Tim's traveling tips and my upcoming trip.

[jetpacklife]

The timing couldn't be better, I was just reading Tim's blog about traveling tips:
http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2007/07/11/how-to-travel-the-world-with-10-pounds-or-less-plus-how-to-negotiate-convertibles-and-luxury-treehouses/

I'm just about to head out on another 3 week trip. This time it's Portland, Seattle and Vancouver areas. Should be fun, and I'm working on the list of people I gotta see when I'm there.

I certainly appreciate the tips to lighten the load. Nothing worse than having to carry around too much STUFF! I'm gonna try a few of his suggestions on this trip, but I don't think I can get it down to 10 lbs. I do have one advantage over tim, I have a smaller computer with me. I'm now carrying the Nokia 770 (nice little wifi handheld, no phone)

What traveling tips do you guys have?

[Vacman]

jetpacklife,

Awesome! I hope your trip goes well!

I like packing light as well, and I usually find that for some reason I tend to pack more stuff when I'm only going to be gone for a few days vs. if I'm going to be gone for a long while.

I've traveled around the Pacific Rim for a couple months and also backpacked across Europe for a month.

On my trip to Europe I learned a lot about packing, I didn't get it down to 10 pounds, but I did get it down to 20.

I only packed the things I really needed and put them into a backpack I found at a store called REI. (It is basically a carry on backpack with a back support, and some straps to make carrying it more comfortable.)

-Two pairs of pants
-A dress shirt
-A few under shirts
-About 5 pairs of underwear (not 2 :))
-My Passport, wallet, etc.
-Some basic toiletries (shampoo, soap, toothbrush, etc.)
-About 5 pairs of socks
-Flip-Flops
-A small Cannon Elph camera

Not much else...

Most my pictures from Europe are all in the same clothes, and I ended up wearing things more than once a lot... :) But I did do laundry once in Germany! :) If that counts...

On my trip to the Pacific Rim I also brought my laptop, and a bigger camera, plus some other random stuff I didn't really need. The bigger camera just slowed me down, and I probably didn't need my laptop. I also packed more clothes and actually brought a small suit case + a backpack. When I left on bigger excursions I'd pack things from the suitcase into the backpack and then be more mobile.

Looking back on both experiences, I really liked the lighter packing better. Less to worry about, more comfortable, and more mobile.

Hey! I live in the Seattle area! You'll have fun here, it's a great city, and we're getting awesome weather recently. Last Wednesday it was 98 degrees!

[jetpacklife]

I don't know how I'd live on that few cloths for 3 weeks. I'm expecially sloppy sometimes, and I can't imagine what I'd smell like with all this heat!

I'll be at OSCON in portland this week and in seattle in about 10 days if anyone wants to get together for lunch!

[Vacman]

jetpacklife,

Hey yea!

Let me know when your in town and we'll see if we can set something up.

Might be kinda fun!