Lydia and I are off to Croatia for two weeks of vacation tonight.  I think it is pretty evident from the picture of my entire luggage (yes all of it fits in a typical, small backpack) that lightweight backpacking has an influence on many other areas of my life.

For me, it’s all about simplicity, stripping down to the absolute essentials.  It’s part innovation (gear), part knowledge (learning), part sacrifice (going without), and part being willing to make mistakes (humility), that allows you to focus on being present with what matters (people or places) without being too tied down to things.

How does backpacking influence other aspects of your life?  Leave your thoughts in the comments!

Plitvice Waterfalls Croatia photo by Jack Brauer