Backpack or Luggage when Traveling?
Just this week I was asked: When I travel do I take a suitcase or backpack?
My answer: My Beloved Backpack
And here’s why: While traveling a few years ago, my son, daughter and I learned a valuable lesson.
When leaving our hostel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, we had to walk about 3 blocks to catch public transportation to our next city.
What we experienced as we were trying to pull our beautiful, hard-bodied houndstooth luggage through the streets of Kuala Lumpur was life-changing for us.
The sharp edges of what was remaining of the withered city sidewalks was hard on our luggage wheels and many of the walkways were made of dirt and stone, not smooth cement sidewalks.
What was I thinking?
How were we to make it towing this luggage behind us?
How are we going to survive Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia for the next few weeks with all our heavy, bulky, inconvenient plastic luggage, with now 3 fragmented wheels (as one wheel stopped working)?
After this fiasco, although the walk was only a few blocks, we had no choice but to pay for a taxi until we got to a place where we could leave our luggage for a few days, while we traveled around.
Before that trip, I was not thinking about the sidewalks and terrain in other countries. Today, it’s in the forefront of my mind when I begin planning a trip.
This taught us to open our minds when we travel.
We were accustomed to walkways where most sidewalks meet the minimum requirements for people with disabilities. Having a slight slope of the curb for wheelchairs, Hoverounds and the disabled.
When traveling abroad this is almost nonexistent.
Or being there are no sidewalks at all in the countryside and villages, only trails; wrestling with our pull bags up the side of the mountain in Nyeri, Kenya would be nearly impossible
Trying to get our large luggage up and down stairs with non-working elevators and escalators to catch public transportation would be a nightmare.
By the end of our trip – all the wheels of our luggage were warped, out of alignment and absolutely destroyed. My son was basically dragging the luggage as if he was pulling a wagon.
After that trip, was the birth of traveling with backpacks.
When we travel, we move around from city to city and many times from country to country.
For me, I need my hands free to get our money, show our passports and in the reality of today, show our digital covid19 vaccine record and negative PCR tests.
Now don’t get me wrong, it was hilarious to watch my son dragging that bag, but awful to experience over time; especially when we were already hot and sweating in the tropical sun beating down on us.
My 10 best tips for traveling with a backpack
1. If you can get a backpack that is larger than your child’s bookbag will be helpful.
2. Pack your lightweight clothing (you can always layer)
3. Pack only about a week’s worth of clothing. (You can wash along the way)
4. Pack only the medications, soap, shampoo, makeup & toiletries that you will need
5. Pack a few dark colored clothing
6. Jeans have the most weight – so think about do you need 3 pairs of blue jeans
7. Roll your clothing – folding clothes takes up more space
8. Wear your most comfortable shoes most days, pack 1 other pair for dressing up.
9. Buy a pair of cheap flip flops for showers and walking on the floor
10. Use the pockets and straps on your backpack – for example my backpack holds my laptop and tablet in a cushioned department within.
11. If you must take a coat – try to get a lightweight winter coat with a hood
One exception of course
If we do too much shopping and need more space – then and only then, I may buy a suitcase for our extra items before I depart to go back home.
If you are visiting relatives, staying in one place most of the time, need to bring, packages, gift or items from home; that is a different kind of traveling; and you may need to pack differently.
I am speaking of travel when we may arrive in one country but when returning home, we are departing from a different part of the world and trust me we learned our lesson about toting around heavy luggage.
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