Denise Goldberg's blog

An experience on two feet instead of two (bicycle) wheels
Denise's 2004 adventures in Hawaii

Sunday, September 05, 2004

Luggage? Lightweight and minimal is the plan

When I travel by bike I naturally need to limit how much I take with me. After all, everything I bring with me translates to weight on the bike, weight that makes me and the bike move slowly...

This trip is different since I'll be using a fossil-fuel powered vehicle instead of a human-powered vehicle. But - my plans are to bring only a small amount of stuff with me. I'm so used to traveling by bike and needing to wash out clothes in the evening that I think I'll follow that habit for this trip too. That means (I hope) that I'll be able to get by with just a small carry-on bag.

What do I think I really need? Well, I assume that I'll be wearing shorts most of the time - so 2 pairs of shorts and 2 sleeveless shirts, 2 pairs of underwear, 2 sports bras. That's a start. I'll definitely add to that a bathing suit. And I'll bring a skirt - a super lightweight Terry wrapper - and another top. That will give me a change if I want to eat in a nice restaurant. Let's see, what else do I need? Since it will be late October it's likely I'll leave home in a pair of long pants and a short-sleeved shirt. And I might need a vest to keep the chill out on the plane. Those traveling clothes can do double duty as cool weather attire if I need it during my stay in Volcano. What about rain? I have a very light-weight water resistant windbreaker from Patagonia - called the Dragonfly when I bought it, but it seems to have been replaced by something named Houdini - and that's definitely going too. Shoes? Well my primary shoes will be my Chaco sandals, but I'll also bring a pair of lightweight hiking shoes (and a couple pairs of socks) for wandering on the sharp lava. Toilet articles (minimal) and sunscreen. Hmmm... is that starting to sound like too much? I think it will all fit in a small bag, and I think I'll still have room to spare. I guess I'll just have to see when I start to pack!