Just returned from 10 days in Washington/California/Oregon. One bag. With hiking poles strapped to bag. Didn't need them, could have rented them when I rented snowshoes.

A reminder to myself to keep it minimal. And also this great post.

4 weeks, 2 continents, 1 bag. again.

Just returned from 4 weeks in Australia. This time I didn't leave from Boston, though. Had a wedding in New Orleans just prior to leaving, so I flew out from there.

Just one bag - for the NOLA weekend and the tour of Australia - and did not check luggage for any of these flights.

Still using the bag I mention in the book, and it's holding up great even though I sort of beat the crap out of it.

For longer trips, I'm definitely feeling powdered laundry detergent rather than shampoo. Works better, actually smells like you did laundry.

I packed only two dress shirts for the 10 workshops in Australia, so made use of hotel laundry service for crisp ironing.

Discovered what I think is my favorite part of Australia - the southwest. It's got everything, forest hikes, spelunking, boring vineyard tours, great beaches (google "Denmark elephant rock" and be awed).

Best tiny Bluetooth speaker yet

I've tried several Bluetooth speakers and I'm always looking for the perfect combination of great sound and tiny size. When you are packing just one bag, can't afford the heft and weight of a really big high-quality speaker.

This little guy is consistently blowing me away. I sync it to my phone for better quality music in the room, and clear and loud news or podcasts while I shower and shave.

Here's a pic with hotel room key for size comparison. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OEPCHL2/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

1 Ticket, 1 Backpack, Zero Pre-Planning: Adventure Roulette

Joel Runyon at ImpossibleHQ offers this: 

1. Put away $500.
2. Go to the airport.
3. Find an awesome agent. You can tell that some are stressed, and that some are friendly. Talk to the friendly ones if you can – they’re much more fun.
4. Give them your $500, and tell them, “I’d like you to book me a trip somewhere – anywhere -, preferably a cool place, but it can be anywhere you like for under $500. Can you do that for me?”

He calls it "Adventure Roulette" and here are the criteria:

• Any ticket under $500
• Any destination at least 500 miles away
• One backpack
• No input at all from me on the final destination
• No looking at the ticket until I’m through security (and, ideally, as long as possible)
• Departure: any time during the day that I show up
• Return: any time before midnight the following night

GoBag

Here's a good-looking bag. Showed up in my Facebook feed today.  It's the GoBag, can't tell whether it's a crowdfunding project or if it's on sale yet....anyway check it out...it looks a lot like the eBags Weekender that I talk about in my minimal travel book. A cool feature (see the gif below) is the vacuum compression system. Might not be practical for my current travel style, which involves packing/repacking every day, different hotel every day.

Shares a lot of features with the Weekender -- backstraps, heavy duty zipper, looks more like luggage than a student backpack.

Anybody have one of these?

Baubax travel jacket

I just jumped on this Kickstarter campaign for the Baubax jacket....advertised as "the world's best travel jacket." I'm inclined to believe it...there are actually 4 different jackets, all with multiple functional features for air travel.

In my book I describe the Columbia Silver Ridge vest - essentially a cheaper version of the popular Scottevest travel vest.

I still travel with the Columbia vest from Autumn through Spring - lots of pockets and zippered hideaways for everything I want (or might want) on the plane.  But this Baubax jacket looks incredible. Check it out.

Collapsible coat hanger

I'm using this thing way more than I thought I would. I bought these collapsible clothes hangers basically because I thought it was a cool design. Turns out these things are really functional, too.

Pet peeve - hotels with non-standard clothes hangers. The ones that slip in/out of a little circular metal thing and you can't actually use the hangers around the hotel room, over a vent or shower curtain or whatever.

These collapsible hangers aren't super sturdy so I wouldn't hang a wet sweater or anything heavy. But for typical hotel room laundry like I describe in the book, these guys are perfect.