A visit with Mon beau Paris la box: "Carré Rive Gauche or the memory of furniture"

Was invited to follow a guided tour organized by Mon beau Paris the box in small groups. It was on the theme of January that I stopped my choice and could be available: "Carré Rive Gauche or the memory of furniture". I, who never knew how to recognize a Louis XIII piece of furniture from another, gave me the opportunity to cultivate myself. I did not complete developed "the eye of the antique dealer" but am delighted with what I have learned.

Rendez-vous was given in front of the Institut de France for two hours of visit on a Saturday in the early afternoon. The promise of the visit? To know "to recognize a Louis XV armchair of a Louis Louis XVI armchair" and to leave "to the conquest of the quarter of the Carré Rive Gauche" alongside Clémentine who made us "to go through galleries and antique dealers to make us understand the different styles Who animated the history of French furniture. The expertise of the antique dealers of Le Rive Gauche is now a reference in the world of art. On the program: five galleries - three of furniture, one of silverware and MiniMasterPiece, a shop that offers miniature works in the form of jewelry - and many explanations.

I do not resist the urge to transmit you a little of what I learned during this guided tour before presenting you in more detail My beautiful Paris box.

My bases to become antiquarian (or almost)

Le Carré Rive gauche

If the visit began before the Institut de France, it is no coincidence. The academies were initially installed there, as well as in the Louvre. It was difficult to enter, and this was all the more true after the Revolution. The institution is the opposite of a private gallery, the object of our visit. Perhaps you know but one of the first impressionist exhibitions was held in a private gallery.

Le Carré Rive gauche was invented in 1977. It includes the streets of Saints-Pères, Beaune, Bac, University, Verneuil, Lille and Quai Voltaire. But the neighborhood was already emblematic and great names were attached to it: Lacan, Gainsbourg, Ingres, etc. The gallery owners then came from Drouot and crossed the Seine.

The first style: the Middle Ages

The Middle Ages is the first style. At the time (from the fifth century to the fifteenth century), the main element of an interior was the chimney. There were chests, church furniture - like a pulpit - but also small benches in the rich hearths. The tapestries were not ornamented and included only one or even two colors. The bed was intended only for the master of the house and his wife but not for the children. The tables were at trestles: the fixed table comes from the Renaissance. That is why we talk about "setting the table". In the Middle Ages, there was a lot of pine furniture. Now the fir tree does not hold: this is why there is little furniture of the time. The two "styles" of the time were parchment and towel fold.

The Renaissance style

François Ier is the most renowned King of the Renaissance (15th and 16th centuries) (remember: the gold drapery camp at Puy du Fou!). It was not far from 1m98 and was impressive in size and culture. At the time, people were between 1.60 m and 1.70 m. Francis I made war in Italy and brought back influences. The Renaissance furniture is therefore a sophisticated and rather loaded piece of furniture. We wanted to put the full view in passing from the archaism to the flamboyance! One finds for example the cabinet with two bodies. Clementine reminded us that Fontainebleau was the castle of Francis I. It makes me think that I still did not tell you my visit to this beautiful castle last autumn!

The Louis XIII Style

Louis XIII was the first king who gave his name to a style. The influence of Richelieu is important. At the level of the furniture, we come back to something simplified. For the carpenter, there are three characteristic elements: the twist, the rosary and the baluster.

The Louis XIV style

There are only a few objects but never Louis XIV furniture in antique shops. There are at least two reasons for this:

The furniture is imposing, heavy and very difficult to restore

Many furniture are in Versailles obviously and museums throw themselves on the little furniture for sale

At the time of Louis XIV, France was at the center of Europe. We wanted to impress. It is from Louis XIII but still more from Louis XIV that we want to make cabinetmaking.

The console - which designates a table against a wall - was invented under Louis XIV. There was also the game table at the time: the table on which the king put the game he had hunted.

This was a great relief when Louis XIV died. The many ceremonies - the rising, the bath, etc. - were painful for the Court. At the same time, not being invited was not a good thing! It is often forgotten, but it is the Regent who succeeded Louis XIV.

The Regency Style

The commode really spread during the Regency (1715-1723). The furniture has curves. The Regency lasted eight years, the time that Louis XV, great-grandson of Louis XIV, grows a little. The Regent was the son of Monsieur, the brother of Louis XIV (whose relatives at least dressed as a woman). The Regent resettled in Paris: he governed seriously but made parties. He was the first to get paper money (our tickets!) But it did not work.

The Louis XV Style

The Louis XV style? We see them everywhere in the galleries! It is a smaller piece of furniture, through which we feel the influence of Madame de Pompadour. It is the rocky period, the French illustration of rococo. Everything is curved.

The Louis XVI style

Louis XVI was a very upright personage. If he was probably not a very good king, he was passionate about watchmaking, astronomy and could have been an accountant. The furniture Louis XVI is therefore right. An armchair could, for example, be adorned with a beautiful medallion representing flowers: it is the influence of Marie Antoinette.

The Empire style, under Napoleon

Napoleon created his own style. The Revolution passed through there. The Empire style is:

The office in Arc de Triomphe or the "minister's office"

References to victory, to the

We learned that an antique dealer had more responsibilities than a second-hand dealer because a buyer could turn against him if what was sold to him proved not to correspond to the promise.

The second gallery we visited is the Hayem Gallery, which sells furniture but without restoring it. We were told the difference between "epoch" and "style". In fact, it is more common to say "Louis XVI period" than "Louis XVI style" because "style" gives the impression of imitation.

The third gallery was specialized in marquetry. But I only spent one minute because the visit lasted longer than the two hours. I had to leave en route to attend my Saturday course at 5pm. I was very sorry but fortunately had already benefited from the explanations.

My beautiful Paris box: buy her place or offer her

With Mon beau Paris la box, visits are made in small groups. For an individual place, it costs 24 €. In this case, no box is received. For a larger number of places, a gift box is given, the content of which allows you to take part in guided tours of your choice. The places are valid for a period of one year from the date of sending. The seats are not nominative. Each month, Mon beau Paris la box proposes a new theme for a visit to Paris.

Here are the existing boxes:

2 places (39 €): the box of the little curious

4 places (74 €): the box of the great curious

6 seats (99 €): the box of the fan of Paris

12 seats (198 €): the Paris-Addict Box

Every month, a guide speaks of an original guided tour of Paris on a different district and theme. The next 2017 themes:

February: the history of wine in Paris

March: Art at the Garden Tino Rossi

April: one dies only once ... and it is worth! (At the Père Lachaise)

May: street art in Belleville

Examples of past visits:

The hidden treasures of Paris: covered passages

From street art to Butte aux Cailles

Romantic life in New Athens

In the footsteps of the Middle Ages

The Secrets of Montmartre

The ladies of the Marais

The unusual bestiary of Paris

Paris Luxury hotels, Paris Royal

In the footsteps of the Freemasons

The Paris of courtesans

Street art: from the street to the museum

The history of medicine

I was really excited by this first experience My beautiful Paris box. Choosing a particular theme according to our tastes is pleasant. I have been wondering about styles of furniture for a long time: I am satisfied! Too bad I'm only available in the early afternoon on Saturday.

And you, did you know My beautiful Paris box? Have you spotted any visits you would like?

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The number of visitors to Paris dropped by 6% in 2016

INFO LE FIGARO - Greater Paris has seen a 6% drop in hotel arrivals compared with 2015, according to the first estimates of the observatory of the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau. The decline reaches 10% for foreign tourists, unheard of.

A black year for Parisian tourism. Le Grand Paris accounted for a 6% drop in hotel arrivals compared with 2015, according to the first estimates of the observatory of the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau. The decline reaches 10% for foreign tourists, unheard of. It is limited to 2% for the French, and growing for business tourism. The Office estimates that hotels in Greater Paris have lost 1.3 million tourists this year (out of 22.2 million in 2015). This brings their attendance back to levels close to 2009.

"This 6% drop is rather a pleasant surprise, after the year that we suffered," says Pierre Schapira, president of the Tourist Board. Especially since it only takes into account hotel arrivals ". More difficult to identify, a number of tourists come to the day, or stay with friends, family or more and more apartments rented on Airbnb.

"Paris continues to attract congresses"

The arrivals to the hotel were more pronounced (-31.9% between January and September), the Russians (-35.5%) and the Japanese (-46.9%). This was already the case before the Paris bombings of November 13, 2015. The decline was further accentuated in 2016. The Chinese, who are the most spending tourists in Paris, are also fewer (-17.9%). Recent incidents against them (flights, targeted attacks ...) weigh on their arrivals, despite positive long-term prospects.

Noting positive signs in the last quarter, the Office expects tourism to return to its level before the attacks of 13 November, during the first half of 2017. "Business tourism has made it possible to cushion fall. Paris continues to attract congresses, insists Pierre Schapira. There are also encouraging signs from the American, Mexican and Indian markets. "

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5 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in the United Arab Emirates

{Using its} full-throttle development, iconic skylines of high-rises, {and {celebrated} beach resorts the United Arab Emirates {has turned into a} {preferred|favorite|most liked} for family {vacations|getaways|holiday seasons} and city breaks.|and {celebrated} beach resorts the United Arab Emirates {has turned into a} {preferred|favorite|most liked} for family city and {vacations|getaways|holiday seasons} breaks.} Landmark {places of interest} such as Dubai's towering Burj Khalifa and Abu Dhabi's modern Sheikh Zayeed Mosque, have branded the UAE as an up-to-the-minute luxury destination.

Scrape below {the top} though, {and you will} find there's more here than skyscrapers, shopping and sandy shores. Culture-fans can {explore} the country's Bedouin {recent|history|former} on starry desert {evenings|times} before exploring {the countless} forts that guarded the coastline {a long time before} the domination of the glitzy high {increases|goes up}. While for nature-lovers, {the desert {begins|starts off} {where in fact the} {towns|metropolitan areas|locations|places} end and the jagged peaks of the Hajar Mountains are ripe for adventuring|the desert {begins|starts off} {where in fact the} populous {towns|metropolitan areas|locations|places} end and the jagged peaks of the Hajar Mountains are ripe for adventuring}

1. Burj Khalifa

The Burj Khalifa is one of the United Arabic Emirates most famous {structures|properties|complexes} and the soaring high landmark of Dubai. {Not really|Certainly not} only is it the world's tallest building, {it also|it|just about all} lays claim to the titles of tallest freestanding structure in the world, highest observation deck in the world and escalator with the longest travel distance in the world. A trip up to the observation deck with its panoramic views across Dubai is a taking in the sights highlight for most {visitors|vacationers|travelers} who visit, though {for many who} {experience|have problems with|endure} vertigo it might be best to provide a miss.

2. Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is a mammoth modern mosque of {amazing|outstanding|extraordinary} beauty. Harnessing {modern day|modern-day} design and {historic|old|historical|early|traditional} craftsmanship skills, {the mosque is a harmonious {mixture of} modern and old.|the mosque is a harmonious {mixture of} old and modern.} It doesn't {neglect to} dazzle all who enter {using its} lavish use of gold, mosaic work and glass work, {marble in gigantic proportions and blindingly white stone contrasting {considerably|drastically} under the Emirati blue sky.|marble in gigantic proportions and white stone contrasting {considerably|drastically} under the Emirati blue sky blindingly.}

3. Jebel Hafeet

{The summit of Jebel Hafeet is {a popular} {excursion} from Abu Dhabi and Al Ain,|The summit of Jebel Hafeet is {a popular} {excursion} from Abu Al and Dhabi Ain,} {with sumptuous desert panoramas {completely} up to {the very best|the most notable} on the winding {street|highway}.|with sumptuous desert panoramas all {the true} way up to {the very best|the most notable} on the winding {street|highway}.} {Following the} twisting mountain road drive, it's {about} the views and you are rewarded with {having the ability to} see {over the} area's vast sweep of desert .

4. Al-Bidyah Mosque

The oldest mosque in the United Arab Emirates, Al-Bidyah is an important historical site that lies in the Emirate of Fujairah. Although modest in proportions, this adobe building was beautifully designed with its original ventilation shaft patterns in the walls still visible. The entire surrounding area is an archaeological site, where many pottery and metal artifacts have been excavated.

5. Hajar Mountains

The Hajar Mountains scythe through the desert, creating the jagged and wild heart of the United Arab Emirates. Twisting roller-coaster roads with spectacular scenery along the way connects the region's tiny villages. There are wadis (valleys) to explore and hiking opportunities abound .

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Paris: a floating hotel is housed on the Seine

This is a first in the capital. Seine, returned to normal after the floods, now hosts a unique floating hotel.

Off the Seine Paris opens its doors on Thursday, quai d'Austerlitz. Measuring nearly 80 meters long and 18 wide, this ship is a three star establishment with almost sixty rooms, including four suites. It also has on board a panoramic lounge, a swimming pool, solarium, and a built-in port to accommodate small capacity cruise ships.

Read also: Paris soon "flying" cars on the Seine?

For the chance to spend a night, it costs at least 160 euros. Moreover, it is also possible to just have a drink and enjoy two terraces, one of 80 m2 located on the craft itself or another, alongside, of 400 m2. This boat built in Normandy and carried by the Seine, required an investment of eleven million.

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Both say I have been very encouraged at the beginning

When I started to travel for long periods, people began to wonder what I was trying to flee, why I

 wanted to go as long, and ended by telling me that I was weird or crazy

 

Both say I have been very encouraged at the beginning 

Sometimes friends and family, people whose needs most in fact are not as enthusiastic as what we would like.They do not understand and try to dissuade us, which can be quite disheartening and distressing. We are so excited about our projects and we are faced them completely destroyed

Many of my readers often ask me about that. I also feel frustration and confusion about this situation in the emails they send me

"How successfully do not let them influence me? What did you do ? What should I say ? "

When I started to write this article, I did a mini survey by email and asked readers to write about their own experiences. I was very surprised by the many similarities between the situations and reactions among relatives.Apparently I was not the only one facing this pessimism and fortunately I am not the only one to be ignored.

But it's still hard not to count on the support of his family. You will find in this article some of the criticism and remarks that come up most often and which I myself have had to face

"THE WORLD IS DANGEROUS, YOU SHOULD NOT LEAVE"

I hear many, one. Not only through the testimonies I receive by email, but also from my family (especially my mother). It must be said that the news papers depict the world as a scary place with criminals ahead at every corner. The newspapers love to highlight the dangers of life, but we must keep in mind that the crime has no nationality. Crime is everywhere, in New York, London, Paris, Tokyo, Thailand, Turkey, Brazil and in every small unknown town. We can get out of here, being mugged or run over by a bus while as one can travel and never encounter problems. There is no place in the world 100% safe and put forward this argument generally allows to close the subject

" YOU FLEE. "

People often think that if you travel long is necessarily that one has something to flee. When people say to me, I tell them that yes, indeed, I flee their narrow vision of life. It is important to remind these people that what they do in their lives can make them happy, but that one has the right to have different objectives, and this trip is namely what YOU make you happy. Most people will not go away and be happy that you have found what makes you happy . True friends leave you achieve your dreams and be happy for you 

(Read more traveling us to escape reality?)

"WHY NOT GET A JOB "

Realistically, unless getting rich snapping fingers, we will have to work until we die. The idea of working to a certain age and then retire is no longer valid. When people tell me I should find work, I say that if I have to work until the end of my life, so spend my years of youth and good health to explore the world rather than sitting at a desk. There will always be time for work after that. (In addition, today, traveling is considered a positive by employers.) 

(Do not hesitate to take a look at my article 40 ways of working and traveling around the world)

"I WOULD LOVE TO DO THAT. IT MUST BE GOOD TO HAVE NO RESPONSIBILITY "

It's jealousy, pure and simple. My answer to those people "you can travel too. "I have nothing more than the others. Once the bills paid and sold business, you just have to hit the road, even being older than the average traveler (see article We are never too old to travel) or having children. Although there are always circumstances that prevent people from traveling, the real barrier is that which one is required to oneself (a must read why it's never a good time to travel from). People of all ages and from all backgrounds find a way to turn the trip into reality.

"IT IS DANGEROUS TO TRAVEL ALONE "

I always ask these people why they think it's dangerous and they respond each time they have heard of these people traveling alone and found themselves in critical situations. They can also imagine the worst scenarios

"You could get sick, make you attack, rob, or worse, and there would be nobody to help you "

That may be true, but these things could also happen if I went for a walk alone in the forest. I could also fall into my apartment and nobody cares for days. As a solo traveler, just be a little more vigilant, but being alone in Paris or Thailand, it is the same thing being alone anywhere in the world

(Read "Letter to a reader: do not be afraid to go traveling alone

"IT IS VERY DANGEROUS FOR A WOMAN TRAVELING ALONE. "

Coverage of women who are actually tackle or kill abroad are always highlighted by the media

"The world is scary. Do not go alone. Men with bad intentions behind every bush"

No more than where you live now 

For more information on women traveling alone and who can help you to override this myth, visit: Traveling alone around the world: the indecent benefit girls by Nowmadnow Do not afraid of traveling alone by AdelineThe blog sarah Sarah

"YOU DO NOT WANT TO SETTLE DOWN AND FIND SOMEONE "

The hidden message of this issue is that it is impossible to be happy without living for two. 

My answer is that I will install somewhere when I have found the person with whom to settle down, and I could find this person anywhere in the world. Of course I want to find the right person, but I do not will take up anywhere with anyone.

"WHY DO YOU GO THERE "

People ask this question by implying that you are weird to want to go in a particular country, as if some parts of the world were not worth the trip. My answer to that is "because it exists." Why should I impose myself limits?Why should you impose? I then turned the question upside down and asks, "Why are you always in the gym?Because that's what you want is not it? Well it's the same for me"

And although we say to ourselves "I do not care what people think", the truth is that we give importance to what friends and family have to say. 

If a abroad told me that I am, I do not care. But if all my friends tell me so, I feel discouraged to not be supported.And I get enough mail from my readers to know that this pessimism encourages people who want to travel to ask questions and to wonder if they make a mistake 

(You Make no mistake)

Use these answers to circumvent their criticism and help them understand why you want to travel. And if they still do not support you, there is an incredible network of travelers on the web that can help you and encourage you

 

Use us. Read travel blogs. Participate in discussion forums. Keep dreaming (but concretize these dreamsabove). Do not let people get you down. There is nothing wrong with wanting to take a side road and traveling the world. Let them try to dissuade you. Let them treat you crazy, but, like Henry Dunant once said

"People who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are those who change it "

Feel free to share your views and experiences in the comments ... It will probably help a future traveler to take off 

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SMALL MOUNTAIN SURVIVAL GUIDE: THE BASICS TO KNOW!

You feel the soul of an adventurer as Christopher McCandless in Winto The Wild? You like to embrace nature and take in your arms? So wait, read the advice of Alexander before aventurié intrepid blogger and at the same time, by giving us valuable tips for surviving in the mountains

To view photos as climbers and hikers take the mountain, it seems that these places are of heaven on earth. The vastness of the landscape, the blue sky and the rivers that course, the pure whiteness of the snow ... What to say

They are true works of art that transmit their cries and their serenity. Never looking at these pictures I think the dangers and risks that these people could take to walk that far and that went as high

I am sure that like me, it makes you want to take your bag and go discover these wonderful panoramas. But for those who venture there without a minimum of preparation, the mountain is a constant source of threat that prevail for sure who will imprudence evidence. So be prepared

Physical fitness must be at its best, you have to have nerves of steel, climbing knowledge if you want to go further and a good basis survives in the mountains if you happen misfortune.

I present in this article a small mountain survivalguide

These bases can certainly tell the difference between your survival or the end of your travel, but it is important not limited.

There are so many mountains and mountainous location I would have to write a series of articles on the subject to get a good overview of the risks of the mountain

THE GENERAL FEATURES OF THE MOUNTAIN

Due to its geological shape, the mountain is a place where the environment, the climate and temperature change quickly. At the option of the altitude as you climb, you will pass the rock to snow, the tropical climate in the winter, the sun in the storm; you have to be on the lookout for these sudden changes and be prepared accordingly. The winds will eventually play their bellows and it will be increasingly difficult to find or you bivouacs you food

THE DANGERS IN MOUNTAINS

The simple fact of losing ground in a more or less steep slope can be a fatal danger. The risk of strains and sprains are perpetual and scree, because of the freeze / thaw and wind, taking you hunting are highly possible. Staying always on the lookout, and this even when the danger does not appear to present 

Avoid at all costs to move at night. The risks you take are much too large compared to the time you'll save. Remember that you are always in the hands of rapid temperature changes in addition to not see well where you put your hands or feet

THE ICY PEAKS

In some mountains, you will be able to reach the snowy and icy areas thereof without too much difficulty.Remember, any time, the danger is even more present. In addition to all the other pitfalls, there now avalanche risk and invisible cracks that must be taken into account

AVALANCHES

You will not be surprised if I tell you a simple noise may be responsible for an avalanche, but this is not the only cause that causes this kind of deluge. The temperature and the snow structure may also be responsible. When you walk in the snow, make sure it is packed with a stick as you sink into the snow. You can also run fairly heavy objects like rocks and, of course, make noise

Avoid areas too steep or convex shapes and areas where snow has just fallen. These are the most at risk areas to trigger an avalanche. Sunny areas should also be avoided, and, early in the day. The sun is strong enough to melt some of the snow, which weakens ... You decide later if you venture out. 

The ideal is to move through the areas protected by the forest or areas the uneven ground, as the chances of avalanches are virtually nil. This will he let the chance to breathe so far? No, because there is still a danger to be monitored; crevices claims

HOW TO REACT IF YOU ARE CAUGHT IN AN AVALANCHE

Here! You coughed in an area that had all the characteristics of an avalanche area. It rumbles, its cracks and you see in the distance a great white wave surging towards you! What to do 

Head to the sides. Do not try to go down the slope, let alone take the face by telling you that you're the strongest.And if you do not reach a safe area, try to grab something to not be carried away by this mass that plummets faster than you. 

One last bit of advice for those who want to play with avalanches, have about you an avalanche detector. This could save your life if you are buried under hundreds of kilos of snow

CREVICES

Crevices are natural openings in a glacier. They are not so sinister, but you can play very dirty tricks.The open crevasses are not so dangerous. We see them from a distance to avoid them, but the one that are covered with a thin ice bridge, they, they are vicious. There are not so many ways to spot, but if you have any doubt around the area or encordez you. If you must switch to a crevice that you've identified, passed on just before morning, so early in the morning. It will be at its strongest. But again, this is not recommended if you have no equipment for rope up to you

HOW TO REACT IF YOU FELL INTO A CREVASSE

It is very difficult to get out of a crevasse without help or rope. If you are alone and you can not find the way out, you plan quickly make a fire and shelter for the coming night. She will arrive much faster in your hole. Also think about getting visible from the outside by throwing a piece of good size and brightly colored fabrics outside the crevice. The ideal would be to succeed in making a flag with possible branches or walking sticks

THE SHELTERS

As I mentioned earlier in the article, the more you go up in altitude harder it will be to take shelter. You can still use branches and tree trunks to form your shelter in low altitude. Only when there are no trees or branches, you will have to settle for snow and rock. The techniques to be kind of shelter and technical necessities are quite a bit more advanced knowledge that they too can make the difference between your survival or loss. I strongly suggest you to perfect your knowledge in construction of shelters and even put them into practice

TO FINISH

To go on a mountain, as with any adventure, one must be a minimum prepared. You need to educate yourself on the mountain you want to climb. Make sure you know it, and you will avoid many hassles.You can surely make a great adventure with only a small backpack (read the article on how to choose the right travel bag) on your shoulders. Only, the more you want to go far in the mountains you will be more prepared and more your bag will contain material. 

For small mountain walks or for any other little adventures, I advise you to have a basic survival kit,a map survival and, above all, to control them. You never know when it may be helpful.

Do you have a survival kit or survival items in your bag 

Have they been necessary

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TRAVELLING LIGHT (OR LEAVE THIS HORRIBLE SHIRT, YOU NEVER PUT AT HOME!)

You probably know if you follow me in my account Instagram or Facebook

I now live in Berlin since early August 2013 (only for a few months). At my departure from Paris, I realized that I was in for a while in Berlin, so I put my bag in more clothes than usual

Normally, my bag weighs no more than eight / nine kilograms (excluding the bag), but this timethey are sixteen kilograms that I took our friends Fritz Germany, a weight that I do not remember being transported in a long time

Note: If you want a minimalist fashion, I recommend reading my article Voyager lightweight or how my bag is less than 8kg including computer

WHY DID YOU ALL THOSE EXTRA CLOTHES

I thought that to go to Berlin and from there perhaps go to other countries of Eastern Europe, would require that I adapt my wardrobe with these countries and I wear clothes more varied and more in line with my purpose, namely, spend some time in the same place. 

It could be also that I have to put myself on my thirty-one on occasion or that I have simply want to wear another jeans than I usually wear during my travels; or maybe I would like to have an extra pair of shoes to be able to have a choice every day.

That's why when I left Berlin last August, I filled my backpack with clothes

• Two jeans
• chinos
• two shorts
• two sweaters
• three shirts
• eight (yes, eight!) T-shirts
• not forgetting my five pairs of socks
• my five drawers
• sweat pants (which case I'd sport!)
• a pair of shoes
• a pair of sneakers (which if I would do sports!)
• and a pair of sandals

I even took me a coat and a leather jacket

(And all this without counting the toilet bag, the computer, my eyeglasses and eyeglass frames in case, and a whole bunch of other odds

DID I REALLY NEED ALL THOSE CLOTHES

It has been ten weeks since I live in Berlin and I have yet to bear half the clothes I washed away. 

So far, no one has commented on my outfit nor did tour derision. Nobody told me that I was a traveler whose hygiene was poor and that I should be ashamed to wear anything more than just a few tee shirts, shorts and jeans. That's why I have not felt the need to wear more clothes than I put far and which, by the way, the number does not exceed that which I take to usual

It's not as if I was wearing the same shirt nineteen times before washing. My clothes are always clean. And a denim shirt far enough for me when I had to put me a little bit about my thirty-one to sort hipster. 

I could leave without any problem in France 60% ​​of the clothes I currently carry and I'm sure I would have regretted at any time not to have won more effects

WHY DO PEOPLE TRAVEL WHEN LOADED

I still insists it is essential to travel light, but as you can see, even seasoned travelers sometimes yield to the temptation to pack too many items with them. 

This shows how it can be hard to convince yourself that you will not need fifteen kilograms of clothes for a trip abroad, regardless of the length of the trip in question. It seems so much easier to take some additional effects, because "you never know".

Speaking of "you never know", over the years I have met many travelers who always carry bags full to bursting when traveling. And each time that is mentioned the possibility of traveling light, I inevitably hear the same two reasons that lead a person to take as much business as it undertakes a journey around the world

The first reason is that "he may" she needs at any given moment, one of the objects in his bag

As I said above, "we do not know never "

As for the second reason, is that it could be difficult to wash clothes on the road

My theory on items that we might "eventually" having to travel is that if you do not have them in your possession, you do not need. And if for some reason, you really need, you can almost always buy on site. And if you can not find them locally, this means that you do not really need

This t-shirt, you know, the one your best friend offered you and you think you can carry on an Asian beach ... Leave it at home

As for this pair of wool socks that you want to take just in case you decide at the last minute, to climb Mount Everest ... do not take it either, I'm willing to bet that you will not even notice her absence

This will happen for all that you decide not to go

Be content strictly necessary: ​​pants, shorts, reduced and varied collection of t-shirts (plain colors and fits your bottom) and least of socks and underwear that you normally need (take underwear merino wool! They are anti-bacterial and anti-perspirants, which means you can wear them several days without problems! I discuss in my article on traveling clothes here). Take also some objects corresponding to the destination where you are going and to its climate and you'll be ready for all your travels 

This may seem scary at first, but do not worry, you will not end up wandering the streets dressed dirty and smelly clothes you have worn for twelve days without having had the opportunity to wash

FOR ACCESSORIES IT'S THE SAME

If this is not your passion, avoid large appliances reflexes photos, personally I take all my photos with my smartphone! 

To the computer invest in ultra-portable (1.3 KG makes my MacBook, but you also Ultra Portables cheaper and as good).

HOW DO I KNOW THAT THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN

Simply because it is very easy to wash clothes during a trip, even if it keeps changing destination.It is possible to wash his business in the sink or the shower of his hotel bedroom / her hostel and, in many countries, particularly in Asia, there is a bucket in the bathroom of your room to hotel (even in cheap hotels), which serves no purpose other than to wash your clothes. And there is no need to walk around with a big bottle or a large washing detergent box. Just go to the nearest corner store of your hotel and buy a packet or two of laundry product, which in some countries will not return to you more than 20 cents (I wrote a comprehensive article onhow to wash dirty linen in travel throw in one eye!)

It's as simple as that. Take fifteen minutes to wash your clothes, lay it in the evening on a clothes line you have installed in your room and the next morning, your wardrobe will be clean as a whistle. Besides not need to buy a clothesline before your departure, it is quite possible to get one in one of the stores in your destination country for a small fee (a few cents at most )

And for those who struggle to imagine doing their laundry in the shower or tap their hotel room, I still say that there is no need to take many clothes with you. You can always pay someone to do the laundry for you. Youth hostels and cheap hotels often offer cleaning services and, if this is not the case, there will always be one or two cleaning shops in the city where you will find. You will pay the delivery per kilogram, and if you give your laundry to be washed in the morning, you can normally get it the same day

IS THAT TO TRAVEL LIGHT REALLY MADE A DIFFERENCE

I can assure you that yes! For example I could never make my trip to India on a motorcycle if I had a huge bag! 

And when, in time of intense heat, you will find yourself wandering the streets of an unfamiliar city, do knowing where to find a hotel or a hostel, sweaty and more and more frustrated as and as time passes, you'll be glad not to have to wear fifteen kilograms. 

When, in order to reach your destination, you will train by train, by bus to bus, train bus taxi tuk-tuk, the fact of not having to carry eight kilograms that will make your adventure even more enjoyable you do not redouterez the when you will have to put your bag on your back. If it is light, take it wherever you go you will not be a problem and you will be all the more happy to travel light you see fellow travelers struggling with their bags to oversized back

Moreover, if you take a light backpack (take a look at my article on how to choose a backpack), you will not only save it as hand luggage at the airport and take you into bus instead of having to put it in the luggage compartment or on the roof, where you can not keep an eye on, but you'll also be more free to move, wherever you are

Add to this the fact that the T-shirts, shoes, shorts, briefs, socks, underwear, hats and jackets that you ultimately not carried away will not miss you at all and you'll understand why it makes sense travel light

I know for myself that next time I will leave my home most of my clothes and I gladly take again a bag whose weight does not exceed nine kilograms

And you, how do you prepare your travels? Do you travel light

If you want to go further and have lots of hints and tips for traveling light, I recommend my digital book"Succeeding his world tour" I also devotes a whole chapter on the subject (and then you m ' will help to continue the free work on this blog

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