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Sometime in my twenties I was bitten by the travel 1)bug. I’m not sure exactly when or where it happened, but I realized that being in airports, train stations, hotels, and unfamiliar cities made me extraordinarily happy.
Interestingly, this passion developed during what I’d call an “accumulation phase” in my life. After graduating from college, my now-husband and I went through the typical process of “2)setting up house.” In fact, decorating our apartment became a creative outlet for us. Since we had little money, we 3)scoured antique shops and 4)flea markets for hidden treasures—and 5)hauled a good deal of “6)junk” back to our 7)abode.
I think, in some sense, travel became an escape from my increasingly-8)cluttered environment, though at the time, I never consciously regarded it as such. I loved the opportunity and challenge of 9)editing my possessions down to a single suitcase. I’d start making a packing list weeks in advance and select the contents as thoughtfully as if I were 10)curating an art exhibition. Thankfully, no one was 11)privy to my intense internal debates about whether to include hand cream, or an extra pair of socks; they would have thought I’d lost my mind!
Why the enormous effort in packing for a week’s vacation? As a teenager, I had over-packed for my senior class trip to Florida (thinking, in typical teenage fashion, that I needed a new outfit for every day of the trip). I suffered the misery of dragging around a heavy suitcase, half the contents of which I never even used. I remember wondering how anyone could enjoy traveling when they had to 12)cart around their stuff like a packed mule.
That was the last time I 13)checked a suitcase at the airport. In the following years, I realized that travel didn’t have to be so 14)burdensome. On my first trip to Europe, I took nothing more than a small 15)carry-on bag (16)swapping my wardrobe of clothes for a packet of laundry 17)detergent). I knew every ounce would weigh on me like a little anchor, so I was determined not to include a single item that was unnecessary or 18)superfluous. The experience was exhilarating—while others 19)trouped to the 20)baggage carousel, I 21)hit the ground running. I was mobile, flexible, and fancy free—and never once struggled to 22)maneuver my bag on buses, subways, or long 23)flights of stairs. Furthermore, my sightseeing schedule was unaffected by hotel check-in and check-out times; I could carry my little bag to museums and tourist sites, and 24)stash it in a 25)locker when need be.
I had never felt so free! I was 26)heady with the notion that I could go ANYWHERE when all my stuff was in one little bag. When I returned from a trip, I would count the days until my next vacation. Half the excitement was the opportunity to explore other cultures; the other half was the chance to recreate that feeling of27)unbridled freedom. I looked forward to those precious weeks when one bag 28)sufficed to meet my needs.
Eventually, the idea of living with just the essentials expanded beyond the days of my twice-yearly vacations. Traveling light became a metaphor for how I wanted to live my life. I began to edit the contents of my surroundings with the same 29)fervor as I had my suitcase. As I slowly 30)ditched the extra “31)baggage,” I could feel the weight lifted from my shoulders.
My passion for 32)minimalist living now equals my passion for travel. In it, I’ve discovered a way to practice the art of traveling light 365 days a year. And in the process, life has become an easier, more exciting, and infinitely more interesting journey!
在二十多岁时的某个时候,我被“旅行瘾虫”咬了一口(编者注:即我疯狂地迷上了旅行)。我不确定这具体是在何时何地发生的,但我意识到但凡身在机场、火车站、旅馆和不熟悉的城市,我就会感到格外开心。
有趣的是,在被我称为人生“积累阶段”的这段日子里,这种热情有增无减。自大学毕业以后,我和我现在的丈夫就步入了典型的“建立小窝”阶段。实际上,装饰公寓变成了我们发挥创意的机会。因为手头上没多少钱,于是我们走遍了古董店和跳蚤市场去淘宝——并往我们家搬回了许许多多的“废物”。
我认为,从某种意义上来说,旅行成了我对日渐杂乱的居家环境的一种逃避,虽然在那时候,我从未意识到是出于这个缘故。我钟爱那种将自己的家当精简到能塞进一个旅行箱的机会以及挑战。我甚至提前几个星期就开始列出装箱物品清单,并仔细思考我要带的物品,就像是在挑选作品组织一场艺术展览一般。谢天谢地,没有人知道我为了是否带上一支护手霜,或一双额外的袜子而在心中进行的一番“激辩”;否则他们会以为我疯了!
就为了一周的假期,为什么要费这么大力气打包行李呢?十来岁的时候,我们高中毕业集体旅行去的是佛罗里达州,那次我就带了过多的行李去(典型的青少年风格,想着自己在旅途中每天都得换一身新行头)。拖着一个沉重的行李箱到处走让我吃尽了苦头,而里面一半的东西我都没用过。我记得自己那时候还挺疑惑的:要是出游得像一头满载货物的骡子一般拖着行李到处跑,大家怎么能享受旅行呢?
那是我最后一次在机场托运旅行箱了。在往后的岁月里,我意识到旅行并不需要背负如此沉重的包袱。第一次去欧洲时,除了一个小小的手提包(把我成堆的衣服换成了一小包衣服清洁剂),我什么都没带。我知道每一盎司东西都会像个小锚一般给我带来沉重负担,所以我决定只要是不必要或多余的东西,就一件也不带。这次的经历让我非常高兴——当其他人围着行李传送带忙活时,我已经大步迈进,开始新的旅行了。我行动自如、灵活多变、无所牵绊——拿着我的手提包上下汽车、地铁或长长的楼梯,没有一次是感觉吃力的。此外,我的观光计划也不会被旅店的入住和退房时间所影响;我可以拎着我的小提包去博物馆和景点,有需要的时候就把它存放在带锁的储物柜中。
我从没感到这么自由自在!只要把自己的东西都放在一只小提包里,我就可以想去哪里就去哪里,这一念头让我兴奋不已。每当结束一次旅程返回时,我就会开始数着日子期盼下一次度假出行。其中一半的兴奋来自于有机会去探索其他的文化,而另一半则来自于有机会再次体会那种不受约束的自由感。我期待着那些宝贵的日子,仅仅一只手提包的物品就能满足我的需要。
最后,那种只借助必需品生活的想法延伸到了我每年两次出行以外的日子里。轻装旅行变成了自己生活理想的一个比喻。我开始以整理旅行箱时的那股热情来安排我身边的事物。随着我慢慢卸下额外的“包袱”,我能够感觉到我肩膀上的负担也在减轻。
如今,我对于“极简生活”的热爱已经和我对于旅行的热爱不相上下了。在这样的生活中,我已经发现了一种让一年365天都能实现“轻装旅行”的方法。而且,在这一过程中,生活变成了一段更为从容,更为激动人心且无比有趣的旅程!
Interestingly, this passion developed during what I’d call an “accumulation phase” in my life. After graduating from college, my now-husband and I went through the typical process of “2)setting up house.” In fact, decorating our apartment became a creative outlet for us. Since we had little money, we 3)scoured antique shops and 4)flea markets for hidden treasures—and 5)hauled a good deal of “6)junk” back to our 7)abode.
I think, in some sense, travel became an escape from my increasingly-8)cluttered environment, though at the time, I never consciously regarded it as such. I loved the opportunity and challenge of 9)editing my possessions down to a single suitcase. I’d start making a packing list weeks in advance and select the contents as thoughtfully as if I were 10)curating an art exhibition. Thankfully, no one was 11)privy to my intense internal debates about whether to include hand cream, or an extra pair of socks; they would have thought I’d lost my mind!
Why the enormous effort in packing for a week’s vacation? As a teenager, I had over-packed for my senior class trip to Florida (thinking, in typical teenage fashion, that I needed a new outfit for every day of the trip). I suffered the misery of dragging around a heavy suitcase, half the contents of which I never even used. I remember wondering how anyone could enjoy traveling when they had to 12)cart around their stuff like a packed mule.
That was the last time I 13)checked a suitcase at the airport. In the following years, I realized that travel didn’t have to be so 14)burdensome. On my first trip to Europe, I took nothing more than a small 15)carry-on bag (16)swapping my wardrobe of clothes for a packet of laundry 17)detergent). I knew every ounce would weigh on me like a little anchor, so I was determined not to include a single item that was unnecessary or 18)superfluous. The experience was exhilarating—while others 19)trouped to the 20)baggage carousel, I 21)hit the ground running. I was mobile, flexible, and fancy free—and never once struggled to 22)maneuver my bag on buses, subways, or long 23)flights of stairs. Furthermore, my sightseeing schedule was unaffected by hotel check-in and check-out times; I could carry my little bag to museums and tourist sites, and 24)stash it in a 25)locker when need be.
I had never felt so free! I was 26)heady with the notion that I could go ANYWHERE when all my stuff was in one little bag. When I returned from a trip, I would count the days until my next vacation. Half the excitement was the opportunity to explore other cultures; the other half was the chance to recreate that feeling of27)unbridled freedom. I looked forward to those precious weeks when one bag 28)sufficed to meet my needs.
Eventually, the idea of living with just the essentials expanded beyond the days of my twice-yearly vacations. Traveling light became a metaphor for how I wanted to live my life. I began to edit the contents of my surroundings with the same 29)fervor as I had my suitcase. As I slowly 30)ditched the extra “31)baggage,” I could feel the weight lifted from my shoulders.
My passion for 32)minimalist living now equals my passion for travel. In it, I’ve discovered a way to practice the art of traveling light 365 days a year. And in the process, life has become an easier, more exciting, and infinitely more interesting journey!
在二十多岁时的某个时候,我被“旅行瘾虫”咬了一口(编者注:即我疯狂地迷上了旅行)。我不确定这具体是在何时何地发生的,但我意识到但凡身在机场、火车站、旅馆和不熟悉的城市,我就会感到格外开心。
有趣的是,在被我称为人生“积累阶段”的这段日子里,这种热情有增无减。自大学毕业以后,我和我现在的丈夫就步入了典型的“建立小窝”阶段。实际上,装饰公寓变成了我们发挥创意的机会。因为手头上没多少钱,于是我们走遍了古董店和跳蚤市场去淘宝——并往我们家搬回了许许多多的“废物”。
我认为,从某种意义上来说,旅行成了我对日渐杂乱的居家环境的一种逃避,虽然在那时候,我从未意识到是出于这个缘故。我钟爱那种将自己的家当精简到能塞进一个旅行箱的机会以及挑战。我甚至提前几个星期就开始列出装箱物品清单,并仔细思考我要带的物品,就像是在挑选作品组织一场艺术展览一般。谢天谢地,没有人知道我为了是否带上一支护手霜,或一双额外的袜子而在心中进行的一番“激辩”;否则他们会以为我疯了!
就为了一周的假期,为什么要费这么大力气打包行李呢?十来岁的时候,我们高中毕业集体旅行去的是佛罗里达州,那次我就带了过多的行李去(典型的青少年风格,想着自己在旅途中每天都得换一身新行头)。拖着一个沉重的行李箱到处走让我吃尽了苦头,而里面一半的东西我都没用过。我记得自己那时候还挺疑惑的:要是出游得像一头满载货物的骡子一般拖着行李到处跑,大家怎么能享受旅行呢?
那是我最后一次在机场托运旅行箱了。在往后的岁月里,我意识到旅行并不需要背负如此沉重的包袱。第一次去欧洲时,除了一个小小的手提包(把我成堆的衣服换成了一小包衣服清洁剂),我什么都没带。我知道每一盎司东西都会像个小锚一般给我带来沉重负担,所以我决定只要是不必要或多余的东西,就一件也不带。这次的经历让我非常高兴——当其他人围着行李传送带忙活时,我已经大步迈进,开始新的旅行了。我行动自如、灵活多变、无所牵绊——拿着我的手提包上下汽车、地铁或长长的楼梯,没有一次是感觉吃力的。此外,我的观光计划也不会被旅店的入住和退房时间所影响;我可以拎着我的小提包去博物馆和景点,有需要的时候就把它存放在带锁的储物柜中。
我从没感到这么自由自在!只要把自己的东西都放在一只小提包里,我就可以想去哪里就去哪里,这一念头让我兴奋不已。每当结束一次旅程返回时,我就会开始数着日子期盼下一次度假出行。其中一半的兴奋来自于有机会去探索其他的文化,而另一半则来自于有机会再次体会那种不受约束的自由感。我期待着那些宝贵的日子,仅仅一只手提包的物品就能满足我的需要。
最后,那种只借助必需品生活的想法延伸到了我每年两次出行以外的日子里。轻装旅行变成了自己生活理想的一个比喻。我开始以整理旅行箱时的那股热情来安排我身边的事物。随着我慢慢卸下额外的“包袱”,我能够感觉到我肩膀上的负担也在减轻。
如今,我对于“极简生活”的热爱已经和我对于旅行的热爱不相上下了。在这样的生活中,我已经发现了一种让一年365天都能实现“轻装旅行”的方法。而且,在这一过程中,生活变成了一段更为从容,更为激动人心且无比有趣的旅程!