As I window shop in the beach town of Hollywood Florida, I’m being eyeballed left right and centre. What? What is it? Is it the sweat dripping from my brow in this 100+ degree weather? Is it my gait? Or is it the over-filled black vest donned over my beach dress, making me look like a suicide bomber trying to get a tan?

Regardless of what my hostile onlookers are actually thinking, this is me in the process of spectacularly failing the No Baggage Challenge.

How it all Started

Preparing for the No Baggage Challenge is a breeze. It is actually fun to go through my purse and finally eliminate the dead weight that I’d been too lazy to sift through. Even packing the Women’s Essential Travel Jacket is fun as I discover the 18 pockets and figure out where everything should go, packing for my week-long trip in as minimalist a way as possible.

Getting There

But as soon as I leave the house, I feel bulky. I can barely zip up the jacket for all the things crammed into the pockets, and I resemble a beer-belly-laden-pregnant-woman once I do (no really! Watch the video below for a laugh). Somewhat unrealistically – I had taken on the No Baggage Challenge, thinking that one little jacket could actually harbour an entire week’s worth of stuff.

So as I weave my way through the airport and to my final Floridian destination donning a vest (thank goodness the sleeves zip off the jacket for hot weather travel) packed to the gills, my mind is flooded with images of anything from an old-school photographer on safari loaded with filters and rolls of film, to a terrorist with a bomb strapped to my chest, to an overzealous fisherman with lures hanging from every crevice. Although I’m convinced that I’m the laughing stock of onlookers, I realize my mind is probably in paranoid overdrive.

No Baggage in Florida

Despite initial concerns about airport security, the act of Flying with No Baggage is a relative breeze. And once I arrive at my friend’s place, I eagerly unload all the things from my jacket that I don’t require on a daily basis: toiletries, USB charger, passport, tickets, bathing suit, change of underwear, etc. I also strip off the extra layer of clothing I wore on the plane (ingeniously coordinated so I would have an outfit to wear while I washed the other). Whew – my load is considerably lightened.

But my camera is a real stumbling block. Although it’s not big, it’s also not small, and it’s a staunch requirement for a traveling writer. Despite the thoughtful design of the Women’s Essential Travel Jacket to minimize bulky appearances, the camera doesn’t gracefully fit into any pocket without being obvious and weighty.

The Heat

If I weren’t going to hot-sunny-Florida, I would also have use of the pocket in my long-sleeved Q-zip. Already at this early stage of my participation in the NoBaggageChallenge, I’ve realized that I have no (functional) pockets in any of my clothing. Then again, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen summery women’s clothing with practical pockets.

Fashion vs Function

My biggest battle once in Floridais that of fashion versus function. Not only am I relegated to wearing the jacket everywhere (converted to a vest of course) for lack of having any other pockets or bags, but I realize that this vest doesn’t actually go with anything I’ve worn. I’m just not a vest person to begin with, and my poor choice of wardrobe for this trip accentuates this fashion faux pas.

And in fashion-consciousSouth Florida, I feel like I stick out like a sore thumb. I still can’t tell if the suspicious looks I get from onlookers are real or imagined.

Ultimate Failure

Eventually I crack. Between the oppressive Florida summer heat and my insecurity about being stared at, I just can’t bear to put on the bulky hot vest on my way to the beach for the afternoon and a nice dinner in the evening.

So, with my head hanging in shame, I borrow my friend’s purse.

Want to see what I mean? Check out this video, which is worth the 800 or so words in this post!

Email subscribers, click here to watch the video.

My Fault, Not Scottevest’s

Although nobody paid (or even lightly coerced) me into saying this, I feel the need to take on the majority of the blame for my No Baggage Challenge failure. Despite 18 pockets in the travel jacket I have, it’s not magic! No jacket can easily carry a week’s worth of stuff, and without any other pockets to work with, some people (heck, let’s get serious – everybody!) would argue that I was doomed before I began.

I’ve taken this failure to heart though, and this isn’t my only attempt at No Baggage travel! My next trip is toQuebec Cityfor a week, and I’ll be applying some of the lessons I’ve learned on this trip. (And hopefully, it won’t be tropically hot either). Stay tuned!

(Editor’s Note: I received a free Scottevest Women’s Essential Travel Jacket as the impetus and inspiration for doing the No Baggage Challenge). 

I recently returned from a week-long trip to Florida to visit a friend. (I know, I know. Florida in June?! I must be daft. All I can say is at least it wasn’t July or August, and thank goodness I generally love the heat. I have spent over four years hopping hemispheres for endless summer, after all.)

And although I normally travel with everything I own, this time I left just about everything behind in Toronto while taking this side-trip. In fact, not only did I not bring my usual bags, I brought no bags at all.

You may recall my post about Preparing for the No Baggage Challenge in which I emptied the contents of my purse and decided how to “pack” for such a trip. As the second installment of my No Baggage Challenge series of trips and posts this summer, I’ve written about the experience of Flying With No Baggage over at the No Baggage Challenge website.

In it, I write about the ups and downs (pun intended) of flying with no bags; from issues of security, to in-flight comfort, and – of course – adventures in clearing customs.

Please hop on over there to check out the post in full!

Flying with No Baggage

Almost a year ago, I was traveling from Nepal to Australia. The airport in Katmandu had a series of security checkpoints, but this time my routine of chucking everything on to the x-ray conveyor belt at one end and absentmindedly collecting it at the other end was stymied.

“There is something in your purse. I need to look at it,” said the security official.

I blinked and handed over my purse for inspection. It has been through x-rays with no complications many times before; nonetheless this extra step didn’t phase me. I had lots of time, and there were no crowds to contend with.

Slowly and methodically, the security official laid the contents of my purse out in front of us. This wasn’t nearly as simple a task as you might imagine, since my purse has several pockets and compartments. We were both increasingly amazed at the variety – and quantity – of things I keep in my purse.

He held a pack of cigarettes (I casually smoked at the time) and an asthma inhaler in each hand and looked at me critically. I blushed and said the inhaler was for allergies (which is true).

He took out a piece of cord and asked me what it’s for. “It’s string, for hanging up laundry, fixing shoelaces, many things,” I replied to his increasingly stunned expression. I mentally observed that I’d not once used this item in four years on the road and maybe it didn’t need to be in my purse.

He continued to dig through pockets and empty their contents onto the table in front of us. Lipstick, hand sanitizer, passport copies, receipts, notebooks, cell phone, camera, headlamp, shopping bag, sunglasses, you name it – it was there. Every time he thought he had found the item that was causing the scanner problems, he put the purse through the x-ray again only to discover he’d missed yet more pockets, with yet more things in them.

“You have too much in your purse,” he said, shaking his head every time he found a new pocket with something in it. I couldn’t help but laugh. And agree.

Next up: a padlock. (Actually, it’s one of three in my possession). His expression lit up, and he sighed with relief when he determined the padlock had been our x-ray machine culprit.

After this somewhat embarrassing display of the contents of my purse, I sheepishly stuffed everything back into their pockets before moving on, promising myself that I’d go through my purse and see what I could eliminate.

But over time, complacency set in, and I never did. It all continued to fit into my purse quite easily, and I figured as soon as I took something out I’d probably need it.

I’m in a tricky position since as a full-time traveler I travel with everything I own, which means everything is fairly tightly allocated and packed. Moving things around involves tetris-like dexterity, and if I get rid of something, it’s gone (I don’t have a drawer to store it in for later use). So it’s usually easier to just keep everything.

But my day of reckoning has now arrived.

I am doing a No Baggage Challenge.

I’m leaving my full-time travel gear in Toronto and using it as a base for a few smaller trips this summer. And I’m stepping way out of my comfort zone – I’m even leaving my purse behind.

I’m doing this with the help of Scottevest, who designs clothing purpose-based for travel. The trick: it’s all about the pockets. With up to 37 pockets in one jacket alone, this clothing is designed to allow you to leave your bags (or at least some, if not all of them) at home.

Which is exactly what I’m doing!

My first trip is a flight to Florida to visit a friend for a week. As my no-baggage travel companion, I’ve got the Women’s Essential Travel Jacket, which has 18 pockets (I think I’ve found them all). I expect the zip-off sleeves will come in handy with the summer heat.

The timing of a No-Baggage trip is impeccable; I’m flying with Air Canada, who was recently on strike. Although they have promised passengers close-to-normal service, they’ve issued strong suggestions to check-in online, and not to check any bags.

Sweet! Not only am I not checking bags, but I’m not even carrying any bags.

Wanna see what’s in my purse? Wanna see the Essential Travel Jacket? And do you wanna see me “pack” for my trip? Then watch this video!

(Email subscribers click here to watch).

For the purposes of this post, I recently unpacked my bags and took pictures of everything. Although I surprised even myself with a few things (like how much clothing I have, and how much more I got rid of along the way), I was also pretty impressed that I’ve been able to survive for over three years with little more than what fits in one just-larger-than-carry-on sized suitcase and one daypack.

My belongings have evolved and streamlined over the last three years, and anywhere I camped out for more than six months involved an inevitable accumulation of things that either got sent home for storage or given away/sold. But the longer I travel, the less likely I am to accumulate much at all, even if I stay somewhere for a while.

Without further ado, here is a list of everything I travel with, for you to use as a guide for what to pack for full-time travel:

Luggage and Bags

I love my High Sierra Wheeled Backpack with Removable Day-pack luggage; the main case zips right open for easy access to everything, it has wheels (which I almost always use), and zip-away backpack straps (which I almost never use, but which is handy if the terrain is rough or I’m navigating dense crowds).

My Day Pack zips onto the front of the main case so I’m only carting around one piece of luggage, and it’s perfect as my carry-on bag and around-town bag.

You can also see my TSA-approved combo lock dangling from the zipper of my luggage – very handy for security during flights as well as in hostels.

Stuffed into my main bag is another two bags: one thin lightweight compression sack (which I occasionally stuff clothes into to keep my packing volume down), and another favourite: the Outdoor Research Drycomp Summit Sack.

This bag has seen me through many treks and mountaineering summit attempts, as it’s a soft-sided, waterproof, lightweight bag that doubles as a compression sack. Between this and the dedicated compression sack (and a few smaller mesh stuff sacks), I can organize my belongings quite effectively.

I do also carry a purse, which houses my wallet, camera, copies of ID, and other items I like to have close at hand for either convenience or security.

Shoes

I’ve always been a fan of my hiking boots, but there’s no getting around the weight and bulk of something that I only occasionally use (but when I use them – boy do I ever). My runners (which I bought second-hand two years ago were also looking pretty sorry, so I recently went on a long drawn-out search for some new shoes. I always joked with the salespeople that I wanted a pair of shoes that could do everything – double as both good lightweight walking shoes (to replace my runners), as well as hiking boots (which I wanted to get rid of). And they had to look stylish and cool.

Well wouldn’t you know it: one day, the salesperson – instead of laughing at me – handed me exactly what I asked for.

The Salomon Mid GTX hiking shoe are my new favourite shoes. Despite being larger than runners, they are no heavier than a regular pair of runners, and the profile and black colour make them appear like decent shoes underneath a pair of pants. But the solid structure and ankle support make them awesome hiking boots. I’ve taken them into the middle of volcanic craters, as well as around town for long walks (and even out to a few dinners), and they fit the bill in all scenarios.

Aside from my main shoes, I have three two other pairs:

• Tevas (good for summer action and water-sports) (They’re uncomfortable and bulky, and just got “left” at the last place I was staying)!
• Flip-flops (easy slip-ons and great for hostel showers)
• Nice strappy sandals. I only own these because a) they were dirt cheap in Thailand, and b) they are incredibly thin and lightweight – even moreso than flip-flops. That, and they make me feel pretty (I’ve got to do the girly thing from time to time).

Clothing

Yes, yes; I probably have more clothing than I should, but I’m struggling to figure out how I can cut down and still be prepared for any season (and I get cold easily). Here’s what I have:

• Pants: Black quick-dry that also convert to ¾ length. Great for trekking, as well as looking nice for dinner.
• Pants: Black cotton yoga pants. Super-comfy.
• Skirt: Black knee-length.
• Skirt: Blue silk wrap-around sari skirt, which can be worn a million ways, including as a dress. Actually incredibly practical as everything from a beach cover-up, to picnic towel, to dress-up flowing skirt.
• 2 T-shirts.
• 1 black collared sleeveless shirt (nice for dressing up, and packs up incredibly small).
• 2 Long-sleeved merino wool Icebreaker shirts – one as a standalone base layer, another as a nice top with a collar.
• 1 Long-sleeved lightweight shirt (for hot countries that require arms to be covered, among other uses).
• 1 Purple possum/merino poncho. This is incredibly lightweight, unbelievably warm, my New Zealand Souvenir, and super-stylish. Yes, ever the “girl” I am.
• 1 blue Down Jacket. It’s actually polyester – not down – but it feels like down so I call it such. It also folds into its own pocket to pack up small and make a nice pillow when I need one. Oh yeah – and it’s incredibly warm.
• 1 Pashmina (or incantation thereof). It makes for a great scarf, accessory, airplane blanket, wrap, throw, etc. Super handy and very stylish.

• Work clothing: I also travel with clothing specifically intended for some of the dirtier jobs that are sometimes asked of me, depending on where I work-trade: 1 short-sleeved merino wool Icebreaker (that has seen better days), and one pair of quick-dry reinforced pants. They were quite handy as such at Mana Retreat.

• 1 Rain Jacket: bright pylon-orange style. The colour wasn’t my first choice, but again – it’s incredibly thin and light, and it does the trick.
• 1 Pair of PJs: being a lightweight top and pair of pants that could also be worn out in a pinch. Important for hostels, where sleeping – and running to the bathroom – in undies isn’t exactly kosher.
• 3-5 pairs of socks (different weights and uses)
• 3-5 pairs of underwear (pretty much the same use!)
• 2 Bikini Swimsuits: Yes, I could probably do with one, but they just don’t take up that much room. I mean, really.

(Also in the picture above is 1 one-liter water bottle. As you can see from the stickers all over it, it has seen more than a few places in the world).

Clothing Accessories

These get stuffed into a mesh bag, and although I often forget I have as much as I do in there, I’ve also used everything at one time or another. Although I have a lot of scarves, they are also useful for warmth, accessorizing, hair ties, belts, bag-identifiers, and make-shift tools.

• 1 winter scarf
• 1 lightweight cotton scarf
• 2 silk scarves
• 1 sun hat
• 1 long canvas belt (actually, this belt was a recent casualty of another reduction spree before my trip to Europe).

Toiletries

• 1 Toiletry Bag: I won’t detail the exact contents of my toiletry kit, but suffice it to say I have mini-versions of everything I need stuffed neatly into my black fold-up toiletry bag.
• 1 Adventure Towl: one of the best pieces of travel gear I have. It’s small, dries almost as soon as I’ve wrung it out, and dries me when I need it to.

Outdoor Gear

Because I love trekking as much as I do, I have enough belongings to hit the trails – even overnight (save for the tent & sleeping bag).

• 1 pair of gaiters
• 1 thermal base layer
• 1 thermal sleeveless top
• 1 pair of gloves
• 1 small wool hat (useful for more than trekking)
• 1 fold-up plate
• 1 fold-up cup

Bit and Pieces

The last thing to go into my main bag is a bunch of miscellaneous items, as listed below:

• Adventure medical kit
• SteriPen with solar charging case
• Small Bag with membership cards I don’t need in my wallet but seem to want to hang on to, as well as extra shoelaces (another multi-purpose item)
• Extra laptop power-adapter (I took a side-trip and forgot to bring mine once, so now I have two and can’t bring myself to part with one – what if I forget it again?!)
• Installation CDs and software (for my laptop)
• External Hard Drive (which is kept in my luggage to be separate from my laptop; if one goes missing I won’t be up the creek).

Believe it or not, all that goes into my main luggage. Here’s what goes in my day-pack and purse:

• Wallet
• International Driver’s License
• iPod Touch

• Folder with official documents
• Waterproof bag with plug adaptors, business cards, cables, DVD’s, whatever
• Ziploc bag with mini optical mouse, web-cam, and adaptors/cables I use regularly
• Camera with extra SD card
• Travel Journal
• Deck of cards
• Passport Wallet (used in airports to hold boarding passes , flight itineraries, etc)
• Money belt (for passport etc)
• Underclothes mini-pouch for USB stick (with encrypted copies of ID) and extra cash (last resort)
• Laptop, including neoprene sleeve and power cord
• Earplugs (my best friend in hostels)
• Headlamp (another piece of truly prized travel gear)
• Padlock (for hostel lockers)
• Eyeshade (although I never remember I have it when I need it)
• Sunglasses
• Unlocked Cell Phone
• Small case of miscellaneous meds (painkillers, anti-histamines, anti-nausea, etc)

Although I was once inspired by a video I saw on ultra-light packing and almost took my full-time entourage into carry-on mode, I realize that my love of the outdoors – and the gear to go along with it – will prevent me from downsizing too much more. Although there are a few items on this list that could be chucked out if I had to lighten the load, I’m pretty happy in knowing that I can handle – and enjoy – whatever the world throws at me.

A travel journal can be so much more than a diary of the events of your travels. For me, it is a way of taking down quick notes, creating to-do lists, writing the contact information of old and new friends, and collecting research about future destinations in one place.

Once filled, my travel journals are a combination of pages with scribbles and crossed out lists, addresses of people back home as well as those I’ve met on the road, quick sketches or impressions of places that had an effect on me, and information gathered about each place I’ve visited. Going back through it is a unique way of reliving the time I used the journal, even if I didn’t do any actual journaling in it.

For me, there are no rules to using a travel journal. I simply record anything and everything that I may need to reference at a later time. It is my scheduler, and keeps me organized and on track. It is a catch-all for information I wouldn’t know where to store elsewhere.

Here is a perfect example of a useful item in my travel journal: Every time I booked a flight or rented a car abroad, I had to call my credit card company to find out what insurance coverage I automatically had. It was usually an afterthought, and an exercise in frustrating (and sometimes expensive) phone calls from sometimes remote places. And I never seemed to remember the details they gave me, so it became an exercise in repetition.

The last time I called for such information, I wrote it down on the front cover of my travel journal. Now I have easy access to the insurance company’s direct number and website, as well as the exact details of coverage I have.

I also record my flight and travel schedule in the front too. It is an easy reference while I’m out and about, and makes for a unique reminder of where I have traveled during the time that I owned the journal.

**When I was on Canada AM, it became my resource for study notes before I went on-air.

**When I read an article about great questions to ask locals when you are traveling, I wrote them down, and occasionally referenced them so I could ask similar questions of my local hosts and friends.

**And when I met an Indian woman on the subway in Toronto by chance and struck up a conversation with her, it was an easy way to take down her number so we could keep in touch (as can happen so often on the road).

In this age of technology, some would argue that an iPhone (or equivalent small data machine/phone) can do the same job. Yes, this is true, and I have considered making the leap. But to me, there is something inherently easier about the travel journal:

• It isn’t a target for theft. In fact, it is worthless to just about everybody but me.
• It doesn’t have to be charged. I already have lots of electronics and chargers and associated accessories; I’m not particularly interested in more.
• It has an organic and tactile appeal. Since I have an invisible umbilical cord connecting me to my laptop, it is refreshing to make and reference notes easily and on paper.

Am I the only one? Do any other travelers use a travel journal, and if so – what do you use it for?