Small Group Travel Advice for Active Adults and Solo Travelers

The Traveling Professor departs soon for a 66-day trip to include Ireland, Scotland, Iceland, and Croatia.  That's a diverse itinerary with needs for a variety of weather and geographical conditions.    What does he pack for such a long trip to Europe?  Here is the packing list, and it ALL goes in a carry on.

One of the most important decisions to make is what type of luggage to use.  The Professor recently test-drove an entirely new set of luggage on a recent 10-day domestic trip with 5 flights.  This is the recommended travel luggage for a trip to Europe.  It is all carry-on luggage and is light, efficient, and it looks good too. 

Here is the luggage The Professor uses:

• OGIO Layover Travel Bag
• OGIO Backpack

What I wear on the plane:  Shoes, socks, pants, underwear, shirt, down vest (gloves inside vest pockets).

In the OGIO Layover Travel Bag:

• Pants:  Eddie Bauer Ranier Pants.  They pack easy and are comforable. 3 pair.  
• Shorts:  Again, we go with the Eddie Bauer shorts.  3 pair.
• 1 Button-down shirt.
• 2 Golf shirts
• 1 Sweatshirt like this one. 
• 5 T-shirts, one of them being long-sleeve.
• Socks. 5 pair.
• Underwear.  13 pair.
• Swimsuits.  2 swimsuits are packed. One will be left upon departure from Iceland. No one wants to carry-around a wet swimsuit after going in the Blue Lagoon then getting on the plane.
• Flip Flops:  1 pair.
• Sleep Shorts.  
• Winter hat (Iceland)
• Laundry bag

In the OGIO Backpack:

• Travel documents including reservations, CDC card, passport.
• Meds
• Sunglasses and extra sunglasses
• Laptop computer
• Phone and chargers
• Baseball cap
• Small mesh daypack
• Comb, travel scissors, razor
• Book
• Writing materials (pad, pens)
• Travel scale
• Eye mask for sleeping on plane
• Small travel lock 
• 1 pair of underwear in case of flight delays

One reason The Professor is able to pack so efficiently is that he does laundry while on the road, usually at least once a week.  He sends it out to a laundromat or has the hotel do it.  It is expensive but extremely convenient.