"Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away." — Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
The question: "How much luggage do you have when traveling and what do you take with you?"
We travel with carry-on luggage only! Each of us has a backpack that qualifies as carry-on in the plane. Anything that doesn't fit in there doesn't come with us.
I'm a fan of "light, minimalist travel." From my perspective, it has a lot of advantages:
Photo: Through Bulgaria on our world trip 2017-2018
- Flexibility and freedom of movement! We don't have to worry about storage and lockers. Backpacks on, and we're good to go.
- It's easier on our backs! (they're not built for heavy loads)
- Time-saving! At the airport, while others are still waiting for their bags at the conveyor belt, we're already on our way. And when checking in, we usually don't have to wait in line and can go straight to the gate.
- Stress reduction! Our household is very manageable, so we don't have to worry about losing one of our bags. Less stuff means fewer worries.
- Cost-saving! On our world trip, for example, we took 22 flights. Depending on the route and airline, checking in one piece of luggage costs 36 EUR (I calculated the average price).
With 22 flights at 36 EUR per bag, one bag would cost us 792 EUR! If each of us brought one bag, I would have to pay 1584 EUR for that!
Just to carry along some unnecessary stuff!? How many clothes, shoes, and shampoo can you buy with that money at your destination? Why lug around all that stuff on your shoulders and pay for it? I'd rather spend that 1584 euros on something much nicer elsewhere!
I hope I've convinced everyone now! Traveling light is really fantastic! You also immediately notice how unnecessary most things are and how overestimated their importance and significance is.
All of this is what we have with us.
Anna's travel essentials include: a small bag of clothes (pictured above), a pair of sandals, art supplies including watercolor paper, a Kindle, a laptop (she's had one for the past year, before that, she didn't), a charging cable, headphones, a diary, a watch, swimming goggles, a water bottle, a towel. She stores her toothbrush with me (in my toiletry bag). She wears long pants, running shoes, and a lightweight jacket on the plane. That's it. Last year, Anna didn't even pack any toys. Not even the teddy bear that used to always be with her. Her backpack weighs around 5 kg.
My travel kit consists of: a laptop plus a cable for it, 2 cameras, cables, and a charger for them, headphones, a microphone, a small bag of clothes (2 dresses plus a skirt, a t-shirt, leggings, a blouse, a headscarf, all ideally color-coordinated), a toiletry bag (also containing underwear), 3 external hard drives, swimming goggles, sunglasses, a water bottle, a towel, a pair of sandals. I always wear long pants, a sweater, and running shoes for the flight.
As you can see, I have a lot of technology with me. Many of you probably don't need so much of this stuff. For most travelers, a smartphone is sufficient for everything. This gives them extra space for the things that are important to them.
Photo: In New Zealand during our world trip in 2017-2018.
This year, we're not taking any notebooks or textbooks with us. Anna's learning processes are 100% online. This means I have about 5 kg less to carry. Currently, my backpack weighs around 8-9 kg. However, both of us believe that it's still too much, and we want to continue optimizing it!
How much luggage is optimal for an Around the World trip?
From my perspective, 8 to a maximum of 10 kg is sufficient for a world trip. Everything you need eventually can be purchased along the way.
Our documentary films
We capture our years of travel life in documentary films that we produce independently and together.
Anna, Asia and me: 250 days on the road
Production 2019, German with English subtitles
Our travel film "Anna, Asia and me. 250 days on the road" Part 1 was shown in many cinemas in Germany in 2019. Now, this film is also available for download for your home cinema. Here is the cinema trailer!
Saudi Arabia: let's sleep in the desert
Our journey to Saudi Arabia was not planned; it simply happened by chance. Saudi Arabia is anything but touristy and was closed to tourists until recently. But after so many years of travel experience, we knew that we could handle it in Saudi Arabia and find it exciting and fun. Anna's idea was to sleep in the desert. Why not? But we travel with only hand luggage and have no camping equipment, and of course, no tent.
In this film, we show you the mysterious country and what Saudi Arabia really looks like. In doing so, our expectations didn't quite align with reality, and some of my prejudices had to be let go! Watch the trailer!
