To take away. Quite easy!?

Before I start, I want to write that my backpack is heavier this time than usual. I worry. About how many. There are also such phrases; it annoys me myself, sounds so clichéd. I write it anyway. And I mean it seriously, because in fact my backpack is emptier on this trip. Heavier is the state of the world - that sounds just as detached, but there is no more fitting description. The people from and in Ukraine, the interplay and conflict in German society - or so it seems to me more and more “societies” - and beyond, Trump, Putin, the war in the Middle East, China, the list can continue without much thought. All not good, all frightening. What to do? Still, “just” travel through and around the world, with all the privileges and possibilities that one has with a German passport?In September, I met a friend of a friend in Warsaw. Yulia wanted to go to a wedding in the USA this November. For the visa, she had to travel from Kyiv to Warsaw. I didn’t even need to leave the house with my EU passport; I just had to register online and pay no more than 15 euros. That was it. That entry wouldn’t be allowed was outside the categories. Yulia had to make an appointment, wait, and then travel personally from the war in Ukraine to Warsaw. Absurd. She hoped for the visa, but was not confident. She asked about my travel plans and spread enthusiasm with her warm smile. It didn’t feel right for me to tell her about my wild travels. I felt this great injustice and helplessness in the face of the great lacking fairness - and even more so when she left the US embassy again after not even 10 minutes. Without a visa. All these visa and passport questions - it's deeply unfair. “Send me photos on Insta!” Yulia said, “Then I'll have something from it too! Enjoy!” Phew!

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Next month, I will cross the USA from East to West, continuing over Hawaii to Sydney. As described above, I have a lot of heavy mental baggage, but little in fact. The most common question is how I can manage with just a 48-liter backpack, about 18 kilograms of luggage. So that’s what this time is about.

Now, although not very informative, I could say: “I just do it.” There is some truth to that. It would be more accurate to start by saying that I also have a small daypack. I use it both for carrying my laptop from A to B and for shorter hikes. It’s not particularly pretty, but with just under 20 liters of capacity and several compartments for organization, it’s extremely practical.

The best travel advice I received was when I bought my first hiking backpack. I was 17 and thought backpackers were so cool. The bigger the backpack, the cooler, because that meant back then, to my understanding: the longer on the road. Today, I must say and admit: totally nonsense, because: the bigger the backpack, (usually) the less experienced. But back then at 17, I wanted to be just like those backpackers who caught my eye for the first time in Galway on the Irish west coast. My mission was: to buy a large hiking backpack! I was determined and stumbled into one, rather: THE one, sports and outdoor store in Prenzlau (unfortunately long closed now...). The salesperson tried patiently to dissuade me from my plan. He, obviously having traveled a lot himself, convinced me of a 55+10 liter model. I still hear myself discussing with him that it was way too small. He said - with obvious experience, almost wisdom - if after the first hike I still thought I needed more space, I could easily exchange the backpack. “You have my word!”

Well, I never came back. And I was grateful to him after the first hike along the Cliffs of Moher, which followed shortly after. At first, skeptically, I tried it out, hiked with it around the world multiple times, over hill and stone, moved with it, made one train journey after another - and years later bought a smaller one. So, long story, short conclusion: the best travel advice ever: Just use a small piece of luggage! - You carry less with you and also realize how much (or little) one actually needs. It is indeed true, and I still hear the Prenzlauer salesman's words: “As soon as there is space in the backpack, you fill it up! Just let it be! Focus on the essentials!”

And it is just like that. A few days ago, when I packed my backpack for 2024/25 as a trial, I was surprised to find: there’s even more space, crazy! And immediately something was added, almost unconsciously and as if directed. There’s still space, so four more pieces of clothing came along!

My backpack now weighs exactly 17.4 kilos, quite literally my life, my belongings of true necessity. I think it's great - and on the plane, I smirk a bit at myself: why couldn’t the four additional pieces just have stayed in Uckermark? Then I would have stayed under 17 kilos. That would have been enough, I remember before departure while sitting at the gate. But: if you have space, you fill it up...

I actually wanted to reduce my luggage even further. It’s almost like a little game, somehow with myself, and it’s become a lot of fun for me now. Nevertheless, I have a few challenges: I'm traveling from autumn into the depths of winter and then turbo into summer and in between, I’ll be at a conference, requiring a more formal version of myself.

So what am I taking with me?

I initially calculate the journey with the idea of being able to part with winter clothes; somehow that feels symbolic. What comes along, what should stay somewhere on the way, basically be discarded?

Certainly, the hurdle to minimalist travel is the greatest when transitioning from a life in a house with a garden and a car to packing everything in 55 liters (roughly large plus small backpack) or converted to 21 kilograms. That’s clear. Consciously or unconsciously, I’ve continued to reduce myself over the last six or seven years. That simplifies a lot, and once you start, it was easy for me. And if anyone is interested in minimalist travel and (backpack) packing, you are invited to read on; otherwise, perhaps there will be something for you on the blog again soon.

The fundamental question for each item that is to be taken is thus:

Do I need this?

Really?!

How often?

And: How quickly do I want to obtain it, should I really need it?

So much in advance: You don’t need most of it.

Depending on the destination, most of the things can be obtained on the way if they are really needed. Most things, as it stands for me, I only need in very specific situations, meaning I don’t have to carry them around all the time. It saves tremendous strength.

A little note: I have traveled for years without medication. I don’t do that anymore (I have probably become more experienced and/or grown up). Nevertheless: what medication do I truly need, and what only do I need in an emergency, and can I possibly buy painkillers, lozenges, charcoal tablets, etc.? - This of course also depends on the travel destination. -

How much cosmetics, soap(s), brushes, etc. do I need? Is jewelry and trinkets important? If so, for whom? For what occasion? Is it really that important? I noticed that especially at these points, massive savings can be made; in the luggage, as in the wallet.

One of the most relevant items for light packing is (hand) detergent. I usually bring enough for three washes - in a small zip bag. ;) Many accommodations have washing machines or access to them, but often no detergent, and laundry can only be quickly done (along with the subsequent drying) if you have everything with you right after arrival.

For some time now, I’ve been trying to look more for clothes made of merino wool. These are usually expensive, but they don’t need to be washed often (airing often suffices, even with sportswear - works, total mind blow!). And when they do need washing, they dry quickly. This is mega when on the road! Otherwise, buy or take items that dry quickly.

Sometimes it’s cold, sometimes it’s warm - what to do? The old layered look, and taking/buying items that can all be well combined. It brings variety (at least at some point, otherwise I’ll get bored). I hardly have any jeans or pants left - for people who like and wear them, the following tip may be relevant: buy black leggings! The absolute all-rounders, available everywhere and basically superb for every situation: if it’s cold, you always have something to keep warm, combine with skirts/dresses or wear under pants. Some leggings are also good for sports, yoga, making yourself comfortable while traveling at home, hiking,... And if they get damaged: black leggings are almost everywhere in the world without difficulty - and they dry quickly after washing. Another thing: the emphasis is on leggings, because compared to tights, you can change your socks every day. - It took some time for me to notice this simplicity. :D -

Underwear: for a maximum of 7-10 days, for everything else, there’s detergent. I have thick socks with me (made from Mongolian yak wool, which I can highly recommend; they work great for cold feet when sleeping, on hikes, and as a house shoe alternative).

Towels: a somewhat larger trekking towel (those thin, quick-drying ones). I find those from Tschibo super (price, quality, durability, sustainability are top)! A small towel is also practical: you can find them in various outdoor stores, but microfiber towels, for example, for cleaning windows are actually made from the exact same material and cost nothing compared to the small trekking towel in the outdoor store. ;) For the larger alternative, I haven’t found anything else so far.

Skirts, pants, tops, or dresses: I have (with a few exceptions) only things that require no ironing. Not only because ironing is a waste of time for me, but also because the backpack really doesn’t care whether something was ironed or not.

A little luxury for me: a mini hot water bottle, no bigger than the palm of my hand. A few tea bags and coffee - always nice when you’re on the road. Hot water/kettles are often almost everywhere.

Work and leisure: My laptop - it's quite large and weighs a little over 2 kilos. Writing is just easier on a large screen; hardly/no books (if so, digital or given away or exchanged when I'm done with one); the thickest book I have with me is my travel diary. Also: headphones for music.

Hiking gear: short and long-sleeved tops, long pants or leggings (see above), a cap, hiking shoes. The latter take up a lot of space, so potentially wear them directly on the journey; in winter they also work great as winter shoes; hiking poles, collapsible; mini sleeping bag, always good for anything: you end up on a couch somewhere, on a (night) train, hiking, need a pillow. The one I have keeps warm down to 10 degrees, for anything else I have enough for a nightly layered look.

A small handbag: Sometimes I want to look a bit more formal, otherwise, cloth bags are practical. Anyway, my backpack packing system is based on cloth bags, preferably in different colors: you can simply pack and unpack everything, and you don’t have to take out all the individual pieces from the backpack. Where were the socks again? Where are the leggings? Socks? Hiking clothes? Ah, in the green/black/pink bag... If you have to sleep in a dormitory, cloth bags are also socially compatible: nothing is worse than someone returning late at night to a shared room and rummaging around for something as quietly as possible in a plastic bag - it just doesn’t work and wakes everyone up!

Shoes: That’s a bit harder, especially like now, when I’m first making a winter and then a summer trip. Also, I’ll be at a conference, and I don’t want to show up in hiking gear: thus, I have a couple of closed shoes with me that will only accompany me through the American winter. Otherwise, I’m a huge fan of barefoot shoes (Leguano for example is top!). They are however more for summer for me. With these shoes, in my opinion, one can do anything: I've worn them at fancy concerts in the Sydney Opera House, gone hiking with them, stood with them under the water in common showers in hostels, swam with them at (rocky) beaches between Vancouver Island and Australia, traversed cities and given talks. If they get dirty, the barefoot shoes can just go into the washing machine as they are: done. Whoever invented these shoes: I now have my third pair and am thrilled. Fun fact: the shoes fit into any little backpack nook and also survive flights wonderfully when inside an outside pocket; I’ve tried it all for space reasons. Birkenstock sandals stayed behind this time: simply because I won’t need them until Honolulu at the earliest, and the Birkenstock sandals take up too much space and don’t pack well. Since I bought my last pair in Sydney anyway, I will probably get a new pair on the way, at the latest when I’m Down Under.

Also, a really good rain jacket (light, thin, easy to care for) and a scarf that can also be used as a towel on the beach and pairs well with all clothes. Oh, and swimwear - best quick-drying. If there’s still space: muesli bars for: You can never know… (I refer to my self-inflicted and then funny Shanghai experience!); some chocolate as gifts or otherwise, always helpful.

That’s it. Quite simple, quite easy!