Backpack

I usually travel with just a backpack. From short trips to two-week adventures, I find it’s easiest to get around and keep track of my belongings when I pack light. But my five-day trip to the Great Smoky Mountains in April 2023 was my first time backpacking in a natural environment,…

In August 2022, I decided to do something I’d never done before — leave my home for seven days with just a backpack.I spent a week visiting Canada for the first time. And I didn’t want to bring a carry-on luggage because my plans had me constantly on the move.I…

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Nuala O’Hanlon, who quit her marketing role at Primark in Dublin to backpack through Asia. It has been edited for length and clarity.I’ve been in the fashion merchandising and marketing industry for my decadelong career. I started taking on visual merchandising…