Backpack necessary?

jellydonut

is a backpack necessary? i've got two small satchel type bags with shoulder straps. i think i can manage with them. or is it impractical and cumbersome? i can probably pick up a bag once i get there, non?

Brisso

Whatever worked in Vietnam or whatever will be fine - you can buy anything in India now, but choice will be better in the US.

machadinha

<cross-posted with Brisso. Ah, the Vietnam poster, eh! Yes, you should be fine I think, Jelly. btw When Brisso told you on the other thread India is a laugh and really not difficult, I think that pretty much sums it up & we can now all delete our post histories >

<btw State-of-the-art backpacks to suit all and all purposes I imagine may be harder to come by than at home indeed, as you'd probably already figured by yourself.>

Ah oui. Carry what you're comfortable with, and if it turns out uncomfortable, you can acquire something there, indeed, or have something tailor-made if so required. (May involve spending a couple of days in a town to think of what you want and waiting for the end result over plenty a cup of tea of course.)

This from an avid backpack-hater btw, I prefer a large shoulder bag (sports bag kind of affair, little sturdier) myself. I'll grant a backpack is a lot handier for walking any distance though, to walk around cursing looking for a non-booked-up hotel (or finding that distance from the bus station once again depicted a little optimistically in the guidebook ) is far from unknown to me.

Bottom line as usual: To each their own

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Aishah

I'm also a backpack hater - find them very uncomfortable. I haven't used a backpack now for at least 30 years. Just do what you prefer as Mach suggests.


Mod Note: I changed your title, jellydonut, in order to attract more answers and make it obvious what your thread is about.

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zoltan

I guess that at the end of the day, the choice is the one that best suits your own personal needs.

If you can cope with a backpack, that's fine. I now use a suitcase on wheels (due to a knee injury), as this is the only thing I can get around with.

It has some limitations (have to drag it behind me, it can get covered in street slime and refuse) but it also has some benefits- easy to walk along with.

I would also recommend that you get a bag before you leave, to ensure that you have something that will be useful.

The bag you want may be available in India but, it may not be in the first city that you arrive in.

Cheers
Zoltan

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machadinha

Very true (and to contradict my own light-hearted advice before).

It's also a good idea to take it (packed with whatever you mean to take, obviously) for a more-than-average walk at home.

It's amazing the resolve this can result in as to all the superfluous junk you really don't need. (Remember, some hardcore travelers are known to drill holes in their toothbrush handles to minimize weight.)

Nacozari

what about a rolling suitcase for a three-week journey thru southern india? i have always used a large backpack, but i am very sick of it. my only concern with the wheeled luggage is that it might be cumbersome and get extremely dirty at the bottom, since we will not be taking a tour. we plan on going thru the temples of tamil nadu, town-hopping a bit, with nothing pre-reserved, and taking a mix of trains and automobiles with a driver. the wheeled baggage is just so much less tiring to pull around than a sweaty, heavy backpack. i can imagine we might get a lot more stares, though, since backpacks are generally less noticeable. and i am afraid of how we would fare in another of those 'ultra-crowded' india situations.

any opinions? thanks!

Aishah

Rolling luggage is possible - I use this most of the time myself. But - where it is impossible to roll, you will need someone to carry it for you and you pay them some rupees. Basically you only need to get it from one transport to your accommodation place. You're not going to lug to sightseeing spots, temples etc. So, logically you will also need a small bag for your daily requirements.