{"id":526,"date":"2020-02-16T01:38:42","date_gmt":"2020-02-16T01:38:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.zoa.com\/2019b\/?page_id=526"},"modified":"2020-02-16T03:28:28","modified_gmt":"2020-02-16T03:28:28","slug":"travel-light","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.zoa.com\/2019b\/travel-light\/","title":{"rendered":"Traveling light"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I’m often asked if I get tired of traveling. One of the things that can make traveling tiresome is carrying a lot of luggage. Most tourists burden themselves with 3 or 4 times more stuff than they actually need. Not me. I leave behind everything that I\u00a0might<\/em>\u00a0need because, by definition, if I might<\/em> need something, then I might not<\/em> need it. Why carry something that’s not needed?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If I don’t have something I need, I buy it. Shopping in foreign countries is a great way to experience the local culture and to see how business is done. It rained hard in\u00a0Georgia<\/a>. Did I pack an umbrella? No. The first rainy day, I paid $8 for a 16-spine, black and plaid umbrella with a wooden handle. It was a classy accessory and unlike anything I could have brought from home. It was nice to support the local economy. As I walked down the street with my Georgian umbrella, I looked less like a tourist and more like someone who lived here. When I left rainy Georgia for the deserts of Jordan, I gave my umbrella to someone who needed one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I started traveling in 2008, I had a 20kg backpack. I soon realized that I was using less than half of what I was carrying. The rest was dead weight. So, I downsized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The little pack that I carry now has been with me since 2010. It goes with me up and down mountains. It sits on my lap on cramped buses. I can sling it over my shoulder as I stroll through towns and cities. I never have to check this bag, which saves lots of time and ensures that I never lose my luggage. Customs officials rarely ask to look inside because it’s so small.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Naturally, there’s not much room in my bag for souvenirs. So, if I buy something that’s larger than a pencil, I take it straight to the post office and mail it home. When I return home months later, I enjoy the surprise of seeing these forgotten treasures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s what’s in my pack these days:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Click on photo to zoom in<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n