Travel

I currently travel quite a lot, both privately and professionally. I have decided to jot down some notes here about my process, as well as some anecdotes about things I would rather have known than found out.

Process

I travel light. My aim is typically to bring a single backpack as either personal item or carry-on. Occasionally I still need to check in extra work outfits and/or equipment. My packing philosophy remains the same in either case: bring only what you need.

My general packing mental model looks something like this:

• Base layer

  T-shirts, underpants, and socks. One of each for every expected travel day. If plans drift, I can do laundry. Exceptions include extended travel time (need to do laundry anyway, bring less) and rough destinations (no easy laundry, bring more).

• Toiletries

  Travel-sized shampoo, toothpaste, and deodorant. Small comb. Disposable razor(s). This setup covers my needs, fits in a repurposed pencil-case, and can be restocked on location if needed.

• Pants

  Mildly destination dependent. Typically one or two pairs. Preferably one pair worn and one pair packed.

• Outer layers

  Heavily destination dependent. However, almost always worn rather than packed.

Anecdotes and Learned Lessons

• Lost/delayed bagage

  If checking bagage, bring toiletries and a spare set of clothes in your carry-on. I have been on an unlucky spree of having my bagage missing on arrival and have learned the hard way.

• Power banks in China

  China strictly enforces CCC for all power banks, and will confiscate any non-compliant power banks during security check. My girlfriend and I lost ours during a short layover in China on 2026-05-23.

• Arrival card in China

  China might require you to fill out arrival cards regardless of whether you are entering the country or only transferring. During a trip on 2026-05-23, my girlfriend and I were explicitly told by airport staff during check-in, as well as by flight attendants, that this was not needed for transfer. However, during a short layover in Nanjing, we were required to fill it out anyway on crude tablet stands before being allowed to proceed.