non-ultralight packing

[dichroic]

I still don’t understand the whole ultralight packing thing. (It’s annoying mostly because people who are into that are often so self-righteous about it.) Like, I’m traveling for a three-day weekend, so it should be super-easy to pack carry-on only, right? I’m a small-ish person and it’s summer, so clothing is tiny. But here’s what I need: an outfit for Friday daytime, Friday night dinner, Saturday at a waterpark, and a formal-ish dinner Saturday night. Currently I have three dresses and a t-shirt/shorts, plus a bathing suit. Plus shorts/tank to sleep in. Not going to wear a bikini because 51 years old and not feeling like I want to show off every bit of jiggle (I have seen bigger people than me rock a bikini, but the way I’m proportioned means it’s not the most flattering for me – instead, a longer top and quick-dry shorts make me look athletic). Plus I would like to have dressier shoes for Saturday night, and it would have been nice to have one pair of casual shoes that look nice with a dress as well as shoes for the waterpark. I may combine the latter two, though it would mean wearing leather Keens to the waterpark. In an ideal world I would also take my work laptop / charger so I could work some to make up for leaving early Thursday, but I probably won’t unless I want to take a larger backpack for my plus-one bag. This is a 100th birthday party, so the whole family is there plus a new baby (5 generations) so camera gear is non-negotiable; between us we will probably take an SLR with a couple of lenses and a Go-Pro, plus of course my phone. And I need a cardigan for the plane / over-airconditioned spaces, plus a kindle and iPad and their chargers, plus my knitting.

I think the ultralight packers’ advice would be to wear only one outfit Friday (I’ll be in Sacramento and it will be around 100 degrees F – I expect to sweat). Granted, I could probably find dressy flats that would be lighter than the wedge heels I’m packing. But do these people not get cold on planes? Or sweat and want clean clothes? Or read enough to want a non-backlit device? Or work on weekends? Or take good pictures of special occasions? Or need lots of sunscreen and not have an easy way to get to a store? It also ticks me off that the advice tends to assume that anyone who travels a lot will of course be in the carryon-only brigade. Anyone who reads this knows that I have traveled a lot; it’s mostly convinced me that I usually appreciate having choices and a change of clothing available.

Currently I have a messenger bag plus a carry-on-sized suitcase, but I still might need to take more of the camera gear, that would drive a larger bag. Ted doesn’t even try to pack light, so we may end up having to visit the bag check anyway; it would at least make packing sunscreen easier.

Mirrored from Dichroic Reflections.

Comments

[pameladean]

I've tried packing light twice, and both times it was a disaster, resulting once in a need to purchase a couple of shirts and in the other a need to waste an evening of my vacation in a laundromat. In addition to all that you mention, people who do ultralight travel apparently never find that the restaurant that packed their airplane meal failed to properly put on the lid of the container with the salad dressing.

P.

[redbird]

As far as I can recall from when I was trying this, the ultralight packing model includes accepting that you're not going to be wearing any interesting clothing.

There are also unstated assumptions about being healthy and able-bodied: even if carrying bags isn't an issue, this sort of light packing isn't something you can do if you need a large part of your carry-on space for, say, a CPAP machine.

That said, if it works with what else you're trying to do, it's nice not to be dealing with large amounts of luggage, especially for the sort of trip that's two days in one place, train trip, a night in another, another train trip to a third city... rather than traveling to one place and staying there for however many days. At that point, a bag that doesn't encumber you if you have a spare couple of hours makes a difference, in a way that's much less important if you're going to spend your trip in one place, whether for two days or a dozen.( I have fond memories of walking along the medieval walls of York with my backpack, grabbing a croissant and hot chocolate, and then walking back to the railroad station.)

What I retain from that approach is, do my best to be able to live out of what's in my pockets and my carry-on bag overnight, just in case.

(My "travel" usericon is when I was younger and healthier, and this approach often worked for me.)

[zirconium]

I routinely check baggage, because a purse and my laptop-holding backpack are enough to be dealing with, and I like not fretting about or fighting with other passengers for overhead space, plus yes, packing sunscreen and dandruff shampoo and cosmetics and perfume. Plus at this point if I'm flying, I'm usually staying long enough that I'll want 2-5 changes of clothes per day -- for walking, swimming/paddling, dancing, networking, sleeping, and/or meeting up with people who see me once every five years (if that) -- plus something for rain, something for cold rooms... Plus towels so that my hair and uterus don't stain other people's linens. And often Nashville-produced host gifts, or other-occasion gifts, or just-because gifts. The shoes alone take up quite a bit of suitcase, and I'm not wearing the lace-up boots through security.

So, yeah, no ultralighting from this corner anytime soon.