Traveling Light

“Where are the rest of your bags?” The Customs officer asked me.

“I dont have any.” i replied looking over my single tiny carry on, coming back from a month of traveling in Europe.

“I dont believe you.” He informed me.

“What are we going to do about that?” i asked with a mild level of irritation.  Unable to manifest additional luggage to satisfy his expectation of how i am supposed to be traveling.

[Circa 2008]

One New Years i made a resolution not to pack when i went on trips, as in dont bring any bags with me.   Subsequently, i took only a cell phone and its charger in my pocket, a wallet, a toothbrush and some condoms out for a 2 week trip to the West Coast.  i bummed clothes from my various friends and returned with a day pack of stuff i had scrounged.  As many peoples friends are, mine were generous with their clothing and we have amused conversations about which of their many things i might take with me on my journey.

I have a bag this time, but i still travel pretty light. Currently i have 2 shirts and a pair of pants, a laptop without a charger, the most recent Malcolm Gladwell book, an extreme Sudoku magazine and some unfinished post cards from Atlanta.

So far i have not felt the need for more of anything, and it is great to be able to carry all my stuff so easily.