Talking to a Greyhound driver changed how I pack

Met a guy at a bus station in Nashville who said he's been traveling for 6 months with only a backpack. He showed me his system: 3 shirts, 2 pants, one pair of shoes, and a tiny toiletry bag. How do you guys cut down on what you bring without feeling like you're missing something?

3 comments

3 Comments

grant_allen851d ago

Three shirts for six months is actually insane when you think about it. I had a buddy try that minimalist lifestyle once and by week two he was wearing the same wrinkled shirt to every dinner and smelling like a gym locker. @adamgreen I get the whole "just throw stuff in a bag" thing but there's a difference between being casual and being unprepared. A bus station in Nashville might have a belt vendor but what about a decent pair of boots or a rain jacket? You pack light and get caught in a Tennessee thunderstorm you're stuck in wet sneakers for the whole trip. I'd rather have one extra bag than feel like I'm roughing it when I don't have to.

adamgreen1d ago

I mean it's a bus station in Nashville not a survival challenge, just throw some stuff in a bag and go.

aaronclark1d ago

Ha, you'd think so right? I remember once I tried to do that "throw stuff in a bag and go" thing for a weekend trip to Chattanooga. Ended up forgetting my phone charger AND my belt. Spent the whole time with my pants feeling loose and my phone dying by noon. It's like the universe punishes you for being too casual about packing. At least at a bus station in Nashville you can probably buy a belt from a street vendor or something. Still, I'm with you, just don't overthink it or you'll end up like me.