A chat with a hostel cook in Lisbon flipped my packing list

Met this guy who's been on the road for 9 months, and he said he only carries 3 t-shirts and one pair of jeans, but always brings a tiny cast iron skillet. It made me realize I've been hauling around 40 pounds of 'just in case' stuff for 2 years, so now I'm wondering, what's the one silly item you refuse to leave home even though it weighs you down?

2 comments

2 Comments

rowanr884h ago

The pillowcase thing makes total sense. And honestly that skillet story got me thinking about my own weird travel item, which is this tiny hand cranked coffee grinder Ive dragged across three continents. It weighs like two pounds and takes up space in my bag that could hold actual useful stuff, but theres something about hearing that crunching sound in the morning that makes a hostel kitchen feel like home. Maybe its just me but Ive even used it to grind spices for other travelers, which turned into a whole thing in a Moroccan riad one time. So yeah, I get it, the weight isnt the point, its the ritual. Though I draw the line at carrying a cast iron skillet, my back already hates me enough.

margaretc4215h ago

Took me forever to learn this lesson myself. I used to pack like I was prepping for a natural disaster, full sized shampoo bottles and three pairs of shoes. Then I spent a week in Scotland hauling a massive bag up cobblestone stairs and something just clicked. Now I get the skillet thing, it's not about the weight, it's about feeling at home when everything else is foreign. I still bring my own pillowcase though, that's my silly item. It's thin and weighs nothing but it smells like my bed, and that makes a hostel bunk feel way less lonely.