1.5 bag post trip update - 3 weeks in Uzbekistan/Kyrgyzstan and a couple days in Prague
Original post:
https://www.reddit.com/r/HerOneBag/s/vZWHK5hQJE
Overall this was an amazing trip. I would highly recommend visiting Uzbekistan, as they have a high speed rail that connects the major cities and makes it very easy to get around. The architecture there is amazing and there are so many unique things to see.
Kyrgyzstan also was great, especially if you like a more rugged outdoor adventure style trip (hiking, horseback riding, backpacking etc). They are working on hand, developing infrastructure that will make it easier to get around the country in the next few years.
Lessons learned:
This was my first trip of this length packing light, mainly having a backpack for all my items. Only having a backpack and a purse to carry around from place to place made it so much easier. We took airplanes, trains, metros, busses, taxis etc etc and packing light made it a breeze.
I wore every item that I packed, MULTIPLE times. So much show that I got a little sick of some of the items I packed.
However, as people dress modestly in Central Asia, some of the items didn’t get much war until I got to Europe. Showing cleavage or midriff is not appropriate in most places we went, so I either layered items to make it more appropriate or saved them till the end of my trip. But again, everything was worn and got used!
Based on feedback from my original post, I decided to remove some things from my bag (one top, one skirt, one dress). While I would have loved more variety, having more space in the bag was more important. I’m glad I skipped those items, as I could buy a couple souvenirs and fit them in the bag.
If I were to pack again, I would focus more on button up shirts and nicer pieces. I was prepared for people to dress modestly in Central Asia, but they also dress very nicely too (lovely dresses, elegant skirts and blouses, men all in button up shirts and slacks, no shorts). No one really wore tshirts, loungewear or any casual dress. I felt a little underdressed at times walking around the cities, though the locals are very kind and non-judgmental. I know people from the US dress more casually than many other places, but I felt more underdressed than most places I’ve traveled in Europe or the rest of the world. But again, it did not cause any real issues (other than my own self consciousness)
Thank you all for your help in packing! I’m a one bag convert now.
Image descriptions:
- The backpack and purse I brought, with the packing cube and shoes fitted in.
- Touring in Bukhara
- Outfit for a night out, in Prague
- Hiking in the Kyrgyzstan mountains
- Looking at embroidery in Kyrgyzstan
- Seeing the sights in Samarkand
- Night out in Samarkand (they have a nightclub there)
- Looking at beautiful city parks in Tashkent