Alone on the Road — Part two - Packing

 How to Lighten Your Suitcase?

       

Today I am going to write to you about two kinds of packing.

The first is the ordinary kind: whether you pack in a backpack or a suitcase.

The second is the kind that includes everything else.

You may find it interesting when you read what I mean by everything else.

Let’s begin.

Suitcase or Backpack

Once you have chosen your destination, packing begins.

First of all, and perhaps most importantly — if you do not want to pay someone to carry your luggage, and if you truly want to feel the freedom of solo travel, you will have to reduce what you bring with you.

And also what you bring it in.

A backpack has its advantages. Your hands are free. You can hold a map, or rather Google Maps, or a takeaway coffee while you explore. You can move through the airport without checking in a suitcase.

Like a little snail carrying its home on its back.

You are faster. More practical, somehow.

But a backpack is still pro level if you have never travelled alone before.

That is why I suggest you choose a suitcase. If possible, a small one. But a medium-sized one is also fine.

And that is where we stop.

A suitcase.

No bags, no extra handbags, no additional things, except for your own small personal bag with your passport and money inside. All right, maybe a small bag with water and food.

I am not going to tell you what to pack. You will figure that out yourself.

But let it be only what fits into the suitcase.

Small or medium-sized, let me repeat.

Everything Else

And now we come to the part that is harder.

You may be wondering what could possibly be harder while you are trying to close the zipper of your suitcase.

It is harder not to pack your worries and predictions.

I have already mentioned that famous question:

What if…?

What if someone cheats me?
What if I lose my money?
What if I get sick?
What if I twist my ankle?
What if there is a hurricane?
What if someone calls me from home to say that somebody has died?
What if my cat or dog escapes from the pet boarding place?

What if…
What if…
What if…

Now take a deep breath.

And once more.

And once more.

Quickly look around you and name five objects you can see.

Glasses. An armchair. A laptop. A coffee cup. Headphones.

Breathe in again.

Breathe out.

Name three smells of your favourite food while you inhale and exhale.

Ah, pizza…

Apple cake with cinnamon…

And my mother’s vegetable soup.

Keep breathing.

Inhale.

Exhale.

That’s it.

Your heart is no longer beating so fast.

And you are in the real moment. Not in some imaginary horror story in which you give up your trip because of fear.

No.

What happened may feel like a wave of panic.

Take that out of your suitcase.

You do not need it.

You need to be careful and realistic. But panic is heavy, and it will not bring you anything good.

The next thing you need to take out of your suitcase is expectations.

I do not know which destination you have chosen. Believe me, that does not matter when it comes to expectations. Because expectations arrive everywhere. They come uninvited and sneak in quietly.

If you are lonely, you expect a prince on a white horse.

If you are sad, you expect some wild fun that will cheer you up.

If you are at a turning point, you expect wise people who will tell you something important.

And so on.

But the truth is quite different.

You will probably come back disappointed, or perhaps even deceived, if you leave with the expectation that the journey must bring you exactly what you have already imagined.

So let go of the control of expectations.

Controlling expectations is like putting a noose around the neck of life energy and not allowing it to breathe.

Breathe in with your whole chest.

And let yourself step into the challenge.

So, next time I will write to you about those very challenges.

They usually have something to do with emotions.

Until then, enjoy packing.