The Travelers Unpack : Part Uno

I think everyone knows that feeling. That feeling of “ahhhhhhh” that comes after returning home and dumping your bags at the front door. No matter how great the trip, or even how long, there is something so sublimely comforting to finally be “home.” Well after nearly two years of traveling and living on other people’s boats, houses, couches, hostel rooms, hotel beds we’ve finally decided to unpack our bags for a while. And since we didn’t have a home of our own waiting for us when we got back we had been lucky enough to stay with family. Though it was extremely comfortable, specially the home cooked meals, and we appreciate the hospitality to no end sooner or later you just need your own place. Now the tricky part when you have no place is that choosing your new home means endless options. I mean we had sold all most all of our material goods when we left for our jaunt and had come home with just a few bags.

We did keep a few important kitchen items…such as chopsticks from Japan and a martini shaker

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Travel Packing- The Mental Game

With only a little more than a week left on our journey we are faced with round two of packing our bags. We had driven from Nebraska to Alabama towing a mini-trailer with our worldly belongings in it. This time, however, we are leaving by plane with only two check-ins allowed. My parents have already claimed two bags for their stuff and we need to pack light in case we end up on foot backpacking later on. Since we start off on a sail boat in the Caribbean, and that requires another set of needs, it is hard to figure out what to take or not. What we have done is to prioritize our luggage:

1.) Can’t Live Without

2.) Can Live Without But Would Love To Sneak In Bag

3.) Can Live Without

(The concept works well for those with over-flowing closets and garages too!)

Can’t Live Without

This is the not-so-fun nitty-gritty necessities. Things in this category include such items as passport, cash, debit/credit cards, laptops, and certified copies of important documents. Most travelers will not need the last items. However for those like us at Hop and Jaunt who literally have no idea of what we will be getting ourselves into, it may turn out to be a life saver. The ‘can’t live without’ list can include such things as:

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