9 Weeks, 3 Countries, 2 Carry-Ons

When my husband and I made the decision to travel to Europe this spring, we wanted to be away for at least two months. The price for our plane tickets and time spent in the air would be the same whether we traveled for days, weeks, or months, so why not stay longer and see more? Two of the countries we were visiting were new to us so there was a lot we wanted to see.

In planning our trip, it took us a while to settle on the exact dates and travel itinerary. What wasn’t up for debate was our decision to take only carry-on sized luggage. Since we would be traveling primarily by train, wrestling with large baggage between each stop was not appealing at all.

We knew it could be done and there were tons of blogs and videos with tips and tricks that made it sound easy.

“Pack clothes that can be mixed and matched.”

“Loosen up your definition of match.”

“Bring only essential items.”

“That third pair of pants? Not essential.”

“Make up? Not essential.”

“The key is to tightly roll your clothes.”

“No, the secret is to use packing cubes.”

We went with tightly rolled.

We took bits of wisdom from multiple sources and managed to fit everything we thought we’d need into two 22”x 14”x 9” carry-ons and two backpacks. We knew that we wouldn’t be making any fashion statements with our clothes—except maybe: “You’re wearing that again?”—but that was ok.

One small carry-on and a backpack each.

Our travels took us to Spain, Portugal, and France (about three weeks in each country). We saw amazing sights, met interesting people, ate delicious food, and had experiences we will remember forever. We will also remember that we really can do fine with a minimal amount of clothes, as long as we have opportunities to do laundry and the time to let it dry.

Mr. and Ms. Hillbilly classing things up.

As we watched other travelers struggle with their large suitcases, we knew we made the right decision. Yes, we might have liked to have more wardrobe choices—pictures of each other taken over the nine weeks look strangely similar—but what we brought worked just fine. Small and easily carried was the way to go.

First up, Spain.

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Author: Janis @ RetirementallyChallenged.com

My blog is about travel, relationships, photography, and whatever else pops into my head (even, sometimes, issues surrounding retirement and aging).

97 thoughts on “9 Weeks, 3 Countries, 2 Carry-Ons”

  1. Janis this would be the biggest challenge for me. I always overpack and then either feel obligated to wear everything I brought along or vow not to bring so much next time and fail miserably! I am truly impressed that you managed with carry-ons and packs. How about if you do a YouTube video so I can see first hand how frugal packing is really accomplished 😉

  2. I love this, Janis! I admire folks who can pack light. At some point who is going to see you the whole time? We just bought a 3 piece luggage set from Costco. Super light weight and rolls on 4 wheels. My old 2 wheeler went to charity. Good ideas for when we take the European plunge.

    1. Hat off to you from me as well! My packing philosophy for 2 weeks is “if it doesn’t fit in the carryon, I don’t need it!” But 9 weeks? I’m awed!

      Can’t wait to hear: what was your favorite experience during the 9 weeks?

    1. Hi Shelley! It is a lot easier packing for a single season, although we did run into a range of temperatures. We wore a lot of light wool (Smartwool, mostly) which was light enough for warmer days but can easily be layered for cooler temps. Bonus is that it washes and dries easily and is odor resistant.

  4. This is absolutely the best way to travel. All you need is comfortable wash-and-hang-dry clothes that can be layered if need be, comfy shoes, some toiletries…and a smart phone. Way to go, you guys!

    Deb

    1. You really don’t need a lot while traveling. No one cares what you are wearing and it makes life so much easier. My favorite item, which I packed at the last minute, was a scarf that went with everything. It made me feel put together.

  5. I learned to roll my clothing during our years of full-time RV travels. I fit SO MUCH into our closets!! 😂😂 And now I’m planning to roll my clothing in our tiny house closets. I’m impressed and inspired with how lightly you traveled in your European adventure. That’s my plan for our Airbnb travels this winter. I didn’t do too well last year, LOL. I’m so glad you’re writing about your travels

    1. I know that some people really swear by packing cubes but I just didn’t see the benefit. I know you can stuff a lot of things in them but I would think they would be terribly wrinkled and how do you get to the first item in without taking everything out? I hope you are planning to share your tiny home organizing challenges and tips.

  6. Hi Janis
    We are planning a trip next fall for about 8-10 weeks and have agreed also only to travel with carry ons, making sure they will comply with the strict guidelines of the the European regional airlines.
    Looking forward to reading about your trip, we are planning to visit France and Portugal as well as some others…
    Nancy

    1. I’m so envious of your fall trip! We’ve only been home for a short while but would love to go back. Both France and Portugal were fabulous and we have so many more places to visit in both countries. Good luck with your packing! It really is the way to go.

  7. Sounds like a wonderful trip Janis. Looking forward to seeing Spain. I spent three weeks in Spain in 1974 traveling with friends, one who was born and raised in Madrid, so zero language barrier. Your backs thanked you for traveling light.

  10. I 💯 endorse tightly rolling! I’ve done it for decades. We did bike clothing, helmets, and clothes for 3 weeks. A bit of hand laundry here and there. Sadly, I couldn’t find my lightweight scarf and missed it during the trip. It does help pull stuff together, and if it’s cool, it really helps. You picked 3 great countries ( I absolutely loved Portugal), and I can’t wait to read all about it. As an aside, our friends didn’t pack light, and we watched them struggle all the way thru the trip. Carry on is the way to go, so congrats. You won’t wear those clothes for a few weeks now!

    1. Another packing light convert! And, you are right about not wanting to wear those clothes for a while. I got pretty tired of them and it’s nice to be able to add some more colors to my wardrobe now that I’m home. Portugal was wonderful… I want to go back and see all the places we missed the first time.

  11. Awesome! You stayed out even longer than I did and took waaay less. I had a car, and took way more than I needed. But I love traveling light and washing along the way. The drying part can be a challenge if you’re on the move a lot. I’m looking forward to future posts.

      1. Yeah, I had no plan when I left so I felt I had to be prepared for everything. I carried 5 gallons of water, a camp table/chair and an entire camp box of things that I barely touched. But I had room in the car and didn’t have to lug stuff around. I still only had a carry-on sized suitcase of clothes…but then, I also had a tote stuffed with all sorts of coats, most of which I never used. I also had a box of shoes, which seemed mighty indulgent. Surprisingly, I did use most of those, but could easily have gotten away with fewer.

  12. Yeah! Your trip sounds like it was absolutely awesome. Congratulations on traveling with just carryons for such a long trip. I believe that once you do that it is easier and easier every time (she says with confidence). This Fall, Richard and I will embark on our fifth Camino (sixth if you include PEI). Each time, I only had with me what I would be wearing when I was hiking, and what I would be wearing when I was washing what I was wearing when I was hiking! Since all other hikers look (and smell) somewhat the same, it is easy to fit in that way. 😀
    I can’t wait to hear more about your trip!

    1. When you have to carry everything on your back, you learn to pack very, very light. And you are right about everyone looking the same. I doubt if there are any fashion contests on the Camino. 🙂 There are so many great wash and wear clothes available now.

  13. What a spectacular adventure, Janis! Definitely looking forward to your future posts detailing how and where you spent your days. Were there any items you packed, but wouldn’t take the next time? Or anything you wish you had packed, but didn’t?

    1. Both my husband and I had one or two items that we never ended up wearing, but, for the most part, we were pretty happy with what we took. I was so happy that I tucked a scarf into my luggage at the last minute… sometimes I wished I had another. We also would have like to have had a battery pack to charge our phones on the go.

  15. A couple I’m friends with did 6 weeks in Europe this spring. It was fast paced and amazing. They did a ship over, then planes, trains, boats and autos. Their number 1 take-away was to only do carryon. They each had 3 pcs of luggage and in Europe there aren’t a lot of elevators, escalators and such. They had to carry the bulky luggage up and down and around. They said, “never again!” Looking forward to your posts. My friends did the same countries in a shorter time frame. For them it was mostly about the food. I got tons of pictures of food, farmers’ markets, restaurants, etc.

    1. It sounds like your friends learned the hard way. Even just a carry-on was hard enough when there were multiple floors without an elevator, I can’t imagine struggling with more than one piece of luggage. In addition, most hotel rooms are very small compared to what we might be used to in the US so you’d have to find room to stash everything.

  16. I did sort of the same thing with three friends in France. We went to the Carrefour international quilt show in Alsace after spending a week in Paris. Only cary-ons and purses. All four of us ended up checking the bags on the way home after shopping! We bought lightweight totes for the booty we got and took them on the plane. It was a great trip and we felt we would never see any of those people again so it didn’t matter that we wore the same clothes everywhere we went. ha ha

    1. I think that sounds perfect! I’m not a quilter but I love quilt shows. I agree about it not mattering if we wear similar outfits daily (as long as they don’t start to smell 🙂 ). No one cares… or remembers.

      (Sorry that your comment got stuck in my spam. I have now set it free, and I hope any further comments don’t suffer the same fate.)

  17. I converted to travelling carry on a ways back and honestly, have never looked back. If you give it some thought, it is actually surprising how much you can get into a little bag (summer season is much easier with less bulky clothes). You picked 3 wonderful countries to visit, so much to do and see! I look so forward to reading of your adventure. Heading to Newfoundland this Friday for a few weeks with a girlfriend on a little adventure together. Can’t wait!

    1. Although we both had a puffy coat packed in our luggage (which we wore often early on in our trip), you are right about it being easier to pack for the spring and summer. Your trip sounds wonderful! I’ve never been to Newfoundland, but I’ve heard that it is beautiful. Have fun!

  20. Good job packing! I’m looking forward to hearing more about your trip. When we started taking our big post retirement trips, we invested in some Exoficio underwear (light weight and dries really fast.) I also usually take a couple of light weight scarves to jazz things up or for added warmth/sun shade (skipping the jewelry and such.) Love your tip to loosen up the definition of matching!

    1. I think it’s smart to invest in a few pieces that work well while traveling. We found that lightweight wool could be easily layered, washed well, and dried fast (and didn’t hold body odor). Pro tip: I bought a bunch of easy wash and wear undies from Target that worked really well.

  22. I’ve never travelled with just carry-ons. Of course, these last few years I haven’t travelled, so I’ll be living vicariously through you. And your carry-ons. Taking notes for my future travels.

  23. I’m impressed with the duration! We did all our overseas travel with one carry-on each, but it was usually for a week to 10 days.

  24. Your travels sound amazing, Janis, and the light packing is how we pack when we backpack. Of course, backpacking is different, but the end result is the same. I smiled when you mentioned that your photos look similar to each other. Then again, packing less simplifies the journey, too. Enjoy!

  25. Good plan on the small suitcases. I’ve traveled in Europe by train and underground and large suitcases are not good. I have no problem wearing the same things over and over, but I’m not sure about my husband!! Can’t wait to hear more.

        1. I just read that some airlines (not sure which ones) are now charging passengers to use overhead space. These hidden – and not so hidden – costs are nuts. Although a carry on and a backpack each worked well for us, I don’t know if I could fit everything I need in something that fits under the seat.

  27. You were so wise to pack lightly! Who wants to be burdened with tons of luggage while traveling? I prefer to travel that way too, but I’m afraid on our next trip it won’t be possible. We’re going on a cruise to Alaska, which means 1)warm clothes 2)clothes that can get wet) 3)dress clothes for the evening. It would be a LOT simpler if the stupid cruise ship didn’t have a dress code for evening dictating “no jeans.” I mean, seriously, a dress code on an Alaska cruise? What are they thinking?

    1. We went on an Alaskan cruise several years ago and, yes, a carry-on wouldn’t have sufficed. I don’t get those fancy dress codes either… so silly and, with the tight restrictions most airlines have nowadays, not very practical. I did find (on our cruise, anyway) that most people didn’t get overly dressed up. A nice pair of black jeans (that look like slacks) and a nice top might be just fine. The great thing about humans is that they are way too concerned with themselves to notice what others are wearing 🙂

      Have fun on your cruise! Alaska is beautiful.

  28. I respect you! Two carry-ons is a good compromise between one carry-on and one medium-sized bag. Can’t wait to see your posts about the countries you visited. I’ve spent a lot of time in Italy but never been to Portugal and only once to Spain….

    1. Both of us were surprised at how much stuff we were able to pack into the suitcases. At the beginning of our trip, it was pretty chilly, and, at the end, we were in short sleeves. Somehow, we had enough to be comfortable in a variety of temps.

  31. I’ve managed to pack that light, but only for three weeks. I’d be tempted to take thrift clothes, toss them after three weeks and buy a new set of thrift clothes!

  32. Well done on packing light. It can be done! And to visit transpose this concept to your home wardrobe. I learnt that lesson via the 100 day dress challenge.
    I never thought about all the smelly walkers on the Camino. Haha that made me chuckle.

    1. I have way too many clothes in my way too big closet, especially since I really only wear a small percentage of them regularly. I’ve been slowly giving things away and am much more careful about what I buy. Being retired gives me much more flexibility in what I wear.

      1. I agree Janis. Retirement gives you more chance to wear a smaller range of clothes. No more office wear – or just one of two necessary. I love that relaxed dress sense of smart casual. It fits a dinner out to a cafe and day to day wear. Add a couple of leggings for exercise be that walking or yoga and pjs and it is pretty much complete.

  33. When I was working, I tried to do the carry-on thing, but there were too many, and they almost always started telling people they had to check their bag. It was a mess. I really don’t have the most positive image of traveling, but I do like your approach!

    A funny aside. We had a friend who used to pack all her awful outdated clothes that she never wore anymore. After she’d wear an outfit, she’d throw it away. Eventually she had enough room in her suitcase for stuff she’d buy on the trip. I can still picture this horrible jumpsuit she showed up in at the airport. Luckily, we never saw it again.

    1. They made us check our bags on the way home too. They were carry-on size but because so many people are trying to avoid the checked-bag fee, the overheads are packed (I guess the airlines never saw that coming… duh). The good news was that, since we were headed home, it wasn’t as big of an issue if our bags didn’t arrive with us (they did) and, since our bags were carry-on size, they didn’t charge a checked-bag fee.

      I’ve heard of people getting rid of older clothes as they traveled and buying new or going to a charity shop. I’m just not that fond of clothes shopping so that doesn’t sound like fun at all… but it’s a great way to declutter your closet!

  34. I’m impressed you got by on such an extended overseas vacation with just carry-ons and backpacks. Can’t wait to read about your adventures! Don’t skimp on describing the food. My taste buds are begging to live vicariously through you.

  35. Nice! Lengthy trips in our travel trailer have taught us how to pack carefully since storage space is extremely limited. I find myself intrigued by suitcases I see advertised as “carry-on closets.”

  36. Very impressive! I don’t think I could do it. LOL! But what a wonderful adventure you’ve enjoyed. Nine weeks is an amazing opportunity. 🙂

  37. Good for you for limiting your trip to only 3 countries. If I had 9 weeks I’d be flitting all over the place. Look forward to reading your posts, especially about Portugal, where we’re headed in March.

  38. Well done with light packing! It’s definitely doable, especially when the weather at the destination is warm. I’ve been traveling with a carry-on for decades. There are lots of lightweight clothing in the market. France, Portugal and Spain are some of my favourites in Europe. I revisited Portugal in March-April. I look forward to hearing more about your trip.

    1. Yes, the weather was pretty nice to use throughout our trip. Not too chilly (although we needed our puffy coats now and then) and not too warm (never regretted my decision not to bring shorts). And you are right about the abundance of great travel clothes on the market.

      I wonder if we crossed paths in Portugal?

  39. Sounds like an amazing trip!

    We always travel pretty light when we take a plane somewhere, so understand the desire to only bring carry-ons. Wearing boots and the one pair of jeans and sweater during the flight and on travel days, makes it easier to pack everything else in the carry-on roller. And, who needs make-up anyway? 🙂

  40. I agree with you about staying longer, the ticket costs the same. We always go with two carry on suitcases when we go to Europe but check them in so that we don’t have to babysit them in the airports. You must of had a marvelous time.

    1. We “had to” check our bags twice due to too much luggage in the cabin. Fortunately, since they were regulation size, we didn’t have to pay extra to do that. I’m always a bit wary that our bags will end up somewhere other than our destination, but it hasn’t happened yet 🙂

  41. Hi Janis, Off the grid for awhile and wanting to catch up on your posts.😊 I love finding out information and gems on how to pack. Like you say “bits of wisdom.” You bring me back to a Rick Steves tour (Europe through the back door) and then added on Portugal to this trip about 15 years ago. Just a back pack and smaller day pack for a month of travel. Made it work, and like you say, “experiences we will remember forever.” Ha, ha, extra smile about Mr. And Ms. Hillbilly. Happy to read how you and Paul had a great time! xo 💕Erica

    1. Hi Erica! Portugal was really special. I’m pretty sure it won’t be our last trip there. I don’t understand the “need” to bring a lot of stuff when one travels. Literally no one cares what you wore yesterday or that your pants are a bit wrinkly (as long as you wash everything regularly 🙂 ).

  42. Excellent tips especially:
    Loosen up your definition of match.
    Travelling with a minimal amount of clothing just shows how easy it is to get by with little. Living a simplified life while seeing glorious places sounds like the perfect holiday overseas.
    I found wool.and clothing to work really well on such trips. Quick drying and compact. Rinse and repeat!
    And I can’t wait to hear about Portugal it is one of the places I’d like to go.

  43. It’s always easier to travel when you pack light ✨ i forever endorse the rolling option! It really opens up a lot of space for other stuff, plus the whole packing ends up looking compact👍

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