Tag: Packing

Daisann McLane: ‘Baggage is Not an Obstacle’

In her latest column, Daisann McLane offers her perspective on the recent No-Baggage Challenge. Her take? “A mixed feeling of awe and bewilderment.” Here’s why she could never go there herself:

I curate the contents of my suitcase with exceptional care. If you happen to meet me in an airport in Asia or on a European train, you’ll usually find me traveling lighter than light, with one small rolling Samsonite carryon, or a Patagonia “Legal CarryOn” satchel. I have lived, quite easily out of either one for over a month.

But give up baggage altogether? That’s like asking me to give up wine, or chocolate. I enjoy figuring out how to pack strategically, so I’m not bogged down with stuff but can still dress with as much elegance and local color as I can. When you travel, every day on the road is a special occasion. I pack, and dress myself to honor that energy and joy—and reflect it back at the world. It deserves no less.


The No-Baggage Challenge: That’s a Wrap

A few weeks back we wrote about World Hum contributor Rolf Potts’ latest trip: a round-the-world spin with no baggage. The trip’s complete now, and he has posted some final thoughts about traveling bag-free:

Once I got into a travel rhythm, the no-baggage aspect of the trip was pretty simple. Two-a-day showers kept me as clean as I’ve ever been on the road, and daily clothes-washings (of my socks, underwear, and t-shirt) kept my wardrobe fresh and odor free. In fact, one of the reasons I started doing these weekly field reports is to have a pretext to comment on the no-baggage aspect of the trip—since it became apparent quite early that not having luggage wasn’t going to add a lot of drama or complication to my day-to-day activities (which meant, happily, that I could focus my journey on the joys of travel instead of the idiosyncrasies of packing light).

So does this mean I’ll spend the rest of my life traveling without bags? Probably not—bags do serve a purpose, they make some aspects of a journey easier, and one can still travel ultra-light while carrying a small bag. Moreover, the No Baggage Challenge was an experiment in traveling light—not an edict that luggage-free travel is a universally superior way to go. That said, I’ll probably continue to experiment with no-luggage travel—if nothing else because it’s fun and liberating and not all that hard to do.

The No Baggage Challenge site has an archive of posts and video updates for anyone who didn’t follow along.


Mr. Suitcase

On the trauma of luggage gone astray (and how an inconvenience turned into an obsession)

Read More »


Rolf Potts: Around the World, Baggage-Free

World Hum contributor Rolf Potts is about to embark on his latest project: a six-week ‘round-the-world tour with no bags. Check out the rules for the expedition and the thinking behind it. The project is on Twitter, too, and the trip gets started in two days.


The Shrink-Wrapped Traveler

Welcome to the Buddha Zen hotel, where the options are few and the travelers are happy

Read More »


What Items Should I Bring on a Summer Road Trip?

Vagabonding traveler Rolf Potts answers your questions about travel

Read More »


  • « Prev Page
  • Next Page »