Dec. 10

Passport, wallet, keys, map, camera, cell phone, notebook, pen, transit pass. One of the downsides of travel is the inability to just step out the door with nothing in your pockets. The possible consequences of not having them handy are far graver than they are at home.

On any given day, I’m lugging all or most of the items noted above. They make for a lumpy jacket. In a daily morning ritual, I pat myself down to make sure I have everything I need before leaving. During the day, the pat down repeats itself whenever I stop to take a picture, pay for transit, buy something, or verify my whereabouts.

There’s also an interesting paranoia dynamic when it comes to valuables and travel. Are they more secure with you or stored in your accommodations? If you’re carrying them, is it better to concentrate or diversify? Having all your stuff in one place is great, until you lose it all.

So the encumbrance isn’t just the items themselves, but the constant calculating of risk depending on your surroundings. People associate travel with freedom. But as the saying goes, “freedom isn’t free”.