Backpacking On A Shoestring: Budget Travel Hacks – At, we are working with a team of experienced volunteers called ‘Ambassadors’. They are the faces of our community and are passionate about helping build a team of globetrotters who love to see the world while giving back to the places they visit.
In our new ‘Ambassadors’ blog series, they’ll share their volunteer stories, travel hacks, tips and more to inspire you. First off, traveling duo Danilo and Charlotte embark on an extended trip to Southeast Asia… carrying nothing but a backpack. Yes indeed! To Danilo and Charlotte:
Backpacking On A Shoestring: Budget Travel Hacks
When my partner Danilo and I decided to embark on a 15-month adventure in Southeast Asia, the first concrete decision we made was to travel with nothing but our hand luggage. Those who have traveled the road before us have enthusiastically blogged about the benefits: quick transit from the door to your destination and vice versa, the freedom that comes with the ability to roam your entire life in minutes without too much hassle in blistering temperatures…not to mention the money we save on flights (11 months into our trip, £400 between us)!
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As I continued my research, I quickly began to realize that I had no idea what to pack. Yes, we were exploring the same continent with some belongings, but I was going to spend most of my time as a volunteer… well, I’m not sure yet! However, I was determined to pack very differently for this style of travel. I was right. Here are some packing hacks I’ve learned so far from our travels in Southeast Asia:
Do your research before investing in a bag! Your backpack should be comfortable to wear, well designed, practical and 100% waterproof. The last thing you need when you’re exploring the Cambodian countryside is a drenched wet bag with a torn strap that hurts your back.
The hand baggage allowance for most budget airlines in Southeast Asia is a total of 7kg, but you’re usually allowed one extra carry-on bag. Find a shoulder bag that’s big enough to hold your daily essentials, but small enough to fit in your backpack. Camera, cables, computer and liquids – packing heavy and bulky items in this bag makes all the difference!
For me, the hardest part of packing is deciding which clothes to bring because they usually take up most of the space in a bag. And, what
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Appropriate clothing for harvesting garlic or teaching nuns in a monastery? I’ve found that packing for an adventure takes double thought, especially as a woman.
Most women living in the most remote villages of Buddhist countries dress modestly to cover their knees, chest and/or shoulders.
In Thailand, it was considered more important to cover my shoulders than to cover my legs, and in Myanmar, for example, I had to cover both. Locals don’t bat an eye in tourist areas, but in the countryside your cute mini shorts and sleeveless tops can easily offend. Southeast Asians are generally gentle and polite people: they won’t say your outfit is offensive, but they might stare. As an observer, you should pay attention to how other people behave and dress. Be respectful and adjust your clothing accordingly!
A greater sense of freedom comes with realizing how little you have to enjoy the open road. Good luck with packing and have a great time on your volunteer adventure!
How To Travel With Just A Personal Item
Big thanks to our ambassadors Charlotte and Danilo for the helpful baking hacks! If you’re interested in learning more about their adventure in Southeast Asia, head over to Charlotte’s blog. Do you have any tips for traveling light? Let us know in the comments below! 🙂
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How To Pack An Underseat Carry On Bag For A Weekend Away: Yes You Can Travel With Just An Underseat Bag!
If you are a host and can take in refugees, please add the information to your account and you will be added to our last minute host list. Hate paying for checked baggage? me too Hate lugging around your big suitcase? Absolutely! Many airlines these days charge extra baggage fees for carrying one bag in the overhead bin or checking a full suitcase. The only thing that is always free is a small “personal item” bag that fits under your front seat. But how do you pack everything you need for a week’s vacation into free personal item-sized luggage?
I’ve made countless trips across the country with just one bag. If a shameless overpacker like me can do it, anyone can ditch their suitcase. It just takes a little planning and the right equipment to set yourself up for success. Here’s everything you need to pack just for personal items.
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Last year, my husband and I were in Europe, stopping over a week in France, Switzerland, and Germany. With varying temperatures and occasions, I decided to pack a suitcase. I have never regretted a decision.
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I lugged that stupid suitcase over gravel roads and through crowded train cars, threw it in Ubers, hopped on tiny Parisian elevators, and walked up and down the same strange hill 4 times while lost in Munich. 3 flights of stairs in our Airbnb. In the end, I was down to about a third of the clothes I packed, two pairs of shoes, and vowed never to pack a suitcase for a trip like that again.
Whether you’re here to avoid the same situation or just want to save a buck on baggage fees, I’ve rounded up all the tried-and-true tips for packing with a free personal item-sized backpack.
First, you need the right bag to make travel possible with only personal items. Most people wonder how big a bag can fit into the airline’s personal item regulations.
My most frequent travel backpack is the Eagle Creek Global Companion. I found that I could easily pack a week or more in this bag. As long as it’s packed properly, it counts as a free personal item and can fit under your front seat. If I’m actually packing this backpack in stitches, it’s an even better carry-on for an overhead tank.
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The Global Companion features a cushioned laptop sleeve and unzips flat zips. It’s great for packing and finding your clothes when you’re out and about.
It’s built for comfort and quality, but my favorite thing about this bag is the pockets! I can reach a cell phone, tablet, credit cards or passport, and I can even find a home for small items like lotion, contacts or earrings.
It also comes with a built-in rain bag, so if you get caught in a storm on the way from the airport, you can wrap the whole pack and keep your stuff dry. I find this rain bag wrap doubles as a pickpocket deterrent, as it makes it incredibly difficult to access zippers or pockets without anyone noticing. Pick-pocketing is great for traveling in areas of concern, such as subways or tourist sites.
I always saw packing cubes as a TV advertising gimmick, and it didn’t really work. On the advice of a good friend and frequent backpacker I finally picked up a set of Conex Compression Packing Cubes from Amazon. The difference they make, not only in bag space, but also in organization during travel is incredible.
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With packing cubes, you simply stuff all of your clothes, close the zip, compress everything, and zip the compression section around the outside.
Under. Easy to use and creates extra space in your bag. I love these among the vacuum storage bags because they don’t require a vacuum or pump and won’t wear out or be compromised by a small hole.
Besides the space savings, I love how these cubes make it easy to organize on the go. A great deterrent to a suitcase explosion is that you can unzip it