If we go through with our trip in '09 it will be for a month. Now, I love to shop; so how can I get things I buy along the way with a 44 lb weight limit home? We will fly Business and they do allow 70 lbs. But, once within India we will have flights with a 44 lb limit. i can't even imagine going for a 3 week back-to-back cruise with a 44 lb weight limit. What I have read about shipping the luggage ahead or back home is very very expensive. Has anyone sent via DHL or UPS? How expensive are they and how reliable are they? If a hotel in Delhi could store our luggage for a week and we could pick it up on the way back to the U.S. we could keep the 70 lb limit. Has anyone ever done that? Left parcial luggage in a hotel or tour agency and then picked it up? Probably not very safe. Any ideas? Judy

When I go shopping for anything that doesn't fit in my purse, it gets shipped at the store I buy from. They all use UPS/DHL/FedEx and I have never not received my purchases.

Judy,We have purchased a silk carpet in India and they shiped home with no problem. Another time we purchased and had them ship an alabaster vase.Itwas fairly large and very delicate. It also arrived safe and sound....they reall know how to pack. Just remember to tell customs when you are arriving home that the goods are to follow and you will get your allowece for duty free if you still have any..
Don't loose that paper. Oh thats in Canada but I imagine that ots the same in the US. Also believe that hand made carputs may even be exempt there.Check with customs befpr you go.

Judy, we have frequently left (big cruise) luggage at a hotel if we go there for a night or two before and a night or two after an extended trip before we've gotten on a ship for a long cruise. They have no problem with that as long as you plan ahead. Example: Before a two week cruise from Sydney to Auckland last year, we stayed at the Park Hyatt when we arrived in SYD. We then travelled around and they kept our luggage and we came back a night before boarding the ship and retrieved our luggage. We also did that in Tokyo before a cruise when we took a side trip to Kyoto. Maybe you can do that in India. Good luck, Linda & Larry

I've left my luggage at the Millenium Glousceter in London for a few days. No problem. We stayed for 5 days, went to York for 2 days and came back to London for 6 days. They said if we stored for more than 2 days there would be a charge. I think it was about 1 pound per bag per day last summer. But we weren't charged anything.

We did that too, in Athens. It worked out fine, and the hotel didn't mind. It helped that we stayed there our first and last night. Just check that the hotel is set up for this kind of thing--it's common in Greece, since people head out to the islands.