The time has finally come. Tomorrow, I get on a 14-hour ferry journey (yes, really 14 hours) to Amsterdam which marks the beginning of my new lifestyle. Thanks to Cloud Living, I can now live pretty much anywhere I want, for as long as I want, and not have to worry about finding a job or cheap destinations.
Amsterdam is just the first in over 10 planned destinations which will see me visit 3 continents. From there, my plan is to start a ‘home’ in the place that I like the best. I will then use that is my base to continue travelling. I will be with one of my best friends for the first 3 months of the journey, but the rest is just me on my own.
I thought that the day before I leave would be a good time to share exactly what I’m taking with me on the journey. For now, I feel all of this stuff is relevant. After travelling around though, this itinerary may very well change. As this is my first time going solo around the world, I’ not quite sure what to expect.
Holdall
The first item on my list, is a holdall. When I start flying I will need to upgrade to a suitcase, but a holdall is fine for now. I picked up a cheap one last week which is both light and durable which makes it perfect for taking on ferries and the trains myself and Diggy will use throughout Europe.
The one I picked up holds 127 litres which is quite large for a holdall and also has wheels so I can easily lug it around.
Macbook Pro
My previous laptop was a Sony Vaio which lasted me about 2 and a half years before things started going downhill. I think of myself as good with computers, but I couldn’t do much to stop it quickly going from ‘fine’ to ‘sluggish’. I had been planning to try a Mac for quite a while and because I needed something reliable for my trip, and decided to pick up a Macbook Pro just over a month ago.
I went with the 13″ model but upgraded to 2.53ghz. I’m really glad I didn’t get a 15″ as I have been using mine on trains a lot and it only just fits into the space that I have had available. I’m very happy with the Mac although there are a couple of small things that annoy me. Overall, I would recommend them to anyone who wants something reliable with a very intuitive operating system.
Samsung P1000
After my last camera was stolen in South Africa by my best friend at the time (long story) I asked my parents to get me one for my birthday. They came back with an inexpensive but very high-quality camera, the Samsung P1000. It takes 10 megapixel images and it is both very quick and easy to use.
The photos I’ve taken with it are of excellent quality and more than enough for my needs. I also love that, unlike my previous digital camera, it is as thin as a mobile phone and fits easily in my pocket. Perfect for when I’m moving from place to place so much.
Flip Ultra HD
My original plan for this trip to Amsterdam was simply going to be to spend 3 months there and return back to the UK. Myself and Diggy had lots of video ideas for the personal development niche which was one of the main reasons for the trip. Based on the money I make now and have sitting in my bank account, staying in Amsterdam and returning home is no longer the plan.
I wanted to pick up a moderately priced but quality video camera to have some better memories of the destinations I visit. Due to the popularity of the Flip and its size, I decided to pick one up. If I’m honest, I’m not overly happy with the quality that it produces and the zoom is terrible. But at £120, I guess you get what you pay for. If I find that it’s not good enough for my travels and plans, I will get something better and give it to a friend or family member.
HD Spycam
Because of the projects that myself and Diggy have planned, we needed a discreet camera to record some of our activities. I had been researching Spycams for a while and when I found this high-defition one for £150, I had to pick it up.
I highly doubt that anything taken with this will be made public, so you’ll just have to trust me when I say that the quality is great. It will mean that we can do what we need to do without having another person hiding in the corner trying to get the footage on another camera.
iPod Nano
I seem to be the only person in the world who can’t work and listen to music at the same time, but I love listening to tunes when I’m going shopping or travelling anywhere. The iPod is an industry leader because it is sleek, stylish and is very reliable (at least that’s what I have found to be the case).
I picked up a blue one about 5 months ago, a few months prior to them releasing a version with the video camera addition. There’s not much else to say about this – it does the job and I’m very happy with it.
Sony-Ericsson something Phone
I used to be the person who would always have the latest phones. When Nokia’s and there interchangeable covers were popular, I was the first to have one and the latest fascias. I used to think having the latest phone showed that I had money and was cool. Now, I see how stupid that was and don’t even care about my phone.
I probably sound like your grandparents here, but as long as my phone can call and text, that’s good enough for me. I care so little about my phone that I don’t even know what model it is. I picked the phone that was the smallest; and this is rather tiny. Some people might be surprised that I don’t have an iPhone or anything else that allows me to work on the go. My response is that everyone who works independently needs to take a break from their tasks and shouldn’t have to be available at all times.
Clothes
What clothes you take to your next destination very much depend on what season that country is in and how long you are going for. If I was going back to Cape Town, for example, I would bring t-shirts and lots of light clothing with me as they are getting towards the peak of their summer months. The temperature at this kind of year can exceed 30 degrees.
For Amsterdam, however, I’m taking a lot of jumpers, hoodies and long-sleeve tops as it is about the same temperature as where I am in England right now – absolutely freezing. Because I’m doing a 36 night in a row partying-challenge, I’m also taking quite a few shirts and jeans and also a couple of pairs of shoes.
Misc
Apart from what I have listed above, I also need to take a few more items such as:
- Passport
- Credit Card
- All the cables & chargers for my gadgets
- Euros
- Travel Insurance Card (I used InsureandGo.com)
- Drivers License
- Business Cards
I think that’s pretty much everything.
What About You?
Now that I’ve revealed what I’m taking, what do you other location-independenters or just holiday-goers take with you? Is there anything I missed? Do you think I have too much?
I would love your thoughts in the comments…
Have a great time Glen, I thought the same about the Flip camera although didn’t get the HD one.
Where are the affiliate links?
Okay, now I’m super-curious about the HD spycam. Where did you get it? Link?
eBay
Sounds like you have everything ready to go. Coming back from the US I had so much stuff I bought a holdall and it really did the job nicely. Fine for packing your clothes etc.
When it comes to clothes I like to pack light. If I am going on a 2 week holiday I will always pack one weeks cloths and then was. I also make sure I can make more than one outfit from them. One set of very smart clothing is also required along with a pair of shoes, just in case.
Your Mac will serve you well. I love mine and don’t go anywhere without it. Taking it on holiday is a must for communication, entertainment and social updates, which we are all looking forward to from you.
Have you informed your bank and credit card companies that you will be going away? Just to make sure that they don’t block any transactions, which I have experienced before.
Goodluck My brother!!!! Hope you have a blast and accomplish everything you wanted to and more!!! Dont forget June 2010 World Cup in SA!
Dont be a stranger now!!!!
Cryssie
This is going to sound a bit Grandma but I had a sewing kit which came in VERY handy at sewing on buttons, fixing shoes and altering clothes. I just bought the cheapest one I could find…
Hey Glen,
Clothes take up the majority of your luggage. If you can minimize the items of clothing while maximizing functionality, you’ll be able to significantly reduce the weight.
What I’ve found works best (and people like Tim Ferriss recommend wholeheartedly) is shirts, pants and underwear that’s made of polyester and nylon and has features like moisture-wicking, quick-drying, breathability, and anti-stink. ExOfficio is great for that.
I have much less clothes than the average person, and it’s allowed me to move around easily (literally take everything I own) with only a backpack. I don’t need 10 pairs of underwear when 2 ExOfficio boxers last more than enough, for example. Just a few pieces of each type of clothing for variety’s sake. But they dry quickly and don’t stink through repeated wearing. Plus, it looks just like regular cotton clothing (and feels super-comfortable).
Alright, I’m done being a salesman for adventure clothing
All the best with your trip to Amsterdam (I took a ferry from UK to Netherlands once, was awesome), and here’s to minimizing luggage while maximizing functionality of items (and mobility).
Best,
Oleg
Aah, the local independent (our cloud-living as you call it) life. Can’t beat it
When packing, I learned how to squeeze as much as I like into just hand luggage. But nowadays I go with a bigger bag just because it means that I can stuff everything in and pack in less than 5 minutes (whereas squeezing things in the right way takes time).
), a 50cm large novelty calculator (which I use to psychologically remind me that I’m “in the office” when working), and one tiny souvenir from each city that I’ve lived in, as well as maps of these cities to put up on my wall. No matter where I go, home always has the same basic decorations 
I’ve learned how to travel with all this junk and not slow myself down in the slightest 
I travel with similar items, but one of Dell’s largest laptops (XPS M1730) since it sits on a table for 2-3 months at a time, so it’s basically a portable desktop to me. I also travel with some silly items like a giant leprechaun hat for dress-up parties, a stethoscope (I’m not a doctor, but it is a great conversation starter if you randomly wear it
Really looking forward to the spy cam footage that you and Diggy manage to capture. That should be interesting!
Did you read the post?
None of it will be public.
Apparently I didn’t read it well enough.
Have fun guys. Maybe carry a picture of your niece? Family’s always good.
Just received a keychain of my niece today so will be keeping that with me.
As little as possible. Whether for a long weekend or a month-long trip, I bring the same – 3-4 changes of clothes and toiletries. Anything else, I can get at my destination. A friend of mine is travelling the globe right now and will be for the next 6 months. He has a small daypack with him and that’s it.
Lightweight wool shirts (icebreaker, ibex) are great for travelling as you don’t need to wash them after every use, and when you do, they dry quickly.
I would love for the chance to do this! What 10 cities do you plan on visiting?
Condoms
Glen,
Take a look at http://www.onebag.com for some of the best info on traveling light…including checklists, gear suggestions, etc.
If you plan it carefully, you can get by quite nicely with a carry-on bag and, perhaps, a laptop bag.
David
Haven’t you just revealed to every would-be thief all the nice, shiny, and expensive things you (Glen Allsopp) carry around in your (Holdall brand) bag? Not sure how smart this post was.
Must say, I’m intrigued at what you are planning to use the spy cam footage for…! But I realise that it may be under wraps for a good reason.
I can only work while listening to music without lyrics (or with unclear lyrics), or, occasionally, tracks I know *very* well. I find it incredibly hard to write if I’m listening to any word-input at the same time. Music also tends to get me too buzzed up when I’m writing, almost in an over-caffeinated way.
Anyway, wanted to say, have a FANTASTIC time. And keep us up to date on your exploits!
Ali x
Great stuff, man! Looks like you’re all gadgeted up.
I’m sure you’re going to have a great time and I’m really looking forward to the videos you’ll be producing. Too bad you don’t plan to show us the jucy spycam-footage.
Seriously, you guys should come to Switzerland. I’ll show you more cows, mountains and banks than you can shake a loaf of cheese at.
And martial arts, if you’re into that.
Have a great trip, Glen!
Cheers,
Shane
hi glen
from my travels over the years here are few points.
try to half your luggage and double your cash/travellers cheques if poss!
i use a 60 litre bag that opens completely on one side so i dont have to rummage to the bottom to find anything and i can pack quickly. your bag sounds massive!
wouldnt mind betting you will upgrade your camera during your travels.A DSLR may seem bulky but you will be glad when you see the results from it.
Take a multi charger/plug converter (ok obvious one)
take handy zip bags to seperate items within your luggage (also can be handy having them waterproofed)
well those are the ones that come to mind.
best of luck
J
It really depends on whether you are moving somewhere for a couple of months or will be changing location every few weeks.
My tip is zip lock plastic bags. They always come in handy.
No first-aid kit?
From what I know of heavy-duty backpackers some basic things they recommend are simple multi-purpose light-weight clothes, rope for setting up stuff like hammocks, drying clothes etc., and a leatherman tool.
I just started reading your book and wish I could enjoy a life like yours. I don’t know whether China is in your travelling plan. But if you do come here, Please drop me an e-mail. We can meet and hangout
I knew it. It’s pretty obvious that DJ’s going to use that spycam to record a sex tape as a big publicity stunt just before he releases his next eBook
(Or maybe a pluginid reality show is in the works…
Seriously though, DJ, what gadget are you using to *record* from that spycam? I had a mini-DVR (basically a tiny video recorder) but I never found any that worked very reliably… can the Flip record external video input?
What make is the spycam, btw?
Have fun with all your adventures. We know you will.
Dave
Trip & life.Trip is really necessary in our life.
no playstation?
for me that’s an important item 
D
Have a good trip Glen and thanks for the great post as usual. I’m a big Mac fan as well. As for the spy cam…hmmm.
Have a good one!
Dayne
Glen,
you’ll have a lot of fun in Amsterdam and will probably get sick of partying cause it never stops
This maybe a silly question, but how will you connect to the internet? WiFi? Prepaid? What other options are there?
Good luck with all your plans and I hope to read your next post soon!
“Because of the projects that myself and Diggy have planned, we needed a discreet camera to record some of our activities.”
protein. everywhere.
Cool stuff, the only thing i would (personally) drop are the spycam and the flip ultra.
I would probably get an more high end (but still very small) camera which can record decent or semi-decent videos as well.
By the way, i have a sony ericcson phone for over a year now and i’m very pleased with it. It has a built-in camera with flash which takes decent pics as well, plus it was quite cheap.
What do you want to bethere anyway. Thankfully, and put it.