Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Full-Time Travel

When you’re living a wacky, unconventional lifestyle (like, you know, traveling the world full-time for three years with your dog and your freelance business), people have a lot of questions. And since I get the same ones over and over, I thought I’d try to round them all up and give you some answers in what will probably turn out to be the longest blog post ever. (So feel free to skim to the ones that interest you.)

Without further ado, then, a super-long FAQ about what it’s like to live and work full-time on the road.

SOLO FEMALE TRAVEL Q&A

Don’t you ever get lonely?
Absolutely. But I was much lonelier living full-time in Denver than I have been on the road. Because loneliness isn’t about staying in one place. It’s about connection.

Is it safe for women to travel alone?
Absolutely. Most of the places I travel in (Switzerland, Belgium, Germany, even Mexico and Costa Rica) have lower violent crime rates than major US cities (Miami, Chicago). But even if I was a little less safe traveling than staying at home? I’d totally do it anyway. Because seeing the world, opening my worldview up wider and wider, hiking the Swiss Alps, cycling across France…they’re all worth a little risk.

Is there anywhere you wouldn’t travel as a woman alone?
Personally, I don’t have any interest in traveling in the Muslim world as a solo lady. I know of women who do it and love it, but my experiences have been solidly negative. Not because I felt unsafe, but because I was treated like a second-class citizen. And I have no interest in going places where women are less valuable than men.

I’m also (obviously) avoiding countries actively in conflict and I do take the advice and warnings of other well-traveled solo ladies seriously.

SANITY, LOVE, & RELATIONSHIPS Q&A

How do you manage when you feel ungrounded?
The short answer? I stop. I stay longer. I go somewhere familiar or somewhere I have friends. The beauty of the nomadic life is that I haven’t committed myself to anything. If I feel lost or lonely, I can always go to Berlin or Paris or Arizona or Pennsylvania for a month (all places I have good friends) or apply for a visa and stay in Switzerland for a year. The key is recognizing when you’re starting to feel lost or burned out and giving yourself permission to stop.

How do you help yourself feel grounded in a new place?
I unpack my bags (living out of a bag is a sure-fire way to feel unsettled). I buy groceries. I frequent the same coffee shop until the owner recognizes me. I rent apartments instead of living out of hotels or hostels.

And Luna is a tremendous help. Dogs require some small amount of routine and have a way of making you feel at home anywhere. No matter how jet-lagged or uninspired you feel, you still have to walk them, feed them, and pay attention to them. Also, dogs are like a magnet for people. No matter where I go, everyone wants to talk to me.

What about relationships on the road?
Personally, I haven’t had much experience with this (but don’t blame it on the travel; I was single for three years before I left Colorado). So here’s some advice from one world-traveling couple and here are some other thoughts on the topic.

TRAVEL Q&A

What are your favorite places?
I love a lot of different places for a lot of different reasons. My favorite landscapes are in and around Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland, and the unique Okavongo Delta in Botswana, Africa.

My favorite places for food are Italy (particularly Modena, Rome, and Tuscany), France (particularly Paris), Zimbabwe (Victoria Falls), and Costa Rica. I also love France and Italy for wine.

My favorite cities and towns in terms of sheer beauty include Bruges, Belgium; Thun, Switzerland; and Assisi, Italy. (Cuzco, Peru, and the Montmartre neighborhood in Paris are also pretty damn beautiful.)

My favorite place in terms of warm, welcoming communities of people is Ghent, Belgium.

What are your least favorite places?
Morocco, because the gender inequality grated on me. And (I’m sorry to say) Spain. I keep wanting to like Spain, especially since I speak some of the language and because so many people love it wholeheartedly, but every time I go I’m either disappointed or downright unhappy, especially in Catalunya, which seems to have the least friendly people in Europe.

Is there anywhere you don’t want to travel?
The Muslim world…at least while women and dogs are still less-than-welcome. Also, despite the hype, I’ve never felt a draw to India.

Where are you dying to travel to?
New Zealand, Hawaii, Iceland, Montenegro, Romania, and Slovenia [update: where I just arrived].

Where would you recommend for first-time solo travelers or nomads?
Sayulita, Mexico would be an excellent starting point. It’s a small town (so perfectly manageable and not overwhelming) full of surfing, yoga, and tacos. Good Wi-Fi is available if you’re working from the road. And it’s a vibrant, international little community of people from all over the world, usually staying for at least a month or two. English is widely spoken. And you’re just 45 minutes from an airport.

Ghent, Belgium would also be a great place to start. The people are friendly. English is widely spoken. The food is fantastic. It’s super cheap for Europe. And gorgeous Bruges and hip Antwerp are less than half an hour by train. Brussels (and its airport) are just an hour.

Split, Croatia is another great choice. It’s very affordable for Europe, sunny and warm most of the year and full of incredibly friendly people who often speak English (especially the younger generation) and things to do.

Finally, I’ll give another plug to Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland where you’ll find gorgeous landscapes, good Wi-Fi, and tons of travelers from all over the world (assuming you’re there in summer). It’s small, manageable, and well-connected to everything by train. Just make sure to budget a bit more, as this area isn’t cheap.

Are you ever going to settle down? And will it be in the US?
One of the things I’ve learned about myself in the last few years is that I am at my absolute best when I’m living in the moment. And so that’s how I try to live. Do I plan for the future? Sure. I save money. I plan on investing. I book things sometimes as much as six months in advance. But do I know if I’ll ever settle down? Nope. No idea.

And that’s the beauty of the lifestyle I’m living. It’s 100% flexible. If I feel like nesting, I can stop and nest. If I feel like going on, I can go on. Right now, I feel like traveling. Who’s to say how I’ll feel in two years or 10 years or 30 years?

And as for the second half of your question…I can give you an answer I feel more certain about: No. I have no intention of coming back to the US long-term. At least not until we’ve sorted out our wildly expensive healthcare system and made it possible to live in the States without a car.

What’s the worst thing that’s happened to you on the road?
Getting detained by British immigration was one of the most traumatic experiences of my life (and the only time in the last three years I truly thought about giving up). A close second was when I got super sick and ended up in the hospital on Malta and then spent six months not fully recovered.

How do you choose where to travel next?
It varies. Sometimes I choose to go somewhere because a friend lives there or it was recommended to me by a traveler I trust. Sometimes I see a photo essay or Flickr photo online and pick my destination that way (it’s how I decided to go to Ljubljana this summer). Sometimes I’m invited to an event. And sometimes I’ve just been pining for a place for a long time with no discernible reason.

In any case, I usually factor in:

How close the destination is to my current location (when possible, I like to save time, money, and fuel by going somewhere nearby);

How expensive it will be and whether it fits into my current budget;

How cheap plane or train tickets are (if I’ve been wanting to visit Greece, Montenegro, and Albania and the Montenegro plane ticket is $200 less, I’ll likely choose that as a place to start, knowing I can hit the other two later);

How beautiful it is (for me, beauty, particularly of the natural or small-town variety, is priority; this is one of the reasons I rarely spend time in big cities) as determined by online photo searches;

And climate (I don’t want to go to Greece in the height of summer when it’ll be too hot to enjoy it or Sweden in February when it’ll be too cold to explore).

I also frequently go with my gut.

How far ahead do you plan?
It varies. I’ve booked as much as six months at a time and as little as one. Generally, I book ahead more during high season (summer in Europe, for instance) to make sure I get a reasonable deal. And I rarely ever fly completely by the seat of my pants because that’s tougher to do with a dog (you need paperwork when crossing borders and need to find dog-friendly housing).

How long do you stay in each place?
Again, this varies. The longest so far has been my almost-year in Switzerland. The shortest was about three hours in Zagreb, Croatia. The average is one month, but as I’ve passed the three-year mark on the road I’ve also started to slow down a bit more, so I think you’ll see a lot more two- to three-month stints.

Do you ever get homesick?
Nope. I never really put down roots anywhere, so I don’t know where I would feel homesick for.

I do, of course, miss friends from time to time. But they’re scattered all over the world, so there’s no one place to be homesick for.

Do you have to re-purchase essentials everywhere you go? Are you constantly buying new pots and pans? 
Nope. I rent furnished places, so they generally have all the essentials. Very occasionally (maybe a couple times a year) something important is missing and I have to go on a quest for a bread knife or can opener. But generally everything is provided.

What if you need medical care along the way?
I have international health insurance through IMG Global. This covers me pretty much anywhere in the world if I need medical care. It often doesn’t cover meds, but they tend to be super cheap everywhere outside the US.

My birth control, for example, costs just 30 francs in Switzerland. In the US, it was running me at least $150.

So, if I need medication or to see a doctor, I just go and see one. Each country has a different system, so the best way to figure out how to get an appointment or whether there’s a clinic nearby is to ask a local.

Do you ever have a “meh” reaction to what you see? Are you getting harder to please now that you’ve seen and done so much?
This is such a great question. The answer is yes. I’m a massive nature snob and things that everyone else seems to love (like the Glacier Express) feel anti-climactic to me sometimes. But I don’t actually think this is about getting harder to please. I think it’s because of my ingrained anxiety around getting value from my money. When I discover that the more-expensive Glacier Express route is less pretty than the cheaper regular train routes, I feel “meh” about the Glacier Express.

Has traveling made you feel disconnected with your friends as your lives diverge so greatly?
My closest friends are similar in both interests and mindset. Sure, most of them don’t travel full-time, but they do live unconventional lives and they do love to travel. We’ve all always been this way, which probably is what brought us together. And so with my closest friends, I’ve stayed very close. We Skype and email often and I make an effort to see them when I can.

How do you navigate length of stay requirements? How did you get your Swiss residency?
In Europe, the system is simple (if frustrating). You can stay in the Schengen Zone (which is most of mainland western Europe) for up to 90 days; then you have to leave for 90 days. Before I had Swiss residency, this meant I would spend 90 days or less in mainland Europe and then head somewhere like the UK, Croatia, or Mexico (all outside the Schengen). Then I’d come back in.

When it comes to navigating the requirements for other countries, the best thing to do is always research online before you go. Some countries let you stay 90 days without a visa. Some are just one month. Some are six months (like the UK or Mexico). Know before you go and plan accordingly.

And if you want to stay longer? You’ll need to apply for a longer stay visa/residency. For many places, you’ll need to apply for the visa before you leave your home country, so make sure to research ahead of time.

In my case, when I wanted to stay in Switzerland for a year (which turned into two) to write my book, I went through a lengthy residency process and was eventually granted a residence card that gives me the right to stay in Switzerland beyond the normal 90-day tourist visa.

Could someone be a nomad part-time or is this an all-or-nothing lifestyle choice?
Of course! If there’s anything I’ve learned in the past few years it’s that there are very few all-or-nothing choices in life. Full-time travel looks different for different people. I know one couple who consider themselves nomads (and indeed travel faster and more than I do), but still own a home in Arizona that they return to from time to time. Another couple I know are expats in Germany, but frequently take anywhere from two weeks to two months to travel. And then there’s me…with a substantial amount of travel, but also a stint as a true expat in Switzerland. Nomading is what you make it.

What do you like most about full-time travel?
I love change. I’m so energized and inspired by new places, new people, new landscapes, smells, foods, sounds. And every time I move somewhere new I feel like I get to reinvent myself.

Equally as important, I love the freedom of my lifestyle. I can fit my whole life into a backpack. I can change my life in less than a month. I can go. I can stay. I can chase the sunshine. I can invest in community. I control my work schedule. I control my travel schedule. I’m totally free.

What do you like least?
Paperwork and immigration rules. The world should be a whole lot more open.

Do you buy souvenirs? If so, what do you do with them?
I don’t really buy souvenirs, but I do often replace my possessions along the way, so almost every skirt or bag or mascara bottle has a story and a place attached to it. I also take tons and tons of photos.

Wait…You travel with your dog? How does that work?
Here’s a separate Q&A on that topic.

GETTING STARTED Q&A

What did you do with all your stuff?
I sold it, gave it away, trashed it, or donated it as appropriate. And I still own a couple boxes (mostly of old tax forms and receipts and paperwork) in the basements of friends and family members.

Do you ever miss your stuff?
Not really. Occasionally I wish I could carry this one gorgeous hand-embroidered coat I bought back in Denver (which is in my parents’ basement), but c’est la vie. It’s not a practical addition to my bag at this time. And I also wish I could read more paperback books and less electronic ones, but again practicality generally wins the day when it comes to what I take with me.

Do you have any hobbies that require you to carry extra stuff? If so, what and how do you manage?
I just purchased a restored vintage Swiss army bike for cycling through France. I’ve only had to transport it once so far and it was honestly less than fun. The trains I took (in Switzerland and Austria) have special cycle cars usually at the very end of the train, which means when you’re switching trains not only do you have to lug the extra weight of the bike, but you often have to walk (read: run) the entire length of two trains in order to make your connection. The other issue is that the Austrian trains had elevated bike cars, so to get my cycle into the train required lifting it over my head. Luckily, I never actually had to do this, as a variety of well-dressed European men came to my rescue at every stop, but if I had to do it on my own, it would have been a challenge. Because while I can certainly lift and carry my bike, raising it over my head is another story.

I’m hoping that as I travel more with the bike I’ll figure out a better way to manage it.

I’m also currently carrying a small tent and a sleeping bag, both of which will be handy this summer, but I’ll be ditching before I head to South America in the fall.

Other than that, my biggest hobbies are hiking and reading, both of which require minimal gear (my new tablet and the occasional paperback for reading; good shoes for hiking).

I do have friends who travel with a lot more gear than I do (paragliders, BASE jumping gear) and somehow manage it successfully, so it’s definitely possible.

What travel planning tools do you use?
I use Rome2Rio all the time to figure out my transportation options, distances, and routes (it’s a site that gives you distances, times, routes, and estimates for traveling from point A to point B by train, car, taxi, plane, bus, or ride share).

I love Adioso for its open search function, which lets me find the cheapest tickets and best flights to multiple destinations and dates at the same time (e.g. you can search for flights from New York to anywhere in Europe for the month of October and pinpoint the cheapest flight date in an entire month).

I use Flickr to figure out where I want to go, since being in beautiful places is the most important thing to me.

I use a variety of blogs for inspiration.

I use Airbnb to find affordable monthly rentals.

I use Couchsurfing to connect with locals to ask for advice and/or meet up. (I don’t use it to stay on couches anymore, both because I’m working and need my own space and also because there’s a sad trend of guys on the site thinking it’s a good way to pressure women into sleeping with them.)

I use Google Maps for directions.

And I usually buy train tickets directly through the train company websites (or if I have time, in person at the station).

How did you get the guts to go?
I’m always a little surprised when people think I’m so gutsy. I’m really not. I was wildly unhappy when I was in Denver, struggling with my depression in a big way, and even though I was afraid to make the leap to full-time travel, I was more afraid to stay put. Going felt like saving my own life. And so I went.

But if you’re asking this question, you’re probably asking for advice. And my story won’t apply to most people. So my advice is this: always remember that you have an exit. Even if you leave with the intention of traveling indefinitely or for a year or for six months, you can still turn around and come home. You can always go back.

Leaving is much less scary when you realize it isn’t a permanent decision. It’s not all-or-nothing. It’s not pass-fail.

How do you make friends on the road? 
I actually find it really easy to meet people and make friends on the road. Firstly because other travelers are usually up for a conversation. Secondly, because telling someone you travel full-time is a great ice-breaker and often leads to more conversations. And thirdly, because travel forces me to get out of the house and go exploring, which means I meet more people.

As for finding people to meet up with, I suggest couchsurfing.org. (I don’t actually couchsurf, but it’s a great way to connect with like-minded people and grab a coffee, go to an event, head out on a hike, etc.) Meetup.com, Internations, and Facebook groups are also great resources.

Do you find that your new friends are mostly transient…and how do you deal with that?
Actually, the vast majority of my friends have home bases of some kind. The friends I made in Belgium still live in Belgium. The friends I made in Germany still live in Germany. I’ve only met a handful of other full-time travelers. And so we stay connected via Skype and email and Facebook and by meeting up when we can.

What about visas?
Right now Luna and I are mostly traveling in countries where we don’t need a visa. And in the case of Switzerland, getting a long-stay visa was a lengthy but straightforward process.

How has traveling changed you?
Even though I still struggle with those delightful old demons depression and anxiety, overall I’m happier. I’ve also learned to love myself, dropped two dress sizes, and realized my dream of becoming a full-time travel writer and book author.

Did you find what you were looking for? And what happens after that?
What a loaded question. Perhaps some people go looking for some massive change, but I was just looking for newness, change, and forward motion. I wanted freedom. I wanted something to shake me up, to move me out of my more traditional life. So, yes, I found it.

And what happens after that? I keep going. I wasn’t looking for the answer to a question…something with an end-date. I was looking for a new story. A new way to live.

WORKING FROM THE ROAD Q&A

How do you deal with time zone differences with your clients?
When I first started working from the road, I was a copywriter and content strategist, which means I worked with clients a lot. In those days, I had a fairly regular schedule. Because I was in Europe and most of my clients were in the US, I’d work in the mornings when all was quiet and my clients were still asleep. I’d usually take an afternoon break to explore, shop, etc. And then I’d come back in the early evening to answer emails and make any calls that needed to be made. It was pretty straightforward and worked well because I really rarely needed to make calls anyway.

Now, as a book author and travel writer, I don’t really have clients. I have publications I write for, and mostly we communicate via email. And the only time time zones come up is when I’m interviewing someone. But since most of my interviewees are in Europe, we’re usually in the same time zone and interviews are easy to schedule.

At what point would you start to worry if income streams started drying up?
I’m constantly readjusting my business, making new plans, exploring new marketing options, and rolling with the punches, so really there’s no worry tipping point. I’m always tweaking and I always have plans B and C on hand if income starts to drop.

How many hours do you work each week?
This varies a lot. For the past two years I’ve been working feverishly to get this new business off the ground, so I’d say I probably averaged 35 – 60 hours per week or even 70 on a really backbreaking week. (Thus launching four books in one year.)

Of course, the ultimate goal is to not work so damn hard. My goal is that by the end of this year I’ll be down to 35 hours or less per week. And eventually perhaps I’ll even get to half-time.

What’s your work schedule like?
I am most focused, productive, and creative in the mornings, so I usually try to get as much done as possible before lunch (it helps that I’m an early riser, usually up between six and seven). Afternoons are generally for naps and work that doesn’t require as much focus (emails, eBook formatting, things like that).

That said, my schedule varies greatly. The good news about working for myself, even if I’m currently working a lot, is that I have total control over my schedule. If it’s a gorgeous sunny day, I can take the day off and go hiking. If I’m feeling uninspired, I can shift things around and work on something that doesn’t require as much creativity. And I always try to make time for people, so if I’m in a good conversation, I try not to rush off back to work. I’d rather add an extra evening hour into my day than skip a great conversation.

How do you get everything done?
Because I have power over my schedule, I also have the power to say no to things, to change my book launch dates (like I did when the Italy guide took longer than anticipated and again when I was ill over the winter and fell behind on my France guide), and to otherwise shift things around. I’m currently getting everything done by working hard and long hours, but I’m hoping that the future will bring shorter hours and more gentle “no, I’m sorry but I can’t take that project on”s.

Aren’t you distracted, being in a new place?
Actually, no. I’m energized and inspired by it. Some of my best work happens the first week after I arrive somewhere new.

FINANCES Q&A

How do you make money while traveling?
I am a travel writer, making my living on my 100 Locals guidebooks, magazine writing, and writing for online publications. I also make a tiny bit of money from affiliate sales and donations (thank you!) here on the blog.

I’ve only had this business since October 2013, though. And before that I was making a living as a content strategist and copywriter, creating, organizing, wrangling, and demystifying the words and images on websites, in brochures, etc.

How do you afford to travel like this…I mean, isn’t travel expensive?
Actually, travel doesn’t have to be that expensive. Staying longer, living as the locals do, and getting rid of your expenses back home can mean very cheap living indeed.

So, let’s unpack that:

Staying longer: Monthly rates in furnished rentals are far cheaper than their nightly or weekly counterpoints. A studio in Paris on Airbnb might cost $80 per night, but only just over $1,000 for the whole month. And if you’re going in the off-season and ask for a discount, you can probably get it even cheaper.

Staying longer also means less big transportation bills and more time to explore. And more time to explore means you actually spend less money. Why, you ask? Because if you’re in Paris for a month and you want to see the Louvre, go up the Eiffel Tower, eat at seven restaurants that were recommended to you, and take a day trip to Verseilles, you spend the same amount as if you try to do all that in four days. But the person who has four days then moves onto another place where they’re spending money on their next 10 must-sees. You, on the other hand, are spreading out your Paris must-sees and spending time in between enjoying all the gorgeous free things the city has to offer as well…the parks, the streetscapes, and so on.

Living as the locals do: Staying in apartments, shopping at the local markets, cooking at home, buying a monthly bus pass instead of a day pass…all these things save you money. And over time that money adds up.

Getting rid of expenses back home: If you have a car payment, rent/mortgage, cell phone bill, cable TV bill, health insurance, car insurance, and condo fee back home every month in addition to your travel expenses, of course traveling is going to feel expensive. You’re paying double.

That’s one of the reasons being a digital nomad is often more affordable than staying put. You’re ditching those ongoing home expenses along the way. Not to mention that you don’t have much room in your bag, so you won’t be shopping half as much as you did at home. Instead, you find yourself with a small manageable set of expenses all connected to the city you are living in at that moment.

With all that in mind, my lifestyle is actually very affordable (except when I’m hanging out in Switzerland, but even that’s not as bad as you think). I generally try to spend less than $2,000 per month on living expenses (not including a few overall items like insurance).

What’s your monthly budget?
As I mentioned above, I try to keep my monthly living expenses under $2,000. I also have a few overall expenses (health insurance, website renewals, etc.) that I budget for outside my monthly living expenses.

How do you find affordable rentals?
I love love love Airbnb. This is always where I start my apartment search, filtering by Wi-Fi and price. Then I contact the owners and ask if A) they are okay with having a dog in their space and B) they can offer a long-stay or off-season discount. Often they can and the price drops a little by the time I book.

Now, in cases where I can’t find a good Airbnb option (as was the case for my month in Kobarid, Slovenia, and my two weeks in Freiburg, Germany), I have a few tricks up my sleeve:

1) I head to Couchsurfing to post in their groups. Often there are people on there looking for roommates or someone to sublet their place or if you post something saying you’re looking someone might contact you directly with an opportunity. This is how I found my stunning top-floor apartment overlooking the Black Forest in Freiburg.

2) I reach out to hostels and guesthouses. They have kitchens (which is important to me) and are often willing to offer a long-stay price on a private room.

3) I ask on Facebook groups. There are tons of expat groups, artist groups, etc. in tons of locations around the globe. Find one and ask where the locals look for housing or if anyone knows of something good.

Any tricks for finding cheap plane tickets?
Be flexible both with your dates and destinations. An open-ended flight search on Adioso for one-way flights from New York to anywhere in Europe anytime in the month of October yields offers like $395 to Milan, Italy; $435 to Paris, France; and $393 to Barcelona, Spain. A similar one-way search from Atlanta to South America shows October flights to Panama for $172 and Colombia for $176.

How much money should someone have in the bank before embarking on this kind of journey?
That depends very much on how you’re traveling (are you working on the road? Traveling slowly? Taking a year off?), where you’re traveling (Asia is obviously cheaper than Europe), and how much you’re earning.

If you want a sustainable full-time travel lifestyle, the trick is just to earn more than you spend…the same as you would living in your home country. If you’re traveling in Southeast Asia, earning more than you spend might mean as little as $600 or $800 a month. In Europe, it’s more likely to be over $1,000, even if you travel in a budget-friendly way.

If you’re traveling this way, you’re probably self-employed. And if that’s the case, I believe most financial advisors advise self-employed folks to keep at least six months worth of living expenses in the bank as a buffer in case of lean times or losing clients. Personally, six months seems too short to me and I didn’t start my business until I had 10 months of buffer money (and I didn’t start traveling until over a year after I started the business).

What’s your long-term financial plan? What about retirement?
The short answer is that I plan for retirement just like any other self-employed person. Packing your bags and traveling full-time doesn’t change financial planning.

The long answer is here.

What about health insurance?
I currently have worldwide health insurance through IMG Global. They have two plans: one plan that covers the entire world and one (somewhat cheaper) plan that covers everywhere except the US, Canada, and (I think) Japan. I opted for the second plan, as I don’t spend much/any time in the US these days. And it’s cheaper just to buy a short-term travel insurance plan if I visit the US for a week or two to see family and friends.

I’m in the process of submitting my first claims with IMG and so far I’m not impressed with their processing speed, but we’ll see how it goes.

What banks are good for nomads?
I haven’t used them myself yet, but the other nomads I know rave about Charles Schwab, which waives your international ATM fees.

PACKING Q&A

What kind of bag(s) do you use?
Right now I’m carrying a 40 liter hiking backpack from REI and a small everyday backpack by Northface. I also have panniers on the bike, but all my stuff fits in one or the other (e.g. the panniers are empty when the pack is full and they are full when the pack is empty).

What’s on your packing list?
Well, it changes a lot based on where I am, what time of year it is, and how I shift over time, but here’s the latest.

What can you simply not live without?
Well, the essentials (the two things I would rescue in a fire) are my laptop and Luna. But nearly everything I carry feels essential to me either in terms of actual necessity (toothpaste, deodorant, etc.) and things that keep my quality of life at a level I can live with (mascara, nice dresses, iPod).

OTHER Q&A

What do you miss the most? Is there anything that would make you move “home” again?
I don’t think there’s anything that could entice me back to the states (well, beyond an infrastructure change that made it possible to be totally car free and have decent and inexpensive health coverage), but I do miss TexMex food all the time. The Mexican food in Europe is atrocious. I also miss good chapstick, Teavana chai teas, mint dental floss, and Target with some regularity.

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