Perfectly doable.

Except for the souvenirs!

Souvenirs are easy, if it is something you really love post it home !

I don't think this is anything out of the ordinary. Have done this many times. It never ceases to amaze me the amount of stuff some people take for a weekend never mind around the world.

I couldn't possibly comment

Easy peasy, especially if she was mostly in 1st world countries. Loads of people do it with just a backpack.

I'd be okay as long as I could get hold of the only brand of contact lenses I can wear out there. I need two pairs a day in hot climes and I'm not sure I could fit in 150 even using both liquids bags....

I could do it too - as long as I had a decent moisturiser and sun cream I'd be fine!

I wouldn't actually want to do it, though.

(not at my age, I mean. Possibly if I were 30 years younger...)

How to include daily contact lenses is a valid point, * Maggiemaybe*.

I have travelled with only hand baggage but for three weeks at a time. Respect to anyone who did it for five. The clue in Sophie Mackenzie's testimony is that she went exclusively to first world countries, as we did.

How possible would this be with an itinerary that included second and/or third world areas?

My son and DiL are constantly travelling with just a backpack - nothing special. However, I couldn't possibly.

Does that mean that disposable lenses have to go in your plastic bag with your sun cream etc? What about things like blister plasters which have a sort of paste on them, more than ordinary plasters? Sorry if these are silly questions, but we are not experienced (or keen!) fliers. The details I can find online don't help.

Its just as easy in the back of beyond.

My medication takes up half my hand luggage plus suncream, insect repellent, anti-histamine when I react to bites, sun hat, sun glasses, can't wear silly ballet pumps or flip-flops, can't wear trainers without socks, wouldn't want to be washing clothes all the time - it's a holiday!
Along with spare specs in case mine break (which they did and I couldn't get them mended in the back of beyond), a kindle etc etc.

I wouldn't have thought that rural Cambodia was 1st world

Now, for the hold luggage, allowed 30 kgs, um, what shall I leave out?

Must try harder.

DS went off for a year with a huge backpack which went in the hold and no hand luggage - it all went in his pockets!
But he was young and single then.

Yes, I'm afraid those daily disposables have to go in the liquids bag, Wheniwasyourage. I think the blister plasters would be okay though.

Another thing that I really need is my Batiste dry shampoo (I have awful baby-fine hair and it's the only one that gives it a bit of a boost). It seems daft that a dry shampoo should have to go in the liquids bag, but it does. I came to grief on a week in Portugal last month - when I got through security at our local airport I found they were remodelling Boots at the other side. It was boarded up and I couldn't buy any to shove in my bag before boarding. I couldn't find any dry shampoo at all on sale in the Algarve so I had to eke out my diddy mini aerosol for the whole stay. Oh the trauma!

I think I've just outed myself as the sort of precious snowflake who really couldn't manage more than 7 days with hand luggage only First world problems, eh?

I suppose it is the difference between the people who take three pairs of knickers and keep rinsing them out (hoping they'll dry) and the 10+ pair brigade who would panic that they won't have enough until they find the next washing machine!

What is your attitude to risk?

Our DD1 is backpacking round South East Asia at the moment and is buying clothes for next to nothing at the market and ditching them when they're too minging (too much information ?). Not good for her carbon footprint, but when she trusted a washload to the local laundry, she lost all but one sock. On the plus side she did gain a very fancy g-string and a pair of XXL boxers.

I'm sure someone will be glad of her castoffs Maggiemaybe

Thanks Maggiemaybe. Perhaps your DD should try a laundry again with her castoffs - she might be luckier and come away with a whole new wardrobe for the next stage in her journey! Good luck to her anyway.

Jalima, I take 4 pairs of Rohan knickers and they really do dry overnight, as do their shirts (usually, and if you have to wear a slightly damp one it dries on you very quickly). We usually travel by train with rucksacks,and it's amazing how having to carry all your luggage concentrates the mind on what you can leave behind.

I couldn't carry a rucksack but I will try harder to use a smaller suitcase!

I didn't know that Rohan do knickers as well, will take a look. I was going to get some of their trousers but perhaps I need them to have a sale first.

It's certainly worth looking at their sales. I've used their Bags trousers for many years, and they dry quite quickly too, and have useful zipped pockets where I carry my purse, tickets, passport etc. Sadly, they don't do them for women any more, but I just use the men's ones with a belt. (They do belts with plastic fastenings so that you can go through metal detectors without your trousers falling down - always useful!)

I have just discovered I am too fat for Rohan knickers........a down point in anybody's day.

I bought some ladies bags last week to replace my original ones. (Online). The male version of the knickers come in all sizes up to extra large. Would they be the answer? I have nothing to do with Rohan but I have backpacked around the world many times and travel with their clothing (some of it ancient by now and not available) and know how robust and comfortable it is.