Someone else's No Baggage Challenge Experience

Hi Scott

Travelling Light

Much more modest than round the world with no bag, but I, (honestly), decided before you announced your “Round the World Trip”, to make a trip from my home in Yorkshire, UK, to the north of Scotland by train, (cheap with my Senior Railcard) carrying everything in my Essential Travel Jacket and Hidden Cargo Pants.

I’m just back after my three day/two night adventure. I travelled via Leeds to Edinburgh; on to Inverness where I stayed the night. Second day - with Scotland at its best in bright sun - from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh, where the rail line stops and by bus across Skye to Armadale, a ferry to Mallaig and train to Fort William for my second night. Last day was from Fort William to Glasgow and on to Carlisle and my home in Yorkshire.

Sights seen - Kirkstall Abbey, Durham Cathedral, Edinburgh Castle and Monument to the author Sir Walter Scott; across the Forth Rail Bridge; Cuillin Mountains of Skye, ruins of the Fort in Fort William, Ben Nevis, highest mountain in Britain (but a very modest 4408 feet/1344 metres), the Glenfinnan Viaduct, and Loch Lomond.

Attached is what I took - too much, but I’ll learn for next time!

Thanks for some great kit.

Regards, Gerry Yates

ON    SeV Coat and pants    Underwear, Socks, shirt, Shoes
Shaver, Toothbrush,Tooth paste, Pre-electric, Deodorant
Plaster, Aspirin, Medication, Spare Pants
Hat, Moist tissues
Notebook, Pen, Penknife, Camera
Phone, MP3 player, Powermonkey-charger
Mini torch,
Credit Cards, Cash, 
Book, Magazine, Map, Tickets, Railcard

Scott

Thanks for the reply.

As always, you learn from experience. In future for a three/four day trip I would not take a charger - just limit usage of Phone and MP3. I used my normal rechargable shaver which I carried in the bottle holder. This was heavy so I have already bought a travel shaver at half the weight.

Socks I washed and dried overnight. I'd do the same with underwear next time. I am sure it's not new, but when washed, I lay them in a towel, squeeze very hard and they always dry overnight. On one previous occasion (just off the Trans Siberian, to drop a name) I inadvertently washed all my socks and was due to meet someone within the hour, so after squeezing I used the hotel hair dryer in the open end of the sock and had a dry pair in five minutes!

Like my wife, you are already thinking I'm a strange individual!

I attach some photos. Taking from a train is often difficult but I'm happy with them. The shot of my kit shows as follows left to right:-

Top -Moist tissues;Maps;Schedule;Magazine
Mid - Pants; hat; Wash kit 1 &2 (in future I should be able to reduce these in size)
BottomMP3; Phone; Camera;Powermonkey charger; Penknife; Notebook, cheque book and Credit Cards.

Of the photos I like that of Durham Cathedral through a murky morning. It's almost surrounded by a loop of the River Wear. and was largely complete by the year 1143!

I've been thinking of my next trip and perhaps I'll go to the battlefields of the First World War in northern France and Belgium. Probably next year.

Sorry to have gone on at length.

Regards, 

See and download the full gallery on posterous