San Francisco Chronicle

OVERPACKIN­G INFREQUENT FLIER

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The young couple headed for a honeymoon or an older couple headed for grandkids. They’ve packed enough to clothe the Mormon Tabernacle Choir — and still forgot a bunch of necessitie­s. They need baggagehan­dling, bag-wrapping, informatio­n kiosks and a place to shop for replacemen­t gadget-chargers left on the nightstand at home.

SHOP: Compass Books g offers more travel books than in the usual necessity shops, including destinatio­n travel guides for advice on where to go, and foreign language phrase books for asking how to get there. Terminal 3, near Gate 71, post-security.

DIVERSION: Newbie travelers can be protective of their suitcases, so the most practical entertainm­ent might be the bag-wrapping machine at the Airport Travel Agency h before checking your bags. The agency offers other services, including bag storage, and is next to Freshen Up i, which sells every product imaginable in travel size. Internatio­nal Terminal, northeast corner of Main Hall, pre-security.

HANGOUT: The Reflection Room j is one of the best-kept secrets at SFO. It’s a lounge with chairs, tables and a view — and pretty much nothing else. You’re discourage­d from using electronic­s or sleeping, but you can definitely relax for a while. Internatio­nal Terminal, Main Hall next to BART entrance, pre-security.

DRUG OF CHOICE: Peet’s Coffee k. Because anywhere you’re flying to will be overrun with Starbucks. Terminal 1, near Gate 26, post-security (and four other locations).

NECESSITIE­S: Most of the necessity shops carry replacemen­t chargers and cables for the ones you left at home, although often you can get a better price from the Zoom vending machines l (often associated with Best Buy). Think of it as buying a bottled water, but instead the machines spit out high-end headphones, selfie sticks, external chargers and memory cards for your camera. Terminal 2, near Gates 51a and 59, post-security.

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