Packing Light, Packing Right
by David Mushegain

The (Usual) Worst Case Scenario
You land in London's Heathrow airport to begin your big European vacation. You exit the plane smoothly and glide towards the baggage claim. The red light flashes as bags began to spin round and round. You dance across the smoothly waxed floors to grab your approaching backpack. "Wow, it is heavier than I remember," you think to yourself. You're making your way through the customs when suddenly an uniformed Englishman approaches you and asks you to kindly step aside. A routine check, he says. He asks what you're carrying and you answer "Some clothes and shoes and a towel, the usual." He then asks to see inside the bag.

When you packed your bag at home you had time to organize, plan and squeeze things into place. The customs agent begins digging. Flinging stuff onto his aluminum operating table, looking through your underwear, toiletries, multiple T-shirts, shorts, pants, jacket, sweater, and guidebook. "Wow, you got a lot of stuff," he says. "Planning to stay for a while?" You look at him gravely and respond, "I will be here two months, sir." The custom agent laughs sarcastically. You began to wonder why he is laughing. He then says, "Cheers, have a nice stay " and walks away leaving you with a mess.

You struggle to finally get everything back into your bag, and fling it on your shoulder. "Damn this bag is heavy". Then buy a ticket and grab a train into the city. It's no problem until you reach Kings Cross where the five o'clock rush hour has taken full effect. Your bag seems to be in the way of everyone. An old lady trips over your beast on the way out of the train. Everybody looks at you. A courier gets the pedal of his bike caught on your strap and struggles to make it out of the train as the door closes on his back wheel. Everybody looks at you, and your hulking bulk of a pack.

Off the train, it's hostel-searching time. The top pouch of your pack stuffed with crap extends a foot over your head. A pair of hiking boots hangs off the back. You still have your daypack strapped in front, pregnancy style. And across your forehead is written: tourist, target, victim.

You wander the streets awhile and eventually throw your pack down in some nine-bed dormitory. Unpacking, you start to think about your CD player and your CDs and your expensive watch and all of the things you do not want stolen. Where can you put them? Where can you protect your stuff?

Lighten Up and Lose the Anchor
My friends, let me give you some advice. Lighten up and loose the anchor. You do not want to spend two months of potential freedom locked to your material world. When you go to pack, take only what you need. Need is the operative word, might need doesn't cut it. More importantly, do not take anything you really would be sad about losing. If you forget something important chances are they sell it everywhere and probably cheaper anyway. There are only a few really essential items, and here's info on the survival packing basics from a veteran traveler who's a firm believer in less is more.

Consider a pair of board shorts to walk around and swim in. Ladies, it's freewheeling Europe, so most of the time you do not need a top and board shorts will do. Take a pair of pants, something loose and light making them both comfortable and easy to dry after washing. Jeans are a definite faux pas (they're heavy, take forever to dry, and hot. And the rumors of selling old Levis in Russia for a profit are over.) Take a short sleeve and long sleeve T-shirt and one pullover hooded sweater for any cold weather you might encounter. (Assuming you're not heading to the Nordic countries in winter, this is fine for most of the European summer.) Two pairs of socks, sandals and tennis shoes. Guys - underwear can be lost for the summer (I travel really light.) Just wipe well and maybe use some water. And everyone should take a very small pack towel that's easy to dry and compressible.

Besides clothes, you may consider a flashlight, a Walkman for long train rides, and a journal for writing. A small camera is also nice to have, something cheap but effective. Bring a small pocketknife and a spoon. A sleeping bag is a comfortable option for sleeping although many prefer to go with a sheet that can be easily folded and packed away. Although if you find that $15 a night at a hostel is too much to pay then take the sleeping bag because it will become your home.

Two last important details are toiletries and a small first aid kit with Neosporin, cream for rashes and maybe some good pills for potential stomach trouble. The standard toothbrush and paste, and travel size shampoo and shaving cream if needed. If you carry tubes anything that could possibly leak be sure to put it in a Ziploc for protection.

Finally go down to your local army surplus store and grab a $30 backpack. They work fine and are small enough to carry on the plane. And a backpack is like a car. If you have a Ferrari everyone's looking, but if you have an old Pinto, well, nobody really cares. Also grab a little pack to use as a daypack when walking around the cities.

Really, the most important thing is that the way you pack should reflect the way you travel. For me, light is right. I camp out a lot and love my sleeping bag. If photography is important to you, maybe carrying a full SLR is your extra burden. You've got to think about what's important for your trip, and then still cut out half the stuff.

Travel on, friends and remember, stay light on your feet because you never know when you'll need to run.