My Journey to Lighter Travels and a Freer Mind

This bag is over 5 years old and still serving its purpose, helping me pack a light load for my journey and making the whole experience easier and stress-free. This was after I learnt my lesson and embrace going for the essentials only.

Before I got this bag, I didn't know how to arrange my luggage for even a short 2-3 day trip. I would often pack unnecessary items, only to realise when I have gotten to my destination that most of them weren't needed. Most of them I give out just to reduce my bag and still end up buying those items when I get back from my trip, making me waste money.

Carrying so many bags also meant the constant burden of keeping track to ensure none went missing. My aunt would keep reminding me every minute she called while travelling how not to forget any of my bags in the bus or car and I would always be careful to count them first before they went in either sitting at the booth space or being dragged and squeezed under the seat.

Should I talk about the extra charges at the motor park? My fellow Nigerians would understand how these bus drivers bill someone with much luggage, making you annoyed at the high price on a luggage. They make me spend more than my budget, giving me extra expenses.

It used to pain me when I got to my destination and found out most of the items in the bags had broken or poured away due to the driver's carelessness all because they needed more space to fit in other luggage. This is one of those reasons I don't like travelling with lots of bags but to go with just a few of my stuff which would contain the backpack and off I go.

After those experiences, I learned to carry only the essentials. It's always better to pack light than to bring unnecessary items, only to leave them behind or give them away just to avoid returning with a heavy load.

My backpack contains 2-3 casual clothes, one or two church clothes, a few pants and bras to change into, then my creams, brush/toothpaste and other makeup items like powder, lipstick and brush/foam for my face, then my perfumes and roll-ons plus chargers and power banks. I also put in one of my shoes in case I want to go to church and that's it.

If I were to go on a trip either for an interview somewhere else different from the city I am, then all I need in my backpack is my documents and just a cloth to change into the next day and I am back to my destination.

Aside from my backpack, I go with a small bag that contains some money, an atm card, keys, a phone, an earpiece and other things that could be found in a lady's small bag.

With these bags, my journey looks so light and there wouldn't be an issue of a missing bag or a reckless driver trying to squeeze my bag into the bus and destroy the important stuff in there. I can move around easily with my backpack on my back and my handbag in my hand and my walk would be easier than dragging myself with lots of loads on me.

There was a time I travelled with so much luggage and as I alighted from the bus, a tout guy walked up to me and mockingly said, "Aunty, can you carry all these with your small stature? You could have carried your size." _{(said in Yoruba)}

I only smiled and ignored him while others around him burst into laughter because, to them, it was a funny statement. The experience and others which ended up making me frustrated were part of what made me decide not to go with many loads but light ones to make the trip easier and fun for me.

Though some trips do require more luggage, I have found it's easier to book a cab or Uber that takes me directly to my destination, avoiding the hassle of multiple bus stops and the frustration of struggling with heavy bags.

Through years of my travel experiences, I have learned the value of packing only the essentials. Each trip taught me that overpacking creates unnecessary stress, from the hassle of managing multiple bags to the extra expenses and risk of damage to belongings. Now, with my reliable backpack, I pack light and travel comfortably, bringing only what I truly need.

This shift to minimalism not only eases the journey but has brought simplicity and intentionality into my life, freeing me from the burden of excess and letting me focus on the experiences ahead.

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^{All pictures are mine}