After quickly passing through airport security and exiting the gate, I noticed a bus pulling up to the stop heading to the city center.
I had just arrived in Tirana, the capital of Albania, and I knew the next train was a long way off, so I decided to run to catch it.
Sure enough, I arrived very quickly. But when I boarded the plane, out of breath and sweating, I discovered that there was only one seat, in the corner at the back, with no legroom and certainly no overhead storage.
Sitting in a seat that apparently no one else wanted, I felt satisfied, knowing that I had traveled light and gotten my money’s worth. Overall, I highly recommend this efficient way to travel.
I first became aware of Uniqlo bags a few years ago when they became popular on social media. Everyone seemed to be talking about them at the time because they were under £15, you could wear them with anything, they looked like Mary Poppins and you could store a lot of things in them.
When I saw a video of someone pouring an entire bottle of wine into it, I was completely sold.
As a travel content creator and founder of Cheap Holiday Expert, I’ve started using it as my go-to bag when I’m on the go. I’ll pack my passport, keys, lip balm, power bank, phone, and maybe even a small tripod for shooting content.
One of the things I talk about all the time in my travel writing is how to pack less. We all know how much it costs to carry checked baggage or even a small bag, and this can range from a few pounds to hundreds of pounds depending on the airline.
One day, while taking a sweater out of my bag, I thought: it would be funny to try to travel with this bag.
Last May I decided to challenge myself to go to Albania for a weekend for under £100 and it seemed like the perfect time to test my theory.
I made a detailed list of what I would need for a three-day trip, including the big items I would need to get to and from the airport. This included lightweight pants, a t-shirt (to change into on the way back), a shirt, a jacket, a hat, and sunglasses.
Then I’ll only need to pack one skirt, one extra top, one nightgown, two pairs of socks, and two pairs of underwear. I know not having extra underwear can drive some people crazy, but trust me, you can do it!
The most important thing is that I put all this laundry in a vacuum bag (no vacuum needed, just manually remove the air) to smooth it out.
Is it possible to go on a three-day trip using only a Uniqlo messenger bag? !