06.26.21
They say you can’t take it with you, but I think you can.
You just have to take the things that matter, and that, to me, is very little. The bells, the whistles, the doodads, the gadgets; in the end, they all mean nada. What matters is what you wear, what you need to live, and what you eat.
Since leaving the US in Feb 2019 I have purged several times. When I initially left, all my contents were strewn out on the bed, and I had to determine if they could fit in a 48L backpack; they could not. An additional suitcase was bought and filled, and after leg #1, in Valencia, Spain, those two containers were consolidated into one. The one factor that really makes a difference, is the temperatures of where you are going. Heavy jackets, sweaters, and clothing take a lot of room, whereas if your destination is more temperate, you can get by with a lot less.
Over the course of the last two years plus, old items were discarded and new ones were bought. I have purchased several pairs of shoes, not because of wear, but because of limited ROOM for them to be packed. For clothing, anything that wrinkles is a no-no, and since clothes are cheap outside the US, buying for a “season” is reasonable. In Mexico I got by with one pair of sandals (Keane’s), and have bought and eliminated half a dozen tank tops. As a minimalist, I take clothing to the extreme, and spend 80 percent of my waking hours in shorts and that’s about it. The umbrella, always nice—and important—to have, has been used a handful of times.
Now I am moving on. After 15 months in Puerto Morelos, I am off to Oaxaca, just south of Mexico City. It is 5000 plus feet above sea level, so colder temps attire IS a must, which I have. The good news is, if I need something more, prices are reasonable. My stay there will be about three weeks, then after a short trip to Las Vegas, it’s back, this time to Mexico City, where I plan to stay for a few days because, well, I’ve never been there. Copper Canyon (look it up!), in Mexico, has been very high on my “must go” list, and I will try to fit that in before departing the country.
The ultimate plan is the South American countries of Ecuador and Peru. Chile was on my list, but since I have only a five-week window and as of right NOW, Chili is off limits without a quarantine, that has been removed. Maybe another time. That period between August 1-Sept 15 (approx.) is totally open to changes, and that is one of the nice things about being a nomad: flexibility. It also is a downside if you like security and familiarity…
I am in discussion with a vape convention that wants me to speak in a place I have never been, but I’m keeping that under wraps until it’s finalized. All I can say is that it is an exotic location with some of the world’s most spectacular architecture.
This picture here is my backpack and what goes inside. I’ll let you know if it does or I need to purge again!
By the way, in case you’ve not been paying attention, the world IS opening up and border restrictions are being reduced or eliminated. Europe is mostly open, Asia is looking good, too, so if you are thinking about travel, do it safely and without fear.
Safe travels.
