My Packing Essentials for Long Tripsמה אני אורזת לטיולים ארוכים

I've been a carry-on-only traveler since a luggage disaster in Athens, 2021. My checked bag took a detour to Frankfurt. I was heading to Santorini. That was the last time I checked a bag. Since then, I've done three-week trips across Japan, two weeks in Patagonia, and a month-long loop through Morocco — all from a single 40-liter backpack and a camera bag. Here's what actually lives inside.

The Philosophy First

Most people overpack because they pack for every possible scenario instead of the most likely ones. I pack for who I actually am when I travel — not who I imagine I'll be. I don't suddenly become someone who exercises at the hotel gym, attends formal dinners every night, or needs six pairs of shoes. I'm a photographer who walks a lot, eats at local places, and sometimes goes somewhere nice in the evening. I pack for her, not for a fantasy version of her.

Clothing: The Capsule

Everything I bring works together and can be reworn without looking like I rewore it. I go dark and neutral — navy, black, olive, camel — with one item that adds color or interest. Natural fabrics where possible: merino wool doesn't smell after a long day, linen doesn't wrinkle badly, and both look intentional rather than merely practical.

• 3 tops — one fitted, one loose, one that works for a nicer evening out
• 2 bottoms — one pair of versatile trousers (not jeans — too heavy, too slow to dry), one dress or skirt that doubles as a going-out option
• 1 light layer — usually a merino cardigan or a thin structured jacket
• 1 warm layer — a packable down vest or softshell, depending on the destination
• 2 pairs of shoes — walking sandals or low-profile sneakers, and one pair that handles a good restaurant without apology
• Underwear for five days — merino or synthetic, washed in the sink as needed

I wear my heaviest items on travel days: the jacket, the boots, any denim if I'm bringing it. That's not a trick — it's common sense that took me embarrassingly long to adopt.

Camera Kit

I shoot with a mirrorless system — currently a Sony a7C II, which is compact enough to feel personal rather than invasive in small spaces. A big camera is a wall between you and the place you're trying to document. I want to disappear into a moment, not announce myself.

• Body plus a 35mm prime — my default lens, responsible for roughly ninety percent of what I shoot
• One additional lens — 85mm or 24mm depending on the trip — never both; the extra weight is never worth the extra optionality
• Two spare batteries and a dual charger — cold weather, long shooting days, and the sheer forgetting of it all demand backup
• Small flexible tripod — not a full-size tripod; something that wraps around railings or balances on café tables
• Memory cards in a hard-shell case — always carry more than you think you need, and keep one card in your pocket separately from the rest
• ND filter — for shooting in bright midday light without blowing the highlights on water or sky

My camera bag is a Peak Design Everyday Sling 10L. It sits flat against my body, opens from the front, and doesn't announce that expensive equipment is inside — which matters in crowded markets, on buses, and anywhere I want to move anonymously.

Small Comforts That Changed Everything

These aren't luxury items. They're small decisions that took me years to arrive at, and I'm annoyed it took that long.

• A silk pillowcase in a small pouch — takes up almost no space and genuinely improves every night's sleep, regardless of what's underneath it
• Earplugs and a good sleep mask — non-negotiable if you stay anywhere without proper blackout curtains, which is most places
• A decanting kit with 30ml bottles — I transfer my actual skincare into these and refuse to use hotel products. This is a personal rule I have never broken.
• One good pen and a small notebook — I write by hand in the morning. It's how I process where I am before the day starts moving.
• A reusable tote that compresses to nothing — for markets, beaches, spontaneous shopping, and any day I want to leave the backpack behind entirely
• A 20,000mAh portable battery — I charge everything from it: phone, camera batteries, wireless headphones. It travels in my personal item, not the main bag.

What I've Stopped Bringing

The list of things I no longer carry is longer than what I do bring. No full-size hairdryer — hotels have them and travel ones are underpowered anyway. No just-in-case outfit that never gets worn. No physical guidebook — I screenshot the relevant pages before I land. No laptop on personal trips; my phone and a compact Bluetooth keyboard cover it if writing becomes necessary.

I've also stopped bringing anything that requires a specific context to use. If I can only wear it to one type of occasion that may or may not happen, it doesn't come. The packing list is a wager on probability, not possibility.

The best thing about traveling light isn't the airport. It's arriving somewhere and being immediately mobile — walking through a neighborhood without wheeling anything, sitting down at a café without blocking the door, taking a last-minute bus because you actually can. Lightness is freedom in the most literal sense.

I revise my packing list after every trip. I note what I reached for and what I didn't touch. Over time, the bag gets smaller and more precise. That's the process. It never ends, and I've stopped thinking it should.