A Philosophy to Journey - Part IV: What to Pack
Costa Rican seaside cliffs
“Minimalism is not the lack of something, it’s the perfect amount of something.”
Bring Only What is Necessary
When planning for sojourning, light is just right. You can leave everything you own in its current proximity to the kitchen sink. If you forget your umbrella at home and find yourself under dark skies in Tokyo, there’s a 7-11 nearby. Traveling across the U.S. you’ll pass Walmarts, Dollar Generals, and Subway sandwich shops at the speed of déjà vu. Swimming in your skivvies is no big deal unless you’re on a nude beach. Even then, no need to worry, you didn’t forget to pack your birthday suit. All roads lead to Rome, roads are traveled by people, and people buy things. So, whatever road you’re on, there’s probably a store relatively close.
Less is more. More freedom to move without the physical and mental weight of baggage. Your feet can take you further if you’re not shouldered down by a 70-liter backpack. The more you leave when you leave, the more room you have to find out what’s left [Read Part I].
What to Pack
The best gear to pack is carried in your metaphysical approach [Read Part III]. It’s ballast for your mind but not weight on your back. Once you’re mid-journey, more so than the things you pack, the spirit with which you travel will be most useful:
A Plan to Improvise
Along with a robust mindset, a good plan goes a long way. But, it’s improvisation that will carry a journeyer over the individual miles. Plan in broad strokes, improvise the details. Put the marbles in the jar first, then pour in the sand to fill the gaps.
A Problem-Solving Mindset
Develop heuristics to serve as your guide. If you find yourself in a maze, stick to a wall and follow it to the exit. Eat where the locals eat. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Same goes for Edinburgh, Cusco, Nara, Little Rock…
Flaneur’s Curiosity
Aim to wander aimlessly. Step off the paved paths and venture into the hills for a lay of the land. Follow your nose and see where it takes you.
Bumpkin Aww Shucks
Be a stranger in a strange land unapologetically. Then, apologize sheepishly when you inevitably commit a faux pas.
Ollantaytambo, Peru
What to Literally Pack
Beyond the metaphysical, there are pragmatic packing considerations. These will change based on season, climate, geography, and mode of travel. Some items are evergreen no matter where you find yourself on the blue marble:
Paperback Novel
Bring a compact paperback with yellowing pages. Read something you’d be proud to leave on a hostel lending library shelf for other journeyers to find. Finish the book during your journey so you can experience the joy of searching out another book in your wanderings.
Good Shoes
There’s a unicorn pair of shoes out there somewhere. Airy like Pegasus. Tough as a coal miner’s calluses. Waterproof and breathable. Technical and casual. Bettered with age. Capable above the treeline and around the Equator. And appropriate dress for attending mass at 700-year-old cathedrals. This pair of shoes may be mythical as the fountain of youth but still worthy of pursuit. You won’t know until you’ve sampled the waters.
Small Backpack
One single, solitary backpack. Thirty liters or less. Simple, nondescript, lightweight, and weather resistant. Large enough to carry a laptop, clothes, toiletries, and a tattered paperback. Small enough to fit in an overhead bin.
Carmex
Comes in a tiny tube or jar. Serves as an analgesic for sunburns or midge bites. Mix with a cotton ball for a fire starter. Use it to grease the bearings of a squeaky rental bike for inconspicuity. Some people even put it on their lips.
Zinc Oxide
Buy a small mineral stick for sunscreen. Use alternatively for rashes, blemishes, chafing, poison ivy, swimmer’s itch, and mysterious red patches. Apply it thickly to your nose to give off surfer vibes.
Merino Wool
Socks, shirts, undies, thermals, and sweaters. Merino dries fast, washes cold, repels odor, and keeps warm even when wet. Three pairs of socks and underwear, two t-shirts, and one long sleeve and you’re good to go. Cotton clothing serves best as souvenirs.
“Boy, I swear. A few dark clouds show up on your horizon, and you just fall to pieces.”
Rain Jacket
When the heavens open up, there’s no need to go through hell. Purchase in bright colors to stand out in traffic, neutral colors to blend into crowds.
Down Jacket
Howitzer-sized bang for just a few bucks. Warm and packable. Doubles as a pillow. You can’t put on the jacket you didn’t bring, so bring one of these.
Music
Music is a soundtrack and a mnemonic device for journeys. Listening to Sydney Bechet, while walking the streets of Paris, adds to the experience and evokes fond memories when later hearing his horn blowing through the speakers of your local grocery store.
Tokyo, Japan
What is Necessary
“Contentment comes not so much from great wealth as from few wants.”
The best time to go is the present. In the now, you have what you need to begin. The first steps may take you to the local library, the city limit, across state lines, or to international airports. Wherever they take you, you have what you need. If not, you’ll find it along the way of your journey.
Coming soon: Part V: A Working Experiment