Preparing for Long Term One Bag Travel

What are you planning to pack? Bringing too many things will be a mistake. Women - high heels? On cobblestone streets in Europe or gravel streets of Asia. Stick to "flats".

A female "backpacker" should stay mobile. Everything you carry should have a purpose. Remember, you'll have to go into public toilets. Your stuff should fit into a public or hostel locker (bring a padlock). If you carry a "big" suitcase, your day pack or purse may disappear while you're wrestling it up a flight of stairs. You don't want to have to deal with theft while you're on your trip.

Pick out everything you think you need, and then divide it in half. Then decide what you'll put in you backpack. How about one pair of your favorite jeans. One pair of walking shoes. Plan on being properly dressed for a religious site.

OK! Bring two weeks of underwear and socks. Five casual tops, one pair of jeans, two pairs of leggings, one pair of lounge clothes, two pairs of leggings, five dressy tops, one pair of athletic shorts, three pairs of shoes, a swimsuit, two dresses, two skirts, two lightweight sweaters or cardigans, a light jacket, three scarves and lightweight jewelry.

Choose a backpack that you'll want to carry on your entire trip and also small enough to meet the weight (14 lbs/ 7 kilograms) and volume (length x width x depth) guidelines of smaller European airlines. Packing cubes will come in handy, put all of your fresh clothes into one and your socks and underwear into another, and have another for dirty clothes.

Laundry? Do it yourself - carry detergent packets or budget for having someone else do it.

Choose a "day pack" that you can "control". It should hold essentials like a camera, light weight rain coat, hat. a small flashlight for late night arrivals, sunglasses, a collapsible water bottle - pick one with a sturdy strap to deter petty theft. Keep your mobile-phone, passport, visa, tickets and money on your body in an inside pocket or money belt. Make copies of everything and email them to yourself. Be sure to have the proper power converter for your electronic equipment. Consider an universal battery pack.

Prescription medications. Take what you need for your entire stay and make sure your prescription information is on the label pack, a mini emergency kit of pain killer, allergy, medicine and anything else you use regularly in a pill box, but buy larger bottles of over-the-counter items.

When you close it, do you still have room? You'll need it. Ideally, you'll have room for souvenirs. You have the chance to buy a piece vintage clothing at an open-air market.

Remember the 7 kilos? Can you lift it over your head on the airplane? On your way home you can always purchase another "checked" bag for the souvenirs you collect. Hopefully, there will be someone to help carry it for you when you come home.

Enjoy your trip. Good Luck!!