Recently another traveler told me that getting rid of everything to travel was liberating. Unencumbered by possessions he was free to live his life and go, do, be wherever he pleased.
The idea of liberating our possessions is by some completely terrifying to some and exhilarating and exciting to others. I admit to regularly flip flopping on this issue, some items I’m terrified to leave behind and others I’m excited to purge. I traveled around the world with a small carry-on sized backpack. As time went on I got rid of more and more until I felt as though I had truly reached my minimalist breaking point. That’s when I joined the terrified to get rid of things camp.
We’ve written extensively about what we traveled with, the gear, the miscellanea, the clothes, what we kept in boxes for two years, and what made it around the world with us. We’ve also blogged about our fear of losing those last few possessions and the emotional attachment we came to feel to objects. We’ve written a lot about stuff– what is our obsession?
As we pack for another travel adventure, I’m smile to myself as I see the first few items go into the bag. Here they are:
- Steri Pen, Water Purifier. My adoration for this product can simply not be described. It is without a doubt the #1 object I’d recommend to any traveler going anywhere for any amount of time. As my grandma says, without health you have nothing!
- Sarong. Versatile, from a sheet to a skirt to a towel, this rectangular piece of cloth is a must.
- Med Kit. We did leave this behind once and lived to pay the price. It’s like an American Express card, never leave home without it!
- Ex-Officio undies. Our little secret at first, but these are the most comfortable for travel – even if it’s 10 hours in an airport.
- A Hat. If you’ve ever squinted in bright sunlight to read a sign you know what I mean.
Is that all I really need? Maybe I’ve crossed to another level of minimalist travel. What are the first few items in your bag?
jamie - cloud people adventures says
ipod. facing those long bus rides without it would be hell.
thongs (the australian definition). the perfect all terrain footwear.
Jillian says
Haha. I had to laugh out loud at your additional description of thongs- my dad (American) calls flip-flops thongs- he’s more international than I thought!
Christopher says
Hmmm. I’m so disorganized that I usually leave at least a few things lying on my bed or on the desk in my office. Once I drove all the way to South Tyrol (three hours from my home) without my hiking gear. I had to buy new shoes, new shorts, new socks, new brain . . .
Scott - Quirky Travel Guy says
Interesting list. Most of my travel is by car in the U.S. so my packing list focuses more on stuff like sunscreen, cameras, and snacks. Clearly, I need more outdoorsy adventures in my life.
Jillian says
Sunscreen, cameras and snacks- sounds like exactly what you need for an outdoorsy adventure. The really important question is which snacks?
Steve @ I'm Not Home says
I love having a good multi-tool. For me a Leatherman Wave.
It does add weight, and requires your luggage to be checked in, but the amount of times it gets used. All sorts of things, from fixing cheap hotel furniture to plucking unsightly nose hairs, the uses are endless!
And I second the sarong tip. Every traveller needs one.
Jillian says
Great idea, we had a swiss army knife, wasn’t as good as a leatherman, but didn’t have to be checked. It sounds like you’re a bit of a maguyver with that thing!
Steve @ I'm Not Home says
Yep, I do love macguyver travel items. It’s amazing what you can do with a leatherman, a sarong and some duct tape! I remember one particular cheap and cheerful room in Southern Nepal. I hung my sarong as a curtain, fixed the bed with my leatherman and covered the holes in the mosquito net with duct tape!
Thanks to all that macguyvering (is that a word?) I ended up spending a few nights there (hiding in the jungle, at $1 per night…)
Jillian says
This sounds like the beginning of a reality tv show! Seriously though it sounds like that tool really saved your stay!
Steve @ I'm Not Home says
It certainly did.
Though on that particular occasion the duct is really what saved me The mosquitoes were vicious!
Jeremy Branham says
I like the hat thing. Sometimes I need one and don’t have it. However, I will add something very simple that I have used on every trip I’ve ever been on – pen and a notebook.
Jillian says
Yay for hats! I’m honestly surprised pen & paper didn’t make it into the bag first – I used to be a big journal writer. Somewhere along the line journalin became a way to “vent” on our RTW and now my journals are basically filled with rants- oh the memories I’ll keep for posterity!
Laurel says
I love my ExOfficio underwear as well and while I don’t have a water purifier I really should get one. I hate buying bottled water due to the expense and environmental impact. I also love traveling with my Kindle as I love reading and it hardly takes up any space.
Jillian says
Someone on the Facebook page also mentioned a Kindle! I wanted an e-reader so badly on our RTW, but never felt like I’d be able to use it. Now that we’re home I have a Nook and I’m in LOVE. I only wish I made more time to read!
Bama says
I never thought of bringing water purifier before. Other than its apparent function, it also can lower my daily cost for mineral water when traveling, I guess.
Jillian says
It definitely does lower your costs if you’re buying bottled water. I like being able to purify any glass of water anywhere.
Ruth says
A lot of travelers swears on the Steri Pen. I should look into it. I always forget that I can’t drink beverages with ice (I havent got sick, anyway but one day …). The hat is a must accesory for me. I have very sensitive scalp skin. I get burned easily. A hat has been one of my latest travel additons.
Steve @ I'm Not Home says
I am thinking a steripen would be really valuable. Good for the environment, the pocket and my body. Nothing worse than being dehydrated and not having bottled water. I have drunk dubious water a few times on these occasions (though again, not gotten sick.)
Jillian says
We swear by the steri pen. It has saved us from more than one dubious water situation. In 21months we never had a water related illness!
Jaylene says
Now I feel stupid. That’s calered it up for me
Jillian says
I highly recommed the steri pen- we drank from a very dirty stream in Peru after using the pen and we were fine. A hat was an addition to my list as well. At first I refused to bring one because I always lose them!
Christy @ Technosyncratic says
Sarong is on my list, too, and so is a hat! I also burn like nobody’s business, so sunscreen is high on my list as well. And my Kindle!! I seriously bring my Kindle everywhere with me. EVERYWHERE.
Jillian says
I just got a Nook this summer and so far I am loving it!!
Claire says
Wow! Very few items you have on your list. Makes me reconsider what I’ll be bringing with me on my next trip. I seem to always overpack :/ Some things that I always bring with me are my iPod and laptop. I just can’t get myself to part with them for too long.
Christy @ Ordinary Traveler says
I always have to bring my flip flops and a sun dress. Somehow I keep forgetting to pack my ExOfficio undies. Thanks for the reminder since I’m packing for a trip this week!
Alex says
Interesting list! I’m now hooked to my Asus tablet for my travels, to read and watch movies during long transit. Not to mention the wifi connectivity. But a steripen is more useful really when you think about it. I’d rather be bored and in good health that be running all over to find toilets with my tablets 😉
Elisabeth says
Really essential list: money, cards, passport. Pretty essential list: sarong, Kindle, suntan lotion. I usually need a hat but I buy as discard as I go. I can’t see the point of a steripen – unless you are in deepest Africa all ice and water you get offered are from the drinking water plant – the locals don’t drink tap water in most of the world.
Jillian says
I buy & donate as I go along too! I love the Steri-Pen because I know that no matter where I am I will be able to drink the water. We’ve used it to clean water from hotel taps, streams, etc… instead of bottled water.
Cole @ FourJandals says
Looking in to the Steri-Pen now. Have heard about it and wanted one for a while. Plus we are off to Egypt in a couple of months so probably be ideal for there!
Jillian says
Definitely!