Still travelling around the world with carry-on. Why you should too.
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In 2019, I wrote a story about travelling the world with carry-on luggage.
Honestly it was as though I’d achieved something magnificent, like winning a Nobel Prize in astrophysics, or swimming my way to Africa rather than using the plane. People were astounded (and random strangers sometimes comment on the article even now).
In a year where international travel is now a likely event (praise be), but at a time when your chances of arriving at your destination with your checked baggage seems to be increasingly unlikely, I say embrace carry-on.
Here are a few observations on packing light and I’d encourage you to read the original story, which sets out the tenets of carry-on success.
For one thing, keeping your belongings together and with you at all times, rather than waving goodbye to them at the check-in desk, offers a feeling of freedom that no amount of outfit changes can surpass. Who cares how rough the baggage handlers are? Your suitcase is in your loving hands the whole trip. You WILL have your own toothbrush with you when you get to the hotel: priceless. Two: you are generally unlikely to wear everything you pack, even when you pack light. So save yourself the arm ache of lugging it around in the first place. Three: train your kids young to follow your lead.
I can confirm that we are now a strict carry-on family of four. Forever.
I will admit, it takes practice to get packing down to a fine art.
That big around-the-world trip I first wrote of required a fair bit of contemplation as we travelled for over four weeks across an eclectic array of countries—Japan, Finland, Portugal, Spain, Morocco and the United States.
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But we have done a number of cross-country trips while waiting out Covid and the same rules apply.
As fans of Port Douglas, we have made a number of sorties there since 2019 and I could pack and be ready to go in an instant. In fact, I don’t even FILL my carry-on these days.
In a nutshell:
I always wear jeans and a jacket to the airport as I am constantly cold on flights. A pashmina in a neutral colour is a godsend as you can throw it around your neck as a scarf while moving, and spread it over you while on the plane.
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I cannot stress enough how good denim jackets are for travel. They don’t wrinkle, don’t stain and if you get hot, tie it around your waste.
When I am travelling in summer I can get by with white sneakers, Birkenstocks and a signature dressy sandal.
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I always take at least one pretty dress for going out, (in fact this Aje dress is my Port Douglas dress as I always find room for it even with all the frills and puffy sleeves). The rest of the time I am usually very casually dressed in a couple of favourite t-shirts for casual beach days. A white linen shirt goes with anything and cut-off denim shorts are my summer uniform.
Winter weather packing is slightly more challenging because of the bulk. But I did do three days in Melbourne earlier in the year during winter and managed to get on the plane with one small leather tote and a handbag. In this case, I wore the same black boots and big fur jacket each day and just bought a change of black pants and t-shirts (and clean underwear!). PS if it’s Melbourne do NOT forget your umbrella.
Fuzzy insta-story screenshot as proof of light packing to Melbourne for three days. Note elegant dangling of facemask off one ear (now that’s style!).
The older I get the more decisive I am about clothing, and I tend to wear pieces together repetitively when they go well, rather than swapping things up unnecessarily. Think of it as packing for days rather than packing separates to mix and match. So on five days I have five outfits lined up and I know which pieces I need. I am not going to get to my destination with five tops and five bottoms and then find I don’t like them when I put them together.
This concept is made easier if you chose a neutral palette of clothes and avoid clashing patterns. I have a lot of black and white…
Items that can double for two uses are great. I am all for the large shirt than can double as a dress. And scarves can change the look and feel of an outfit as well as keep you warm or protect you from the sun.
Finally, remember that wherever you arrive, people won’t have seen all your clothes, so if you wear something twice (or even three times), no one is going to notice, much less care.
