My Travel Backpack

by Gregory Rodgers 

The Journey

So you leave in a few days for the biggest adventure of your life. Your backpack sits empty and your room is piled high will things that you are thinking about taking. One glance tells you that its not all going to fit in there, and even if it does you won’t be able to carry it a few meters without collapsing. Where do you even get started?

When in doubt, leave it out.

Everyone knows the old mantra “pack light” but what most do not realize is that your entire trip experience rests in the balance of how much weight you carry. Overpacking is the number one regret of backpackers on the road and most end up throwing away or giving away a significant part of their load.

Buy Local

The stores are full of things that will supposedly make a traveler’s life easier on the road. The truth is, however, that you actually need very little of them. The local people at your destination have lived there for years before you decided to show up, so pretty much everything that you need to survive will be available in markets there - and probably for cheaper too. Not to mention that their local economy could probably use your money more than the average department store CEO.

Expect the Worst

Your backpack’s worst nightmare is about to come true. It will be mistreated in ways that you can barely imagine. It will be stood on, crushed, thrown, dropped, baked in the sun, rained on, and probably even used as a seat by you on occasion. Make sure that everything inside is ready for the equivalent of World War 3.

Never, ever, pack to capacity

Dirty laundry takes up more room than neatly-folded clean laundry. You will find remarkable and unique gifts along the way and will want room to carry them home. Never, ever, leave home with a full bag. At the most, never go beyond 75% full or you will most likely regret it.

Get detailed instructions on what to bring and how to pack it for your backpacking trip on http://www.startbackpacking.com

Leave a Reply