If you’re here after seeing the recent New York Times article on packing light, you’re in the right place. I’m truly grateful that so many of you have joined this journey toward travelling lighter—not just in your backpack, but in your life. And as always, I’m extremely grateful to those of you who have stuck around for the long haul.
The 5 Kilo Traveller (that’s 11 pounds) is about more than just carrying less weight on your trips. It’s about embracing freedom, clarity, and presence—whether you’re exploring the world or navigating life’s everyday moments. Travelling light became my way of finding space: space to breathe, to connect, and to feel more like myself.
The famous Nikko bridge. Lovely to not just see it once, but the freedom to see it at least four times every day.
After travelling with just a small day bag in Croatia and Italy for a month in 2017, I came back wanting to declutter our home – the family were not so on board. Since then, I’ve learnt that carrying less physically opens the door to shedding mental and emotional baggage, too. This simple philosophy has transformed not only how I travel but how I live.
In this space, I share stories, tips, and insights to help you discover your own version of lightness—whether you’re a seasoned traveller or simply seeking more ease in your daily life.
Finding Calm in the Chaos: My Slow Travel Experience in Tokyo
My recent trip to Japan was all about slower and quieter travel. This was something I'd come across reading a blog by Jenny Mowbray's Orchids to Olives: Shaping travel around wellbeing. I deliberately avoided the cities’ usual craziness, seeking instead calm and presence. But something unexpected happened when I arrived in Tokyo during rush hour.
At 8 am, the trains were packed, as you’d expect. Yet, despite the crowds, I felt remarkably calm.
Before the flight, I packed a lightweight day bag for essentials during the journey. Once I disembarked, I tucked that bag inside my 30L day bag, keeping everything compact, secure and manageable. I also carried a small leather crossbody bag, so all my belongings were safe and contained.
On the train, I held my day bag in front of me, as you do in Japan. The rush hour bustle surrounded me, but I wasn’t rushed. I’d slept well on the 10-hour flight, I wasn’t stressed, and I knew exactly where I was going. If I ever got unsure, I simply stopped, checked my phone, asked for help, or paused to rethink my route.
Back in 2023, I’d experienced Tokyo as chaotic and overwhelming. But now, after working on regulating my nervous system and tuning into my body’s signals, the city felt entirely different. The chaos didn’t unsettle me—I was calm, collected, and able to fully enjoy the moment.
This experience beautifully showed me that traveling light isn’t just about what you carry in your bag—it’s also about carrying calm within you.
On this trip, I arrived in Tokyo carrying a bag weighing 6.5kg (14lb). Previously, I’d aimed to keep it under 6kg, but over the course of the journey, my bag swelled to 8.5kg (19lb). Interestingly, I managed that weight just fine. I used to think of myself as a bit of a weakling. That’s why I stuck to that initial, smaller bag size. But not anymore. I’ve worked on my strength, both physically and mentally, and I noticed the difference hugely.
As I always say, carry or use a bag that works for you. Pack the belongings you need. Don’t pack for anyone else.
The trip that started all THIS! A daytrip to Montenegro from Dubrovnik, 2017.
How Travelling Light Transforms More Than Just Your Luggage
Travelling light isn’t just about having less stuff in your bag. It’s about creating space, physically, mentally, and emotionally, that invites freedom and clarity into your journey.
When you carry less, your mind feels lighter, too. You make decisions more easily because you aren’t weighed down by clutter, and you become more present in each moment. Instead of being distracted by the “what ifs” of packing, you can focus fully on the experience in front of you. And there’s no decision fatigue over questions like, “What am I going to wear today?”
That said, I always had what I needed. My clothes bundle consisted of:
Hiking shoes and white leather sneakers
Three tee shirts (one long-sleeved and two merino wool)
One pair each of shorts, hiking pants, and cotton navy pants for evenings
A sunhat and sunglasses
A puffer jacket, a raincoat, and a linen evening jacket (which I ended up posting home)
Three sets of socks and underwear (mostly merino wool)
I also packed:
Hiking poles
Toilet bag
Personal locator beacon (for solo hiking days)
First aid kit and medications
Headlamp
My Surface Go tablet, plug adapter, phone, and a compact bag of chargers
(Oh, and my hair straighteners were confiscated at Auckland Airport because they were rechargeable and didn’t have a flight mode!)
There’s a surprising emotional shift that happens with packing less. Letting go of what you think you need, whether it's clothes, gadgets, or “just in case” items, often mirrors releasing old attachments and worries you carry inside. Travelling light becomes a practice in resilience and trust, reminding you that you are enough, no matter what you pack. My resilience was tested with embracing the crazy curls!!!
Physically, travelling with a lighter load makes you feel stronger and more capable. It’s empowering to know your body can carry you through your adventures without strain. That confidence often flows into other areas of life, giving you a sense of empowerment beyond the trip.
But perhaps most importantly for me on this last trip, travelling light encouraged a slower, more connected way of being and travel. When you’re not bogged down by excess baggage, you can truly engage with the people and places you encounter. This deeper connection enriched my trip hugely.
In short, travelling light is a doorway to freedom, not just in your luggage, but in your whole life. And who doesn’t want to experience a bit more freedom?
All packed up and ready to go - Tokyo to Iwate prefecture.
Embracing Slow and Quiet Travel in Japan: A Personal Reflection
In Japan I consciously embraced a slower, quieter way of journeying. Instead of rushing from one destination to the next or chasing busy tourist hotspots, I focused on being present, moving gently, and allowing space for reflection. This shift wasn’t just about pacing; it changed how I experienced the world around me.
My trip started with a 7-day hike on the Michinoku Coastal Trail. I joined a group of avid hikers through RAW Travel, as we self-guided our way down this stunning part of the world. This region was devastated by the tsunami in 2011 and the trail is an initiative to get more tourists into the region. Exploring an area on foot is the ultimate in slow travels.
Oh, it was a bit wet some days...but as they say...
'There's no such thing as bad weather - it's bad gear!"
In Matsushima, a town spared from the tsunami in 2011 by it’s protective islands, I walked the same paths most days. I sussed out the best coffee, best lemon tart, best ramon, and my favourite bench seat overlooking the island with the red bridge linking it to the mainland.
This was such a pretty island in Matsushima to walk over to each day.
I was in Nikko and Lake Chuzenji for a week. This place is a hotspot for day-trippers from Tokyo. The temples and shrines were so crowded. I went into a few but found it really unfulfilling. Instead, I opted to walk away from the crowds. Some small day hikes had me facing snakes and leeches, but at least my bear bell kept the furry creatures away! And I found the most beautiful architecture and history with very few others there. I could ask questions of the site guides, sit quietly in rooms, imagining the lives of people who’d passed through these walls, and sat in ancient gardens.
Slow travel encouraged me to notice the subtle details often missed in the rush: the quiet rustle of leaves, the warmth of a morning sunbeam, or the calm smiles exchanged with locals. By tuning into these moments, I found a deeper connection to the places I visited, and to myself.
Chasing waterfalls is becoming a bit of a habit for me.
The famous three wise monkeys in Nikko.
The Imperial Palace in Nikko was extremely quiet compared to the temples.
The walk along the shoreline at Lake Chuzenji was magic!
A week in Shibu Onsen, famous for the onsens and snow monkeys, was a lesson in slowing right down. My week was slowly filled with daily walks up the snow monkey path, an e-bike and cable car up to a mountain café, a couple of massages, many, many onsens, and visiting my favourite café each day for lunch and breakfast and eating at many of the local restaurants.
Clunking along each night in my gita sandals, yukata robe and my woven bag with towels and keys is a memory to cherish. The onsens were hot so it was refreshing to then walk through the narrow streets taking in the architecture lit up at night and visit the park where fireflies were present. It really was delightful.
Enjoying the lights of Shibu Onsen from just below my room!
All set for my onsen visit.
Quiet travel, too, meant intentionally avoiding noisy, crowded environments, choosing instead tranquil paths and peaceful retreats. Kakurinbo Temple Stay, two hours south of Tokyo, created space for calm and clarity, allowing me to listen more deeply to my own intuition and body’s needs. It helped me regulate my nervous system and stay grounded even in unfamiliar surroundings.
My week at Kakurinbo meant waking at 4.30am (not compulsory, but well worth it) and walking up to morning prayers at the main temple. The architecture, landscape, chanting and drums was mesmerising. Then I’d be back for breakfast, do some journalling, walk into the small main street for a coffee and cake or lunch, wander through gardens , up the steps to enlightenment, along the river, bike further down the valley, or take the cable car up to the top of the mountain – unfortunately, Mt Fuji was always hidden by cloud.
Kakurinbo Temple Stay! My home for the week. The hospitality and care was incredible.
Getting my step count up on the steps to enlightenment.
This slow and quiet travel approach transformed my journey from a checklist of places to visit into a meaningful exploration of presence, connection and simplicity. Through slow and quiet travel, I discovered that less really is more. Not just in what I carry, but in how I move through the world. It’s a practice I hope to share more and inspire others to try, whether they’re seasoned travellers or just beginning to consider a lighter, more mindful way to explore.
Want to explore travelling light and solo more?
If you’re new here, head to my blogs and catch up on all the tips and tricks I share on travelling lighter. Notice I said lighter? It’s not a competition – remember, it must work for you. And I'm also on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.
And if you want to learn more about me and where this all started, well, there’s my travel memoir, Dare to Travel Solo: Exploring Croatia and Italy with a small carry-on bag and a ton of determination.
It’s not a how-to manual, but a memoir around the kind of transformative experience I had. The ripples from that trip still show up eight years later. It’s full of real experiences, personal reflections, quiet moments, panics and relief, that changed how I move through the world. Some parts might make you laugh, while others may nudge you to pause, and maybe even pack a little lighter, in more ways than one.
Thanks for being here. Whether you’ve just joined the The 5 KiloTraveller community or have been part of this journey for a while, I’m so glad we get to explore this way of living and travelling together.
Ka kite ano | See you again
Katherine xox
