McGresty

Some people travel light because they want to, I do so because I have to. Being hit by a van many years ago resulted in a serious spinal injury and my doctor said that what I carry on my back must be around ten pounds. After lugging an eighteen pound pack this year has taken it's toll, so set about losing the weight, you can too.

[1] Carry it on

Nowadays you see most people traveling (not just tourists) with wheelie suitcases. The problem is that those wheels are included in your carry on baggage allowance and they can roll down a slope very easily. You lose up to 2 inches of room inside with those wheels! A small to medium sized backpack is much, much easier and cannot be snatched out of your hand by thieves in dodgy locations. You will have to plan all this and take the time to find a decent pack that is comfortable, easy to put up in the rack above the seat on airplanes, trains and some buses. Always check the airlines carry on allowances, some will not let you carry on 2 items, forget the cheap and nasties they're just rip offs. Book well ahead, like 3-8 months and the fare is much cheaper on major carriers. I have flown for hundreds of dollars less by doing that.

My backpack is a small 35 litre one I bought from Mountain Warehouse in London about 7 years ago for about $40 and I take good care of it. A chest strap keeps it on my back and it is 19 X 11 X 7 inches (48.26 X 27.94 X 17.78 CM) packed, weighs about 1 1/2 lbs empty. Now when it's on my back it weighs around 12 lbs and I can carry it on everywhere. It has a waterproof cover coming out the bottom and I put all my stuff inside a thick plastic bag, just in case. Look around to find one that suits you and your plans best. I tend to stay in a place for 2-3 months and use it as a travel hub.

What pack will you carry? You really do not want a backpack that weighs more than 2 lbs empty—forget about style.

[2] What is inside?

If you are spending your summer break on the road, you must budget. Do you really need 10 changes of clothing? Because I'm a travel writer and wildlife photographer, my kit is different with 5+ lbs of related equipment.

• I have a camera (1 lb) and Lenovo military spec 13.3 inch laptop with it's charger and special short cord weighs 4 lbs and is seriously tough.
  
• A clear plastic bag (zip up) with stuff in. Clothes: handkerchief, 1 pair socks, 1 pair boxer shorts. Some toiletry stuff. Plus other small items.

  I wear a T-shirt and buy another one there plus shirts and the like to dump when I leave (if it's better than what I have I keep it and lose my old one)—wear one, wash one. Obviously you will be different because you won't have a laptop and do most things by your smartphone, so you could carry 5 plus pounds of extra clothing.

• A small zip bag with short cables and connectors (for work and back up)
  
• My special decaf coffee, filters and plastic mug
  
• A ZipLoc bag with liquids in
  
• Other bits and pieces...and of course my pipe and pipeweed
  

There's room to add things if needed. Think about what you are going to have in yours.

[3] Where are you going?

I used to live in England (for a long time), it is seriously expensive, probably the biggest rip off on the planet, full of thieves, very high crime and terrible health care (worst of all developed nations on the planet according the WHO). You will need travel/medical insurance and that's going to be expensive regardless of where you live.

For everyone outside of Europe you must now purchase a visa ahead of time, otherwise you cannot enter the EU. I only travel in Europe, North Africa and parts of the Middle East. A bit of research before you depart is a good idea.

[4] Be careful!

It does not matter where in the world you travel, there are thieves and baddies. Many of you go to SE Asia and the like, so you know what I mean. All countries have their towns or cities you really need to be aware in (there are others, but these are the ones I know of).

• Belgium, Brussels
  
• England, the entire country (very unusual)
  
• France, Nice and Marsielle
  
• Germany, Frankfurt and Berlin
  
• Israel, Tel Aviv and some areas of Jerusalem
  
• Italy, Naples
  
• Morocco, Casablanca and Marrakech
  
• Portugal, Lisbon
  
• Spain, Barcelona and Burgos
  
• The Netherlands, Amsterdam
  

Your smartphones are often targets. Keep money inside your clothing, not in your pockets, pockets on the inside of your clothing helps.
My phone has a protective case I put on so drilled two little holes and used some cord (which has untwisted a little near the holes, but still okay). The end of the lanyard I soaked with water, pulled it very tight, trimmed it a bit and when dry added some 2 part epoxy so it would never come undone. I've noticed thieves looking at it and backing away.

Protect your images
If your phone does get stolen, you have lost all your photo's, forever! Back them up on a physically small flash drive (or use a cloud) and store it in a pocket, not in your backpack. I use a SanDisk Ultra, make sure you have the right micro USB connector to match your phone. You may need to allow USB access to your phone—see here for that. Warning—copy your images first, do not 'Move' in case it fails, then delete the ones you don't want to view anymore. iPhones I never use or know about.

Females
Wear your purse over head and a shoulder in front of you. Your intuition is spot on instantly 95 percent of the time—use it, us males struggle to get it half right.

The lighter your backpack is, the easier you can move about. Always have one with a chest strap so the pack cannot be pulled off easily by thieves (sometimes they work in pairs). Staying safe htelps you enjoy your trip more.

[5] What to do

There are a lot of things to do while you are out on the road. Try avoiding the main touristy places (unless you're a tourist) and head for smaller towns and cities. If you don't speak the language grab a Lonely Planet phrase book and/or put a translator on your smartphone. France and Spain (getting better) are countries where English is rarely spoken, especially amongst older people.

Then there are the parties. Find somewhere safe to stay and carry very little when on the streets because the thieves and baddies target festivals. I've only done the San Fermin (4 times) so can't say much about others, but they are probably the same. The prices go through the roof at San Fermin Fiesta, figure one or two days maximum.

Wrapping it up

A lot of things need to be considered and done before you head out. Plan well, see Dyanne's post (she loves her food) to get an idea of it all, take note of her carry on backpack (if you want wheels). Remember to leave a bit of room to wing it now and then, especially if you are somewhere for a week or two—you never know what you might discover. Once that is achieved, you will be able to enjoy your trip a lot more and hopefully experience things you never would have if you had stayed home.

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