To Naomi, and others who would like to experience the joy, here are some rules.
Rule number one:Take only what you KNOW you need.
Buddhists and logic purist will be quick to point out that you can never know the future. Trust yourself. You'll know when you know. If in doubt, leave it out. Do not be tempted by "Just in Case" items. Allow for some discomfort. If expecting large climate variations, consider buying locally. For example, instead of carrying a parka on a six-month Asia trip, I bought one (for a couple of bucks) after arriving in the Vietnam Highlands. In the process, I visited the village market, haggled like the locals, and practiced my Vietnamese vocabulary (The numbers, one to twenty). Two weeks later, in the Mekong Delta, I discarded the jacket.
Do consider the consequences of not having an item. I will always carry a poncho on an overnight hike in the Sierra Nevada, while getting wet in Paris, can be romantic.
Rule number two: Plan on layers
Any item of clothing should be part of a plan. Three light layers, topped by a light rainproof shell are sufficient for most Summer travel. At the low end of the temperature range, all your items should be on your body, not in the pack.
Rule number three: Use only synthetic materials.
No cotton. Nylon wicks moisture away from the body and dries quickly. It is easy to wash, and is ready to wear in the morning. Down, the most compact insulation material available, is the only exception to this rule.
Rule number four: Choose the right luggage.
Any container will get overfilled. Therefore, the right size is slightly smaller than what you think you need.
My preferred style is an internal-frame backpack, with straps that can be tucked inside. Wheels are evil.
Results
Using these rules on a trip that included both Southern Spain and Norway, my pack (without the computer) weighed six kilos. Adi needs skin care products, and her pack weighed less than eight kilos. The list of everything I took is shown below. We think that next trip, the list can be slightly reduced.
Upper Layer
T shirt -3
Long T
Long sleeve shirt
Windproof fleece jacket
Light rainproof shell with hood
Lower Layer
Underwear -3
Long john (light)
Swim trunks (can act as short pants)
Long pants (Next trip, maybe revert to two pants)
Head-wear
Sun hat
Warm cap (Important to hair-challenged men)
Footwear
Black running socks -3
Covered-toe sandals. (Usable both in the city and mountain hikes)
Thongs
Toiletry
Silk sleeping sheet
Towel (Synthetic)
Soap and case
Tooth brush and paste
Shaving razor (Not Mach 3) and gel
Deodorant stick
Nail clip
Other
Mosquito repellent
Sun block
Sun glasses
Small assortment of first aid items
Folding knife
Headlamp
Pen and memo pad
Adi's neck pillow
Communications
Reading glasses
10" Netbook computer
Earphones -2, with a splitter jack
Kindle (For the guide books)
Luggage
Passport/money pouch
Small day-pack
Internal-Frame backpack 54x33x25 cm. (Eagle Creek does not make them that small any more)
Adi packed almost the same, with the following exceptions
Only two T-shirts
Black travel dress
Hiking shoes
Slippers
Pack light and be happy.
