Taking just what you need when you go travelling is one of the keys to enjoying your trip. Most people pack way more than they need and the result is a lot of stress dragging around unnecessary baggage
For any trip, whether it’s travelling a week or a month, going for a weekend or away for a year, knowing what to pack is an eternal conundrum. Having travelled almost non-stop for 18 months during 2003-4, I learnt the hard way that having “just one more thing” in your backpack can soon become a real pain to lug around. The main rule to remember is that if it’s not essential, don’t bring it. You can buy clothes, books and day to day bathroom stuff along the way – usually a lot cheaper than you can get at home. Worry about the other, more intangible stuff – is your passport valid? Are your vaccinations all done? Have you got working credit cards and travellers cheques? Have you got any prescription medications you need? If you have access to cash, your passport and any pills you need, then you can basically get through any situation afterwards.
43 Folders has a great post which expands on this theme of packing light, and it’s also worth looking at the dazzling amount of info at onebag.com, which is all about packing everything you need into one carry-on bag.
