Travel Tip Series: #2- Carry-on luggage only

My parents came to visit us for two weeks in late Nov/early Dec and while we had a great time, I'm a bit behind with blog posts.  This is part of a new travel series. With over 30 countries visited in our lifetimes, we hope we can share a few tips that will make your travels more interesting and enjoyable. (Dave did a 7 month round-the-world trip back in the 1990s, we have traveled to several countries together and as individuals, and we've been on sabbatical in Peru since August 2013.) 

Comment below if there are specific kinds of tips you want to hear. I'm going to be sharing packing tips, products we love, how to scope out deals, and more.

We traveled for 2 weeks to Peru, leaving in the dead of MN winter, with a backpack each.

Back in college, I was the person who always had everything available.  My college roomie and now best friend still laughs about how we bought a couple of silver serving trays at a thrift store and they were a bit tarnished and I said I had tarnish remover.  In our dorm room.  Yep, be prepared for anything and everything was my motto.  My first international trip beyond Canada and Mexico was a trip in college to Israel, Egypt and Jordan.  It was a trip that counted for college credit and also was open to friends of the University.  A couple with a lot of international travel experience came along and they had everything you could wish for in their luggage.  That experience reinforced my desire to never be without.  So my next several trips consisted of me packing as much as I could in my luggage allotment.

Then, things all changed when I met and married my husband.  Minimalist Dave came from the train of thought that less is more.  On his 7 month trip round the world (or at least about half of it) he and his friend were true backpackers, including the tent.  He came to cherish not having to haul quite as much around and he was the one to introduce me to the concept of light travel.  On our first trip, I think he challenged me to pack carry-on only, and the main thing I did to get my stuff down was take fewer clothes and less of the emergency supplies.

Dave and I have completed several trips using only carry-on luggage and most of the time those were with only a backpack, not even two pieces of carry-on.  I admit this approach might not work for people who have a need to look fancy (goodness knows I do not look fancy at all on our carry-on only trips).  But I am living proof it's possible to pack for a 2 week trip with only a backpack.  You can google and find packing charts and outfit charts for fancier excursions like cruises.  My tips below are for trips where you have more of an adventure focus, can wash your clothing while you are gone, and don't mind if you don't always look put together.

Packing List Suggestions for an Adventure Trip Lived Out of a Backpack (focused on grownups only, not small kids, that could be another post unto itself):

• Shoes: take one pair of shoes for walking and maybe a pair of flip flops for showers.  You won't be fancy, but you will save a lot of space the fewer shoes you take.  (Men: if you take a pair of decent looking shoes that are also comfy, this can double for dressier outings.  Women: dress sandals take less space than many shoes or those foldable flats could also work for space saving.)
• Socks and Undergarments: we pack clothing with the intention of going 6 days before washing.  So, take 7 days of socks and undergarments to give time for the washing/drying.
• Pants: I usually take 2-3 pair of pants and rewear them a few days before laundering.  These could be zip off pants if you might need shorts, travel pants or something comfy.  I avoid jeans because they are heavy, bulky, and don't dry quickly.
• Tops: I pack 3-5 tops- usually something that works with layering.  The goal for all clothing is solid colors in a similar color palette so everything mixes and matches.  (Tops might be the place for a pattern to keep things interesting).
• Jacket: This depends on where you are going, but I tend to run cold all the time.  I will usually take some kind of synthetic layering jacket, like a fleece and maybe a waterproof windbreaker to put on top of that.
• Dressy Clothing: If I have a need to be dressed up (usually not a requirement on an adventure trip), I find that a dress in a lightweight, wrinkle free fabric is best, along with sandals since they take less space than other shoes.  Dave will wear a button up shirt and a pair of his dressier looking travel pants.
• Swim gear: Swimsuit and sarong.  Dave takes swim trunks and a small pack towel.  His shorts can double as PJs.  If swimming is part of your trip, take a pair of flipflops or other water sandals.
• Pajamas: I will take a long sleeved cotton shirt and some exercise pants- these allow me to have a spare outfit and also something I can sleep in.
• Sun protection: Sunscreen (make sure it is packaged in 3 oz bottles or less so you can fit within the carry-on guidelines), sunglasses, packable sunhat.  Sunscreen tends to be expensive in vacation destinations, so take enough.
• Foldable reusable cloth bag and/or plastic grocery bags.  I pack a reusable bag that packs small so that I can use it for shopping, creating a bag of things I want near me on the plane, or for souvenirs on the way home.  Bonus points if it zips or otherwise closes on the top.
• Toiletries: if using a carryon, travel sized containers are obviously critical, especially for liquids.  I take glasses instead of contacts, use bar lotion instead of liquid, and cut to bare minimums for everything else.  I can fit everything I need in my 3-1-1 bag.  I take a couple of ponytail holders.
• Watch (worn)
• Empty water bottle (allows you to buy water in larger containers and take smaller amounts with you while the bigger, cheaper bottle stays in your hotel room)
• Snacks  I pack a few granola bars (I like Luna bars Chocolate Peppermint Flavor and Kind bars).  This helps tide me over if traveling or if the airplane food isn't great.  Nuts are another good option.
• Emergency stuff: I do take 1-2 bandaids, something for digestion, something for pain.  If you take prescription medication you will need that in original bottles.  Otherwise, I've found that I usually don't have emergencies and if I have a problem I can buy what I need.

Things I leave behind:

• Makeup and jewelry
• Extra toiletries (some of the hair products that calm my curly hair, for example)
• Books (except for maybe one...now that I have a hand-me-down smartphone I would probably take that and use Kindle)
• Dressy clothing (usually)

*My packing list counts on washing laundry at least once or twice, depending on total time.  I will wash clothing 4-5 days after arrival and then once more on day 10 or so. In many foreign countries you are able to get your laundry washed, dried, and back to you within 24 hours.  In Peru, where we are currently living, this costs between 3-6 soles per kilo (about 50 cents to $1 per pound at today's exchange rates.)

What are you tips for traveling light?