Soaring! - Minimalist Travel for the Over 60 Single Woman

This blog post is the third of three posts to get you started on packing light.

Electronics – When I must carry a computer, I use my Surface 3. It is light and compact. However, the more I travel, the more I find that I leave the computer at home. My iphone is sufficient for email, internet searches, camera, and kindle – and much lighter than carrying the computer, camera, kindle, and phone. To mitigate the additional drain on the phone battery, I carry a small supplemental battery charger and also, a small multiplug extension cord so I can easily recharge my phone, fitbit, and supplemental battery charger. Occasionally I carry my small point and shoot camera with a couple of extra batteries so I can leave the charger at home.
Lightweight Fold Up Bags – These fit compactly in your main bag for use at your destination. I typically add a small lightweight tote bag to use for keeping my clothes off the floor in the shower if there is no counter space and/or for picking up grocery or snack items. I also have a lightweight fold up day pack by Neatpack that allows me to keep everything in my main travel bag and still have a day pack to use every day. If you plan on doing laundry, a mesh laundry bag can be helpful. Just keep all the clothes in the bag when you wash them – no more lost items. Also include a couple of plastic bags if you are carrying snacks or wet items.

Travel Towels – If you are staying somewhere where towels are not provided or need a towel for the beach, lightweight travel towels are great. They take up little room, are super absorbent, and dry fast.

Odds and Ends – A small flashlight is essential in a hostel and helpful in any travel environment. If you are washing out some clothing during the trip, Sea to Summit makes a great tiny clothesline to string up and hang clothes on. Foldup water bottles are a good alternative to buying bottled water on location. My current bottle of choice is Vapur, but I have also used Platypus with success. Keep in mind that the roll-up bottles are not as study as the rigid ones and need to be replaced periodically. I always carry a small amount of toilet paper and a Stall Mates towelette in a snack size plastic page along with a couple of bandaids and safety pins. These items take up little space and are nice to have when you need them. A small roll of duct tape can help with a quick temporary repair. I always carry a spork in my day pack so I can pick up meals and snacks at the grocery or convenience store and have something to eat them with. Finally take a couple of small combination locks – certainly a necessity in a hostel (for lockers) but also useful for securing your bag or backpack in troublesome areas.

This series of three blog posts will hopefully get you started with packing light. Look for additional suggestions in future posts.

This blog post is the second of three posts to get you started on packing light.

Bags – For years I used my trusty LL Bean roller bags. They have proved to be sturdy and continue to serve me well from time to time. However, they don’t work well on uneven surfaces, stairs, and the rollers take up valuable space and weight. When I decided to start packing lighter, I began to look for other options. Taking a cue from the younger generation who travel from hostel to hostel with a backpack, I began to look into those options.

Thinking at first that I could travel with my Osprey Talon 44 that I use for extended hiking, I quickly found that travel and hiking were two different activities. My hiking backpack has lots of straps and pockets that can get hung up on conveyor belts, and a top and bottom load. A suitcase is more streamlined and opens for full access. Although through use of a rain cover or duffel, you can contain the backpack straps sufficiently to check the bag, I found that there were better options for general traveling – the backpack suitcase.

Backpack Suitcase – I chose the eBags TLS Motherload Weekender Convertible. This model has all the features I wanted in a suitcase, plus the ability to carry the bag as a backpack or as a regular suitcase. If I don’t want to use the backpack straps or need to check the bag, they simply can be tucked into a pocket. The bag has an expandable main compartment, a smaller front compartment, a laptop sleeve in the bag, a document holder, and a small pocket on the front of the bag for your 3-1-1 bag or other quick access item.

Day Pack – In addition, I travel with a day pack either in my bag or if needed, carried as a front pack when using the backpack option on the larger bag. I use this bag for my Surface 3, kindle, small purse, snacks and other carryon items when traveling and as a day pack when sightseeing. I have a Pac-Safe 100 that I have had for several years and use regularly on my daily walks and other times at home. It is designed for travel and although smaller than a typical day pack, holds a couple of water bottles, a jacket, small camera, wallet, cell phone, snacks and other items. An alternative backpack to consider is the Neatpack foldup travel backpack. It is inexpensive and designed to fold up small enough to be carried in the regular luggage and used on site.

Super Lightweight Pack – For those superlight trips where size and weight is limited, I use the Patagonia Lightweight Travel Tote Pack 22L, which can be used as a backpack or tote bag. It fits my large packing cube, my toiletry kit, and several small cubes or stuff sacks for other items.

Packing Cubes and Stuff Sacks – These are a must for organized packing and for compressing your clothes into a smaller space. The come in various sizes and shapes. With good planning, you can configure a selection of packing cubes and sacks of various sizes to hold all your items and fit snugly within your bag. Everything goes in a cube or sack, so if I need something, I just grab that cube/sack without rummaging through the entire bag. Especially when you are staying at a hostel or moving from hotel to hotel, using a packing cube and stuff sack system (and keeping items in their respective spots when not in use) makes packing up a breeze and reduces the chances of leaving items behind.

Toiletry bag – I’ve found a small hanging toiletry bag works best. Often in hostels, there is no place besides the floor to put your bag (yuck) and when hanging, the bag provides easy access to all the contents. I use the Neatpack Small Toiletry Bag, but there are many similar options available.

Toiletries – Decant your daily liquid toiletries into small leak-proof bottles contained by a plastic bag for 3-1-1 compliance. After a few bad experiences with leaky inexpensive bottles, I now use only Neoprene bottles (the 1 oz size is perfect) or the smaller Go Toob squeeze containers. For some trips, I use only solid toiletries, thus eliminating the 3-1-1 bag and the risk of leaks. More  on solids in a later blog.

See Packing Light Parts 1 and 3 for other tips

This blog post is the first of three posts to get you started on packing light.
When designing my packing light system, I started thinking about clothing from two perspectives 1) what’s the lightest, most compact version that will work and 2) could I put together a clothing system that provided me with what I needed and no more?

I realized that I had some great clothing alternatives already in my wardrobe – fitness and hiking clothes, lightweight long underwear, lightweight jacket and rainwear. After reading a few blogs (there is a lot of good information out there), I developed my own list. Fair warning – if you are a fashionista, this blog isn’t for you. I want comfortable, serviceable clothes and am less concerned about being fashionable or looking my best. I am trying to see the world, not be seen by the world.

Underwear – I invested in 3 pair of Ex-Officio underwear and one Ex-Officio camisole. Although pricy, the Ex-Officio products wash out easily in the sink or shower and are dry by the next morning. I have another lightweight modal Jockey camisole that dries almost as quickly. For bras, I already had two lightweight, dry-wicking, unstructured bras that would work most of the time. Again, these garments dry overnight. This sure beats the dozen pairs I used to bring when traveling.

Sleepwear – I have a set of Lands’ End lightweight long underwear that doubles as sleepwear in cooler temperatures and a super lightweight pair of shorts and sleeveless top for summer. No need to have specific sleepwear. The lightweight long underwear can go under pants or tops as needed to provide an additional layer.

Layers, Layers, Layers – Speaking of layers, they are the key to any travel clothing system. Rather than packing a bulky, heavy sweater, instead wear your long underwear top or merino wool base layer, followed by a long sleeve top, and then heavier shirt or fleece. If it gets warmer, you can just peel off the layers.

Tops – I use dry-wicking, quick drying fitness/hiking shirts. The temperature at your destination will dictate whether you focus on long sleeve or short sleeve. Even if it is warm, one long sleeve is nice. Ex-Officio and other brands have long sleeve, button-down, lightweight hiking shirts. These can be paired with a short sleeve shirt to provide a little warmth or protection from sun or insects. In cooler weather, the same button-down shirt over a lighter long sleeve shirt and topped by a fleece can provide lightweight warmth. Merino wool tee shirts (long or short sleeve) are another great alternative. Merino wool is itch free, breathable, and comfortable year-round. It also doesn’t pick up odors as easily as synthetics. The beauty of using lightweight clothes is that they can be washed out in the sink mid trip without too much effort. Because of this, you only need a maximum of 4 – 5 tops in some combination of long-sleeve and short sleeve.

Bottoms – Again, fitness clothing is the key. Lightweight hiking pants and capris, yoga pants, and opaque leggings all work well. I have one pair of EMS Isabella pants in black that are a little dressier looking and when coupled with a tee shirt and my button-down shirt, make a reasonably presentable outfit when needed. I won’t win any fashion awards, but my clothes are clean and comfortable. I often wear a pair of lightweight skinny jeans on the plane/train. That way I have my beloved jeans without sacrificing packing space.

Jackets – This is an area that is very temperature specific. Over the years, I invested in the following pieces: 1) a lightweight down jacket with a hood that compresses to a small pouch, 2) a lightweight goretex rain coat that compresses to a small pouch, 3) a lightweight thermal vest (not down, so it can get wet) that compresses to a small pouch (do you see a pattern here?), 4) a lightweight hoody, 5) a rain resistant ‘soft shell’ windbreaker, and 6) a very light rain shirt that packs down to nothing. Depending upon the weather, I take a combination of these. The rain coat or the softshell jacket, over the vest, over the hoody, over my other layers, can salvage a cold rainy day. In a very warm area, the light rain shirt will keep me somewhat dry in a moderate rain and keep the chill off at night. Don’t forget to add a lightweight hat and gloves if the weather might be chilly.

Shoes – I primarily travel with two pairs of shoes. The first is a pair of sturdy walking shoes (mine are Dansko) that give me the comfort of sneakers without looking like sneakers. These shoes are sturdy enough for a day of walking or a light hike and look fine with pants. I also add a pair of TEVA sandals, which are comfortable to walk in and work fine with pants, shorts, and a dress if I need one. I sometimes add (or substitute) a pair of flip flops, especially if I am going anywhere where I will be using a communal shower. If you really need a pair of dress up shoes, avoid heels and consider a pair of fold up ballerina style shoes. Just don’t walk very far in them. Occasionally, I will want my hiking boots, so I substitute them for the shoes. Although they are overkill for most sightseeing, my feet appreciate them on the trail if my travels include a lot of hiking. Wear your heaviest shoes on the plane.  

Socks – Don’t skimp on socks! Find dry-wicking or wool socks (even in summer) at a weight that works well with your shoes. Don’t use cotton. At least one pair should be ankle length for cold or rainy days. Three pairs should do. The dry-wicking socks will dry out faster than the wool.

 Other clothing – I often pack one very lightweight travel dress and either a lightweight sweater or pashmina. Occasionally the hiking clothes don’t cut it and this type of dress, even with the TEVA sandals can work. The pashmina or sweater can of course do double duty. Unless I absolutely know that I won’t need a bathing suit, I pack one. My recommendation is a good fitting two-piece suit that can double as a bra and underwear in a pinch, coupled with a long-sleeve sun/rash shirt. The shirt of course can be used as a layer if needed. If I know that I only will be using the hotel hot tub, I have an unstructured tank suit that covers all the essential parts.

When setting up your clothing list, remember that the quantity includes what you are wearing. Travel in your long pants, long sleeve shirt, shoes, and jacket to save space and weight. In other words, if you can’t lift it, wear it. You’ll avoid overweight bags this way as well.

See Packing Lights Parts 2 and 3 for information about Bags, Cubes, Toiletries and Other Stuff.

It all started when I was coming home from a visit to a friend. We had gone on a bit of a shopping spree and although I was joyous when I was able to zip up my already stuffed carryon, that was short lived when I discovered I wasn’t able to lift the carryon into the overhead bin on my own.

I graciously accepted help from another passenger and then embarrassed, retreated to my seat. Not long after, I embarked on a 3 week visit to Switzerland, where I would need everything from shorts to sweaters plus hiking gear and gluten free snacks. I sighed with relief when the suitcase checked in at the airport at 2 oz below the limit.

Clearly, I had to do better. After all, people backpack all over Europe with limited luggage. After some trial and error, I’ve come up with a system that works!

My first big test of the travel light system came in February 2017, when I had an opportunity to travel to Australia for 10 days. I was tagging along with one of my sons who was there for a conference, and the second bedroom in the 2-bedroom apartment his company rented was up for grabs. It was summer there (as opposed to winter where I live!) and the opportunity to spend time in Broadbeach was too tempting to turn down. I’m adamant about handling my own luggage and my carryon backpack, eBags TLS Mother Lode Weekender Convertible, was perfect.

The challenge came when I decided to take a side trip to Sydney via Tiger Air and stay in the Hostelling International hostel in Sydney. My trusty backpack carryon suitcase was over the weight and size limit for avoiding baggage costs. What had been a remarkably cheap flight would double in cost because of baggage. Could I skinny down my items to fit in a smaller bag and come in under the 15lb weight limit? Well, indeed I could. I purchased a Patagonia Lightweight Travel Tote Pack 22L which has straps for both a backpack and tote bag.

Although the side trip was only a couple of days, the weather ranged from pouring and damp to sweltering. Coupled with the clothing I wore on the plane, I only needed a couple of changes. I learned the hard way that a compact umbrella was a nice thing to have. I ended up buying an inexpensive one and left it in the ‘free’ pile at the hostel for the next traveler.

But all in all, the system worked. In addition to the compact umbrella, I increased my packing list to include a small extension cord with multiple outlets and a lightweight bag to hold my clothes when showering to keep them off the floor. I also learned that my decision to leave my Surface 3 back in Broadbeach was a good one. I was too busy to spend time hanging out on the computer, and I just used my iphone when I needed to look something up or read via the Kindle app.

This trip was really the turning point in how I traveled. Over the past couple of years, I’ve learned what I need to bring and what I can do without. The trip to Australia was the first time I put it all in practice. This blog is about passing on what I’ve learned and encouraging women of all ages – and especially those over 60 – to shed their inhabitations about solo travel. Learning how to pack light so I can easily handle my luggage has made all the difference.

See the next posts for a Three-Part Series on Packing Light.