Looking back on our travels in Europe – would I recommend travelling with a suitcase or a backpack?
Well, I think there are pros and cons for both. You really need to consider the type of travel you’re doing.
My main argument for taking backpacks on this trip was that suitcases would be difficult to store in our small cabin on the boat (the boat company advised us soft luggage was best). Hoosband reluctantly dusted off the old Mountain Designs backpack he used in Nepal 27 years ago. It’s still going strong and is one of those clever ones where you zip a cover over all the straps when checking it in. My backpack has all straps exposed, which increases the risk of damage.
One thing we didn’t know was that many airports now force you to take backpacks to their ‘oversized luggage’ section, which is an extra hassle. In fact one airport made passengers check in everything that wasn’t a bog standard suitcase. The queue of people with ‘odd shaped’ bags was long – not good if you’ve left your run a little late checking in!
The old cobblestone streets in Greece and Italy are not suitcase friendly, and many buildings have stairs and no lift. One of the places we stayed had a steep, narrow, twisting staircase – gloriously our backpacks came into their own as we hoicked them on and walked up the stairs. I’ve seen a complaint on this venue’s booking site that the stairs are too difficult. Which leads me to the most important point – no matter what luggage you have, you MUST be able to lift and move and carry it on your own with relative ease.
I saw young girls at airports struggling with their huge suitcases. I reckon that at a minimum you should be able to lift your bag into the back of a taxi, off the conveyor belt at the airport, and up a flight of stairs.
So maybe the real secret is to pack light. This has never been my forte, but this trip I knew I had to carry everything and packed ruthlessly. I was pretty stoked when my main bag weighed in at only 11.5 kg (this increased to 15 kg on the trip home with a few souvenirs added).
During our holiday we travelled by plane, train, hire car, taxi, campervan and boat. On days when I had a bit of energy I was more than happy to play backpacker, walking a mile or two carrying all my things (comfy shoes are absolutely needed for this). On days when I was struggling, I would have happily swapped for a suitcase on wheels.
Realistically we didn’t have to walk far with our packs. Luton airport’s dropoff zone was an 8 minute walk from the actual terminal, so that was one time I had to carry my full load (which also included a day pack on my front and a handbag slung across my body). It was also a couple of kilometres to walk to our boat in Lefkas (the marina was huge, home to 620 boats!).
Secretly I really just wanted to relive my young backpacking days, to feel the sense of freedom that comes with having your life on your back. And yes, there were glorious moments when I felt like I was twenty again, and the world was my oyster as I headed off on adventures… suitcase be damned.
Read more about Our trip to Europe.
