What I learnt from travelling light

This post is possibly the first, which lives up to the name of my blog – If you are truly going to live with life in a rucksack; travelling light is a must.

Currently I am still an expat living in New Zealand, and so I don’t really consider myself a true traveller yet, but when I do travel, I need to learn to pack and travel light.

I’ve said it many times before, and I’ll say it again. I’m a serial over-packer. Generally before a trip, which can range from a weekend to extended travelling (my longest recently was 3.5 weeks). I’ll make a list of ‘things’ I need. I’ll then dump out every possible article of clothing I own and then sort through if I think I really need it.

On my return from a trip, I’ll often unpack and come across several things I didn’t use or wear. When I travelled back to the UK via South Korea, I thought I was doing well to travel with 15kg. However, this was a nightmare, especially when walking in busy, and very warm country with it on my back .. I almost collapsed!

On my most recent trip to Tasmania (Hobart) and Melbourne, I was going for 2 weeks and so decided to take my flatmates smaller rucksack, which is maybe 40 Litres (as opposed to my huge 65 litre rucksack). So in a way, I was forcing myself into travelling light.

On reflection of this packing strategy .. it was awesome! At the heaviest, my rucksack weighed 9.4kg (at the beginning) and 8.8kg at the end.

When I travel, I should also mention that my hand luggage ususally weighs around 5-7kg, depending on where I am going and how long for. On longer haul flights I pack a change of clothes, small toiletieries to use on the plane, my computer, snacks (if I have bought a cheap plane ticket with no meals included), and other things to keep me entertained on the flight.

So this is what I learnt about travelling light, and it is definitely something I plan to do in the future.

1. Unless you are travelling to outer Mongolia, or the Hebrides, you are sure to come across a shop of some kind. Do you really need everything you pack, or can you buy it when you get there? I ended up taking some toiletries, which were nearly finished, or smaller, travel sized bottles, so I could throw them out when I was done. I did forget to bring a few things, but this was no stress, as I ended up picking up a few things cheaply in a shop there.
2. You can wash your clothes, and therefore do not need 14 different outfits. Sure it is nice to look good when on holiday, but do you really want to be carrying 20kg of luggage on your back (if you use a rucksack that is!). You can also buy other clothes when you are there. In fact, I bought a new top and dress, in the Christmas sales, which I brought back with me (I left my towel behind for these items, but my towel was one which was left at my house by another traveller, and so I didn’t care about it too much). A box of washing powder cost $4 between 2 of us, and we only washed our clothes once, but we ended up leaving the box with another traveller, as she was still due to be in the same hostel for a few more weeks.
3. Other travellers will leave things for you. I have been to a lot of hostels where, when one traveller leaves, they will get rid of some things in order to make their bags lighter (I left behind some shower gel, and aftersun cream), but I was able to gain some shampoo in another hostel (in Korea), when all I had was a tiny bit of travel shampoo. (Share the travel love, and leave things behind if you really don’t need them)
4. Travelling light is quicker – because I didn’t have a huge pack full of stuff, I was able to downpack my packing and unpacking when I moved between hostels and places. I easily swanned around town, and walked for ages with it on my back, with no problem. On a more personal note, I have had spinal surgery in the past, and carrying a heavier rucksack isn’t really recommended for me, but I have done it, and I have felt wrecked afterwards, with a need for a good massage afterwards.
5. You don’t need to have a routine like at home. I didn’t condition my hair for one week, I didn’t straighten my hair (as I normally do daily), and I wore less makeup. You are travelling .. just go with the flow. Other Travellers don’t care what you look like, as long as you shower!

So if you are travelling, think about what you are putting in your rucksack – will you be able to potentially walk for an hour with it on your back in sweltering heat (I had to do this in Korea – not fun!) Travel light – pack the essentials, and pick up what you need on the way.