Travelling light? Carry-on baggage: overseas travel

[shootingstar]

I just spent 4 weeks over seas with just carry on..... I do it because I prefer to travel by train and foot, and often go to out of the way places, where a lot of baggage is a serious burden.

The wardrobe I took was relatively casual, easy to move in, but still nice enough to go out in. It was cold where we went, so I took a lot of wool and cashmere which packs well. I took thick wool tights, skirts and wore a pair of Keens that had a very good walking sole, but a fancy enough upper to look fine dressed nicer. I found a packing method online that allowed me to pack 8 sweaters (4 turtle necks and 4 cardigans) 2 base layers, 4 skirts, 4 pairs of tights, a pair of insulated tights, and all my undergear in one carry-on. My outerwear stayed on me - waterproof/windproof jacket, gloves, scarf hat.

Impressive if it's all in a carry-on. Must enough easy-care, etc. styles. I try to wear something heavier/bulkier getting onto the plane.

[lph]

It all depends. I could go on a 3 week trip on my own carrying less than I do for an overnight business stay. I used to have a mania about packing light, carry-over from my serious hiking days. I still want to pack light if I'm going to be moving around a lot lugging my own stuff. But if I'm going by taxi and bus straight to a hotel and back-to-back meetings it really makes no difference at all (and impresses no-one) if I have one piece of luggage instead of two, and with two I have the space to pack running shoes, casual clothes so I don't have to wear the hoity toity ones ALL day, soft slippers ditto, a book or two to read, all the stuff that makes a trip just that more comfortable. And a lot of my business trips the most important thing I pack is tall rubber boots...