The Unbearable Lightness of Travel

Traveling could be a drag. Sometimes you have to prepare yourself for a possible bump on the road, especially when you try to brave that rough terrain all the way through to that secluded highland resort somewhere in the outskirts of the city. And you probably tell yourself, after packing a lot of stuff inside your bag that you wished you have done something to unburden yourself, or at least carry something light as you go on with your travel.

But traveling light is not so much a trait of a Filipino traveler as a daily habit. Even a two-day vacation spells a whole lot of planning and meticulous inventory of clothes to wear and things to carry along. It has to be prepared in such a way as for you to fix even the color scheme of your clothes to achieve that desired effect, and to really look good the entire travel. This, however, takes a lot of time, and effort, too, regardless of the destination.

Even loads on public utility vehicles are now being restrained in some crowded areas, so that passengers may never run the risk of a possible overload, and the discomfort it would bring. It used to be so cool to ride the jeepney from Kidapawan to Magpet atop the “topload” along with other passengers, but, over the years, local government had managed to put brakes on operators doing it.

So, if you still haven't found the right stuff to keep inside your duffel bag or your bulky backpack, you might want to unload them altogether again and start thinking light. The chances of you encountering a heavy rush of flood across a bridge, or the possibility of a long walk home because of an annoying traffic jam, is one prospect that will take your breath away as you go along with that heavy equipment. Needless to say, there are still practical ways for you to have that relaxing journey you've always wanted, or longed perhaps, every time you hit the road.

BAG IT

The trick is in the bag. To achieve that sort of astral experience, a bag should be durable enough to withstand a beating, has transportability, and easy to pick up. Somehow, all it takes is one utilitarian backpack for a cool, relaxed and unhampered ride somewhere down that rugged road.

Fighting your way through a thick crowd of travelers in Ecoland perhaps, before and after a holiday rush, sometimes takes a toll on your patience, what with all the shoving and shouting of those irate passengers nearby. And traveling right in the middle of that commotion with your bloated bag brandishing in front of you is a surefire way to ignite your top in the very least.

It takes great pain, so to speak, to choose the right bag for your long trip ahead. But if you've learned to segregate your basic needs from your traveling excesses, then a durable, handy bag will take care of the rest, and will probably take care of you, it’s a trait that lends years of experience, but gives great pleasure when it gets into the habit. A matter of getting used to.

And since traveling in Mindanao takes a lot of getting used to with an out-of-the-way country path that is probably buried in the mud, or simply passing through a madding crowd of cramming passengers slouching inside the terminal, you could certainly use a bag that you can actually carry, and call it your own.

"It's like my bedroom in my suitcase," says Cheryl, who works in a non-government organization, and who travels occasionally with her peers doing charitable work, and said that even before she reaches the departure area, she's already in excess of things inside her suitcase, but considers traveling light a virtue she hoped to have someday.

COME AS YOU ARE

Overpacking is an excess baggage. Sometimes the temptation to overpack may bring spontaneity in our traveling schedule. And not only we over pack at some point, we try to over plan the entire trip also just so to maximize our anticipated getaway. Or so, we thought.

Ask Aimee, a law student working in a law firm in Davao City. "I'm not a light traveler. I carry more than one baggage... Kasi I want na marami akong options what to wear, kaya I bring a lot of stuff," she said. A habit she doesn't want to kick for now regardless of the circumstances.

The sorry habit of overpacking only intensifies as the travel progresses. By trying to please yourself with a cul-de-sac of just about anything, you may end up losing the appetite of traveling again, like a Hebrew slave whirling about in the desert after getting out of Egypt.

The catch is: Try to spice up your travel quirks with a little purse of serendipity. Mindanao is rich in magnificent landscapes just outside the bus window or merely overlooking from an airline point of view, and you might miss out on this one if you pay too close an attention to your luggage. Overplanning sucks out the marrow of your intended joyride. Give yourself a break.

CARRY ON

Thanks to some charges over excess baggage in most of our airports; we can now ride at least with less concern and less cash, the latter out of that lingering fear of being charged. The additional fees can turn out to be a blessing in disguise for you to start traveling now.

This gives Marlon enough room and time in his long journey to Iloilo, where he takes his Master’s in Communication. "Kung going to Iloilo, travel light lang. Kapoy magdala daghan. Of course, I only carry one bag," he emphatically said.

Yes, traveling light is also a process. It takes practice and constant meandering of the will for it to sink and grind inside every traveler’s mind. Whether you're in some outback in the jungles of Surigao, or right in the middle of a steep forest just miles to go before the sleepy rest at the foot of the Apo, traveling light is still an option too good to be left undone.

"On your next trip consider taking the traveling light approach. Freed from reservations and expectations, you too will find that less is so much more," said Shawn Donley, herself a renowned traveler for more than 50 countries. The danger, she said, in traveling otherwise, is that you may lose some numerous opportunities along the way such as impromptu invites and unexpected home stays, instead of treating them all with your unbearable props.

So if you're thinking of donning on an easy getup on your way to the station, just go ahead and do it. Traveling light may never be an ideal as far as preferences go, but by being flexible to the demands of travel, and using a little inventiveness, your trip may be the most relaxing journey you have ever taken since coming home.