Packing light does wonders for travel. How many times have you loaded your suitcase or backpack with everything you think you might need, in every possible scenario, only to arrive at your destination and start cursing your extravagant, over-packing self as you grunt and sweat your way to the hotel?
On my first trip to France when I was 16, I brought a suitcase that literally was large enough for me to nap in when not stuffed to the seams. Riding the metro into Paris, I huffed and puffed as I towed it through the tunnels and relied on the help of strangers not to get caught in the subways’ doors. A week later, I met my host family in Lyon, only to find that my big American Tourister suitcase dwarfed their family car!
A decade later, I spent four months in Southeast Asia with only a carry-on backpack. I felt empowered and oh so very free! Packing light lends itself nicely to responsible travel. It means that you are ultimately more mobile and versatile as a traveler. You will ultimately be wiser with your purchases and buy less junk, because your pack space is valuable. And you are living the tenet of living simply, if only for awhile, which does wondrous things for one’s perspective.
When scaling down for a trip, think about items that can do double or triple duty. For example, a good old bandana: it’s a head-cover for bad hair days or chilly mornings, a face blocker for dusty roads, an instant filter for campfire “cowboy coffee”, a neck cover for sunburn-inducing hikes, a grunge barrier between your head and the helmet that comes with your rented motorbike, a handkerchief, and a washcloth. And I love to carry a sarong with me to use as a towel, to lie out on at the beach, to tie on when entering churches/temples/holy sites, to sleep under on hot nights in the tropics and to tie up my laundry in.
One of the most important “pack light” items is environmentally-friendly, multi-purpose soap. Not only will you use it in the shower, but you’ll be able to clean your few items of clothing as you go. My perennial favorite is “>Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap, which is actually touted as an “18-in-one”!