Part 2: Observations & Conclusions
This is a follow up to a post on how I prepared for a week long trip. Thank you for the encouraging nudge PackLite. I’m going to address what I observed by the choices I made to pack light and keep things minimal. I’m also going to make conclusions on how it affected my traveling and my well being.
I took notes (that materialized in the form of a map you can see in full here) on where we went to once we got to Los Angeles. On the map you can see where we chose to travel, stay, and eat.
Planning ahead
It’s fun to be a spontaneous traveller, but for me spontaneity needs a base-layer of forethought before it feels fun. Part of packing light is a mind-set that your essential needs are taken care of. For my girlfriend and I, we were fortunate to have friends in various locations around LA willing to not only house us but go along with our sight seeing. Place to stay, check. Way around LA, check. Coordinating with our friends and including them in our plans made transportation easier, faster, and more enjoyable.
Using a limiting backpack
A lighter load (inside a 15L backpack) made each step noticeably more convenient. I’ve never been too heavy of a packer, but being intolerant to the “just in cases” and “maybe I’ll need it” items that tend to sneak into even weekend trips went a long way in reducing unnecessary weight. With the little I brought, I knew exactly what I had on me at all times. This might be the most fulfilling part of packing light: peace of mind. It made the airport bag-check a breeze. I never found myself struggling with my backpack. I even found it was helpful to create a layer (a shirt or a small bag) that separates things that I don’t use in transit versus things that I do, such as a camera or notebook. Mmm, compartmentalization.
Eating well
For someone who doesn’t eat out much, traveling has been a great opportunity to eat out and explore local restaurants that people cherish in the area. Reviews sites such as Yelp and applications such as Urban Spoon allowed us to avoid unhealthy chains and even meet like minded people. I was pleasantly surprised with what we found.
Purchases
I’m not fond of buying keepsakes our souvenirs. I prefer to take pictures and keep tickets or maps of places I went. Even they can create more clutter than their worth. I did buy a few warranted things. I bought de-congestive medicine at a local pharmacy to get over a cold. I bought shorts from a thrift store (The Buffalo Exchange) so I could go swimming. And one splurge was for the greater good of my music collection, at Amoeba (The World’s Largest Independently Owned Record Store).
Conclusions
My backpack became an extension of my body for most of the trip. I didn’t worry about it weighing me down or causing me stress. I was more prepared for every shift or change in plan. I even felt I could’ve done with less. Best of all I was able to help my girlfriend with some of things she decided to bring home with her … *sigh*. All in all, my choices to be an “environminimalist” allowed me enjoy my travels to a greater degree.
