Sitting here, in my nice new bed, smelling of a delicious lotion, I figure it's the best time to write this post. Whenever people talk about "doing the backpacker thing", they're looking at a very compact, necessities-only kind of travel. Largely because they want to carry all that stuff on their backs, and because even the roomiest of packs are limited. And that's fair. Having spent the past couple of month lugging around a monster of a suitcase, I often wish I'd done that, as well.
I've always admired the backpacking style, but always from afar, knowing it wasn't quite my style. At the risk of using a stereotype, I'm just too girly to be able to do that. I need stuff like lotions, and conditioner, and make-up. And I figured I'd carry a lot of it from home since my delicate-ass skin (note the em dash to avoid any confusions xd) will get all itchy and bitchy if I use most commercial products, I figured I'd bring my own. And save some dough, while at it. Cosmetics are hella expensive out here, compared to Romania, which I find weird, honestly. I didn't find Croatia (nor the Czech Republic, which I've freshly arrived in) that expensive, in terms of food, cabs, venue prices, etc., yet my creams and soaps and stuff are twice as expensive. Odd.
Anyway, getting back to the topic at hand -- traveling with a truckload of girl shit. Can it be done without? Certainly. But I wasn't going to. See, I know myself, and know I need this sort of stuff for a good experience. I've no problem flying without for a couple of days (though even then, I like to bring a little hand cream, or a nice hair mask, if I can), but long-term, there's no way. And I knew if I forced myself to go without, I'd be miserable. Though of course, every packing guide says wave goodbye to those things.
I say, figure out what's important for you and go with it. It's something I've been putting to the test in my trip, and I figure it's a good idea for life, as it comes.
Same goes for shopping. Normally, I could care less about clothes. Really, malls, Zaras, H&Ms and whatever else store, they look the same to me. That being said, I've a little ritual of finding cool little rock n roll stores wherever I travel to. So far, I've amassed stuff (shirts, pins, patches, tote bags, whatever) from exactly this kind of little 'hidden gem' store from all over.
Still, my latest visit to one such shop in Stuttgart was a stretch. Didn't help that the lady there was the kindest, nicest person you've met, and that everything was gorgeous. Well, didn't help my credit card, or my arms that now need to carry a heavier suitcase, at least. But it did help me. Looking at myself in the mirror, I figured, okay, for this amount of cash, I could get this stuff, or eat at a restaurant for the rest of my stay in Germany. Except I don't care about restaurants. Restaurants, like clothes, like anything in this life really, are about an atmosphere, a vibe. I like some pubs, mostly because I feel at home there. I don't like fancy restaurants for the life of me. And I figured if I have to choose between some half-decent restaurant and stuff that I felt represented me, I went with the stuff. Materialistic af, I know.
So getting back to my original point -- Sure, I could travel with the bare minimum. But it wouldn't be me. Sure, I could go without finding cool little stores along the way, and just get the magnets with the town name or whatever. But that wouldn't be me, either.
Guess the point, really, is lugging around a heavy-ass suitcase is worth it, sometimes.