Can anyone help me? After the hundreds of thousands of miles I’ve logged by air, sea, train and even bus, I’m still not satisfied with my luggage situation. Or perhaps more accurately, what satisfied me at one time, no longer does. (By the way, I’ve gone through these upheavals more than once in past years.)
I now try to pack extremely lightly. This has become a lot easier in recent years with the introduction of truly wash-at-night-and-wear-next-day clothes—underthings, especially, but good looking shorts, shirts, trousers, skirts and socks for walking shoes. Walking shoes have themselves gotten lighter as they no longer need be made of leather, and yet give good support. Some have aeration vents that help them to dry after taking them off. So with only a minimal number of changes, I’ve been able to get by for as much as two weeks with one carried bag.
I once stood behind a young man in a passport line on reentering the country after a flight from Australia. He was carrying no more than a rather thin briefcase, and after clearing passport check, he breezed through customs, showing them only the briefcase. Later, as we were waiting for taxis, I asked him how long he’d been in Australia, and he said a month, and I was sufficiently surprised to ask how he could exist for a month on the contents of his briefcase.
I had not, at that time, discovered the wash and wear line of travelers’ clothing. But he had, and he had so much confidence in its efficacy that he carried only a bathing suit and a book!
Well, I had neither the right clothing nor the social confidence to get along for a month on one set of wearables. But his approach to packing pointed me in the right direction.
So now I’m down to one medium-size carryall that provides more than enough room for clothing, camera, binoculars (I’m a birder) notebook and reading books. The total contents are light enough for me to consider carrying them in a backpack, and there are situations in which that would be most convenient. But not wanting to have any extra weight on my back when I don’t have to, I also like to have something with wheels.
Thus, my call for help. I’d like to know if you’ve found just the right piece of luggage to fit a "travel-ultra-light" approach to packing. I’ve targeted a couple of alternatives, but I’d like to see if anyone has experience with either of these, or prefers something I haven’t found. I won’t name my two candidates, because I’d like to hear what choices others have made.
Thanks a lot.
Paula "No More Schlepping" Gifford