One of my favourite productivity blogs Lifehacker links to a great resource for travellers, Travelite.org, who use the following mnemonic for packing light: TRAVEL
- Toiletries
- Reading Materials
- “Aid” Pack
- Vital Documents
- Electronics
- Laundry
There are some pretty good tips in there. When I first starting travelling the tip I learned was to pack everything you think you might need, then get rid of half of it. Since I have become an adherent to GTD I now keep a series of what-to-pack lists on my computer along the lines of David Allen. I organize these lists for various length trips (eg. day trips, 2-5 days, 2 weeks, 1 month, more than one month etc) which makes packing a breeze. Chirol gave some great travel preparation advice recently as well, be sure to check it out.
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COMMENTS / 8 COMMENTS
emkeiel added these pithy words on 24 Feb 07 at 3:12 pmWhy do you make such a hassle of packing? Its not rocket science. You take few clothes with you. Some soap to wash yourself. Maybe a band-aid. Perhaps you cell phone. Some money, maybe some plastic. That’s it.
No need for any wikipedia entries or constantly updated listed. Traveling should not be performing but exploring.
alec added these pithy words on 24 Feb 07 at 7:26 pmA yellow pad and a couple of favorite pens are the favorite staples of my traveling! And some extra underwear, due to frequent… soiling.
A.E. added these pithy words on 25 Feb 07 at 1:59 amLifehacker is great. I especially loved their posts on using google to do….virtually anything.
Chirol added these pithy words on 25 Feb 07 at 3:08 pmemkeiel: You’ve obviously never gone on a long trip through the third world.
emkeiel added these pithy words on 26 Feb 07 at 12:53 amWould you count trans-siberian train from Moscow to Vladivostok and back to France by buses via, China, Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakstan, Russia, Ukraina… Took me almost three months. Or Alaska-Patagonia “hike”.
Although, I’m not sure what you mean with “third world”, I count this as one. It was an experience, a great one. And I still travel same way – take only a small back back with me. Some clothes and a little bit something else.
Most of the stuff you can find from the way anyway. The vitamins and all that is just ridiculous to carry along – books you can get from fellow travelers/locals – some need camera, memories are enough for me.
But, everybody does as they will. I just wouldn’t recommend too much planning for first trips. See what happens and what you like and want. You learn only by traveling, not by reading. The worst are all the GTDs etc. (just a way for somebody to make $), common sense is enough.
von Kaufman-Turkistansky added these pithy words on 26 Feb 07 at 4:50 pmWell, you should take a towel, if you listen to Ford Prefect’s advice. “That frood always knows where his towel is”.
