A 7000-cubic-inch suitcase stuffed, fully loaded, with over sixty pounds of supplies; tent, sleeping bag, stove, frying pan, octad changes of clothes, coffee pot, and God only knows what else. That was how I took my first solo trip abroad. By the time my trip was over six weeks later I had sold, lost, thrown away or cursed carrying three quarters of the clog I’d packed. So please, learn from my mistake. IF YOU DON’T NEED IT, LEAVE IT. That’s the only rule for packing for a trip abroad, which believe it or not can be the most essential part of the trip.

If you don’t need it, yield it. I can’t say it enough.
You can almost always tell the seasoned traveler from the new kid on the block simply by the size of their pack. The pack I ingest now is a small, 2100-cubic-inch backpack. It works perfect as a carry on everywhere I go. Sometimes, it is a real treat to see the professional traveler, someone who has been on the dawdle for years. These travelers usually have a bag smaller then a aggregation of purses, with some extra underwear, a toothbrush and a good book. When you think about it, what more do you really need?

My basic belief about what to bring on an around-the-world trip stems for the type of trip I like to take, with a comfort level allowing me to buy almost anything I need on the road. When I’m on the road the last thing I want to do is worry about my stuff. I have been on countless buses where bags are reaching soured at an interim stop and have watched as travelers dutifully think each bag that comes soured to attain trusty it isn’t theirs. I’ve also been walking with people who won’t walk down a very interesting but darkened road because they’re carrying an $800.00 camera. I’ve watched this type of person as they are approached by local towts. They inevitably grab their camera tight, or unconsciously check their money belt.