I met such a traveller in 1968 during my hitch-hiking days in Europe. He was a Scot who wore a shirt, jeans, and a swimming trunk as underwear. In his pocket was cash, a passport, and a toothbrush. He was an architectural student hitch-hiking to Malaya to understand how kampong houses were made cool without air conditioning. I asked him what happens when he starts to stink. His solution was to find a beach or pool to laze while waiting for his washings to dry.
Until I met the Scottish hitch-hiker, I thought I was a light traveller with just 22 items – a rucksack, three sets of clothes (t-shirt, pants, underwear and socks), a pair of shoes, passport, cash, youth hostel membership card, map, youth hostel address book, tent, raincoat and a toothbrush. For longer (more than a week) trips, I add my shaving blade and a pair of slippers. Today, I have to include pills for my thyroid and high blood pressure and swap the YH card with my credit card. I no longer need to live in a tent, and my waterproof jacket doubles as a raincoat.
Today, I am close to this adage: To enjoy your trip, leave with twice the money and half the luggage. However, half the luggage means reducing what I carry to 2 kg. The only way is to be prepared to travel with a credit card, buy whatever I need along the way and give it away at the end of each day. Until then, I pack this whether I travel for three days or 30.
You can travel light, too, if you leave behind what you need for emergencies, such as an umbrella, raincoat, or diapers. Convenience stores everywhere stock such items.
With little to lug around, it’s a breeze to get in and out of airports, change flights, journeying by train, bus and, in my case, sometimes by bicycle.
Leave with twice the money and half the luggage, and enjoy your next trip.
Cheng Huang Leng
Cheng Huang Leng is a marine engineer by training. For many years, he taught marine automation to Singapore Polytechnic students and personal effectiveness, leadership, and quality management to Singapore Technologies employees until his retirement.
