Why You Should Travel Light As A Nigerian

Whether you are traveling in or out of the country, packing and traveling light is essential. Many people assume that the longer you intend to be at your destination, the more things you need to bring. This is a bit of a myth, but a 7-day trip almost always requires at least a little bit more than an overnight jaunt. Pack what you know you will need and use. Just because you want to bring something, does not mean that it’’s necessary. Traveling light should mean that your luggage weighs little to nothing.  Also, as a Nigerian, you know the load you’’re bringing back from your trip will be ten times more than what you’ initially took because of all the things you’d have to bring back for family and friends.

Here are a few reasons why you should pack and travel light.

Ease: – No matter how far away you’re going and how long you are going for, a lighter suitcase translates to easier mobility. Dodging other travelers in the terminal will be much easier when you’re only carrying a backpack or a small, wheeled carry-on, as opposed to carrying your father’’s duplex on your head disguised as a suitcase or Ghana-must-go.  And don’t forget, your stuff needs to get to the airport; from the airport, to your accommodation, back to the airport when you’re leaving, and back home. Packing lighter saves you all kinds of hassle.

Economy: – Traveling light will save you money mainly from the fees most airlines charge for checked baggage nowadays, and also from cabmen that will charge you extra for your luggage. Even having to employ the services of a wheel barrow man to help you carry your load across the express is poking some holes in your pocket.

Security: –If you’re carrying too much luggage, you will need to have eyes at the back of your head and even on both sides of your face to be able to watch over them because of all the miscreants and pick pockets everywhere. If you’re new in a place, you shouldn’t be walking around with too much luggage. There seems to be a direct correlation between the chances of cons, pickpockets, and other miscreants and the mark’s amount of luggage. A person with many bags scream the fact that they are a tourist and vulnerable to misdeeds. Also, when you handle your bags yourself from point A to point B, you ensure that no one mishandles it; in the name of efficiency, many of the baggage crew tend to hurl bags back and forth, possibly damaging your bag and items inside.  

Comfort: For anxious people such as myself, it is a relaxing feeling knowing that everything that you have with you is safely stowed in that overhead bin and within reach at all times. Hauling heavy bags is never easy or comfortable, and your hands and shoulders don’t have to ache or blister.

Also, besides the normal strain of traveling or jetlag, you won’t have to consider the health complications that could come with carrying heavy stuff like strained muscles, shallow breath, and general body pains.

Preparation: –Packing light allows you to prepare your your belongings in less time, both before you leave for the airport, and when you check out of your room to go back home.

It also reduces the chances of a ‘what to wear’ dilemma because you would only wear and be comfortable in the clothes you brought, unlike when you carry your entire wardrobe and start changing clothes like it’s a fashion shoot.

Gives you room to buy ‘something’: This is something can range from a house, car, washer, hairdryer, and whatever else your family, friends, neighbors, Twitter followers, or Facebook friends have asked you to ‘bring for them’, or what the people you went to see packaged for you to take home.

In other words, you will be prepared in the event that you decide to purchase extra souvenirs (which you definitely must) to carry back home. Packing light to begin with affords you more opportunity to do so.

To round up the benefits of traveling, you should know that planes weighing more (thanks to your heavy bags) require more fuel, using a cab (because of your heavy bags) leaves a larger carbon footprint than taking the public transportation available, and also it really isn’t cool to inconvenience people – which you will, with your large and heavy luggage.