Why Traveling is Better Out of A Backpack
After traveling for 2 months with a 17-liter backpack, I’m convinced this is the way to go.
Here are a few reasons:
- You learn to embrace minimalism.
It was difficult to fit everything in a 10x14 inch backpack, so I quickly learned that some stuff needed to go. Clunky headphones? Nope. Paper books? Kindle. Another t-shirt? Not unless I wanted my backpack to split.
But this challenge made me realize that I don’t need much to thrive. Forcing myself to under pack limited how much I could bring and buy. I’m a glutton for souvenirs, but I chose instead to devote more time to experience and less to shopping.
2. Less to lose.
Surfing on r/solotravel before my trip, I was paranoid about pickpockets. But thanks to my limited supplies, there was barely anything to steal from my backpack. And if something was stolen, I’d know immediately.
I became intimately acquainted with each object and the space it occupied in my bag.
3. Less to pack.
In the same vein, when I needed to uproot myself to a new city, unpacking and repacking was a cinch. The time I saved is arguably negligible, but this saved me from a lot of worries during hectic travel moments. Plus, there’s a lot less stuff to find in the dark when you need to catch a 5 A.M. train.
4. New city? No need to drop stuff off.
When I had a suitcase, the first destination in a new city was the hotel, ASAP.
Because I needed to get rid of my luggage, I often rushed during the commute and did not notice my first impressions of a city. Time was wasted getting myself from the airport/train station to wherever the hotel was. Plus, check-in times were often much later than my arrival!
With a backpack, when I set off into a new city I could start exploring immediately. I took long, meandering turns as I slowly made my way to the hostel, unburdened by wheeled chains stuffed with clothes
If this seems unfeasible, let’s check out my backpack.
The Contents
This is what I had, packed from bottom to top. Keep in mind that this was during the summer, from late July to late September.
Clothing (in a packing cube, which is not an affiliate link, just the one I borrowed for my trip!)
- swimsuit + towel
- pajamas in the form of running shorts and a tank
- 1 long shirt
- 1 cotton dress
- 1 t-shirt
- 1 cotton culotte (similar to this)
- 1 pair of socks, but if you care about the smell, bring two. I washed mine once a week, and they were, er, a bit crusty. I met many travelers who did the same, and it isn’t a big deal when you’re surrounded by equally sweaty, smelly people :)
- 4 underwear
Toiletries (plastic bag)
- toothbrush, paste, floss
- body soap and shampoo (or just forage at hostel bathrooms)
- sunscreen, moisturizer, lip balm
First aid (another plastic bag)
- bandaids, Neosporin
- small scissors (less than 4" for TSA)
- nail clippers
Technology (cloth bag)
- computer (MacbookAir 13")
- phone (iPhone 5s; its battery was dying at this point, especially with my heavy use of google maps)
- Kindle
- chargers for Kindle, computer, phone
- adaptor (something like this)
Other
- eye mask + earbuds are SO important in hostels, find ear putty if possible and learn how to put it in. The probability of a snorer in an 8-person hostel room is 100 percent.
- sunglasses, very important in the summer
- padlock, for hostel lockers
- journal + pen
- watercolors, I made a mini set with my favorite colors in a cardboard box
- flip flops, because hostel-contracted foot fungus is not your friend
- passport and other documents
- water bottle, preferably insulated so you can have cold water on hot days and hot water for ramen/tea
- cloth shopping bad, which I used all the time when going out to explore. I left my backpack and items in the hostel locker.
Stuff I brought for running:
- running shorts
- tank top
- GPS watch +charger
- sports bra
- trail shoes (because I ran in the woods sometimes)
For people with long hair or who menstruate:
- hairbands
- menstrual cup + pads
You’ll notice that I only brought running shoes and sandals. Although some street footwear like white sneakers would have been nice, they take up precious backpack real estate I could not afford.
