travel light or fully prepared

I am getting on the train in about 2 hours for the holiday and it had me thinking, do you travel light or fully prepared and why? Oooh and what strange thing can you not travel without?

I travel light, it is just my nature. My dad took us on car trips and we had strict limits on how much we could pack. I only a couple times missed something important. One summer I had to buy a bathing suit in Estherville Iowa, not a large town. I didn't really like it but the trip was fine. More often I have a bunch of stuff I don't need. As long as I have a few things to do I typically wear jeans a few times during a trip anyway.

So my daughter got me the cutest tiny curling iron for my birthday this month. It is about 6 inches long (at target if you need one). I have travel size everything for personal care and only need one pair of shoes plus an emergency pair just in case my cowgirl boots do not meet all my social needs there. Ha, Like that would happen, they match the skirt and go with jeans and I wear them on the train so it is not a lot of space. I have only one crochet project that is small and my nook with my spanish study book on it and a drawing pad for the stuff I have been designing. I am even leaving the computer at home.

My strange thing I MUST have and takes up the space of at least 2 outfits is my zafu, or meditation cushion. I meditated like 15 years without one and now I bring it on every overnight trip. I just can't 'sit' on other things.

I travel light. What I bring in the way of toiletries depends on if I'm staying with friends or not. If I'm staying with friends, I will use their toothpaste and shampoo, but I do bring my own conditioner, deodorant, and razor. Small container of hair gel, too, which means I don't have to worry about a hair dryer. I take minimal makeup (I don't wear much anyway), can usually get away with one pair of shoes, have books on iPod Touch or smartphone, although a magazine is nice for the airport (helps to save battery on electronics). I mix and match clothes, and will bring less if I'm staying with friends, as I can ask to do laundry, if necessary.

Last year I flew two states over for a long summer weekend with friends. I had a small LL Bean Adventure duffel. It was so small, it fit under the seat in front of me on the small regional jet. Friend was astonished I had such a little bag, even just for a 2 day/2 night trip. I introduced her to the joys of packing cubes. :)

Speaking of traveling light, I found this tip below recently and it's such a neat idea!

http://jjmatheshikes.blogspot.com/20...aste-dots.html

I've been known to take 9 bags for a weekend away. And I'm a jeans person - the bags aren't full of cocktail dresses and matching accessories. I just like to bring everything I own in case I want/need it. I certainly need my pillow and my coffee pot/coffee/light cream and wine/glasses/corkscrew and how do I know what I'll want to wear in three days?

woah what a cool idea Tradd, I could do that. I was wary of it being another thing to purchse which bugs me.

I have been wondering about getting an inflatable zafu, maybe one of those rings you blow up for hemmoroids (sp?). Kinda strange but when half the case is a cushion. However my practice has been going well and visiting family usually requires sticking to my practice.

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Originally Posted by rosarugosa

I've been known to take 9 bags for a weekend away. And I'm a jeans person - the bags aren't full of cocktail dresses and matching accessories. I just like to bring everything I own in case I want/need it. I certainly need my pillow and my coffee pot/coffee/light cream and wine/glasses/corkscrew and how do I know what I'll want to wear in three days?

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Sounds like my middle daughter. She is tiny (size 2) so bringing everything she owns is still not too large, however she may miss something! I actually carry tea bags and I like the creamer that is shelf stable when I am unsure of what is available.

Have you tried an inflatable zafu? Zen Works and Carolina Morning sell them. Both are made in the USA and are very portable.

I try to pack just one bag, but I have all kinds of gadgets and comfort items that will make being away more comfortable. Not a lot of clothes, and what I do pack all goes with everything else in the bag. For gadgets, I have some swiss army knife or equivalent, flashlight, cutlery, first aid kit, earplugs, lotion, hand sanitizer, inflatable cushion, water bottle,...well I could go on and on. And always snacks, because you just never know.

I travel very light. No matter where I go or for how long my philosophy is if it doesn't fit in my carry-on I don't need it!!

Essentials for me are Passport, Credit Card, ATM card, tampons and a couple pairs of clean underwear. Where ever I've traveled the natives sell things like shampoo, shoes, towels, shirts, etc so really if I forget something it is available in some form.

I'm too tall for most of the clothing here in Japan so depending upon the trip, I sometimes take things knowing they are in their final hours such as old clothes or shoes and throw them out when I'm done but return with new clothes from countries that have clothes in my size.

Life's a Journey, Travel Light - Unknown

Our travel life: the first 20 years we drove to California every year. In old beater cars that had no business making it across the state, let alone across half the country. But luggage wasn't a problem. Take the kitchen sink if you want to, there's always room. Shoot, I remember taking the playpen, and the baby swing.....and enough clothes to last me (and the young one) for 3 months for a 2-week trip. But with that kind of travel you didn't have to think about paring down.

The last 10 years of our travel life: actual airline travel, where one has to consider every packed item (the eternal dilemma: carry-on vs. checked bags). I learned to pare down.

And I learned well: the so-far highlight of my traveling life was DH and I traveling to the Caribbean in '06 for 10 days with nothing but 2 carry-on bags and our allowed "personal pieces". And his personal piece was his C-PAP machine; and mine was a soft-sided ice-chest that I made to double as a purse for the trip. And boy, that ice-chest sure came in handy. :)

My girlfriends to this day don't believe we did this, doing that big a 10-day trip with carry-on only, but it's true.

Walk softly and carry as little baggage as possible. Me, my quote, tonight.

Light. Spent too many years working at an airline and never knowing till the last minute if we would get on the plane -- never mind our luggage. So it was always carry-on. Since trips were rarely longer than a week, we got by. The hardest part was having to dress (suit and tie for me) to get on the plane when we really never needed to dress that way for the rest of the trip. And now that bags cost $25+ each, there's more incentive to pack light, though at least we don't have to worry about more-formal clothing.

The one item I absolutely make sure is packed and carried on (and off!) is a spare set of eyeglasses. If anything happens to the pair I'm wearing, I'm in a world of hurt, and I'd hate to miss out on what there was to see -- because I couldn't see.

Steve - me too, in a different way. After breaking my glasses on a trip 200 miles away from home.....I will never be without a spare pair in the vehicle, or in my luggage, or on hand wherever we may be.

It taught me a valuable lesson. Not being able to read sh** is no way to try to get through life.....

I usually go light.

I went to Australia for 4 days and had one tote bag. Wasn't even a bit one, and most of the bulk was my laptop. LOL When DH and I spent 24 days in Europe, we both carried a simple book bag (backpack), which had all of our clothes in it, plus travel books, camera, and documents for travel. When I went to Africa, I took a larger back pack. I didn't need all of it. I should have packed far less but I listened to other people. LOL

When DH, DS, and I came to NZ for our first trip, I packed us into one-carry-on suitcase. DH carried a backpack with books, snacks and travel documents, etc.

Most weekend trips we manage to get all three of us packed into DH's large book bag (back pack), because we don't need all that much.

I'm just happier traveling with less stuff.

ZG: I'm also a size 2, so maybe it's a little person thing - lol! Thanks for reminding me to bring my chamomile teabags, going away for the weekend!

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Originally Posted by Tradd

Speaking of traveling light, I found this tip below recently and it's such a neat idea!

http://jjmatheshikes.blogspot.com/20...aste-dots.html

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So funny, I 'know' this person from another forum. It truly is a small world.

As light as possible. I took a small backpack and small purse on a week long trip a few years ago. During that week I went to a wedding, a job interview, a 50th wedding party, light hiking, and a few other things. One pair of shoes (black leather flats) and about 3 outfits. Laundry facilities where we stayed. it makes me so happy to board a plane with a backpack the size of a large purse. we really don't need much to live a good life. (and I got the job)

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Originally posted by Rosarugosa.
Thanks for reminding me to bring my chamomile teabags

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Now you're talking! LOL! You're me, or me you, however you want to look at it, but I, too, would be lost without my evening cup of comfort.

I travel light. DW makes up for me.

I travel very light for the most part no matter how long I go for - a week or a month. I bring a small carry-on backpack and that's it. Wear my heavier clothes like jacket, hoodie sweatshirt, jeans, and running shoes (heavier trail running shoes so I can use them to hike in too) on the plane rather then pack them, and don't bring much in the personal care area. I figure I can pick up things like shampoos and lotions at my destination - even extra clothes if needing something different from my travel clothes (shorts, tee shirts, yoga pants). So I bring a few changes of clothes and undies, a small cosmetic bag, an extra pair of shoes like sandals.

If I travel by car alone (i.e. without the dog) I bring more stuff including my "toys" like my bike, camping gear, etc... plus some extra clothes but not a whole lot extra. I travel for almost 2 years around the world with nothing but a backpack and found I really didn't need much at all.

I normally travel with only a smallish backpack. I'm going skiing in British Columbia, Canada this January and am trying to figure out how to pack my ski boots, poles, and skis into my backpack. :help:

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Originally Posted by Spoony

I normally travel with only a smallish backpack. I'm going skiing in British Columbia, Canada this January and am trying to figure out how to pack my ski boots, poles, and skis into my backpack. :help:

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Well I don't think you'll be able to do that with out folding skiis :-)! What I have done is wrap my skiis and poles with my ski outfit and put all of my clothes that I can fit into a ski bag with my skiisto protect them and check them. I take my ski boots, helmet and toiletries and anything else I need as a carry on. You may also check out just renting a ski package once you get to the resort and just do a carry on with your clothes (and depending on your ski outfit you can even wear it on the flight). It might be cheaper to do that then do pay extra for a checked bag.

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Originally Posted by Spoony

I normally travel with only a smallish backpack. I'm going skiing in British Columbia, Canada this January and am trying to figure out how to pack my ski boots, poles, and skis into my backpack. :help:

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I have a back country pack made to strap skis on when climbing then unhook them and and hook the snow shoes on when you ski down. Its a telemark set up so the boots do double duty. Standard downhill skiing just isn't a sport that lends itself to traveling light. If you still want to get by with just a carry on let FedEx do all the heavy lifting. Most hotels won't mind if you ship something ahead of your stay.

I think I agree with Gregg, ship your larger items ahead of time if you can be without them at home. I know you would rather use your own equipment, but additionally look at rentals. Not only do the resorts themselves offer rentals, but often there will be a nearby ski shop that rents equipment at a lesser cost.

As for the op - i always travel light. I have been known to go for two weeks on a motorcycle with just enough to fit in a small roll bag. As long as I have dry clothes, it doesn't matter to me if I am re-wearing things over and over. Bathing suit, two short sleeve tops, two jeans, one light jacket and workout shorts and shirt get me through almost all trips that are non-business travel.

Now, for the last cruise we went on , I definitely over packed. Too many formal nights - I brought four (!) elegant dresses. (one had a cranky zipper, but wanted it for photo ops). Dh had a suit with multiple shirt/tie combos. Then, the casual daywear. Oy! The bags were too heavy...

With all the surcharges, I am surprised more people don't travel as light as us. When I fly I can get by with just a backpack for a week's trip. When it starts costing me money, I take heed... Another tip I have learned - you may need to pay for a bag to go somewhere, but on that trip pack all your "disposable" clothing. As you wear items that you aren't totally in love with, either throw them away or donate. You can return with much fewer clothing items, maybe even donating your bag.

Never been on a cruise. We are thinking of one in a few years. So here is my question ..... I don't do formal. Especially on my vacation. Is this optional? Are there casual dining options on the formal nights?

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Are there casual dining options on the formal nights?

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Depends on the cruise line, but in general I would say yes. There is usually /something/ you can eat for dinner. There are also some cruiselines that don't have formal nights at all, but when I last researched these several years ago, these were all on the pricey end. I found that rather ironic- that the people with lots of money opted not to dress up, but the people who were less well off did dress up.

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Originally Posted by Tammy

Are there casual dining options on the formal nights?

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Tammy, as was stated, yes - there are other options. There seems to always be a buffet of something available, often the same foods as in the dining room. Then, there are the specialty grills - hamburgers and fries here, pizza there, etc. Sort of like little mall stands of food items at sea. Most cruise lines also offer room service, some 24 hours and others during peak times only. The menu varies with the cruise line, I believe, since we have cruised with Holland America and all menu items were available for room service and it was 24 hour, whereas Carnival (our most recent cruise) offered an abbreviated menu of sandwiches and such during 5am to 11pm.

I am a big fan of the cruise as vacation... unpack once, travel to various countries and get a taste of the local flavor, then back on board to the same bed every night. Never ending food, entertainment or leisure opportunities and much cheaper than any fly/hotel/restaurant meal adventure of similar time frame.

Cool. I hate organized frivolity with strangers. Being forced into formal clothing makes it even worse. I hope I'm not too introverted to enjoy a cruise.

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Originally Posted by Tammy

I hope I'm not too introverted to enjoy a cruise.

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You're not. I'm not, and if I'm not... :D

You do need to choose your cruise carefully. Some lines have a reputation for more partying; others for being more formal. Cruises on Disney's line are guaranteed to attract lots of families. Larger ships let you be more anonymous.

I've been on four cruises on three different cruise lines, and I've always found plenty of things to do that did not rely on the madding crowd. You can always just sit on a lounge chair or deckside and read or listen to a personal stereo or stare off into the sea or the night. Many ships have libraries. Some of the entertainment lets you be perfectly anonymous; come and go when you want. The spas in some ships are open to people who are in expensive-enough cabins or have some facilities available to everyone at no charge. Some cruise lines allow you to sit by yourself or choose your tablemates for dinner (so you don't feel like you're at a wedding every night). It's very possible to have a great cruise experience even if you're never the life of the party.