick pipe, I'd pack smaller ones. Do you smoke aromatic blends? The smoke might not bother those around you if it smells alright.

I almost suggested that Tom, there are things to consider when travelling with others and want to enjoy a pipe too.

May be counter-intuitive but a Meerschaum pipe might be good to bring along. There is the danger of breaking it but it requires less rest between smokes. If you are smoking 4-5 bowls a day you may end up with a lot of pipes on hand! Smoking outside so don't forget the wind cap for those briars.

If it were me, I'd probably only pack one pipe, maybe two, just because I know myself pretty well. I will over think the hell out of it before traveling, and end up packing crap I didn't even need or have the time to use. You'd be surprised. I may think I'm going to have a lot of time to get away for a smoke, but when on vacation, especially with other family members, we tend to end up doing more things than I think we will. I'd like to think I could enjoy at least a bowl a day, but realistically, things come up, out of the blue, sporadically and they tend to be things involving the family, so the only time I'd have a chance might be either very early or late in the evening. Being on vacation, I'd rather sleep when and how I want without the worry. I'd say pick a few blends that most don't mind the aroma of, then just one pipe, maybe two, but I agree that I'd leave the treasured items at home. I'd be the first one to lose/break a nice pipe, lose my good lighter/tamp, while on vacation and have to buy matches/cheap lighter and trying to find something to tamp/pick out my pipe with on the fly. I'd probably take a few of my cobs, even though my MM Cobbler is becoming one of my favorite pipes to smoke and as treasured as any other pipe, but it smokes too well to leave behind. Just my two cents.

MSO's advice is sound, I think. I seriously doubt you will get time on your own to smoke 5 bowls a day. 2-3 would be a more realistic bet. I would pack 4 briars and a cob. Maybe 5-6 blends. Tins, 'cause they take little space and are handy. I find it practical to put all of my smoking gear in a rucksack (I think it is called), and take out the pipes that need rest, when possible.

magical', no disrespect to your mom at all. It's her holiday too. And it's much better when people let their feelings be known, makes for better family harmony. All members of a travel party must be given plenty of say. When I can travel with others, it always creates a special bond, because it's a special art. I'd rather work with their preferences than have them unhappy. We're creatures made to live in groups, even us really introverted folks (me). ...I've missed going to Wales, but my sister and her husband did, and when they heard a choir, they then went afterwards to a nearby pub, where the choir reappeared and sang on into the night, beautifully. One of her treasured memories.

As many pipes and blends as you can fit. That's my honest answer and I'm sticking to it. My wife is always amused (slight sarcasm) when she watches me fill a drawer of a dresser with all of the pipes and tobaccos that I packed.

Personally, I tend to take just two pipes with me on holiday, and just one tobacco. Holidays (for me at least) are about travelling light and reducing the things I have to think about. Incidentally, as I live in Bristol, the 'border' to Wales isn't far away - let me know if there are signs of a hard border going up! :crazy:
Mike

I usually take a falcon pipe and a spare bowl, plus whatever tin of tobacco that takes my fancy.

My travel pack is always the same, my Nording signature, a second brier, 1 Kirsten with two bowls (one meer, one brier), and one simple meer. With of course the tools and accessories. I take one good day time smoke with good room note, one english or balkan, and usually a blend edging towards an aromatic if I'm around mixed company and want to smoke but wish for a good room note.