What’s your travel style?
- Karen Wilson: Family Corner
- July 15, 2021
- 750
What’s your travel style? Do you like to travel light or take everything with you? Do you like traveling alone or in groups? Does the bustle of a city attract you, or do you seek the quiet of nature?
With restrictions easing, many of us are back to thinking about and planning more travel. I’ve had years that I traveled a lot and years that I traveled a little, but getting out of town has always had an attraction for me.
I prefer and enjoy traveling light. Before I had children, I used to go on two-week business trips to Europe with just two small carry-on bags, one for clothes and one for business material. For fun, my husband and I set off on trips with just what fit in our motorcycle bags.
After the kids arrived, more things had to go with us. For several years we packed a full-sized truck and 20-foot-long boat to go on fishing trips in Canada. Because once we got to camp, about a two-hour trip by boat, we didn’t go back out for a week. All the food, fishing equipment, clothing and supplies had to go in with us. Oh, and we took our two dogs as well.
Thankfully, for road trips we usually get by with four duffle bags and a cooler. When the kids were still young, a few art supplies and movies helped too.
We have had a great time with all our styles of travel, but all have required some planning to really make them work. But reinventing the wheel, as they say, isn’t necessary every time. I kept standard lists so all I had to do was modify and review them when we planned to travel.
Sometimes packing light can actually be harder than just throwing everything in. When I traveled for work, I kept a collection of suits that mixed easily and covered multiple situations. For the motorcycle trips, bulk had to be avoided and a few pieces had to suffice. Layers work well to cover variations in temperature.
For light travel, backpackers have the right idea. Pack what you absolutely must have and absolutely nothing more. Every ounce counts.
And the less you stress your body by the weight you carry, the better. I had bags with wheels well before they became popular. They made zipping through airports and train stations so much easier. I had a lot more energy when I got to my destination.
You also can consider shipping things ahead. Because ocean-sized fishing equipment can be large, long and hard to handle, we have sometimes chosen to ship it to our destination instead of carrying it with us.
When we went on remote fishing trips, the key was making sure nothing got left behind. The first year, I made a long list of everything I thought we would need and put it in a notebook with other information about the trip. During the trip I made notes about other things I wished I had brought and what I really could have left behind. The notes made packing the next year much easier.
I even developed a standard menu list so I didn’t have to think about what to make or pack to keep us fed.
Because my husband likes groups and I like solitude, we scheduled trips so we could have a bit of both. For two-week trips to the beach, we sometimes spent one week by ourselves and invited friends and family to join us for the second week.
Our family generally travels to places where we can enjoy the beauty of nature, but cities can pull us in at times too. Other times we go to gatherings or shows that reflect our interests, like Corvettes and farming.
Whether you’re traveling locally or really getting away, take a little time to think what you need to take and what you don’t. Consider the easiest way to transport it. Pack it or ship it. Take along as many or as few people as you like. Seek out solitude or bustle. Enjoy the journey.