Trifter

When I travel I take a 35L bag with me. Sometimes I travel for a few days, sometimes for a few months. Over the past few years, experience has taught me a few things when traveling.

Number 1: Be able to put everything you have on your back and shoulders.
This applies for clothes, presents, cameras, computers, hair dryers and whatever else you travel with. This can be useful in a number of situations, not just for weight. There have been times when, for safety’s sake, I had to grab everything I had and start running. I wouldn’t of wanted to do this with a rolling suitcase and bulky luggage.

Number 2: Keep it to 1 bag. I’ve ran through airports. I’ve missed planes. I refuse to check bags now. Every time I check bags something either gets broken, dirty or ripped. This doesn’t count the extra hour it takes you to wait for your bag. Being able to walk off a plane and keep moving is a luxury, especially after a long flight.

Traveling light is an art. Keeping it light on extended ventures is even harder. If you’re on long trips, fill up your day bag with things you buy and acquire. After a while, the bag will fill, and it’s time to head to the closest post office.

Find a post office in the country you’re in and ship that stuff back home! Opt for the cheapest shipping; be it boat, camel, horse or train. Pack everything well, use the clothing you bought or don’t find yourself using, as outer protection for any valuables or breakables you have picked up on the way.

Don’t be afraid to ship back stuff you brought from home. The point of this is to get rid of dead weight. If you find that you’re not using something as much as you thought you would, ship it out! With the slowest shipping option, it’s not very expensive to ship your stuff back. Considering the time you’ll save traveling, the money spent on a new bag and the hassle of carrying stuff around, it’s a great deal.

If you’re super strapped for space and can’t get to a post office, consider wearing multiple pairs of clothes. I recently spent some time in Peru and as I checked in for a flight to Lima, they said my one carry on bag was just a little too heavy and I had to check it. I took out most of my clothes and put them on. As soon as I got through security I put them back in my bag.

Traveling light requires ingenuity. Be clever. Every couple ounces counts, especially if its being carried on your back for hours on end.