nine weeks, one bag

David and I leave tomorrow night (!!!) for our nine-week adventure in the U.K. and Europe. We have a long itinerary involving lots of time in London and in Liguria, Italy, as well as trips to Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, The Netherlands, Ireland, and Cardiff. (Also one mystery location — I have planned a weekend trip for David’s 28th birthday, which is in 9 days — so I can’t tell you where we’re going yet in case he looks at my blog!) I have been planning my bag for this trip since we decided to travel in February. We got super cheap tickets ($100 per person!! to Edinburgh!! from New York!! no I am not joking and yes I am FAIRLY sure we’ll get to sit down!) which means that they are bare bones tickets. We get 22 lbs of hand baggage — nothing more. That includes carry-on and personal item. No checked bags. Etc. And not even just for this reason but just for general ease of travel, I really wanted to do this whole trip with one bag. I mean, I have smaller bags WITHIN my one bag…but on travel days it will be me + backpack. Super simple.

Today I thought I would take photos of my bag and its contents, and explain what all I am bringing! Luckily we’re going to parts of the world where we can easily buy anything we need, but I’m hopeful I won’t need to make many necessities purchases so I can save my pounds, euros, and Swiss francs for souvenirs. 😀

ta-da!

The bag I purchased for the trip is the eBags TLS Mother Lode Weekender Convertible JunioreBags TLS Mother Lode Weekender Convertible Junior. I read lots of reviews and chose it for several reasons : the backpack straps are padded, it’s really very small and fits under the seat in front of you on a plane if needed, it has various organizer compartments, fun bright color (which it looks like they no longer make!), and a low price. I really liked the Tom Bihn bags I saw but they were WAY out of my price range. I got this bag for $88 (normal price $110) with a coupon. I took it on a shorter trip and March and really liked it. I also noticed that it fits in the tiny overhead compartment on a very small plane I rode on — it’s good for tight spaces. I love the bright orange lining too, just very cheerful! 🙂

There are three main front compartments — the small slash pocket (currently empty, but where my boarding passes and such will go), the front compartment, and the “brain” (the little pocket that sits on top of the bag — that’s what I was taught to call this when I went to backpacking school!).

toiletries

brain pocket

front pocket

In the front pocket, I have my liquids bag, makeup bag, pajamas (capri pants and a soft t-shirt), glasses (sunglasses and regular), SPF-protection cardigan, journal, clutch (with passport, wallet, and phone), and waterproof phone bag. I ended up dumping out some toiletries between the bigger photo and the one of just my toiletries bag. My husband is carrying a razor handle that we’ll share, and packets of blades for each of us (we use Dollar Shave Club and he gets fancier blades because face > legs) In the “brain” compartment I have mostly “comfort items.” (I put them in the “brain” to make them easy to access, but also as a little joke. I have an anxiety disorder and my “brain” requires a lot of “comfort” sometimes.) My mini Hermione doll, eyemask for sleeping, and my little snail pouch that is literally always beside my bed — I’ll put lipbalm and eyedrops back into it once I get through security. It also has a mini flashlight, my headphones, and a calming cross (it’s a little wooden cross that fits perfectly in your hand — I hold onto it when I’m nervous or sad and it’s very comforting in a tactile way).

the mesh, flat compartment

On one side of the main compartment, I have my Pardon My Trench rainjacket from Columbia Sportswear. I love the cute color and the chic look of the “trench” style. It’s also very lightweight and waterproof. I also have a little zip-top tote bag for longer days of sightseeing — big enough that we can carry sandwiches and water and a layer. Plus, my hairbrush and Kindle (which is loaded with new books).

main compartment

On the other side of the main compartment is the largest section. I packed three packing cubes of clothes, plus my Teva sandals and little black purse. That little orange pouch comes with the bag and snaps onto the edge, which I love.

I probably tried on at least ten pairs of sandals in the process of choosing ones for this trip. It came down to these Tevas vs. Chacos. I ended up going with the Teva Terra Float Nova for a few reasons : they are super lightweight (helpful for packing and for less fatigue after long days of walking), have a softer footbed, and were less expensive. So far they’ve been good although there’s already a teeny bit of fraying on one strap (I’ve been breaking them in). I hope they prove to be the right choice.

I packed my clothes in three packing cubes : one big green on for “bottoms” and a dress, one half-size pink one for underwear and socks, and one small green cube for tops. I haven’t posted pictures of my underwear because…that felt odd. That said, I have about 5 pairs of underwear plus 2 pairs of little bike shorts to wear under the dress. I’m packing 2 bras (one tan, sports bra — I got a high-neck sports bra that will look cute peeking out from my black dress and v-neck shirt) and wearing one onto the plane. I also have about 5 pairs of socks! My swimsuit is in my husband’s bag because we packed the swimsuits together, figuring they’ll share a ziploc when wet.

tops

For tops, I have one black tank top (“muscle tee” technically…for showing off…all my muscles?), one lime-yellow (? what is this color) t-shirt, one navy v-neck, and 2 striped tops (black and white and green and white). All are super lightweight and roll up teensy-tiny, plus they dry super fast. The navy one is from Victoria’s Secret and I’ve had it for probably about 3 or 4 years. All the other shirts are from Madewell.

bottoms

For bottoms, I have UPF-blocking black pants (something between thin sweatpants and leggings), athletic shorts, 2 skorts, and a black maxi dress.

To my fellow one-bag travelers : yes I know that 2 skorts is silly. BUT I LOVE THESE SKORTS. HOLY WOW. SO MUCH. I’ve had the maroon one since February and wore it to work ALL THE TIME. Also to church. Also to the grocery store. Also on a hike. Also on dates. ETC ETC. It is stretchy, comfy material, it has a TON of pockets (including a hidden passport pocket!! and a hidden credit card pocket!! and 3 ZIPPER pockets!!), and built in shorts (with ANOTHER POCKET ON THEM! no joke!). They are fairly high-waisted (comfy and flattering) and are knee-length (hit at the knee on me, probably just past the knee on most women as I’m tall — I do wish they made these in a tall length!) so they’ll be appropriate for going into cathedrals and such. The blue one is new for the trip. They’re kinda pricey ($88) but I got the blue one for $58 with a promotion they’re doing.

I found that maxi dress on a clearance rack at an independent “adventure outfitters” store back in Indiana. It is actually long enough on me (never happens) and has pockets. Thank you, Mountain Hardware!

little things

This tiny orange pouch has a lot of small, semi-random items that I wanted quick access to and which needed a home. This includes charger cables (iPhone, Kindle, and fitbit), tweezers, a few makeup wipes, a headband, laundry soap papers, floss, and menstrual supplies. I use a menstrual cup which I love and which makes traveling super easy. Obviously you can always buy supplies on a trip, but the convenience of always being prepared is great. I tried the Diva Cup in college and never found it comfortable to insert/remove, but I find the Lily Cup compact to be very comfortable, and it folds into that little pink case and can fit into a pocket (even a women’s jeans pocket).

my travel outfit

As per usual, I’m wearing my heaviest stuff on the plane. Blue jeans, a pink t-shirt, a greige sweater (late Christmas gift from David — he’d hidden it so I wouldn’t see it before Christmas, which takes a lot of effort since we shared a very small apartment — and he found it again in May), Harry Potter themed scarf that was a going-away gift (I actually got two, from two amazing friends — the other is mostly white and I worried it might get dirty with travel, whereas this one is mostly black and will not show smudges as easily), watch/ring/earrings, compression socks, and my beloved Reebok Skyscape Runaround sneakers. The most comfortable sneakers ever made. Plus, a hankie for my pocket. 🙂

travel binder!

And fiiiinally, my pride and joy : my travel binder! There’s a secret pocket on the back of the backpack which is meant for a laptop but where I am bringing my binder! I would be remiss to not mention how incredibly helpful I found Angela from the blog blue i style’s post on creating a travel binder! I used her printable itinerary pages, and incorporated many of her suggestions. In my binder, I have an itinerary (still finalizing it — it’s a nine week trip, y’all) as well as maps, flight/train/bus confirmations, walking directions, tickets for activities, AirBnB receipts and information, travel health insurance details, copies of important documents, and even some word search and sudoku pages for when we get bored. 🙂

Just a little more time to plan, load music onto my phone, triple-check that it’s a good pair of earbuds…and off we go!!