A Late Realization, Or A Woman and Her Baggage

I'd not posted for an interval of time following the "Hiroshima, Japan, June 2009" post. The last line of that post was "Also, take note that just about every adult female has some sort of baggage."

Previously I had been convinced, even in my daily life, that a handbag just gives thieves a convenient target to snatch and grab. I also felt that by carrying a minimal amount of things in my pockets, I freed myself from having to always need to watch my bag, from having to find an appropriate place in a restroom to set said bag down, from having one hand constantly on the strap, etc.

However it never occurred to me just how WEIRD it was to go around, as an adult woman, without any sort of bag, purse, or stroller. Until I started actually paying attention. And it never failed. Every woman who I could identify as not having some sort of personal baggage (who wasn't engaging in exercise) looked extremely out-of-place and awkward - the overwhelming impression was "unattractive lesbian."*

I had no idea how obviously my orientation was being proclaimed by my lack of baggage! And also the unattractive part, what was up with that! Well, it turns out that women look better when it doesn't look like they have tumors coming out of them in inappropriate areas! Imagine! So loose clothing (so as to better shove things in your pockets) and bulging pockets (so as to better carry your unbagged possessions) did things to one's attractiveness level that even makeup couldn't hide!**

So here's the situation: Adding a bona-fide bag to the list (the Tom Bihn Passport Pouch isn't gonna cut it) would add weight to the list that I had found "unnecessary" on previous trips. However, since I am now more conscious of not looking like a fool, it had become necessary. I haven't weighed everything on my list so far, but I'm pretty sure adding a handbag or two is gonna add in the neighborhood of 4 pounds. My actual luggage is gonna weigh 3 pounds. To go 15 pounds or lighter meant I'd only have 8 pounds left for clothes, toiletries and electronics.

Well. I accept this challenge!

*I added this star in case my statement was taken out of context and twisted into some kind of hate speech, of which it is not. I accept that the underlying reason why my brain defaulted to "lesbian" may be because I am sensitive to such perceptions. Please feel free to discuss in the comments below counter-examples if you have them.
**I don't actually wear makeup, so double whammy!

How to travel anywhere on $20 a day, by Ryan Estrada

(image copyright Ryan Estrada)

Ryan Estrada is an artist who has had an interesting life so far, and an interesting way of living it. In the PDF linked in the image above, he explains how he travels cheaply - and survived to tell the tale!

One of my favorite parts is when he says he only starts looking for a place to sleep when he is ready to sleep, thus not needing to pay transportation back to an already-paid-for, far-away place of lodging. This, among other things, is possible when you travel ultralight!

EDIT 26 JULY 2011: Wow, it looks like a lot of you are here via Ryan's link! Welcome!

Hiroshima, Japan, June 2009

I wonder if it's because I come from somewhere more country than country, that adults wearing shorts is normal? In most other places, I've gathered, it doesn't matter how hot it is - shorts are simply not acceptable for adults unless they are 1) at the beach, or 2) working out.

Also, take note that just about every adult female has some sort of baggage.

Inspirations, or Giving Credit Where It's Due

Travel, and packing for travel, is somewhat of an obsession of mine. Perhaps you could tell by the title and subtitle of this blog. The earliest trip I can remember was at age 4, where I got some sort of eye infection in Guangzhou and then threw up in the unbearable heat of a Shanghai summer. A good start.

There were many more trips, but yet my travels were limited to China, Hong Kong, or Los Angeles until college. That's when I joined the US Army. The military sent me to South Carolina (no idea what that place is like off-base); Sierra Vista, Arizona; Monterey, California; Zama, Japan; Seattle, Washington (thanks for the frequent flier miles); Killeen, Texas; Kuwait (same as South Carolina); Afghanistan; and other places along the way. I ventured out on my own to Atlanta, Georgia; Taiwan; and other areas in Arizona, Texas, California, and Japan. With friends to Lima, Cusco, and Machu Picchu in Peru and Bogotá in Colombia. Of course, being based in Oahu, I've also visited Kauai, Maui, and the Big Island of Hawaii with school/school friends.

The feeling of getting on a plane or train (or helicopter) and just... leaving... It has always appealed to me. It's terrifying sometimes, like once during lift-off when I realized I'd forgotten to pack the tickets to the very event I was flying to attend. But mostly I sit back, let go of what's not important - most things in life - and enjoy the freedom.

That's likely why when I read this post on One Bag, One World: Paradigm shift: 7 maxims of ultralight travel, a light bulb went off. One-bagging isn't enough. I need to go ultralight. Here are the ultralight maxims quoted from the above article:

Ultralight travel is not for everyone.

Ultralight travel is not just traveling with one suitcase.

Ultralight travel means carrying 15 pounds or less.

Ultralight travel does not mean the traveler must look, smell, or feel bad.

Ultralight travel requires a certain amount of specialized gear and clothing.

Ultralight travel means the traveler must commit to doing a certain amount of sink laundry.

Ultralight travel means a traveler must make a conscious effort to minimize, miniaturize or eliminate electronic equipment.

I may be female, but I consider myself low-maintenance, and I'm at or below average height for women my age from the US, which helps with not needing as much fabric to cover myself with and therefore carry. My make-up kit consists of moisturizer/sunblock and lip balm. I decided to take the 15-pounds-or-less challenge... In fact, I would take as little weight as I could, but with 15 pounds as the maximum.

I found further inspiration in the following links:

• Travel Light, Travel Anywhere: The Ultimate Light Packing List, whose toiletries I scrutinized and took particular note of the Vitamin E Oil for dry skin and the Tea Tree Oil for antiseptic purposes for further trial/research.
• What to Pack at travelindependent.info, similar to the veritable OneBag.com's annotated packing list, and of course
• OneBag.com itself, the king of One-Bag Travel sites.

When I've got my packing list set, and am ready to throw it all in the bag, I'll be sure to take some photos and post what I'm bringing along. Incidentally, I've decided that I'm leaving even the Tom Bihn Side Effect mentioned in this post at home - the Dyneema Tom Bihn Passport Pouch will do double-duty suitably for my needs.

Helping the elephant avoid the chopping block, an ounce at a time.

Shanghai, China, June 2009

P6220200, a photo by arestocracy on Flickr.

Locals dance on a city sidewalk near People's Square. Most Shanghainese dress very stylishly, and dancing in public is common. There are even dance gatherings in public parks in the evening.

Kamakura, Japan, June 2004

Kamakura is a good place to:


See a giant Buddha,


Eat sweet potato ice cream, and


Hit the beach.

On the beach fashion front:

Shorts are okay for schoolchildren,


And exercising.


Don't fit into either of the above categories? Thou shalt wear pants! Even if you're on holiday and it's summertime!

T-Minus 60 Days and Counting: What I've Culled So Far

It's about 2 months out until the first trip and I've been creating my packing list since a month ago. Today I tried wearing and lugging some things for a leisurely 2.7 mile walk.

First to go was the Tom Bihn Large Cafe Bag. The shoulder bag deal just wasn't going to work well with 1/2 the tops I had planned. That subtracted about a pound.

Then the umbrella. Dumb, I put it on the list because I figured an umbrella could guard against the sun PLUS protect more than one person from the rain... Truth is, an umbrella is useless in wind and I'm sure I could find some sort of shelter from the elements fairly easily if need be. Another pound gone.

Lastly, the jeans. Unless I lose a great deal of thickness from my thighs in the next month or so, the jeans I had picked out (the lightest, thinnest pair of the ones I prefer) are just going to be uncomfortable for travel purposes. One more pound culled from the list.

Total culled today: 3 pounds.

Previously culled: Switched from Tom Bihn Aeronaut to Tom Bihn Western Flyer - weight savings 0.18 pounds. Not much, but points in the small form factor/ease of handling category.

Thinking of replacing the TB LCB with the TB Side Effect. Contents are likely to just be things like hand sanitizer and sunblock, so not worried about pilferage. That setup will cost me a little over half a pound, so total weight savings vs. LCB is just under half a pound.


Tom Bihn Side Effect in Sapphire