In less than two weeks we will be jetting our way to Europe for a two-month extravaganza through France and Italy. To say we are excited would be an understatement. We’ve been busily tying up all the loose ends before we leave so I decided recently to do a carry-on packing run, the only bag (along with a small purse) that I will be taking. We chose a carry-on without wheels and one that converts to a backpack, believing better on our backs than trying to wheel a bag over cobbled stones.
As I think about this upcoming trip, my mantra has been to “pack light, pack light, pack light”. I already know, given the limited space for clothing, that I will be ready to toss out everything I am bringing when I return to the states. A girl can only wear the same clothing for so long, right? 😉 Actually, I know that we can live out of our little bags for two months, as several years ago we traveled through Mexico for a year and headed south of the border with just a regular-size backpack strapped to our bodies, no vehicle, no place to call home.
I won’t bore you with all the details of what is going into my little black bag, but I would love to get packing tips or other travel tips from you avid travelers. Are there any unusual items that one should not forget or something that you brought along that just weighed you down? Is there something that caused an aha moment for you, something you told yourself you wouldn’t forget the next time you hopped a plane to an exotic place? I think I have the clothing needs wired, erring on the side of being a minimalist, as I know I can wash my wicking-wear clothes in my room or at a launderette.
I am bringing along a small MacBook and a camera, so I can download my photos, keeping track of where we are from day-to-day. I plan to continue the blog, as long as the Internet gods are with me, albeit on a much more scaled-down fashion until I return.
So, all you world travelers, come on, share your deep-dark secrets on how to make living out of a backpack complete, utter bliss. 🙂
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