Anyone who has ever dared venture beyond the realms of their home town knows that one easy way to turn a good trip bad is to be too heavy-laden with luggage. Indeed, a lightness of luggage can equal a lightness of the spirit.

For the budget-conscious, it also opens up a world of money-saving opportunities that are just not possible with several trolleys of luggage that takes 30 minutes to load into a taxi. Public transport, making your own way from the airport to your accommodation, and being able to walk between locations with your luggage are all possible when you travel light.

But is it possible to travel light without compromising on style? And for those of us who appreciate at least a little bit of comfort whilst we roam from home, is it possible to travel too light?

Inspired by best-selling author Tim Ferris’ post about travelling with 10 pounds (4.5 kg) or less , I decided to explore the concept of travelling light, but with a stylish twist. For as inspirational as Tim’s packing list was for its minimalism, I know to enjoy my travel I need more than a couple of outfits (am I alone here?).

Late last year I took a bit of a last-minute sojourn to relax in Thailand after finally finishing my university studies (10 years later… but thats a whole other story). I thought it would be a good opportunity for a little bit of an experiment on ‘travelling light without compromising on style’.

My goal? To pack for a two week holiday (laptop included) with only carry-on luggage.

Admittedly, Thailand boasts very warm weather which works in your favour when trying to pack light, but still my trip would see me lazing around on islands like Ko Samui & Ko Phangan (south of Thailand), doing a bit of exploring in Chiang Mai (north of Thailand) which required ‘modest’ clothes for visiting temples, and shopping and partying in Bangkok. I needed to pack for quite a few different scenarios (clothes that you wear trekking just aren’t going to cut it at that fancy restaurant). So, with the incentive of not having to wait around at baggage collection, I undertook my experiment.

What did I pack? My travel wardrobe looked something like this: Travelling light without compromising on style by taraskipp  

How did I go?

It was so liberating only having carry-on luggage and I never really felt lacking in the clothes department. I could have done with another dressy outfit but ultimately it was great to not have a backpack or suitcase slowing me down. 

Here’s what I learnt: 

5 keys to travelling light without compromising on style:

1. Pack items that have multiple uses. I have waxed lyrical about my love of travelling with a sarong before, but it really is a great multi-use item when travelling. Wrap, scarf, plane blanket, beach mat - one little piece of fabric can do it all. I also packed a black tankini with gold chain detail that I could both wear to the beach and also pair with pants of a night.
2. Plan your outfits. Before you pack, try every item on and make sure you are completely comfortable with it and know you would definitely definitely wear it (no room in carry-on for clothes you may not wear). Think of the different scenarios you’ll be in and make sure you have outfits to suit them all. When you are doing your planning, make sure that every item can mix and match with all the others. I find laying everything out on your bed can help with this.
3. Pack accessories that will offer some variety. If you like a bit of variety in your wardrobe, you may find travelling light a bit limiting. But even if you are wearing a dress for the third time in a week, having an assortment of jewellery or even clutches to change your look can make it feel like a new outfit. The benefit with jewellery is that it doesn’t take up a great deal of room in your luggage and can be a great way to add some colour to your travel wardrobe.
4. Take at least one item out of your bag. Coco Chanel supposedly said that you should look in the mirror before leaving the house and remove one item. This old adage can be applied to travelling light with style. Resist the temptation to pack your bag to the brim because every jet-setter needs to leave at least a little bit of room in their carry-on for exotic purchases. To lighten the load, once you have finished packing choose at least one item that you know you can live without and leave it behind. 
5. Remember that style is much more than just clothes. You could have the most glamorous wardrobe but if you don’t wear it with confidence, you are without style. In the same sense, even if you have packed on the lighter side and aren’t wearing a different outfit every day of your trip, you can still ooze style by walking with your head held high, having a big smile for everyone you meet and the confidence that you truly are fabulous (which of course you are!)  

Ok, champagne travellers… if you have some tips to add on travelling light without compromising on style, please enlighten us in the comments.

If you enjoyed this post, you may also want to read:

Travel packing just got simpler with Travel Packing Online 

I have written a guest post over at Jet Set Life on how to Travel with Style in Bangkok (check out the picture of the Sky Bar, it makes you want to be there sipping on a cocktail right now!)

There are some great discussions beginning here at Champagne Travel on a Beer Budget on the posts, ‘Glamping - everything you need to know’ and ‘Mini-retirements at any age’. Why not add your ideas to the mix? It’d be great to hear from you.

Do you twitter? You can follow me here for bits of travel-related news, blog updates and other things I feel like sharing!

Stay tuned for a new addition to Champagne Travel on a Beer Budget where readers will be able to send in their destination photos & travel tips ‘from the road’. I already have a couple ready to go… stay tuned!

Lastly.. want to make sure you don’t miss any tips on travelling in style even on a budget? Subscribe to Champagne Travel on a Beer Budget. You can do so via e-mail or RSS.

Cheers, have a great weekend!

Tara

Tahiti - photo credit

Champagne travellers appreciate life-changing travel which enables them to experience different cultures with touches of style and luxury. As opposed to generic package tours and dime-a-dozen itineraries, savvy travellers are searching for sensory stimulation that doesn’t insult their intelligence.

What is this new travel philosophy? Intelligent travel.

The National Geographic ‘Intelligent Travel’ blog defines it as such:

‘Intelligent Travel is about exploring the intersection of authentic and sustainable travel. We want to showcase the essence of place, what’s unique and original, what locals cherish most about where they live’.

For this champagne traveler, ‘Intelligent Luxury’ is all about bypassing travel that includes generic experiences focused on making sure that you are constantly surrounded with the familiar, such as chain resorts that look and feel exactly the same in every country they are located.

To travel and immerse yourself (or at least dip your feet) in another culture is a luxury in itself (when you consider that the majority of the world’s population will never see the inside of an airplane). To be able to do so with touches of style & luxury whilst still allowing for an authentic experience of the local culture is true intelligent luxury.

So, don’t turn your brain off when you plan your next adventure, travel with style but be open to the unique adventures and experiences of the location you are journeying to, as that is what makes travel the life-changing experience that it is.

Glamour + Camping = GLAMPING

This upscale, stylish take on what is traditionally a very budget-conscious way to holiday is becoming increasingly popular as modern travellers focus more on unique experiences with luxurious touches than just your run-of-the-mill hotel or resort experience.

Glamping has all the hallmarks of traditional camping - the wilderness, isolation and sleeping under the stars, minus uncomfortable camping mattresses, eating beans from a can and a lack of showers.

Basically, glamping is camping for the jet set and if you’re keen to see it at its best you need to get yourself to one of the following hot glamping destinations:

Longitude 131, Northern Territory, Australia.

Longitude 131 accommodates its guests in elevated luxury tents which boast features such as air-conditioning, mini bars and BOSE sound systems.

Clayoquot Wilderness Resort, British Columbia, Canada.

Offers remote-controlled propane wood- stoves, antique dressers and tea tables, heirloom china and silver accessories and wireless internet access in their ‘tents’.

Paperbark Camp, New South Wales, Australia.

Glamps it up with candle-lit dinners and ‘in-tent’ massages.

But if you’re truly a budget traveller in every sense of the word and these glamping options exceed your budget, it doesn’t mean you can’t add some style to your next camping adventure. For some DIY glamping, don’t forget to pack a few little luxuries along with your tent and fold-out chair.

My picks for the little extras that can turn your camping into glamping would include:

Champagne (no surprises there) - adds a bit of glamour to any situation.

Sun lounges - not your usual camping gear but for something that doesn’t take up much more room in the car than a fold-out chair they add a resort-like feel to your modest camping trip.

Gourmet camping recipes - camp fire cooking can extend far beyond baked beans without a great deal more effort. Try camp recipes for meals such as Mostaccioli with Prosciutto and Pine Nuts.

What are your thoughts and ideas on adding glamour to your camping experience?

With such an abundance of travel blogs and websites out there, excuses are few to not be inspired and resourced to travel in style.

But if you don’t have the time or inclination to search these sites, you’re in luck. Champagne Travel on a Beer Budget does the searching for you and presents the finds in our monthly ‘Link Love’ post. Let the link love begin…

My latest travel blog crush would have to be The Jet Set Life. Check it out and see why.

New website Backpackability is home to a handy list of Budget Travel & Backpacking Resources.

Via Gridskipper, check out the article on the Best New Residence Hotels. I mean really, can you get more champagne travel than setting up digs at a glam hotel? I think not…

I think you are either a quote person or you’re not and I definitely fall into the camp of people who love a good quote. If you’re like me, you’ll love Brave New Traveler’s compilation of The (Next) 50 Most Inspiring Travel Quotes Of All Time.

If you’ve found any other great resources online, feel free to share them in the comments.

This site has tonnes of suggestions for fun things to do in different cities across America and beyond, in fact yours truly has recently done a guest post on free & cheap things to see & do when travelling in Melbourne, Australia.

This post was one of the original ones posted on Champagne Travel on a Beer Budget, and has by far been one of the most popular.

If you are new to the site, other popular past posts that you may want to check out are:

Indulge in a luxury spa experience without the luxury price tag

Having the time of your life travelling solo

How to make flying economy feel like first class

The Ultimate Guide to Getting an Upgrade when you Fly - Pt 1 (I promise Pt 2 is coming soon!)

I know that whenever I hear Manu Chao I am transported back to a fun couple of weeks spent in the Greek Isles where Manu Chao was on high rotation at the beach bars.

NPR Music’s Road Trip Series has inspired me to ponder what my must-have holiday tunes would be.

So, what tunes would be in your ultimate holiday soundtrack? Do you have particular songs that will always remind you of past travels?

My ultimate holiday soundtrack would have to include:

Manu Chao (for when it is time to get in party mode)

Cafe del Mar (for chilling out in a hammock, champagne in hand)

Xavier Rudd (for coastal road trip sing-alongs)

Billie Holiday (for wining & dining trips to the city)
Why not share your favourite travel tunes in the comments?

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Pour yourself a glass of bubbly and settle back for a little bit of online travel browsing:

Travel podcasts

If you’re like me and couldn’t imagine travelling without your ipod, you can now justify your dependence as being a clever strategy to lighten your load. Vagabondish provides a great guide to all the fantastic travel podcasts available here.

Why not lighten the weight of your backpack or suitcase by exchanging a few of those travel and guide books with some of these travelcasts?

Do you have a favourite travel podcast? Please share it in the comments.

The World’s Best Beaches

I love a beach holiday - there’s no need to pack a great deal, you’re guaranteed to leave relaxed and there’s nothing better to daydream about in the weeks leading up to the holiday than laying on a sandy beach, cocktail in hand.

My favourite beach holidays to date have been spent at Haad Tien Beach, Ko Phan Ngan, Thailand & Paradise Beach, Mykonos, Greece.

But as it is currently winter in my homeland of Australia and I don’t have any beach holidays in my plans at the moment, Concierge is providing me with my fix through the 2008 Guide to the World’s Sexiest Beaches.

Read, dream and then start planning your next beach holiday!

Wedding bells…

When checking out the different search engine terms that bring people to Champagne Travel on a Beer Budget, I have noticed a few people searching for budget honeymoons. If that is what brings you here, you may appreciate another great blog along the champagne life on a beer budget philosophy - Champagne Wedding on a Beer Budget.

Our blogs crossed paths due to the similar names and I’m glad to recommend it, especially if you’re in the process of planning a wedding that has plenty of style without costing you plenty of cash!

Perhaps a future post on honeymoons is in order? My honeymoon was an absolute blast and was spent in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo & Byron Bay, Australia. If you have any tips or hints for anyone planning a honeymoon, please send them in!

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What would happen if you were to question the status quo of working hard for 40+ years and then taking a long break at the end of it all?

What if you were to take mini-retirements throughout your life rather than placing all your eggs in the ‘one big holiday when I retire’ basket?

Would these mini-retirements add value to your life as well as give you increased inspiration and energy for your career, business or life in general?

There have been a few articles floating around on this topic, mainly inspired by or in response to the concepts found in Tim Ferriss’ book ‘The Four Hour Work Week’.

Check out Tim’s ideas and the related articles below:

Mini-retirement related posts from The Four Hour Work Week Blog

Freeing Yourself from the Daily Grind on Yahoo Travel

Using Mini-Retirements to Get More out of Life from Get Rich Slowly

A large part of the Champagne Travel on a Beer Budget philosophy is the concept that travelling with style whilst on a budget means thinking differently than the average tourist, getting away from packaged tours, living like the locals and not missing the opportunities that often lie right under your nose.

These concepts line up with much of what Tim talks about in ‘Four Hour Work Week’, with Tim even explaining how taking mini-retirements actually saves him money.

I had the pleasure of meeting Tim at the Sydney launch of ‘The Four Hour Work Week’ last month and the guy definitely lives what he talks about.

So, the question remains…. are mini-retirements for you? Why not leave your thoughts in the comments?

One of the fabulous things about blogging is the community & relationships that develop and so I wanted to say cheers and thanks for the love to the following blogs:

Another Passport Stamp - real-life tales of an American flight attendant living in London.
Blog Her - Travel - the community for women who blog.

Couchsurfing - a worldwide network for making connections between travelers and the local communities they visit. Check out my post on Couchsurfing here.

Earth to Danie - blogging about life in India, our travels & other stuff.

Farefetched - the best way to search, compare & track Aussie airfares.

Things You Should Do - travel adventures, activities, events, romance, hotels, restaurants, wineries, breweries, sports, outdoor recreation & more.

Travel Minx - travel tips & resources for fellow wanderlusters (I’m not sure if this site is still being updated - but it is still sending readers my way!)

I should also mention a couple of fabulous blogs that purely by being so popular have passively sent me quite a few new readers just from the comments I have left on their sites:

Budget Globetrotting - finding and sharing budget travel ideas for shoestring trips around the world.

Four Hour Work Week - experiments in lifestyle design.

Problogger - helping bloggers to add income streams to their blogs.

Thank you!

Tara @ Champagne Travel on a Beer Budget

This week, Gala has put together a wonderfully comprehensive post on ‘How to Have the Best Holiday Ever’

It is a fabulous read for all champagne travellers and there are lots of points I couldn’t agree with more, such as:

• Allow yourself to be swept away
• Learn some local phrases

I would also add:

• Decide to have the time of your life.

This would tie in with the idea of allowing yourself to be swept away.

So many unexpected things can happen when you’re travelling but how we respond to these situations has little to do with the circumstances themselves and more to do with our perspective towards them.

Bus broken down on the way to your next destination? Stuck on the side of the road for 6 hours with a bunch of strangers? This could be a fantastic opportunity to make some amazing friends, hear tales from around the world and have a hilarious story to tell everyone back home. This same situation could also have you complaining and grumbling for the next 6 hours on how this would never happen where you come from or something as equally painful for everyone around you.

And the wonderful thing about perspective? We are each completely in control of it and we have the daily choice of what our perspective will be. Some of the most interesting and inspiring people that I have met whilst travelling (and in life in general) are people that have an amazingly positive perspective. They are a dream to travel & ‘do life’ with.

Decide in advance to have a fabulous holiday and chances are you will!

What tips would you add? Would love to hear from you in the comments…

Have you ever arrived at your destination only to discover you’ve forgotten to pack a few essentials?

Do you struggle to know where to start when packing for your travels?

An online resource that may come to your rescue is Packing List Online

This site allows you to enter information including destination, weather forecast, mode of transport, purpose of trip & even how much luggage you want to take. After answering these questions you will be given the template for a packing list that you can add to or remove items from.

I particularly like the list of things to remember to do before leaving home.

I made a sample list for myself for a possible upcoming Melbourne holiday - check out my sample packing list here

The list provided by Packing List Online is by no means all-inclusive and I must say it includes a few items I wouldn’t worry about, but it is a great start and something I think I’ll use when planning my next trip.

However, I must warn, spelling mistakes abound at Packing List Online which might make it somewhat uncomfortable for the more anal champagne travellers

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Here’s the latest online offerings in the world of budget travel:

The ever useful Frommers Price Index for May 2008. Find out just how far your dollar will take you everywhere from Trindad to Tokyo.

Budget Travel provides great ideas for making European travel more affordable by travelling by bike.

Brave New Traveller has us thinking about the importance of travelling with an open mind.

Budget Globetrotting posts on learning languages while travelling . And the best bit? All the resources they mention are free.

So pour yourself a glass of champers & settle back for some great travel reading this weekend.

As for me, I am off to spend the weekend in New South Wales’ Hunter Valley Wine Region. I’ll be sure to report back with lots of great tips for budget travel in wine regions.

Have a great weekend Champagne Travellers!

Cheers

Tara x

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The interesting thing is that subscriber numbers have gone up since I haven’t been posting - I’m not sure why!

Anyway, I am back and look forward to lots of posts & discussions about all things budget travel & style. To new readers - welcome & I promise we’ll be picking up the pace

I have just posted some thoughts on travel planning, please leave your pearls of wisdom on this topic in the comments.

Cheers!

Tara @ Champagne Travel on a Beer Budget

When you have done your research, it is easier to travel with confidence, to have a fair idea of how far your money can take you and to decide what it is you want to spend your money on (I personally am a big fan of scrimping on some aspects of travel so that I can splurge on others).

Last Carriage provides some excellent ideas on Researching your Destination before you go.

To Last Carriage’s suggestions, may I add the following online ports of call for stylish travel preparations:

Gridskipper
Lonely Planet Thorntree Forum
The Cool Hunter

Checking out these sites supplements the tried and true favourite of…

Asking people who have been there!

Nothing beats first hand experience and asking friends for the low-down can be a great way to avoid hidden scams and find out what isn’t necessarily worth the money & what is.

The positive here is that everyone loves to talk about their travels and most people will be more than keen to share their experiences (as well as show you way too many photos).

The downside is that everyone is different and what is trash to some is treasure to others. Consider the personalities, likes & dislikes of the people you are asking (and if possible ask people with similar values & interests to yourself) and take everything you hear with a grain of salt.

Now back to our original question is… How do you prepare for a trip?

If you have some extra flying tips to share, please add your pearls of wisdom to the comments.

1) Food

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If you are travelling on a beer budget, eating the meals provided on planes can seem like a great money-saving idea (as in, why pay for food when I can get it for free). That is, until you eat airplane food and realise it is not a stylish or enjoyable experience in any way (I will admit I have had the odd OK meal on a plane but they have been few and far between).

My tip is to pack your own little gourmet picnic in preparation for your trip. Antipasto, cheese & crackers, vegetable crudites & dips all pack and travel well and, when combined with a glass of bubbly provided by the airline, can give your economy flight an indulgent feel.

I will even order a fruit only meal from the airline to make sure I get my fix of fresh fruit throughout the flight (and can let the airline deal with the messy cutting and peeling part) and find that eating an abundance of fresh fruit on board can do wonders for how you feel when you land. Then I supplement my provided fruit and champagne with my little picnic hamper of goodies. Simple, but makes a world of difference.

2) Comfort

If it is true that luxury is comfort, then there are a few simples measures you can take to add some luxury to your economy trip.

As I have mentioned in a previous post I have a beautiful soft sarong that travels everywhere with me which is a great alternative to the dodgy, scratchy blankets provided by the airline.

Super soft socks also work a treat, if you want to indulge a little, why not go for cashmere?

3) Pamper

Perhaps they have a massage & beauty therapist in first class, but that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on all the fun.

I find plane trips a great time to indulge in a little bit of pampering. It helps kill them time, is a great distraction and means you look better when you get off the plane than when you hopped on (unlike most other people!).

So bring along some scented moisturiser and give your hands and arms a mini massage, and for the girls - a clear face mask can be applied 10 minutes before you know the hot towels will be being brought around (it just looks like you’re applying moisturiser and the hot towel takes the mask off beautifully). You’ll be ready to strut your stuff as soon as you touch down.

Have you ever day dreamed about escaping to your own private island for an indulgent holiday with friends? (if your answer is no.. c’mon, really, what are you daydreaming about?).

I couldn’t think of a better way to spend a week or two and so I have been researching the options. And of course, as my beer budget doesn’t quite stretch to accommodate all my champagne travel tastes, I’ve been looking to take this rock star holiday, without the rock star price tag.

And I think I have found my answer. Found through Private Islands Online, here are a couple of fabulous islands that are yours to rent for less than the cost of a good night out.

1) Pandan Island, Phillipines

from US $84 /wk

2) Leleuvia Island, Fiji

from US $113/wk

3) Ploccia Island, Croatia

from US $159/wk

If you know of other great champagne accommodation options that suit beer budgets, please leave your pearls of wisdom in the comments.

Now that the New Year is beginning to feel not so new, its time for a final New Years travel resolution.

Resolution number 3 is:

3) Meet more people when travelling.

When I went to my post office box the other day and collected a very uninspiring pile of business related letters and bills, I had the lovely surprise of finding a gorgeous bealted Christmas postcard sent by a friend from Germany who I met travelling a couple of years ago. Thanks to the world of facebook (or wastebook or freakbook as I have heard it referred to this week) I am able to keep in touch with this friend regularly and hope to catch up again one day. The postcard reminded me of all the other wonderful friends whom I have met travelling whjo have really expanded my world (and been fabulous to share a champers with).

But the last few trips I have done, I haven’t exchanged a single e-mail address. Thats right, not one new friend to be had. What happened?

While admittedly on my last trip I was really just looking for some time out, travelling without making new friends just isn’t the same experience. Perhaps I became a bit jaded, turned off by a few negative experiences (warning: beware of people that are just way too friendly) who knows?

But not anymore for this champagne traveller. I have remembered that great travel is all about the people you meet and the culture you experience with them (and might I add, it is far more fun to drink champagne with a friend).

So there you have my new years travel resolutions… now its time for you to share.

What are yours?

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2) Keep a journal

Continuing with the resolution theme, one thing I am aspiring to do more of when I travel is to keep a journal.

As air travel becomes cheaper and travel increasingly accessible, I believe it is so important to remain mindful of the privilege that it is to be able to travel to far flung places and of the life-changing qualities that travel can hold. Travel can allow us to re-assess our lives, broaden our perspective and need I say, have an absolutely fabulous time.

Keeping a journal allows new ideas, concepts, amazing memories & grandchildren-worthy stories to be kept forever. And really, who knows how famous your memoirs could become long after your gone (or at least be a good read for someone).

But if you’re like me, you have all the intentions of keeping a journal when you travel, but the intentions can fly out the window when you’re in a sun-kissed location, champagne in hand.

So here are some simple ideas I have found helpful in the past that I am planning on employing this year as I resolve to keep a travel journal:

a) Buy a small journal

If your journal is a smaller, convenient size, you can pop it in your day bag and use little opportunities throughout the day to pop in a few ideas - when sitting in a cafe, waiting for a train, flying in a plane etc. The larger your journal, the less likely you are to have it on you at all times.

b) Develop a routine

One of the reasons that some of us travel is to escape our daily routines, but sometimes it can be comforting during your journeys to have a a few small rituals that give some structure to your travelling day. One great rituals to add to your day is to set aside 15 minutes or so to write in your journal. You can make it the last thing you do before you call it a night, write in your journal as you have your morning coffee etc.

c) Get inspired

One of my biggest motivations for setting this travel resolution is reading inspiring travel writing and vowing to keep a record of my own adventures.

Great travel, great food & great writing are the three things that make this champagne traveller a happy girl. So I knew I was onto a winner when a wonderful friend gave me the book ‘Endless Feasts’. This compilation of food & travel writing from the last 60 years from a plethora of writers is edited by Ruth Reichl and has some absolute gems within its covers.

My favourite piece of writing in the book is Pat Conroy’s memories of one of his trips to Italy titled ‘The Romance of Umbria’. I’ll leave you with a beautiful passage from this piece and see if it doesn’t inspire you to keep record of your champagne travels too:

Umbria. The shuttered beauty of the very name strikes me as luscious as a pear, as dark as the boars that roam her mountains, gorging themselves on wild chestnuts. This is a place where the centuries give up their stories at their own pace.

You go to Tuscany because you must; you go to Umbria because you can. It is the province in Italy you travel to when you want the country itself to enter the pores of your skin after you have grown weary with sites and endless churches and surly crowds moving through the taut, sovereign air of the museums. Umbria is Italy turned inward, its prayer to itself.

Endless Feasts, pp. 84-85

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