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Extreme Packing

I’ve decided to use my trip at the end of the week to San Francisco as an “extreme packing” experiment. Rather than taking my usual business travel luggage — a full-size frame backpack with clothes, plus a large briefcase with laptop — I’m trying to pare down into one medium-sized carry-on knapsack.

As such, I welcome any tips from seasoned travellers on how to discard all but the essentials. What can I leave behind?

Update: here my report on how things went.

Thursday, February 26, 2004 - 12:34am
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Comments

John Morris's picture
John Morris on February 26, 2004
Non-business clothes: roll them up neatly, no folding!
Steven Garrity's picture
Steven Garrity on February 26, 2004
I’m going to make note of how often you change your clothes (including underwear, if I can get good enough recon…).
ken's picture
ken on February 26, 2004
Don’t take anything you can’t buy there, which is everything. In fact, buy a nice medium knapsack there, to take home your purchases. See if you raise any hackles with security on the way to the US with zero baggage! Anyway, I guess you need that notebook at least, who wants to set up a new one in the middel of a trip. It’s extreme un-packing, or un-extreme packing, or really, extreme lack of pack.
Ian Williams's picture
Ian Williams on February 27, 2004
I suggest only taking unmarked pharmaceuticals. Just kidding. Actually, SFO is hard, because the weather swings pretty violently from one day to the next (and from day to night). The green cardigan is a must. Also, a breathable, waterproof coat (Cloudveil and North Face make excellent ones). The rest is gravy - it’s a VERY casual city, and nobody will be making judgements on your sartorial choices. You and the silverorange boys MUST eat at Betelnut when you are there. Quite simple the best restaurant experiece in San Fran, and while it’s a little pricey, it’s not insanely expensive. Treat yourself. Wish I could see you guys there, Tessa and I are going to miss you by a couple of weeks. Alas!

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