Mindful Travel
How to Travel Light and Still Have What You Need for Every Occasion
Letting go of stuff so you can be free to enjoy the countries you visit.
“I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list”
— Susan Sonta
I thought I would settle down to a quiet life in Ireland, where I would grow old gracefully, but my life took an unexpected turn.
I took a trip to Vietnam in 2017, and here I am, almost four years later, still on the road and loving it!
I didn’t write a travel blog because I didn’t know what I was doing at first, but looking back now, I can see that I have created beautiful memories.
I’m writing this in response to Fatimah Alayafi, who, after reading my last article on simplifying your life and traveling light, said she would like to learn more.
Here’s what she said …
“Thanks for this Orla! I have much to learn from you as I’m the kind of person that travels with more clothes and things that I’d ever need. My friends have even made jokes about this :P”
— Fatimah
So for you, dear Fatimah, and others, here’s my story of traveling light…
In 1996, I left London with one backpack and a carry-on bag to meet my friends in Thailand. I had never traveled so far on my own before.
I was in my twenties. My two friends were traveling in India and would meet me in Bangkok.
I went straight to Khao San Road, of course. Every backpacker traveling for the first time to Thailand goes there.
It felt safe, but it was hot, busy, and noisy, so I made my way to Koh Pha-Ngan. I got there by boat, and not long after, my two friends arrived.
We were staying in gorgeous little huts on the beach. We were excited as it felt so exotic.
My friends were tired from their travels in India, and I was tired from my solo adventure. We had a fun rendezvous with many stories to tell.
Back at the hut, I was unpacking my stuff when my two friends roared out in laughter at the things coming out of the bag.
I can still see it now — shiny black trousers, clumpy black wedge shoes, loads of tops, handbags, bags of toiletries, and make-up.
They had learned to live with the bare essentials and dress according to the culture. I clearly hadn’t a clue. I was a city girl, way outside my comfort zone.
“I sure wasn’t cut out for this backpacker lifestyle”
I may not have been cut out for it, but I needed an adventure all the same.
They were amused.
I did see the funny side of it, though. It wasn’t long before they asked to borrow my clothes that were so neatly packed and ironed.
“What have you got in there?,” they’d ask.
It was my turn to laugh as they begged to wear my nice new clothes :)
I had to learn how to travel. I wasn’t a natural, but I survived one year away from home and traveled to Thailand, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Australia.
The stress of living out of a backpack never got any easier, but I enjoyed the cultural experiences and meeting new people.
Fast forward now to 2021
After almost four years on the road, what have I learned about traveling light?
I learned that it starts before you set off on your travels, but if you’re already on the road, no worries — you can still learn.
These tips are from my experience and what I’ve learned from other travelers.
Think Before You Pack!
I know it sounds obvious, but what I mean is, really think, like:
- Where are you going?
- How long are you going for?
- What’s the purpose of your trip?
The answer to these questions will make packing easier.
For example, I went to Vietnam.
I checked the climate and packed accordingly.
Will you be working or just traveling?
For me, I was going to teach English, so I needed to have something decent to wear for interviews. So let's start there…
1. The Wardrobe
I won’t deny it. This is hard. For the last few years, you’ve had an entire wardrobe and drawers of clothes to choose from.
When you travel for an extended period, you have one suitcase or backpack for all your clothes. That’s it — for every occasion!
So, it’s not easy, especially if you like fashion.
How do you usually like to dress? Do you like loads of clothes to choose from?
If you do, remember, you’re going to have to lug them around with you through airports, hostels, guest houses, hotels, etc.
Don’t forget to pack swimwear — there will always be beaches, lakes, rivers, and pools.
Footwear
Warm weather — footwear is not so hard as you can pick up flip flops for cheap anywhere. You just need a pair of walking shoes or runners. It depends on what you’re into.
Cold Climates — of course, this is harder, so the trick is to wear your heavy boots when traveling.
High heels ladies are a luxury. Will you need them? If so, how many can you fit in? What colors go with everything?
So when packing, think style and comfort.
2. Think “weight”
How many pairs of trousers do you need?
Keep your colors basic so that you can match them up easily, such as blacks, denim, navy, khaki, or even white.
Skirts — consider light fabrics, easy to roll up or denim.
Going out in the evening — I don’t go to bars or clubs, but if you do, again, keep a simple dress, tops, shirts that you can accessorize.
So think basics — I used to like designs and flowery tops, but I buy less of them now because they don’t go with everything and when you’re on the road for a long time you can get tired of the designs, so scarfs are good for adding color to your minimal outfit.
3. Baggage
For one person:
1 case or backpack
1 carry-on case or backpack
A handbag or small bag
That’s it!
4. Toiletries
Are there mosquitos where you are going? Maybe bring a spray, but you can buy them there. You can bring a mosquito net, depending on where you’re going.
I don’t overdo it with these kits. I’ve seen some people bring a chemist, but I don’t worry too much as I’m a nurse.
You can buy most things in a chemist anywhere in the world, but if you have allergies or you take medication, then I suppose you’re better off consulting your doctor before setting off.
On this trip to Vietnam, I packed anti-mosquito spray, Motilium, Imodium, and antihistamine cream.
That’s a good basic kit to have. If you think it’s too basic, then you can add bandaids and paracetamol.
Cosmetics — don’t bring big bottles. You can buy soap and shampoo everywhere, and most hostels and hotels worldwide provide these things anyway. Keep your washbag simple as it gets heavy.
Extras:
Hairdryer — I tried to live without one, but I couldn’t do it, so I bought a small fold-up one.
I don’t carry an iron, but sometimes I’d like to, but they are too heavy.
And, don’t forget your sunglasses!
5. Don’t Overpack
My friend Hwa Ran from South Korea, who I met in Vietnam, helped me with my tendency to overpack. Hwa Ran, who goes by her English name Helen is a seasoned traveler who knows the secrets of traveling light.
I messaged her today to ask her could I mention her in this blog. She was in quarantine in Busan as she had to leave Vietnam due to visa checks.
She figured it was better to leave than have to go through all those rigid checks. I can’t blame her.
That’s the great thing about Helen; doing things like that doesn’t bother her as she’s prepared for it.
She’s ready to go at any time. When I told her about this blog, she sent me a photo of her two cases — very organized. I was impressed! No junk was hanging around. She just knows what she’s doing.
She has simplicity down to fine art! :)
Cases or Backpacks
This is a question I had on my mind for a while as I never imagined I would stay out in Asia so long, but I liked it so much I didn’t want to go home. I started to think, would I be better off with a backpack now?
I asked Helen what she thought, and we both agreed that as you get a little older, suitcases are more comfortable as you don’t have to carry them on your back.
So I think it will be a suitcase from now on for me unless it’s a small backpack for shorter trips.
Helen helped me a lot in DaNang. When I was going to Chiang Mai, she came to the airport with me. She suspected that I might have some problems, and she wanted to be there just in case.
I was glad she was there as my case was overweight!
This wasn’t the first time it happened to me, so we had to remove all the heavy stuff. It’s incredible how fast you can think when under that kind of pressure. I removed about 5–7kg.
Helen took my things and kept them for me should I go back to Vietnam. I didn’t know my plans at that point. I thought I would stay in Thailand, but as it happened, I did go back to Da Nang.
Although I was grateful to Helen for taking care of my stuff, I didn’t like having my things scattered around the globe. I wanted to be able to let them go.
Traveling light is an ongoing spiritual practice for me as I want to learn to be less attached to people, places, and things.
Final thoughts—
You can always buy things as you travel, but you don’t want to spend too much when on a budget.
In Asia, the markets are great for buying inexpensive clothes that you can wear for a short time, such as light tops, shorts, or dresses for the beach.
Ongoing travel means you will be moving a lot, so it’s good to be able to shower, get dressed and pack quickly.
As you can see, if you are not a natural minimalist, it takes some time and effort to learn how to travel well. If you don’t learn it, you’re just going to get stressed, which is not something a nomad wants.
We have more important things to think about, such as seeing new places, exploring the culture, getting to know the locals, learning a few phrases in the local language, developing our online work or creative projects, etc.
Worrying about your luggage should be the least of your concerns.
“Worry divides the mind.”
I hope these tips will help you, whether you are a weekend traveler, a holidaymaker, a business traveler, or a digital nomad creating a new home on the road.
Maybe, you have some extra tips you would like to share in the comments below? I’d love to hear your stories.
Helen was a good friend to me in Vietnam, and we also traveled to Thailand together. She’s a kind-hearted woman who is full of life!
I asked her, “what should I tell my readers about what you do? Would you like me to say you are a Christian or anything else?”, she said:
“Yes, as a Christian traveler and that’s the truth about me.
Or, it could be a pilgrim!”
— Hwa Ran (Helen)
The young people in Vietnam love Helen. She has two beautiful children (young adults), a son and a daughter who she is in contact with all the time.
She has traveled extensively for many years sharing the Christian message of love and hope.
It is people like Hwa Ran who make traveling an experience to remember for fellow travelers like me.
Thank you, Helen!
Much love and blessings to you, my friend. 🙏❤
Thank you for reading!
© Orla K.
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