i think i'm all packed.
this is my 5th trip to Europe in 9 years...and my 3rd trip taking only what i can fit on my back. i'm a fan of the Seattle-based travel guide, Rick Steves, who has dedicated his life to backpacking around Europe and teaching people (like you and me) how to do the same. i own one of his carry-on size backpacks (it is not the backpack shown in the picture) along with many other items of travel gear and guidebooks and maps that he sells. and i have taken some of his travel classes to learn more about the how-to's when it comes to traveling in Europe. it is with great pleasure that i pack and repack and once again repack the pack in order to see if i can fit what i need to take with me into it in some new and compact way that will allow for comfort & ease (and still be considered a carry-on). with each trip i learn something new and figure out something else i can do without while i travel. there are several tips to follow when trying to stuff clothes into a backpack: you can roll your clothes tightly. you can make the most of every bit of space available for something to fit into (like a puzzle). you can utilize net packing cubes for a compact way of seperating. you can use the plastic ziplock type vacuum seal bags. or you can just stuff the clothes in. it all depends. i recently had a conversation with a friend who confessed that when traveling, their bag starts out all neat and tidy with everything having it's place and then by the end of the trip it's a mad scramble to throw it in and get it all in some orderly fashion so it will make it on the plane...somehow. i laughed at this because packing is a common issue for all of us whether we're traveling to a nearby city or state or traveling to a country overseas. everyone has their preferred way to pack and with the post 9-11 stricter flying regulations & security procedures, packing for a trip has almost become a new Olympic sport.
