Luggage to be carried.

[vinitmenon]

I have laptop and mobile here in Pakistan and i will carry them with me to canada. which type of converter or plug is required in canada? as there are diff voltage,freq and plugs(3 pin sockets).

u can buy a converter from duty free.. u will get a good quality converter there which will last long..

 

[lalithkumarbn]

Wow Guys to everyone who is thinking so much of deleting and losing their stuff... Just delete them and after that recover it back from a Recovery software
Works really great.. even if that does not work..
get a new HDD ,.. Dont ripp the whole package .. open it carefully .. put all your stuff in it and then pack it up
Would sound like you just bought a new HDD... and a Clean Slate

 

[just_do_it]

1. I would not recommend bringing a lot of clothes. The climate in Canada is very different than India. So other than the basics like jeans and t-shirts etc, i would recommend you buy here (you will buy in canada anyways based on whats trendy and whats not etc).

2. You will need a decent winter jacket or two for canadian winters, so better to buy here.

3. I would pack light and not lug around the maximum you are allowed if you dont have to.

4. don't let mummy ji slip in snacks, food items, achaar etc into your luggage. It may not be allowed into the country and you may get fined too. You can get everything here that you can in india and i mean EVERYTHING (i can even buy parle-g biscuits here... that's right).

5. Make sure you pack your own bags cause you will be asked that question if you have to go through secondary at the airport. If you have gifts from relatives for their friends/ family in canada, ask them to not wrap them when they hand them to you. you need to know what you are carrying for others. Ask me how i know this. It's even better if you dont become a mule in the first place.

6. keep your important documents (admission letter and stuff) in your carry on. Never put any valuables/ irreplaceables in your checked in luggage. No guarantees it will make it.

7. Your laptop may be checked so make sure there is nothing illegal on it.

8. If you are travelling with cash, make sure you carry traveller's cheques. Sign them once so nobody else can use them but you. also carry some cash on you in the form of US $. Thats one currency universally acceptable and you can use it during transit.

9. Know your travel plans after landing in Canada such as where you are going, how to get there. Research and figure out what you are going to do (take a bus, taxi etc). You just may have to explain this to immigration.

Don't take any chances and travel light and safe.

 

[hell911]

Wow Guys to everyone who is thinking so much of deleting and losing their stuff... Just delete them and after that recover it back from a Recovery software
Works really great.. even if that does not work..
get a new HDD ,.. Dont ripp the whole package .. open it carefully .. put all your stuff in it and then pack it up
Would sound like you just bought a new HDD... and a Clean Slate

this is what im thinking also, put the hdd in the box and seal it

 

[just_do_it]

Wow Guys to everyone who is thinking so much of deleting and losing their stuff... Just delete them and after that recover it back from a Recovery software
Works really great.. even if that does not work..
get a new HDD ,.. Dont ripp the whole package .. open it carefully .. put all your stuff in it and then pack it up
Would sound like you just bought a new HDD... and a Clean Slate

You really want to get in trouble and possibly jeopradize your future for some pirated songs?
You really think if you can recover deleted files, canada customs cannot?

People need to sort out their priorities and please stop giving other Indians/ students a bad name. Genuine request.

 

[mead]

i am surprised about all the talk of pirated stuff.....i have never seen anyone have their laptop checked at customs....been to canada once and numerous times to US never have they asked me about anything else then food products. they sometimes ask about foods u r carrying....always carry processed foods.....

 

[just_do_it]

i am surprised about all the talk of pirated stuff.....i have never seen anyone have their laptop checked at customs....been to canada once and numerous times to US never have they asked me about anything else then food products. they sometimes ask about foods u r carrying....always carry processed foods.....

Does not mean you will not be checked... specially if you get pulled into secondary screening, trust me they will check everything you are carrying.

It seems to be a trend at Vancouver and i have been pulled into secondary "randomly"...twice!

They go through your laptops, cellphones, everything you have and there is nothing you can do about it. You can just hope you don't come across a customs officer with Indian background, they will definitely give you hell of a time. I've seen it all.

 

[hell911]

some people say they dont check hard disks.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20121128133712AAI0y1M
http://ph.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20111102014305AAVVPhT
http://ca.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20121103114332AAQfz36

 

[Punjabiboy4927]

Luggage

First things first, you will need some suitcases to carry all your stuff. You will most likely have a student offer by which you will be able to carry 3 * 23 kgs plus cabin luggage. The most preferred brands by students are :

Quote:1. American Tourister
...
2. VIP

3. Samsonite

AT has some very good discounts at their factory outlets (for Chennai people, there in one in T.Nagar) so it will probably end up the cheapest of the lot. Samsonite is quite expensive. VIP is good too, but again might end up a little more expensive than AT. My personal opinion - Go with American Tourister. There may be other local places where you get unbranded pieces for dirt-cheap prices. Don't go with those. If your luggage breaks during handling at the airports, imagine the plight of all those stuff you would have kept inside!!

You will find that there are two types - hard and soft cases. You might be tempted to go for 2 soft and 1 hard suitcases (which I did) but there is no inherent advantage of a hard case over a soft one. In fact, the hard gets scratched easily during handling. Stick to 3 soft cases.

Now for the cabin luggage, get a nice huge backpack. You need to stuff as much as possible into the cabin bag, since the airlines hardly ever weigh the cabin luggage. If you are bringing your laptop from India, then you need to have a provision for laptop inside the bag. Plan accordingly and get a nicely padded and ample backpack. For Chennai people, Roshan Bag Mall near T.Nagar Bus Stand has a nice collection. Don't look at brands, just go with utility.

Edit: Don't forget the TSA locks. Get it from Samsonite.

Clothes and apparel

From my personal experience, don't get too many t-shirts from India. Again, don't get too few either. You won't be washing your clothes for the first two weeks at least, so you need your clothes to last for at least two weeks. A general guideline for buying clothes:

Quote:1. T-shirts (round neck) - 8

2. T-shirts (collared) - 3-4

3. Jeans (stick to blue/black) - 6-7

4. Formal shirts - 3

5. Formal trousers - 2

6. Undergarments - at least 15 pairs (very important)

7. Formal suit - 1 complete set

8. Ties - 2-3

9. Shorts/three-fourths - 5-6

10. Track pants - 2-3

11. Swimming trunks - 1 (if you plan to swim after coming here)

12. One traditional dress for festivals

You will get a lot of t-shirts as freebies in many places in the university. Also you will be tempted to buy university tees (they are quite cheap at Walmart) so you won't need that many tees. You may get the t-shirts and jeans at places like Mega Mart where you typically have 'Buy 2 Get 2 Free' kind of offers, which may end up cheaper. With regard to other stuff, you may need to buy these:

Quote:1. Towels (any kind, but I would prefer Turkish) - 3

2. Hand towels - 3-4

3. Leather belts - 1-2

4. Belt for jeans - 1

5. Formal leather shoes - 1 pair

6. Woodland all-weather shoes - 1 pair (very important)

7. Sneakers (optional) - 1 pair

8. Sports shoes (optional) - They are very cheap in canada. You will most probably have a pair already. Wear it and come. Wait till the black friday sales where you will get awesome pairs of shoes for cheap.

9. Sunglasses - 1 pair (any good brand is okay)

10. Socks - 6-7 pairs

11. Sweater - 1-2 good warm ones

12. A light jacket (you can get a thicker one once you land in canada)

13. A good umbrella (don't get the cheapo ones, they can't stand the wind)

14. Handkerchiefs - 12 nos.

15. Hawai slippers - 1 pair (for wearing inside the apartment)

16. Flip-flops - 1 pair (for summer and spring)

17. Bedsheets - 2

18. Blanket - 1 (optional)

19. Pillow covers - 3

20. A good wallet (leather) - 1

21. A wallet for passport

22. Shoe polish - 1 (don't get liquid, might spill during travel)

23. Shoe polishing brush - 1

24. Monkey cap - 1

This is all the clothes and accessories you might need from India.

Electronics

Though most electronics are cheaper in canada, there are some stuff you may buy from India and come.

Quote:1. External HDD (get the portable one) - You might need this for bringing all those movies, music and files from back home. Minimum of 250-320 GB(Edit now it is 500-1000gb I think). Any brand is fine.

2. USB keyboard and mouse (optional) - gamers might need this. Even otherwise, it is a good thing to have. Get Logitech/Microsoft/Samsung/Zebronics.

3. This is strictly optional. Most probably you will already have a quad-band phone. Get a lifetime prepaid sim card from Airtel, register that number in one of the free SMS websites (like way2sms). Once you land in canada, there is no charge for incoming SMS to that number. So in case any of your friends/family want to message you/give missed call to you, they can do that for free in that number. You can reply for free using the free sms service on the website you registered with previously.

4. If you already have a laptop, you may bring that. Even if it is quite old, preserve it till black friday. You will get super deals, both online and in-store.

5. IPod/mp3 player (optional) - You might need this if you have to wait for long times at airports. Else, get it in the US.

6. Digital Camera- Get it from India. It might be a little more expensive, but you will need it to record all those initial snaps in canada. Preferred brands are Canon, Sony and Nikon. Don't buy cameras that require AA batteries. Buy models with Li-ion batteries.

7. A good pair of headphones with mic.

8. A branded spike-buster.

9. Indian pin to canadian pin converters - 2-3. (very important)

10. A small table clock with alarm functionality

11. A scientific calculator (very important) Casio fx991MS or fx991ES - This is damn expensive in the US.

12. A good branded, decent wrist watch.

13. An extra battery for your wrist watch.

14. Blank DVDs - 4-5.

This may be all the electronic stuff you might need from India.

Personal hygiene products

Most of the brands available in India are available in canada too. However, you might need to bring the following items for your first few days of use.

Quote:1. Tooth paste - one large tube. Brands also available in canada - Colgate, Close-Up, Pepsodent, Aquafresh (Note: The Pepsodent here is not the same as the Pepsodent in India, it is owned by a different company, not by Unilever)

2. Tooth brushes - 3-4

3. Soap - 1-2 bars - Dove, Palmolive and Pears. If you don't use any of these brands, then better get used to them. No use bringing lots of soap bars from India.

4. Shampoo - 1 bottle. Head and Shoulders, Sunsilk, Dove, Pantene, Nizoral. Again, get used to any one of these brands.

5. Shaving razor - A couple of disposable ones.

6. Shaving foam (don't buy cream) - 1 small can

7. Cold cream - 1 bottle

8. Vaseline - 1 bottle

9. Good clean combs - 2-3

10. Comb cleaner/old toothbrush for cleaning the combs.

11. Soap cases - 2

12. Hair oil - 2 bottles

13. Deodorant - 1 can

14. Nail cutter - 2

15. Earbuds - 1 small pack

16. Sunscreen - 1 bottle

17. Lip balm - 2 tubes

This is all the personal hygiene products I guess.

Utensils and Food items

These are the most important things you need to carry from India. If you have already decided your roommates in India, then you will have the luxury of sharing/dividing items equally. All vessels should be flat bottomed, since in canada, most apartments use electric stoves. These may be the utensils you may want to carry with you:

Quote:1. Pressure cooker - 1

2. Pressure pan - 1. As far as possible, get both the cooker and the pan from the same brand so that you can interchange the gaskets and the weights.

3. Medium size kadai for cooking vegetables - 1

4. Serving spoons (of various sizes) - 3-4

5. SS Plate - 1

6. Kadai for boiling milk/water - 1

7. Knives - 3-4

8. Vegetable chopping board - 1

9. SS glasses/tumblers - 3

10. SS spoons - 3-4

11. Extra weights and gaskets for the cookers - 3

12. Chapati roller - 1

13. Butter knives - 2

14. SS forks - 2

15. Kadai for making sambar/dal - 1

16. Tea strainer - 1

17. Water bottle (preferably Tupperware) - 1

Now to the

Food items

Quote:1. Ready-to-eat paste - 5-6 bottles minimum.

2. Rice - 3-4 kg for initial use

3. Maggi - 10-12 (minimum).

4. Some home-made sweets for yourself as well as for seniors you need favors from.

5. Pickles - 3-4 bottles

6. Some snacks - how much ever you want, for the initial days

7. All powders - chilli, garam masala, rasam, sambar, asafoetida, other powders you use - 0.5 to 1 kg each

8. All dals that you use in cooking - 2 kg each

9. Salt and sugar - 0.5 kg each

10. Papads - 2-3 packs

11. Tamarind - 1 kg

12. Ginger-garlic paste - 2 bottles

Stationery items

You will get a lot of stationery items free at various places in the university (career fairs, orientation, etc) so don't bring too many stuff.

Quote:1. Pens - 3-4

2. Notebooks - 2-3

3. Pencils - 3-4

4. Erasers - 3

5. Sharpeners - 3

6. Key chains - 2

7. Staple machine - 1

8. Pins - 2 boxes

9. Glue sticks - 2

10. Markers - 2

11. Highlighters - 1

12. A4 sheets - 1 quire

13. Small ruler - 1

14. Phone book - 1. Keep all your friends' and relatives' phone numbers written inside before you leave.

15. Cellophane tape - 1 roll

Medicines

These are very important since for getting any specialized medicine in canada, you need a prescription.

Quote:1. Cold, Fever - Crocin

2. Body Pain - Crocin, Combiflam

3. Indigestion, Gastric Problems - Gelucil, Zinetac

4. Throat Infection - Erythromycin

5. Allergies - Avil .25

6. Vomiting - Avomine

7. Tooth Ache - Combiflam

8. Cold, Head Ache - Amurtanjan

9. Stomach Pain - Cyclopam

10. Diarrhea - Lopomide

11. Dizziness - Diziron

12. Sprain - Esgypyrin

13. Common Cold - Coldact, Vicks Vaporub

Books

Textbooks are very expensive in canada, so you might as well talk to your seniors in the university, and get the important textbooks from India. Only get those books you won't be able to live without, since they might take much of your luggage allowance. Also, get those fundamental books for revision of concepts.

Other things before you leave

Packing

Don't procrastinate packing till the last moment as you won't find time later, and in the tension you may miss out on some important things. Start packing early. Make sure you make a list of all stuff you are carrying. Label all the suitcases both inside and outside with both your home address in India and your university address. Include the phone numbers also. Make sure you are within the luggage allowance (you can do this by carrying the suitcase to the nearest scrap metal shop/rice mundi), though it can exceed upto 1-2 kgs.


I copied this frm students in canada 2012 fb group. Found it very informative, so posted it here for other students who are packing there bags and ready to fly(including me though i m still waiting for my visa ).

really informative,but appears like you are going to some devastated place or some other planet.................thnx for help

 

[harris786]

Thanks a lot budd ! The list is pretty helpful.

 

[Anmol3305]

do guards check every material in your luggages in airport ???

 

[anmol D]

do guards check every material in your luggages in airport ???

depends on situations and mood

 

[scylla]

do guards check every material in your luggages in airport ???

Sometimes they do and sometimes they don't.