Gadling

Our good friend Timothy Ferriss, author of The 4-hour Work Week, (read our interview with him here) recently traveled to Maui and wrote up a blog post which explains everything he packed and why. Packing "fashionably light" is what he calls his method of bringing only the bare necessities, and I agree with everything he says.

I, like Tim, have been on trips with friends and family members who "pack for every contingency--better bring the hiking books in case we go hiking, better bring an umbrella in case it rains," and it's not fun. You start to feel bad when you have everything you need in a lightweight backpack, and your friends are lugging giant suitcases through crowded streets, and up and down staircases. While I'm always willing to help out a friend, it's discouraging to know that you spent time and effort packing efficiently, yet you still have to help your friend carry around a heavy suitcase.

Tim and I share the same opinions on packing. I always pack the bare minimum, knowing that if there's something I forget, or really need, that I can most likely find it wherever I'm going, often at a cheaper price than they sell for back home. Even so, Tim's packing list still gave me some ideas. For instance, I didn't know about the Kensington laptop locks which fit 99% of all new laptops. Tim uses it not only to secure his computer, but also his entire bag when the laptop is packed away.

Filed under: Learning, Gear, Stories