Travel Light!
In my youth, I was always one of those travelers who had to have a massive suitcase with several different outfits, a variety of things I didn’t need but “could possibly need”. When I began backpacking and studying abroad during my years at the University, I learned that travel is about the trip and experiences, not what shirt you are wearing, or how many pairs of jeans you brought. Also, squeezing everything into a backpack is a challenge and something that requires putting deep thought into what things you actually need and what are unnecessary extras.
Growing older (and less able to carry heavy weight on my back), I have put away my “large” backpack in favor of a smaller backpack with convince compartments and a spinner carryon bag. I recommend a spinner style bag as this allows for greater movement of the bag rather than pulling it in one single direction which can become a nightmare if you are in a hurry to catch the flight you are trying to reach or making your way quickly through a foreign metro system. The spinner style is a little more expensive, but worth avoiding the hassle of fighting with your wheeled companion to get it to move the way you want it to. Also we recommend a backpack that has strap on the back to allow it to slide into the telescopic handle, so if you need a break from carrying the backpack you can slide it on the roller easily to spare your back. This type of a small backpack (personal item) along with a roller bag can contain everything you need for a week or more in a foreign country, with room for small souvenirs along the way. Traveling light with carryon baggage means no more losing your luggage which is on its way to Europe, while you are standing patiently at the luggage return area in Tokyo for example. Luggage loss can ruin a trip and have the greatest impact on your budget. Also, this means quick and easy entry and exit of the airport. Having carryon only baggage means you have no checked bag and are not waiting for anything when you depart the passport control area. In addition, another benefit that can really impact your luggage travel expense is that you don’t have to pay for checked bags with some airline (usually domestic) carriers if you have to fly first to another airport before getting on your international airplane. With no checked bags there is no more waiting and hoping your bags show up on the conveyor belt, you simply leave the airport and begin your adventure!
In my youth, I was always one of those travelers who had to have a massive suitcase with several different outfits, a variety of things I didn’t need but “could possibly need”. When I began backpacking and studying abroad during my years at the University, I learned that travel is about the trip and experiences, not what shirt you are wearing, or how many pairs of jeans you brought. Also, squeezing everything into a backpack is a challenge and something that requires putting deep thought into what things you actually need and what are unnecessary extras.
Growing older (and less able to carry heavy weight on my back), I have put away my “large” backpack in favor of a smaller backpack with convince compartments and a spinner carryon bag. I recommend a spinner style bag as this allows for greater movement of the bag rather than pulling it in one single direction which can become a nightmare if you are in a hurry to catch the flight you are trying to reach or making your way quickly through a foreign metro system. The spinner style is a little more expensive, but worth avoiding the hassle of fighting with your wheeled companion to get it to move the way you want it to. Also we recommend a backpack that has strap on the back to allow it to slide into the telescopic handle, so if you need a break from carrying the backpack you can slide it on the roller easily to spare your back. This type of a small backpack (personal item) along with a roller bag can contain everything you need for a week or more in a foreign country, with room for small souvenirs along the way. Traveling light with carryon baggage means no more losing your luggage which is on its way to Europe, while you are standing patiently at the luggage return area in Tokyo for example. Luggage loss can ruin a trip and have the greatest impact on your budget. Also, this means quick and easy entry and exit of the airport. Having carryon only baggage means you have no checked bag and are not waiting for anything when you depart the passport control area. In addition, another benefit that can really impact your luggage travel expense is that you don’t have to pay for checked bags with some airline (usually domestic) carriers if you have to fly first to another airport before getting on your international airplane. With no checked bags there is no more waiting and hoping your bags show up on the conveyor belt, you simply leave the airport and begin your adventure!