My 2-months unplanned trip around Europe with my mum is the first big trip I am going to be doing in minimalist style.
I’ve decided to go really minimal on this trip for three reasons. First is that with little luggage, I can help my elderly mum with her luggage. Second, since we’re going to be travelling by train, there will be a lot of walking around. Finally, I just love the freedom of travelling with very little stuff. You can get off a train early in the morning, have a look around your new city and visit a few places without having to find your hotel first to leave your heavy luggage there.
Since we are not going on any planes during the 2 months trip, I am packing a few things that I normally wouldn’t – namingly, the razor, tweezers, nail clippers and scissors. I find that although you’re suppose to be able to take most of these things on the plane, the application of the rules are very arbitrary. So I normally leave these behind and source them locally when I need to, but I am very happy to be travelling with them this time.
The bags
Lowe Alpine Vector 18 Litre - my dream rucksack
Lowe Alpine Vector 18 Litre in Black – I love this bag series so much! The zips on the main compartment runs 3/4 of the way down (well past the side pockets), so you can open it up really wide and have easy access to stuff at the bottom of your bag. The front pocket is huge (runs the whole length of the rucksack) and there is also a top pocket. It’s my dream rucksack and I have it in all three sizes, 18, 20 and 30 Litres.
Pacsafe Citysafe 100
Pacsafe Citysafe 100 (4 litres) – This is my one and only daily handbag. The bag has 4 anti-theft features (slash and tamper proofing). The inside is very well organised too, with lots of actually useful pockets. The little pockets on the outside are useful for keeping my fold-away shopping bags in.
Clothing
1 Northface fleece
3 Icebreaker 150 short sleeve tops
1 Northface convertible trousers
1 pair of shorts (not photographed)
Scarf
Hat
3 pairs of underwear
Pair of travel socks
Sunglasses
Bra – dries over night
Pair of Keen sandal
Although a true minimalist will probably say that you only need two of everything (one to wear and one to wash), but since I am going on sleeper trains where washing & drying them isn’t so practical, I’ve opted to take three of most things. However, I’m only taking one pair of socks since I am going to be living in my keen sandal. I’m guessing I’ll only need socks when I’m in the swiss alps, and the travel socks dry over night.
Toiletry
Body scrubby thing
Simple soap + soap box – as shampoo, conditioner, body soap and shaving cream
75 pairs of daily disposable contact lenses
Tooth brush
Peppermint essential oil (acts as a highly concentrated mouth wash)
Small bottle of laundry liquid
Sanitary products
Lip balm
Razor
Miniature size moisturiser
Miniature size sun block
Deodorant
Eye drops
Tweezers
Nail clipper
Medical
65 cod liver oil
65 vitamins
60 cotton buds (I hate having icky ears!)
Japanese herbal stomach medicine
90 thyroxine (I have dead thyroids)
Anti-hestamins
Pain killers
Plasters (band-aids)
Electronics
iPad + charger
iPod touch
Ear Phones
USB to mobile cable
European to USB adaptor
ipad camera adaptor kit
7 SD cards
Camera
Mobile phone
Stationery
European train timetable book
Large moleskine
Pocket moleskine
Pair of small scissors
2 pens
Permanent marker with rubber bands
Cellotape
Passport, tickets & important documents
I find a small pair of scissors, rubber bands and cellotape so useful when travelling. I don’t know how many times I’ve bought something where the packaging was so solid that it took me ages to open it without a pair of scissors. The rubber bands are useful in keeping everything tidy in your bag (such as my yoga belt and spare ziplocks) and cellotape to secure lids of toiletry bottles or tape an open bag of crisps shut so they stay fresh.
Misclaneous
Packtowl
2 sporks (one for me, one for my mum)
7 pairs of ear plugs
Spare ziplocks of various sizes
Wallet
Yoga belt
Strap to stap the fleece onto the backpack with
Moo card
Tissue
Medical dogtag with emergency info
Washing line
Sweetners
Locks
Hand sanitiser
Money belt
2 fold-away shopping bags
The medical dog tags with emergency information is particularly important on this trip. I have several medical conditions, some of which renders me unable to communicate. Since my mother does not speak much English or any other European language, it’s vital that I have my basic info on the dog tags plus James’ phone number so the medical personels can speak to someone that knows my conditions well that can speak English.
I’m very happy with how small I have managed to get my luggage down to. I will be comfortable walking around a city with it on my back all day, or carrying my mum’s luggage for her as well as mine. It’ll be a lot of washing,, but 5 minutes washing each night is well worth the ease at which I will be able to move around Europe for 2 months.
About Dr. Akiyo Kano
Hello Dr Kano
Firstly I hope both you and your mum enjoy your trip, I think it’s awesome your close enough that this a practical opportunity and good on you both for taking it.
Your post really helped me as I am packing for an extended trip to London for work during the Olympics. I’m aiming to get everything down to 1 bag. My work clothes etc are seperate and I more than likely wont need to carry these with me there or back. I’m torn between a wheeled case and a Bergen style backpack. I’m even going to avoid taking a backpack out as these can get lost and stolen. I’ll be using my trusty £10 “bum bag” with a really useful water bottle most days as all I need it to hold is an iPhone, Oyster card and a small notebook (I prefer the police style to moleskin as my job requires I carry some form of small book in case of any incidents etc.) and a small first aid kit.
Well keep the good posts coming and take lots of pictures!
Jim
Hi Jim, thank you so much for info about what you will be taking with you to the Olympics!
How long will you be going to London for? I just got back from 10 days in Spain, and transit-wise I would recommend the backpack over the wheeled case. The reason is that whether you’re on a train or bus, you tend to have to put the wheeled cases in a seperate area (such as suitcase holding areas by the exit!) from where you are sitting. On the other hand with a backpack you can have it close to you – either under the seat, on your lap or on the overhead shelf.
I’ve been contemplating the police style notebooks. I’d be very grateful if you could let me know the advantages of them!