This month, I’ve found myself spending a lot of time thinking back to the Jan Term class I took last year called Travel Writing Across Europe. One thing that I think is useful to share with everyone is how to pack for a whirlwind trip across Europe.
When my professor Josh Ambrose told the members of my Jan Term and me that we should only pack a backpack or small duffel’s worth of stuff for our 11-day trip to Europe, we thought he was crazy! Don’t pack a different outfit for every day and limit our souvenir purchases? Hogwash!
It was the sort of advice that was hard to hear but incredibly useful to receive. When you’re constantly traveling from one place to the next, as we did, things are a lot quicker — and less painful — when you’re not shlepping around very many things. Here’s what we were told to pack:
Duffel bag with a strap (shape shifts, can double as a pillow, etc)- Passport
- Wallet
- Your book selection (we were each assigned a different travel writing book to read prior to and during the trip)
- Course packet (provided by Prof A)
- Notebook
- Camera
- One pair of walking shoes
- One pair of nicer shoes
- Water resistant/proof overcoat
- Hat, gloves, and a scarf. Note: finding new ones can be an easy, practical souvenir!
- A sweater or two
- 3 pairs of clothes
- Garbage bag
- Towel
- Bathing suit for the Budapest Baths
I really took this list to heart. My small duffel bag, which I’d bought from Macy’s especially for the occasion of going on this trip contained (clothing-wise) four long-sleeved shirts, two sweaters, three pairs of pants, a few pairs of underwear and socks. Because we were traveling in the winter, we didn’t need to worry about sweating as much, and knowing to what extent we would be able to access laundry facilities, we knew we could hand wash things in the sinks in our hotel rooms and hostels.
The duffel I bought also had a compartment perfect for my book, notebook, course notes, and postcards. I also packed a somewhat large crossbody purse so that I could easily carry my notebook on days that I didn’t need my duffel with me and my DSLR camera — which was definitely heavy but also definitely worth having. (When traveling abroad with a purse, I highly recommend bringing a crossbody bag; being able to situate it so that it is in front of your body and not in your hands make it MUCH harder for pickpockets to steal your things!)
I think I also packed some sort of dress or skirt, but I ended up not wearing it (and not wearing the suggested pair of nicer shoes either). And I actually brought two coats — a thin down liner and a windbreaker, so that I had more control over my body temperature than if I had just brought one heavy coat.
One thing not on the list that I packed was a pair of flip flops; my sister had traveled to France the summer before and thought it was nice to have a comfortable pair of shoes different from the ones I spent all day in to be able to walk around hotels in. (This was great advice! One night, when my roommate was occupying the bathroom, it was nice to be able to slip on the flip flops to go use the bathroom in the lobby.) I also brought a reusable shopping bag with me so that if I did buy a few larger souvenirs by the end of the trip, I would have something to carry them in.
When I arrived at Dulles International Airport on the evening of our flight to Paris, everyone marveled at how small and compact my bag was! (They somehow failed to notice that my purse was relatively large.) The duffel alone ended up being the least heavy bag of anyone on the trip, and I hoisted it above my head in victory while we waited for our plane at the gate. At first, I did worry that I hadn’t packed enough things, but my worries quickly disappeared. As our travels made me increasingly sore and tired, it was a relief not to have so many things to carry around.
Take advantage of McDaniel’s travel Jan Terms, especially if you’re like me and don’t get a chance to study abroad for a whole semester. Just don’t forget to pack lightly and economically — pack like a traveler!
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