How to Travel 12 Countries with No Baggage Whatsoever

Just triied iSSH on my iPad and setup a remoter desktop connection to my macbook. now if you change the resolution to 1024×640 you have yourself a MacBook on your iPad, with XCode, Textmate and the other stuff you need for software development (albeit slower and with some usability limitations).

In case of a slow connection, you can always fall back to SSH and vim.

Now all I need is a place to leave my laptop with high upload speeds. I guess virtual intel mac in the cloud would be even better. oh… and travel plans.

You definitely don’t need to carry around a roll of toilet paper with you. Pretty much anywhere that wont have TP available would be places using squat toilets. Just adapt to the local customs! They live with it, and there is no reason you couldn’t too with a little courage and maturity. If you’re worried about being sanitary, carry a little bottle of hand sanitizer around in your pocket.

In the spirit of minimalism I will cut my suggestions down to two. I’ll skip those that overlap with all of the excellent ideas being shared.

The first is an Ironkey USB drive: https://www.ironkey.com/

You can often find computers at your destination, but frequently the security is questionable. The Ironkey allows you to use these with peace of mind. With the Ironkey you not only have unbreakable encryption if it is lost or stolen (with self-destructing hardware worthy of James Bond), but it allows you to use the onboard browser with their super secure network, along with password software, to just bypass whatever nastiness might be lurking on the host computer or wifi. Throw copies of all of your critical documents on the USB, and know that only you can retrieve them. It’s like having a full blown secure computer on your keychain. One that you can even go swimming with!

The second tip is a bit of a hybrid between an item and a life style. Learning to walk and run well barefoot makes traveling the planet a minimalist heaven. You not only get much more receptivity to your terrain, but it is an education in moving well and efficiently, using your whole body as it was meant to work. Obviously the conversation around this is much larger than a comment on a post, but that is part of the beauty of minimalism, at its best it is provocative, not dictating.

Just keep in mind that being able to walk well barefoot does not mean you have to actually GO barefoot all of the time. And in the next few years we will see a proliferation of minimalist shoes. For now, I can recommend the Feelmax Niesa http://www.feelmax.com/ which, as their name suggests, has incredible feel, and has the benefit of rolling up like a pair of socks. Or if you want something more, well, shoe-ish, and even business casual, the Vivo Barefoot Oak shoes are very versatile. http://www.terraplana.com/vivobarefoot.php Even though the soles are slightly thicker than some of their other models, they actually feel a bit more sensitive. The trick is to find what works for you. (I’m not a huge fan of the Vibram Five Fingers, although I do occasionally use them, but that is a conversation for another day.)

We should just remember, in the spirit of minimalism, not to get caught up on the gear, but on reducing as much as possible the noise between us and the world. By minimizing that, we create the conditions for optimizing dynamic function. If one of the draws of traveling is learning what it means to live, then learning to move well can only help.

And maybe I’ll leave even the soap-box at home too…

Cheers everyone!

Travel Tip

Replace toothpaste with inexpensive glycerin free soap. It works out so much cheaper (one bar lasts months and months – taking a small cut of soap will suffice for weeks) and your teeth will be much cleaner and whiter. A quick Google on the effects of Glycerin and the prevention of reenamilization on teeth should reveal some good case studies but avoid overly expensive ‘tooth soap’ products.

Once you climatise to the surprisingly palatable taste it’s hard to go back to normal toothpaste as it simply does not leave your teeth feeling so irresistibly ‘lickable clean’.

It also has the bonus of being immune to exploding in your bag during travel!

Do not under-estimate the power of “social engineering”. Often times, the people around you can be your most valuable resource, especially when traveling light. The items, information or service you seek are very likely one conversation away from your grasp. Social competence is imperative. Knowledge of cultural mores, traditions and especially language (including accent and slang) are very helpful in social interactions. The most important word to learn in a foreign language is “help”. It is hardwired in the human brain (especially in males) to respond to the word “help”. No civilized human can resist reacting to the phrase “Excuse me, could you please help me with something?”.

Use tact so as to not appear needy. Often times, a good deed can go a long way to win the trust and assistance of a local. Perhaps you have a certain skill set or resource that you can offer in exchange for something? Develop social networks wherever you find yourself. Be friendly and smile. There is nothing more rewarding than making friends in foreign countries, its part of the experience. Be keen on the universal language: body language. If you can read body language and non-verbal cues, you can navigate the social landscape with ease. Look for non-verbal indicators such as eye contact, open posture and a smile to identify a friendly individual. Use your social intelligence to maximize your resources. Be social savvy and the world is your oyster.

Dan

QOD response:

I try to pack even lighter than Rolf suggests: just bring a smartphone, charger, money, and good shoes. Your internal survival and generosity mechanisms will bring you to the right people, resources, and put you in touch with your own humility.

Packing this light allows for an amazingly clear mind as well 🙂

I like to pack dental floss with me, not just for oral hygeine but it is a strong cord for many other uses (thread for sewing, repairing snapped laces).

Also like to bring condoms with me agian not just for the obvious but many other uses to keep stuff dry and free from sand , storing water.

QOD – Here are some light travel tricks that I’ve learned:

First, and most important, don’t make an ideal packing list and then find a container to fit it in. Instead, pick a ridiculously small container and then choose your stuff with that size in mind. You know how projects expand to fill available time? Same goes for possessions and storage space.

I took a backpack and a monster suitcase on a 2 week trip once. Guess what, the backpack was overstuffed and the suitcase was right at the airline’s weight limit! Horrible. Took just a backpack on another 2 week trip. The backpack was still overpacked, but it did pretty much the same job minus the huge suitcase. Yesterday I bought a 400 gram, 13.5 liter suitcase. (Garage sale bargain.) Took it home and packed it for a pretend vacation as a test. It fit perfectly!

Stuff expands or contracts to fit the bag. Rolf seems to understand this idea. He set a “pockets” limit.

Second, I’d suggest bringing your own toothpaste. I can easily imagine borrowing rarely needed items from others, but you need some level of self reliance for personal hygiene. Constant mooching is annoying, even more so if done with bad breath. Ew! There is such a thing as travel size toothpaste. Even better, Eco-Dent tooth powder (I recommend cinnamon flavor) works well and lasts for months from a very small bottle. Crystal deodorant takes some practice at first, but it also works well from a small container.

Language adjustment for mods:

QOD response:

Number one advice for packing light is to have the mindset of packing light – start with that goal, be willing to ditch some necessities that you can find along the way, and be willing to part with stuff you start your journey with. I personally like to pack as if I’m going camping (minus the tent and sleeping bag) no matter what the itinerary calls for.

Clothes – Colombia makes incredible travel clothing – lightweight, breathable, and nice enough to clear any place with a dress code. I’m a big fan of the “PFG” line – made for fishing, but can easily pass for a collared dress shirt. I have not yet tried ExOfficio underwear, but I save all old underwear and socks for travel so that I can slowly throw them away throughout traveling to open up some space in my bag for souvenirs or to lighten my bag. Same with old clothes – I always pack an old pair of pants or few t-shirts that I plan on donating / not returning with. It’s travel – not a fashion show. Colombia is also my go-to for jackets – good interchangeable shells for varying temperatures in super-cold climates, and great packable rain jackets.

MSR towel – absolute life saver – can be used for the obvious purpose of a towel, or to quickly dry clothes (tip from Tim), and always dries out in record time. Perfect for the beach, swimming pool, shower, packing wet clothes in a hurry, shade, privacy curtain, etc.

Electronics – I sacrifice a little weight and like a camera and/or iPhone charger that takes AA batteries – chargers are bulky, and batteries can be purchased world-wide. iPhone obviously can serve as entertainment, reading, music, alarm clock, flight tracker, language translator, currency converter, and overall connection to outside world.

Documents – iPhones can be good for management of documents – I also like Dropbox and Google Docs in case I lose my phone. I make sure document copies, lists of important numbers, and itineraries are available to me anywhere there is an internet connection. I also do a good deal of research before-hand and make a Google Doc of links to sites I want to see – this eliminates the need for heavy travel books.

Toiletries – the camping section of any Wal-Mart / Target or specialty retailers have perfectly packaged paper-thin sheets of soap and shampoo, and the travel-sized section can cover things like deodorant. I always just buy 1 small toothpaste, 1 deodorant, etc to stay light and to ensure that I will have to go exploring the local shops for more when I run out. Camping sections also have gems like flat, disposable ponchos, small waterproof containers for pills, and travel-friendly squeeze bottles for sunscreen, etc.

Luggage – Allen’s post above had it right on the money – an obnoxiously colored bag is a life saver in crowded baggage terminals – and if you already have the usual black, neon luggage straps or neon duct tape help you spot your stuff from a mile away. My daypack is a packable Eddie Bauer backpack – Kiva makes similar types – they can collapse to a few ounces, or expand into a backpack for wondering cities without your primary luggage. I always like to have a garbage bag, a few gallon ziplocks, and a few sandwich-size ziplocks at all times. They take up no space, are weightless, and can save your luggage and expensive electronics in the rain, or help keep dirty clothes away from clean ones in your bag – best part – after you use one, you can always pick up an extra in a hostel/hotel/ or from maintenance at the airport or bus stop.

Earplugs – again – Allen speaks the truth – I always travel with at least 2-3 pairs. Perfect for sleeping in an 8-person hostel room, a bus full of crying children, and airplanes with corporate types who talk about spreadsheets all the way to London. I have literally been offered cash for my extra pairs – a good way to make a friend for life by saving someone else the torture.

Cash – lots, and an ATM card for good exchange rates.

Happy travels,

Myers

QOD:

If you’re bringing along a compact camera and want to save space and not have in stolen when it goes through security wrap it in one of your odd socks. This works for other small electronic devices like an iPod too.

Ladies (or guys with ladies):

Leave your blow dryer (hotels often provide one), flat iron (go natural sometimes; it’s sexy) and curling irons (I use two sizes) home. Experiment before your trip with bobby pins (pin back your bangs; keep them flat for a vintage look or tug them a bit if you want volume) and elastic bands (loose, messy bun) on your towel dried hair (scrunch it with your fingers to create soft waves). The more practice you have (some positions of the bobby pin are more flattering than others – so move it around), the more comfortable you’ll feel going sans electrical devices that take up SO MUCH room and time getting ready.

Also try… NO MAKE-UP! I know, it’s a hard pill to swallow when you’re used to the cover up, but your skin with love the fresh air. It took me and my skin about four weeks to get used to not wearing make-up (which was encouraged by a boyfriend who saw me without it and told me I don’t need it). Coworkers asked if I was sick (ha ha) until my skin tones evened out and they got used to it. If you can’t kick the whole habit, try just wearing eyeliner and mascara (or get permanent eyeliner tattoo and temporary eyelash extensions that last up to four weeks).

Hi Tim: I have a tip!

Seven years ago when my husband and I were in our late fifties and sixties, we sold and gave away our stuff and then traveled around the world for four years using a couple of wal-mart backpacks (we used super-glue when the seams started to give and they did just as well as the $200 ones.)

My tip is for women of a certain age. I’m past the age when I can ignore my skin and it glows with health – sure miss those days. So here’s my minimalist skin care/makeup travel kit.

Make a 3:1 mix of powdered milk (gentle, soothing – think Cleopatra and her milk baths) and baking soda (for scrubbing off the dead cells). Enough for two months of face cleansing will fit into a plastic herb container. (I’ve always worried some customs guy will wonder what that white powder is but so far no problems.)

With that and small bottle of fish oil pills for both rubbing on your skin (the smell fades quickly) and taking by mouth, a small spf30 of sunscreen and you’re set (if you’re a woman – not talking to you Tim). Toss in a medium lipstick for both cheeks and lips; a mascara and one little tube of concealer and you’ve got the 80:20 rule applied to makeup and skin care. You get the 80% of the results you want with just 20% of the products in your make-up kit.

Thanks for sharing your sharp brain with the rest of us.

Travel with your oldest and most worn socks & underwear and as you use them just throw them out, so that way you lighten your load so to speak as the trip progresses

Great advice in this article but a little trickier for me. See below.

I am getting ready to depart on a nine month 28 country tour with my wife and four children, boys 5 and 8 and girls 11 and 13. We are attempting to bring a backpack and carry-on each and that is it. We are packing light and having school books and ski clothes (for Austria) shipped to us along the way.

The ex-offico underwear went through a 4 day trial last week, they wash in the sink and dry in about 2-3 hours, great product. I am only taking three pair for the trip. If they wear out i will buy three more!

Essentials

– We all have solid hiking shoes for daily use and flip flops for the beach

– good water proof shell

– bathing suit

– 1 pair of jeans

– 1 sweater

– light wicking t-shirts in black and grey

– global phone

– laptop

– 3 pairs of exoffico underwear/socks

– ipods for the kids

– lots of cash

Expecting a lot of fun, adventure and challenger along the way. We start the journey on September 4th and drive across the US and then we take off from LAX on September 15th and stay in Costa Rica for 1 month. Let the fun begin.

Thanks for the inspiration you provided and the ideas that have allowed me to set up my business to continue giving me income while I take this special time with my family.

Cheers

I travel light by taking any toiletries I need in my purse, taking the minimum amount of makeup and toiletries in sample sizes and take a small hair brush and no hair dryer, since they take up so much space. I bought an inexpensive bag instead of traditional luggage, that can be “scrunched” into a small space and carry lightweight clothing that can be rolled up for packing. I good pair of walking shoes that look dressy enough for evening wear is all I took, for instance, to Taipei. Also, I have found that black clothing is the most versatile, does not show dirt as quickly so can last longer between washing.

for Question of the Day:

my favorite light packing tricks are as follows:

(apologies if some have been repeated, I haven’t read all the posts)

– forget about make up and jewelry, you can live without them

– for toiletries, a bar of natural soap triples up as shampoo and laundry detergent (for washing socks and underwear in the sink), and can go through airport security. (it also lasts forever, unlike the little bottles of toiletries that run out at the most inconvenient times.) I don’t carry toothpaste- I can borrow it, or use salt or baking soda or just water if I really have to rough it. I don’t carry deodorant, either. the soap mentioned above, used for twice-daily sink showers, takes care of that problem.

– in the summer, wear sandals. don’t pack any other shoes. if it rains, bare feet dry faster than socks. if it’s cold, pack a pair of short socks the same color as your sandals. you’ll be surprised as to how few people will notice the uncoolness, if any.

– a bandanna is great for a handkerchief, towel, hair tie, sleep mask or hat.

– wear one cotton shirt, and pack one that is 100% polyester. cotton is good for those hot sweaty days, and can be used as a towel as it absorbs water well. polyester dries easily, stays clean, and doesn’t stick to annoying things like beach sand. also works for cleaning other things (eg. your pants when you spill coffee on them while riding the bus).

– I prefer lightweight cotton-type pants to jeans. more comfortable, lighter and can be slept in if necessary.

QOD:

Purchase a pre-paid cell phone SIM at each of your destinations. Buying a local SIM serves several purposes:

-It will save you a tremendous amount of International Roaming (voice and data) and International Long Distance on your cell phone bill. Purchase a cheap pre-paid phone at the airport and use it with your in-country SIMs if you can’t/won’t/haven’t unlocked your iPhone.

-You can freely share your pre-paid numbers with travel companions, hotels, etc.,. without fear of giving away your primary mobile phone number.

– Locals who need to contact you will appreciate being able to reach you via a number that is local to them, instead of dialing internationally to reach your primary mobile number.

Take note of the Emergency telephone numbers of the countries you will visit (a good list can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_telephone_number). You never know when you’ll need to call for help.

Where an In Case of Emergency bracelet that indicates any allergies or chronic medical issues.

Question of the Day (QOD)

1. Satellite handheld phone: This can be use for remote travel where there is no cell phone access. 7 oz.

2. Webcam as Security: Take a mini-web cam that’s about 5 oz. Ask for a shoebox or small box when you arrive to your hotel. Place any money or valuables like phones that you don’t want to carry with you when you go out. Put the box in a closet and place the webcam on top. Nobody is going to touch your stuff. 5oz

3. i-Phone + saved Google maps. It is good to have a map set with directions from the airport to your first destination.

4. Telescoping Space Pen: 1oz and 4 inches.

5. NiteCore Flashlight: slightly larger than Double A battery. Waterproof

6. Laser facial hair off: Never any need to shave again. Plus there is no need to carry shaving gear or grow a beard for a couple of weeks.

7. Johnson’s head to toe baby wash in small bottles.

8. Hydrogen Peroxide: Use undiluted as a mouth wash and disinfectant. This stuff is available all around the world.

9. Iodine: Use to purify water. This is also available anywhere.

10. Refillable Travel Toothbrush: Combines toothpaste with toothbrush. You the fill base with toothpaste, which comes out of the tip of the toothbrush. Good for one month of cleaning. Also go to the dentist before you leave.

11. Mineral Tablets to stay healthy and hydrated.

12. Foldable Fork

13. Silicone Foldable Bowl: 3oz

14. Have some currency already converted before you leave.

15. If your going to carry a small travel bag.

Laptop: Sony Vaio P Series: Full keyboard. 1.3 pounds, 8 inch screen

16. In the future, I may get an RFID blocking passport holder.

Hi guys,

It seems I have been using these packing strategies for years. I am a motorcycle enthusiast and am forced to pack light anywhere I go. All of your packing strategies look excellent. One tip I would recommend would be to use a camera that takes “AA Batteries”. These type of batteries are readily available almost everywhere you go and allow you to not have to carry a charger. Besides who has time to stop and charge batteries on the go??

Matt

The biggest tip I think is that figure out what you think you need and cut that in half. A big way I saved space was to only bring two pairs of underwear, two pants, and two shirts. Bring the days worn items and wash them with you in the shower. If you bring light wool quick dry fabrics your clothes will dry in about ten minutes. I also fill my water bottles with nuts and berries or something to snack on in the airport and then once I’m done fill it with water. Leaves you a great snack and takes up no extra space. Finally replace your souvenirs with a journal. You’ll get more out of the experience and take with you lessons and memories rather than a snow globe.

so the first travel “trick” is mostly philosophical. in the words of Mr Potts himself – “be were you are now” (from a lecture posted previously). this is the greatest trick of all and with Rolf’s inclusion of the iPhone i’m interested to see how this goes. he’s going to have to display some discipline to enjoy his travel without always being connected to the web, blogging, twitter, etc. with that, a pack light trick for people who are blogging would be to use a one source auto-poster for email, blog, and social media. something like posterous – linked to all your sites like twitter, facebook, blah blah blah – is easily updated with an email which you can write in any internet cafe in almost any city in the world. simply log into to posterous, turn on all autoposting, send an email to post@posterous.com and BAM – one quick – or long – email and your friends, family, and followers are updated. now, you can unplug and go back to your locale, where you are now.

next trick – i traveled around asia for 7 months with 2 shirts. Patagonia’s capilene silkweight t-shirts are unbelievably light, airy, comfortable, and resilient. they wash and dry super quick and act as a baselayer if you’re doing any cold-weather stuff with multi-layer clothing. the second shirt also came in handy as a bandana/buff to wrap around my head for sun/heat protection. of course i looked goofy, but most people stare at you anyway, so i was used to it.

this leads to the next trick – rent gear: when i trekked towards Chomolungma (everest) base camp, i simply rented a down jacket and sleeping bag in kathmandu. i hiked along during the day in my Patagonia shirts, threw on the jacket as the sun dipped behind the himalayan peaks, and burrowed in my sleeping bag until it ascended the following morn. i didn’t have to carry any of that gear the previous 6 months, thankfully.

final pack light trip – do a meditation retreat. i’ve went with http://www.dhamma.org, a Vipassana organization. the days are broken down into simple, light activities. meditating, walking, eating, showering, and sleeping. physically, you get to see how simple you can live – no books, music, fancy junk. mentally, burdens are lifted from the mind and it becomes more free, yet more disciplined. your surroundings, even leaves on the ground, take on powerful new meanings. creativity skyrockets. happiness soars like fireworks, each explosion full of appreciation and gratitude. this is one of the truest forms of traveling light i’ve experienced.

much love tim & rolfe. thanks for kickin’ my butt – my previous work, work, work paradigm – and putting me on the path 3 years ago. i say thanks, yet, i can’t thank you enough!

adrian

Tim,

I have a small squirt bottle where I mix 50 percent Downy Wrinkle Releaser and 50 percent Orange FeBreeze fabric scent. The combination works great, especially since I often travel for business in Asia, and everyone smokes. A few sprits of this mix can get rid of the smokey stink, and the wrinkles all at the same time.

— Tony P

Nice article. I have enjoyed reading the other tips also. Here is my 2 cents worth.

– get a bank account that doesn’t charge for foreign ATM machines. Then you are not worrying about the system fees, and don’t have to carry wads of cash.

– I carry a credit card with a very small limit on it. $1000. Not worried about it being stolen.

– A toque and gloves. These go a long way to helping you keep warm without a heavy winter coat.

– ear plugs and eye shades. Survival can be a good sleep.

– With an iphone use a dictionary app (ie: chinese-english) combined with the iphone’s international keyboard to communicate to people who don’t speak english.

– spend the money on high tech, travel friendly clothes.

– duct tape can patch ripped clothing amount other uses.

– a micron filter water bottle. Removes contaminants to make safe drinking water. I got mine from “the water geeks”.

Happy Trails.

Great post!! I love ScottEVest products and it is great to see them promoting such an awesome project.

Here is my tip: Always carry a pair of running/workout shorts. They can be used as swim trunks, workout pants, underwear, pajamas, regular shorts and something to wear if you get lucky enough to find a washing machine and can wash everything else at once.

Good luck on the trip Rolf!!

Tim, I think this question of the day is a trick one and I won’t fall for it! Let me explain:

If Rolf’s goal is truly to “eliminate distractions and concentrate on the experience of the journey itself” then he’s completely going about it the wrong way. If there’s anything I learned from reading The 4 Hour Work Week it’s how important it is to MENTALLY unplug from the world, especially when traveling (as opposed to physically).

The “emotional freedom” you talk about in Chapter 14 will never be achieved if he’s running his trip from his smartphone. People/work will keep calling with “emergencies” and he won’t be able to ignore the calls for long because the phone will need to be on to run the trip. The impulse to check the news/voicemails will be a constant distraction that will ruin the trip.

One of the first things I did after reading 4HWW was take the mail app on my iPhone (which you can’t delete even if you wanted to) and put it on the LAST page with the apps I never use. Having if off my homescreen allowed me to think about email less and now I check all three of my inboxes about twice a day as opposed to every two minutes when it was staring at me when I turned on my phone.

On a completely other note I myself wouldn’t last two HOURS let alone two weeks without my own supply of floss. My dentist would haunt my nightmares and give me anxiety the entire time.

There’s no reason why he can’t at least have a small man-purse to hold some stuff. The whole thing is kind of silly.

Hi Tim,

Another great post – thanks!

QOD: Lots of great ideas from others here, many are part of my own light-travel approach. As many have already commented, the iPhone serves well as the electronic equivalent of a Swiss army knife: flashlight, book reader, alarm, meeting recorder, presentation tool, multi-mode recording device, the list is endless.)

Most of my travel tends to be on business, which brings its own set of challenges when trying to travel light, especially if you’re also planning to fit in some non-work related stuff while at the destination (after all, sleep is vastly overrated and I’ve got to have *some* fun on a 5-day business trip to Tokyo, haven’t, I?!)

With that in mind, I travel first of all in what I call my ‘safety’ pants. A black pair of lightweight, wool trousers that work equally well casual when paired with an appropriate shirt, but can substitute for suit pants if something untoward happens to the suit pants while on the trip -thus the ‘safety’ moniker. Just make sure the suit is equally dark with minimal pattern in it – doesn’t have to be black; most people won’t notice. They’re also really comfortable on a long-haul flight.

My other tenet is that if it’s less than 7-8 days, I shouldn’t have to check any luggage. Yes, it can be done, easily, even on business. You already know I’m packing a suit, but I’ll wear my dress shoes for travel, and again, paired with a casual long-sleeve shirt over a t-shirt (flexibility for warmer/cooler climates) you’re good to go. On the shirt front, although there’s some excellent help-you-fold bags and tools that you can pack with, they all add bulk, so I’ve just learnt how to fold the shirt by first laying it, fully buttoned, in the roll-on bag. Done right, creases are at a bare minimum, and the shirts pack very thin. 3 light/neutral business shirts plus one casual shirt in the roll-on, hotel service or local dry cleaner can extend you for the rest of the trip even with a 24-hour turnaround snafu. Add to that traveling in another shirt that’ll work equally well in the board room or out at night, and you’re good to go. Oh, and there’s also room for running shoes, shirt and shorts in there, along with underwear, socks, and toiletries (minimal zip-lock bag o’ stuff, much like yourself).

Last step if you’re travelling from warm to cold climates (think travel in January from Los Angeles(70 degrees) to London (43 degrees, but believe me, it feels a lot cooler!) is carry your coat/overcoat. You’ll want it when you get there anyway, and it’s one less thing to try and fit in the roll-on.

Safe travels everyone!

Love the post!

Suggestions for Rolf:

• Consider adding running shorts to his repertoire…for sleeping in…for wearing while washing his cargo pants. How does Rolf wash his cargo pants?

• Take a few plastic garbage bags (good to sit on, use as tablecloth, wear in the rain)

• Upgrade to moleskine pocket notebooks

Notes for Tim:

• I love the Marmot 3oz jacket you recommend & I wore it to the top of Mt. Whitney. My kids like that I’ve upgraded from white plastic bag rainwear

• That Kiva expand-a-bag is handy! Half the size of my palm but expands to fit a reasonable amount.

• We like Keen’s too, but the water variety. We bought Keen water sandals before rafting the Grand Canyon, thinking them a wild extravaganza; I’ve been surprised with how much we’ve used them for all sorts of vacations, beach of course, but canoeing last week in the Boundary Waters, even 5 mile hikes.

Other tips, as a woman, consider bringing:

• Bathing suit, especially if you are hard-to-fit or particular about fit. Tankini doubles as cami-top or string bikini is small & could be worn as underwear.

• Tampons. These can be hard to find in foreign countries where pads dominate & who wants to try to explain in a foreign language what a tampon is?

• OPI nail case (super small scissors, file, tweezers) – helpful in lots of situations, stylish case hasn’t been a problem eight times through security.

As a parent, I cannot see carrying a sippy cup in Rolf’s ScotteVest. In your small carry-on, consider bringing:

• Diapers, yes enough for a three week vacation if you need. After a few vacations of “buying diapers there,” we learned:

– It can be hard to find diapers, especially in sizes 4 & up

– All diapers are not created equal. Do you really want to have multiple blow-outs from leaky diapers?

• Handcleaner

• Children’s medicine (chewable tylenol, motrin, and benadryl tablets as well as dissolving strips of cold medicine). These pack small and can be hard to find in stores when you need them. Adults can double the dosage and take in a pinch.

I agree flea markets & thrift stores are a great way to experience the culture of a new place. My favorite finds:

• Women’s Italian leather jacket for $35 (Rome)

• Boiled wool jacket in England for $4

• His/her kimonos for $25. While trying on kimono jackets, my husband & I were followed by paparazzi from the Kyoto photography club.

Other travel tips:

• Bring clothes that are near the end of their life & then jettison them before the return flight home.

• The following can be indispensible: moleskin, single-use Neosporin ointment, ½ oz. hydrocortisone, OFF wipes for bugs.

• We like to mail house-warming gifts to coincide with our arrival instead of carrying gifts

• Consider what information you should have accessible elsewhere just in case…say, if your phone should skitter across the catamaran deck & plunge into 80 feet of Caribbean water on the 2nd day of a 14 day vacation.

• Sometimes the best experiences take only cash. Horseback riding in the Eastern Sierras took all the cash we’d brought.

We look forward to hearing more about Rolf’s adventures & Tim’s commentary.

Hi Tim,

None of us have been doing much traveling of late; however, we are totally jonesing for the Sonos player and the Klipsch loudspeakers so we’ve been sitting around brainstorming ideas we might contribute.

First, a few concerns. Is there a budget for this project, and where does Rolf keep his cash? Isabel says that in Brazil the thieves steal everything including all the clothes you’re wearing! Does Rolf have a back-up plan for such an event?

We all have dogs, and are wondering if you could make some suggestions dealing with that issue. Is there some cool carrier you might have stumbled upon?

Has anyone had any issues with the Blundstones? Although Rolf raves about them some have had problems with arch support.

It seems like this might be an easier trip for the guys as girls need to carry quite a few more items especially if they’re going to be on camera everyday, which begs another question: Is the cameraperson baggage and where do you put him/her, and how much stuff are they bringing? This might be another cool topic, how little stuff can a videographer get away with bringing!

There is one more thing as we are musicians: what do we do with our guitars and stuff, and then there are the pharmaceuticals and the sleep apnea machine.

Hmmm, on second thought maybe we don’t have that much to contribute to this topic. 🙂

Oh, Leslie wants to give a shout out to the Lee Child novels: the main character named Reacher never carries anything, never does laundry, just buys a new outfit every so often and disposes of his old one. Have you guys read them?

Thanks for another great post, Tim. You always get us thinking outside the box!

Peace,

Team Wendy

Travel Tip:

Go commando – save space and luggage weight!

From travelling around I’ve found POCKETS are key. Regardless if its cargos pants, the scottevest or a good backpack. Throwing everything in a catch-all bag/pocket drives me crazy.

When I need chapstick or my camera I don’t want to dig through everything. I really like the demonstration of the scottevest I’ll have to take another look at that. Although I don’t know how accessible my items would be.

@Dave – [re:airport security] Actually, you wouldn’t believe how many professional travel techniques pop up on the “Terrorist Watch” lists. A friend showed me the list just after it was updated in ’05 and said he should report me. Security shouldn’t be a problem though. A combination of good humor and blunt honesty has worked every time (10-years+).

Regarding the QOD: Almost all weight comes from personal comforts, legal requirements and (surviving) the environment. Personal fuzzies are what can usually be cut down the most on. But don’t count out what “time” things cost you. The number of items carried are how many have to be taken out when washing, carried while drying and re-stored once dry. Less is better.

Pay in Coins – Weighty, unmanageable and downright pesky, coins should be shelled out whenever possible. You practice long enough, you get good at counting ’em on site. When leaving the country, give what coins you’ve still got pocketed to the nearest gypsy. ALWAYS keep coins in the same pocket, or they’ll begin taking over everything. Pennies always win.

Rain Me No Likey – Two sandwich baggies for that iPod touch. Don’t eat it, just bag it. Rain is the reaper of electronics… and, without protection, any random storm will completely limit your travels or end your communications altogether. For real protection, get a very small DrySack just large enough to hold the iPod and seal shut.

Pocket Lawyer – Don’t let your passport nor credit card see the light of day. A traveler’s neck wallet large enough to hold both is required. Other than mugging, this kills any worries of checking pockets to make sure your most valuable items are still with you.

Haggling – Don’t pay more than you have to. Ask someone on the plane or ferry if they haggle where you’re landing. If they do, get into the game. Not only does it become fun, but it saves a lot of money once added up.

Migrate Towards Moderation – Going into New Zealand without any baggage just as they’re in the heart of winter? Not something I’d normally suggest. A key to traveling light is avoiding the extremes of summer and winter. Being a traveler means you can migrate away from extremes and can carry much less when in moderate climes.

Lose the Light – Yeah, it could come in handy, but it’s just one more item to take out and put back in whenever washing. If you can’t live without it, go with a single, small (think thumbnail small) LED instead.

Systematize Me – This is my bathroom pocket, here’s my computer room pocket, then here’s my kitchen pocket… for the kitchen sink. Assign every pocket mentally, then keep with that system. Looks like Rolf’s covered this, but worth repeating. Never take out what isn’t needed and go for clothing with pockets that SEAL.

Pillow Soft – You just never can trust that the pillow where your head’s gonna land will be soft enough. Traveling with no bag means no worries about guarding it when in a hostel. You still have things to guard. Sleep in the boxers (my vote goes in for ExOfficio) and wrap all valuables in your clothes under your pillow for extra padding and the warm fuzzies of security.

If It Was Good Enough for Jesus… – Halfway up a mountain isn’t the time to ask “Why, o why, am I wearing sandals?” I’m ashamed to say I’ve been there twice. At the same time, I’m voting down the boots. Sandals. No socks. The boots are added weight, they also add more clothes (socks), more drying time and more cleaning time. They’re one of the heaviest additions in time and weight to this trip. Boots and socks also lend to fungus and other foot parasites that thrive in their dark warmth. The worry on this trip would be New Zealand. Normally with sandals, if you use them your feet build up to handle more extreme elements. Not enough time on this trip to make the switch.

Not-so-Safe Pins – No safety pins. They easily come undone, are theft magnets, can injure you if they come undone and can injure someone else if accidentally left near a sink when cleaning. They don’t pass the pro-vs-con sniff test and add to the number of items.

QuickDries – Running out of time and freaking, but definitely see where you can use clothing that dries quickly as it will be dry by the time you want to sleep and use it as a pillow. Real quick.

iPod touch Me There Again – Now, my entire section on the iPod touch. This device is sick. Pack the USB. No heavy power converters, no wieldy solar panels, just keep your eye on where you can charge via computer. When packing anything, ask the Apple question: “Is there an app for that?” Your pen and notebook. There’s an app for that. Make sure it’s an iPod touch G2+. Pack earbuds with built-in microphone. Anything you’re not going to blog, use a recording app and speak what you want to write instead. It also means less risk of ink spillage from airplane pressure or extreme heat, as well as damage to your paper. This also saves time, as you adapt real quick to pacing and talking to yourself as you record and it changes how you think. Instead of using phones, use Skype with the worldwide plan and phone line. Look for WiFi near colleges in almost all countries and at coffee shops. WiFi tracking sites online abound these days, just map ’em ahead of time. There’s also an app for your flashlight. Just saying. I’ve been using the touch for years, but I’m considering buying a used iPhone off of Craigslist entirely to remove the camera from my inventory. No need of the phone service. For Rolf, however, I would suggest looking for a small spy-camera while on this trip. They’re lipstick small and light as all hell, but you do need some practice to know what you’re shooting. One thing to do ahead of time is make sure that auto-sync is turned OFF on the iPod touch. Otherwise, you risk losing all apps and other synced items.

Awesome venture! I’ll definitely be following closely.

~Jaya, alt.traveler of a decade (sorry for errors, cutting close to deadline)

Hi Tim,

I’m an older lady who just traveled around Europe with one cabin-sized bag. I didn’t want to stand out as a tourist, but I did want to take a large camera. Here’s what I did:

1) Packed one pair of black pants and a crushable dress as I was going to attend a wedding, and one black and one coloured top. I washed my clothes every night in the sink.

2) Wore one pair of very comfortable shoes that went with the pants and the dress.

3)Packed minimal makeup and borrowed shampoo along the way.

4) Packed a very light, curling brush hair dryer that enabled me to do my hair every day AND dry my clothes before I packed them if hanging overnight didn’t quite do the trick.

5) Backed a small black vinyl “handbag” backpack. These are a bit out of fashion now but you can still buy them in handbag shops. They held my camera and my purse when I was out and about and very sucessfully hid the fact that I was a tourist.

6) Rolled all the clothes up like a snail shell which created a lot of room in my cabin bag.

7) Packed a belt with a zip compartment in it to take cash.

8) Took my iphone with Tom Tom on it to hold travel maps, language dictionaries, metro maps, kindle novels etc. I took the sim card out so I wouldn’t be hit with date fees and bought myself a skype number and forwarded my phones to that. Then whenever I found a hotspot, I called home, checked my voicemail, email etc. Tom Tom was a lifesaver! The only regret I have is not getting an extra battery for my phone – it ran down on train trips.

9) Sent scans of all hotel reservations and travel documents to gmail.

10) Took a tiny bottle of eucalyptus oil to keep my shoes smelling nice!

Because I was dressed all in black with a “handbag” when I was out and about, I was constantly mistaken for a local. Locals would come up to me to ask for directions! I had a wonderful time chatting to people and got largely left alone by hustlers. It was brilliant!

Thanks Tim for the inspiration!

QOD Reply.

When I am in minimalist-traveler-mode, I always have the following two things…

1. an unlocked GSM phone. I bought a Nokia old-school mini phone on ebay for $40. I ended up getting stuck in Lagos, Portugal longer than expected and bought a 15 euro SIM card. I had a local number and it came in really handy to meet up with my new friends and set stuff up. I was also able to continue to text my new friends as I continued throughout Europe without paying ridiculous roaming fees.

2. Sleeping sack. I had my mother’s seamstress make me a sleeping bag out of a bed sheet. It folds down super-small and even had a spot to tuck in the pillow. I used this in every hostel that I slept in. This way, I was able to always know that I was sleeping in clean sheets (or at least sheets that were not slept in by other people). After reading all these comments I want to get another one made of drifit material 🙂

this is awesome. the best part is that you travel totally hands-free!!! i love it.

Great advice that will help tremendously with our upcoming around the world trip.

Very interesting… I would rather have a small bag, like a 30L or maybe a little bigger.

Check out this packing list for a 28L bag that has basically everything:

http://tynan.net/the-2009-nomad-packing-list

this was the first site I’ve ever read anything related to how to travel the world ultra light.

I usually travel for business and have to wear a suit. My tips: one pair of underware, wear same suit and shirt; carry a Nook for reading, one file with all contact information on clients and leave behinds, one briefcase to carry everything in, put wallet, keys etc in briefcase and it goes through security easier, iphone, and stay in same hotels… they know me, in most places in the nation and it seems to matter.

One trick I’ve learned that has worked well for me is rolling your clothes instead of folding them and then packing them into a spacebag (vacuum/compressible bag) that fits into my bookbag. I’m able to pack plenty of clothes w/out sacrificing much space at all.

I notice with a smile how your plan to be luggage-free requires at least one mug to NOT follow your example. I’m visualizing an entire hostel washroom of people following your list, except one poor mug who is swarmed for “one dab of toothpaste” and “a couple of aspirin”.

“Can I borrow a sweater/shirt/something I didn’t take?” “No can do, dude. I followed your instructions and didn’t pack anything either.”

I’m forced to disagree on your idea that a “hand-to-mouth” existence is somehow liberating. Overplanning and over-preparing and the subsequent overpacking is one kind of misery, but you’re proposing a new flavour of hardship and frustration.

“Wow, is it chilly out there today!” (people who packed sweaters and hoodies climb into them quickly.) “Uh…where’s the nearest thrift store? I need to score a jacket or something.” “Over in the poor section of town, about 12 blocks from here. But they’re not open until 10, dude. The bus to the mountain leaves at 8:30.”

“Dude. WHAT are you wearing?” “Well, the thrift store jackets were pretty picked over. It’s only a size too small.” “But, green and white polka dots?”

Nevertheless, some very intriguing ideas to get the brain working on paring down excess luggage.

I think most married men would agree that the real travel challenge is not packing light yourself, but getting your wife to pack light. My wife and I went on a trip to France a couple of years ago. Since we were planning on using their excellent public transportation system I felt it was imperative to have light small bags so we could hop on and off the trains, buses, and Paris metro with ease.

However my wife does not like to pack light; she loves shoes which naturally take up lots of space and usually required her to take several bags when we travel. So for the trip I bribed her and said I would buy her a nice new coat in Paris if she could fit all her stuff in her purse and one carry on. She was able to do it, although just barely, we almost couldn’t get the bag in the overhead bin for the trip over.

It was the best money I have ever spent. Because we didn’t have to wait for any checked bags we were able to catch and earlier train and saved 2 hours. And I was able to carry both our bags when needed as well so getting around train stations and metro stations was never a big problem.

And ever since that trip she has been packing everything in one carry-on for all our other trips because of how much easier and better packing lighter made our trip to France.

While we didn’t pack ultra light by any stretch of the imagination just making the jump to one carry on bag makes a huge difference. If you haven’t tried it you really need to. It makes flying in particular so much easier and more relaxing. You don’t have to worry about lost luggage or how you are going to get all your stuff through a crowded train station. So husband and wives do whatever it takes to bribe your reluctant spouse to pack light it will probably be the best money you spend on your upcoming trip.

Here are some power-related tips:

When traveling with electronic devices, the single most useful item that I bring is my Belkin surge protector. It’s a mini 3-outlet surge protector with 2 USB charging ports and is very light/compact. This way if i’m at a crowded airport, coffee shop, conference room, hotel lobby, or whatever, I can simply ask a person using an outlet if I can plug in my surge protector. This has saved me on many occasions when I need to charge something on the go. The model # is BZ103050-TVL.

If you’re only traveling internationally with small mobile devices, skip the voltage converters and get a solar USB charger. They’re often much smaller and lighter than a voltage converter and adapters. This has the added bonus of being able to charge even when there are no outlets available. It’s almost always easier to find a source of light than a source of power.

@peatt good tips & amusing.

Here a few hacks from wilderness backpacking and international traveling for the last 20 years:

~ Duct tape. Good for bag/clothing repair, blisters…only limited by your imagination here.

~ Baby wipes or handiwipes. You can get the alcohol free fancy pants ones @ Wild Oats or just regular. On very long flights, USA – Australia/Asia…before landing I go into the bathroom shave, put deodorant on. Then clean up with one of the baby wipes. I feel like a new man and am ready to hit the ground running.

This guy is either an amateur or completely nuts.

How can you not pack any mosquito repellent when travelling to countries in the tropics?

Oh, and no, Malaria- or dengue-carrying mosquitos don’t wait until you have found the local pharmacy to stock up….

This sounds like a great experiment. I’d love to see how this works out for a female traveler though. Who knows, maybe I’ll try this on my next trip!

Tim,

I’ve said this in the past and it has been amazingly consistent that every time I’m making changes in my life you seem to post exactly what is relevant! I’m about to embark on a 3600 Mile Walk across the country from Jackson, NC to Long Beach California… My platform is speaking on the childhood obesity epidemic and I’ve been ever so fortunate to have created a muse and system to support my 12 month walk. September 11th is the start date and by all means, this post on “packing light” is obviously right on point!

While I’m not giving my two cents for the contest, I want to again thank you for somehow being right on par with the info and knowledge that is needed in my life, time and again!

Cheers Tim!

Patrick

Paper (and pen) beats rock, scissors, language difficulties and boarder officials! Nothing is mightier.

Always carry a pad of paper and a pen, not just because you are a writer, not just for the reasons below, but for all the reasons can’t think of.

When I went to Thailand on my RTW trip I had a one way flight to Bangkok and no ticket out, witch is the visa requirement. When I presented my passport to the boarder official at BKK airport she replied “round trip ticket?” I shook my head and she said “ticket out??” She went to signal somebody to come over but I cut her off by waiving my hand, pulled out my pen and paper and proceeded to pretend I was deaf. I scribbled a made up language which she tried very hard to read. She went to signal somebody again and I waved my hand in a “lets try again” type of motion and scribbled away. She became impatient and the line of restless travelers behind me got longer. She put up her hands in surrender and waved me into thailand with my visa. Thank you pen and paper!

When in asian countries hand signals rarely work. Just try asking for a bathroom without talking, you’ll find yourself in the squat position motioning fecal matter flying from your bum in desperation. You wont have to do that if you have pen and paper! Just doodle a picture! I was at a massive bazaar in China and wanted to find an electrified bug zapper shaped like a tennis racket that I saw once. I doodled a tennis racket, a lightning bolt and a fly and I had one in my hand in about a minute, no clarification or pantomiming needed.

Directions in a language you can even pronounce or read. China once again had me stumped trying to ask directions or telling taxi drivers where to take me. Enter pen and paper! I asked the last english at my guesthouse to write it down in Mandarin and I presented it to my cab driver. I was there in no time with no confusion.

If somebody writes down something for you, just make sure you get your pen back. A ball point pen is big trade item in some countries.

A little obvious, some may say but..

Find a spring loaded USB to iphone cord!!

Should be less than $5 and you can plug your phone into any USB port(internet cafe’s) to charge anywhere in the world- no bulky chargers or international adapters required.

They’re super cheap on ebay.

I have been using that exact keyboard for years (originally had it hooked into my Cingular 8525) and I *highly* recommend it for seasoned road warriors/travelers. Mine’s still in “like new” condition after 5 years and it sits in the bottom of my day-pack.

What’s better, since iPhone updated its BT (for iPads to use the Apply BT keyboard), that keyboard really does work auto-magically. If you’re over 30 and you want to write anything more than a Twitter entry, you really should consider this.

I don’t think they make them anymore, so get one while you can. It was the smartest “luxury” item I’ve purchased in the last decade.

Being a hardy traveller – with expensive carbon roadbike from Australia to France – weight is an essential consideration for me. I am a logistics monster.

I’m also a terrible, terrible overpacker. Even on day trips on the bike out to watch Le Tour, I had trouble picking one single lense: “oooh, but I WILL need a tele, and wide, and standard”.

This year for France (Le Tour, L’Etape), I had 3, yes, THREE, packing lists, viz:

Bike Bag including bike, energy gels, bike tools, kit.

Casual stuff

Camera gear (40D, 70-200L, 10-20 wide, 17-55, spare cables, spare memory, batteries, chargers)

Powerbook 13″ + charger

iPhone, iPod + chargers

2 business books

Canon IXUS 100IS

I just don’t learn. I did the same thing last year.

I started this with this years “stuff” pile on my bed. 14 tshirts for 13 days.

TIPS:

1. Take your piles, cut everything in half.

2. If you must take camera gear, rationalise. 2 lenses, max. No flash. Or dump it all, and take a high quality point and shoot. I need a dSLR for my website and ebooks (covers etc), and for the shutter speed, but most people can get away with an awesome point and shoot. Or even nothing, and use an iPhone 4.

3. A laptop, really? Unless you’re blogging/cutting video (I was), you don’t NEED one. Well if I was going for a month I’d take one. I hate slumming it in internet kiosks, mucking around with SDHC and CF cards.

4. 1 pair of shoes.

5. No books (put them on laptop, iPad, etc etc), or 1 max.

For me, the weight is in:

– books

– shoes

– coats

– excess clothes (1 tshirt per 2 days).

I’m back off to France next year for Le Tour and L’Etape and 2 weeks in Spain with my +1 (3 weeks total), so will take

Bike, minimum kit, buy all my energy stuff there.

1 tshirt per 3 days, ONE going out tshirt only (I usually take 4 or so, and then don’t go out).

1 pair of shoes ONLY (something for trekking, going out – Salomons or equivalent from Wiggle)

1 jumper

1 light rain jacket shell – buy in Europe as they’re way cheaper than in Australia

3 pairs shorts (casual, walk/plane, boardies)

Really, the list of weight saving is endless.

Thanks Tim for the heads up on the keyboard, and backpack.

Tim Marsh

PS, I go overseas for snowboarding and don’t even want to think about that topic.

I do not know if anyone else has said these but I like the Aqua Safe Straw Plus for thirst quenching it is one of the best ceramic straws. Removes 99.9999% bacteria and 99.99% of Viruses. Great for when you want to go to a place where the water might be questionable and still allow you to drink even alcoholic drinks so you do not have to worry about the ice in the drink.

http://www.aquasafestraw.com/_catalog_101341/AquaSafe_Products