How To Spend A Year Traveling With A Backpack Only

By Author: Manoj Upadhyay
Total Articles: 22
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Having a backpack on your back has many misconceptions around it, especially when you are traveling for a long time. People may express shock to you when you tell them that you will be having only one backpack for an entire year, including winters! Nonetheless, it is only you who knows and understands that it is practically possible to live like that with minimum things possible. It just comes down to being creative and picking up the right things to live the minimalist lifestyle.
Minimize the things you don’t really need
80% of the things in the travelers’ suitcases are the ones that they use only once in a while. Even if there are things that you use only once in a week, it is useless for you as a traveler. Basically, you need to learn to survive without those items that see the light of the day only rarely. If you pack items for the ‘just in case’ scenario, you need to rethink and drop those items.
The necessary things 
Toiletries are the only things that you need on a daily basis. Shampoo, conditioner, and moisturizers are the few items ...
... that you do need regularly, but you can get them anywhere in the world, almost! Try not to be picky about your brands and specifications, and try to adjust to any brands according to your skin. Pantene and Dove, for instance, are the shampoo brands that are available almost in every country. If you need something that you need particularly from your home country, you can carry it in large quantity. Rest everything can be refilled on the go.
Invest in crucial things
A few investments are meant for travelers, one of which is a packing organizer. You can buy in a clean and dirty split cube, also known as packing cube. You can separate your clean clothes from the dirty ones in this organizer. The mesh compartment is meant for the dirty and sweaty clothes and it keeps the moisture out of the clothes. You can wash the soiled clothes whenever you get time. The best part is that you get clarity and peace of mind when you know that you don’t have to touch the dirty clothes and reach directly for the clean ones without getting confused.
You must buy a sturdy backpack as well because it goes a long way with you compared to the weak bag that can ditch you anywhere on the go. You would not want to get stranded in the middle of the road, if you are in a desert in Rajasthan, for example.
Meeting new travelers 
When backpackers meet other travelers like them, they are happy to help each other. You can share a Self-Drive Car in Bangalore, for instance, or swap your clothes if you are tired of the garments in your bag. Every backpacker is equally bored of their limited clothing options, so they are happy to exchange their clothing while traveling together. You can always buy new clothes wherever you go, unless the place is very expensive, and save on the check-in baggage fees.
You need to assess the special needs of a place, if any. Otherwise, you can comfortably travel with minimum items in your backpack and still survive!