My family and friends thought I was crazy when I told them I want to only take a backpack. I did it anyway, and here’s what I found…
Right now, I am wrapping up a 10 day road trip from Orlando to San Diego. The purpose of this post is to explain why I only took a backpack on a trip across America and to inspire you to do the same.
Ever since I watched the video of Jordan Pearce reducing his worldly possessions to the contents of a backpack and hitting the road, I have wanted to do the same. My friend was moving to San Diego and was driving from Miami. When he offered me a spot on the journey, I saw a perfect opportunity to hit the road with only a backpack.
Doing this has taught me the cost of carry and the three freedoms of traveling light.
The Cost of Carry
Imagine owning a dream home, nice cars, a yacht, an airplane, and a vacation home to boot. That’s the American Dream.
Many people dream about one day obtaining such luxuries. Ambitious goal-setters determine how much money they need to make to one day buy a yacht and live the Dream. However, most people overlook the second cost.
Everything comes with 2 costs:
1. The Cost to Obtain
2. The Cost to Maintain
The cost to maintain is also known as the cost of carry. Reducing my costs of carry has given me more freedom in three important areas.
The Three Freedoms of Traveling Light
Here’s the contents of the bag. Next time I will go even lighter.
Time
Traveling light gave me more free time. I spent less time organizing or collecting my stuff. With some extra experimentation, my travel kit can get even more efficient.
Energy
My mind felt lighter. Every item cut out is one less thing to worry about.
Location
Location is my favorite freedom that traveling light offers. My mind was less preoccupied with keeping track of items. This helped me feel more connected to the place I was experiencing. Plus, being able to pick up and go easily made adventuring more accessible.
In Sum
Limiting myself to a backpack helped me reduce my cost of carry and enjoy the three freedoms of traveling light. With more time, energy, and ability to pick up and go – this particular travel experience offers an abundance of opportunities to explore and feel at peace with the world. With that said, I hope you feel inspired to fit your life into a backpack and hit the road now.
Chase the adventure. To ∞ and Beyond…
Resources
100 Possessions: How Giving Up Everything Can Make Your Life More Full