Travelling Light, Fast & Fabulous
Travel bloggers always go on about the benefits of flying carry-on only: no waiting at the carousel, no lost luggage, etc., so I decided to go for 5 plus weeks in India with only carry-on. I have an Osprey Meridian with detachable daypack so they were my main carry-on with the pack as my “purse.” It was fortunate that I chose to do it for this trip because M & I had to scramble to get on another plane last minute. If we had checked bags they wouldn’t have made it to Delhi with us.
There are some challenges to this for a longer trip. You can’t bring an extensive wardrobe but, hell, you were gonna shop for some new clothes anyway. Right? You have to get all your necessary liquids in a 1L plastic bag and some countries are stricter about what they consider “liquids”. The good news is that Canada also allows you to bring non-prescription medical liquids i.e. contact solution, eye drops, cough syrup, etc. in larger than 100mL and in a separate bag. Just make sure you can dig it out to show customs. I also carry the CATSA regs in case someone tries to argue with me.
I’ve found some handy products and systems to help reduce the sheer bulk of stuff and still be very comfy. I like my comfort.
To reduce amount of liquids so I can fly carry-on:
*face wipes with make-up remover - no need for face cleanser or make-up remover. You can pay a lot or you can go to the dollar store
*hand wipes
*nail polish remover wipes - most pharmacies carry them
*PiACTIVE bug spray in the flat 40g bottle - Icaridin works as well as DEET but doesn’t ruin plastic and the flat shape of the bottle makes it easy to pack. MEC carries it
*solid deodorant - Lush makes some & there are other brands with rocks and powders
*solid perfume- Lush makes nice ones, as does Pacifica
*solid sunscreen - I use Thinksport spf 30 18.4g/.64oz size
*stain wipes for clothes - the liquid pens always leak on planes for me. I get friends to pick up Shout wipes from the US
*tooth powder - I use Neem Tooth & Gum powder
*travel-sized shampoo, conditioner & shower gel - Lush makes these in solid forms but they don’t suit my hair and skin. I buy teeny bottles or use the ones hotels provide
For convenience on the go:
*Anker electronics charging block - it has two USB slots so I can charge the iPad and my camera even if there is only one outlet in the room. This brand surge protects and can do high speed charging for 2 items simultaneously. I don’t bring any other blocks - just the proprietary cords
*cotton handkerchief - makes a quick dry wash cloth and weighs nothing
*deodorant wipes - Takes off stink & adds deo. There are different brands and for this trip I am using Pacifica. Amazing for overnight plane and train rides
*flat iron of the teeny tiny variety - thank you cowlick from hell
*folding travel hair dryer - see above
*lip gloss with spf- why take an additional lip balm
*no water needed mini-toothbrushes - Crest/Scope and Colgate make them. Each brush is one use and they are sold in packages of 4. Perfect for overnight flights and trains
*Osprey ultralight backpack - weighs 3oz. but holds 18L and folds into a tiny pouch. Perfect for a day trip or some shopping. The straps are lightly padded and it has a water bottle pocket. Covered by Osprey’s lifetime guarantee
*PackTowl - a microfibre bath towel that folds down to fit a small bag. Absorbs water even when it’s wet. Not only good for drying your body & hair, but you can roll your wet laundry in it and give a squeeze to remove excess water before hanging it up
*Pacsafe purse - when I am on the crowded Kolkata metro and I can’t move an arm to save my life I know my purse is locked closed and cut proof. Plus it’s RFID protected if someone is trying to scan my cards or passport. And it has the mother lode of organizing pockets. I also have a small one that only fits money, passport, camera, keys and wipes
*Quick dry undies/trousers, etc. - it’s nice when they’re dry by the next morning. You can bring so much less
*rehydration tablets or salts - to dissolve in water for when you find yourself all headachey and crappy. If you’re in a warm climate odds are good you’ll get dehydrated, especially if you limited your fluid intake in advance of a plane, bus or train ride
*Swiss army knife - you can travel with it carry-on as long as the blade is 6cm or less and you are not going to or through the US
The sleep anywhere collection:
*ear plugs and sound cancelling earphones - the rest of the world isn’t going to stop yelling and tossing bricks just because you want to sleep
*inflatable pillow - I hate most of them, but MEC makes one that has some fluff in it and you inflate as much as you like so it’s soft, yet packs down into nothing
*fleece socks - if your tootsies get cold on the plane or you want slippers that don’t take up much space
*sleep liner - mystery stains on the sheets? Too hot to use the quilt? Too cold even with the quilt? Wondering about critters? My purple princess silk sleep liner does the trick
*sleep mask - and not the shitty ones the airlines give you. A nice thick fleece one that doesn’t make nylon noises while you’re trying to sleep. Mine has glow-in-the-dark eyes
And if you need to buy souvenirs - jewelry takes up almost no space!
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