We are big fans of doing just carry-on luggage plus backpack (though admittedly it is all stuffed to the gills).
Tips:
I have 2 pair of travel underwear and a few pairs of other underwear.
the packing is easier if sandal weather (no socks)
I bring long sleeved silky white top that can work on its own or under any of my short sleeved shirts. For winter I’d bring black instead.
Sport fabric (Arctic Cool or similar) packs small, breathes well
I pack windbreaker and fleece and a pair of thin dollar store gloves for cold/windy days
I bring one top that I don’t love, leave it behind (more space for souvenirs)
We use travel cubes to keep the bags from becoming a jumbled mess
More details follow…
For a 2012 May Western med cruise, I had carry on luggage and DH had a big bag with room for my overflow. But we had 7 night in one “place” (cruise cabin), so it worked ok. Probably the train Barcelona–> Mardid would have been easier with smaller bags, but it was not too painful.
For 2015 May 10 day trip with the kids, they talked us into carry-on luggage only. That was great and made us much more nimble. The kids each had big backpacks, but DH had wheeled carry-on plus small backpack. When doing the bridges / steps in Venice, I was glad to NOT have a big bag (and was delighted when DD swooped up behind me to assist with the heavy wheeled bag). DH and I did go to laundrymat in Rome while kids were on bike touring day, and it is actually a fun memory for us. We had lunch in a cafe down the block.
For 2018 Sept 3 week trip, we stuck with our rule for carry-on only. That was tricky since it included a canal boat week, more casual clothes… but we did it But we had washing machine/dryer in Barcelona rental unit and washing machine (air dry). We also did wash at laundrymat in Toulouse - it was a bit of an issue finding a place (most are drop-off pricey places)… but then we found one across the street from a wine bar - perfect!
Lol. ← Nothing I’ve said claims a disguise. I see it more as respect and do the same in US cities. I personally feel not everyone in our destinations is there to serve us or endure us.
Nor did I mean, dress like whatever “most” people wear.
It’s a subtlety, not a mandate. One I enjoy. Europe and many other countries are diverse and know it. But this is a preference, so you go as you wish. Lol, I don’t pass for teen or college age. Don’t dress like them, either.
Whoever said that you see a lot of dark sneakers in NYC and that isn’t so different is exactly right. NYC dress is much more like Europe and different from many other parts of the US. Remember that Americans are perceived as arrogant in much of the world and demanding to wear “our” styles reinforces that stereotype.
Europeans, on average, walk far more than the average American, and have found many styles and brands that accommodate this and lots of resourceful travelers have posted examples such as Merrill’s that are dark leather shoes that go the distance. And blending in increases our safety.
Not one bit about pretending to be anyone other than who we are. More about showing respect and reducing risks.
@patsmom this is a great example of suitable comfortable shoes to wear i Europe.
Also, I did see white tennis shoes back in style in Amsterdam last year - worn by women under age 25 with skirts and yes, hose - just in case you want to copy that!!?
There are two totally different wavelengths going here. I’ll take my wheeled carry on luggage, backpack and non-black Nikes or Tevas that allow my feet to explore for miles upon miles a day and won’t be worried about blending in and of course, will treat the people whose country I’m in with the same respect as I would treat the people in m own country. Au Revoir!!!
I have no doubt I could travel with any here and not pay much attention to what you wear, even shoes. Or how much time you spend washing clothes.
As for Tevas, they could probably be a whole thread on their own. As long as a traveling companion is easy going and not dependent or fussy, I’m fine. @Abasket, my dear travel friend wears huge, white sports shoes and matching pastel outfits. Couldn’t ask for a more laid back adventurer. My prefs come from the fact Ilike to stop, soak in the atmosphere, listen in to others’ conversations, make eye contact, do as the locals do.
Bon voyage.
Now I wonder what we all do on our trips, after all the hiking.
“I have a collection of black and gray items I only wear in NYC.”
I own nothing in grey and one piece of black clothing (pair of pants). Whenever I travel to places like NYC it feels like there is an unspoken uniform requirement. I find it odd. But since I’m not wearing black or grey, they probably find me odd, too.
I am packing for a weekend away and am the antithesis of this thread. Of course with a car trip and no need to carry stuff around in a way it makes sense. But probably very few others woukd bring as much as I am but 1) I am a homebody and having “my stuff”…shampoo, soaps, hair dryer, pillow etc… makes the trip much more pleasant for me and 2) I recently lost more than 55 pounds and am enjoying clothes so much that I am bringing different clothes for day and evening and not repeating anything.
Probably will never travel light. But it’s fascinating to read about those of you that do!
^@maya54 I travel the same as you when driving. I love my shoes and boots and can throw them in the trunk to my heart’s content. I also bring more outfits when driving, but luckily most of my tops are thin and easy to roll so I’ve fit extras into my packing cubes for flying.
If you can get yourself to a luggage shop that has an assortment so you can see what the different options look and feel like, that’s a good place for you to determine what may work best for YOU. At our local storage store the other day, I looked at the different cubes and storage options for travel and decided I prefer what I already have. Often I don’t use anything, but sometimes I use mesh drawstring bags that weigh practically nothing to coral things like electronics, underwear, etc. I also have very lightweight mesh bags that are more rigid that can old other items. My friend packs in large ziplock bags, adding a layer of waterproofing, in case her luggage is stuck in the rain en route.
@dentmom4 We use eBags packing cubes but the Eagle Creek cubes are good as well. They can be purchased at Amazon. I noticed Amazon now sells their own brand of cubes, also.
@maya54 , for a car trip, I bring what I want. I’m not schlepping stuff around. But after lea4nkng how to pack light, I find I cull my clothing. I decide exactly what I’m going to wear, a few items in case I change my mind and that’s it.
There are “compression” packing cubes out there too that might be helpful in getting everything into a carry on bag. I enjoy sprawling out for a car trip too, but want to be able to bring everything into a hotel in one trip and not have to go back to the car.
I live in a city that attracts many tourists. Really the only way to peg them is if they are walking in a large group with a leader, or if they are wearing those super thin $2 rain capes. And who cares anyway? I’m glad for the business they bring. I just wish that more of them would expand out from the obvious tourist center, but that’s not really necessary.
Youtube has a lot of videos of persons packing for carry-on only. Is also many ladies packing with specific wardrobe clothes/shoes needs/wishes and is all very informative and interesting to see. Allthough I stopped travel due to severe health issues I like watching luggage packing videos.
Honest, I think so much about what I’ll need that packing cubes would just add an unneeded layer of analysis/what goes in what. Not to mention zipping and unzipping. Toiletry bag is all I need. To me, packing light means light, no extras.
But on a car trip, all bets are off. Big joke in my family.
Just got back from Prague and Budapest and came away reminded that boot cut jeans are not a thing in Europe - but ankle high black boots with black skinny jeans or pants are right on the money. And throw away all your ideas about mixing black and brown - I frequently saw all black outfits with brown shoes which is like nails on a chalkboard for me, but I tried to bend my ideas about this. Layering all neutrals is a good plan. And I always pack my own washcloths and soap.
There are a good number of solid white tennis shoes being worn now. I think they are trending in – but still worn with all black or gray or maybe tan. Some wear them with black sheer hose! These are sneakers, not what we would call athletic shoes. They are cute!
