Ashleigh GohFirst of all, what is Onebag??
It’s basically the minimalist way of travelling, by fitting everything you need into one bag. It’s a pretty simple concept, but it extends beyond travelling for some people too – Onebag is a lifestyle. There are people who call themselves Onebaggers, who not just travel but live out of one backpack; these are the people who live on the road, who don’t travel with an itinerary, who just go with the flow. And having everything you need fitted into one bag that you carry on your back suits this lifestyle the best.
I have met some Onebaggers in my travels, whether in a hostel in Mexico City or a bar in Bangkok. There’s one thing in common with all these people, no matter where they hail from: they are filled with an inexplicable energy, a joy that is as bright as the lights in a football stadium, an insatiable thirst for adventure and the unknown. For some of these people, the world is their home, and they travel from destination to destination, planning their next step as they go along, living each day as they come, relishing in every single moment (a guy I met cycled from Austria to India).
Also read: Why Backpacking is the Best Way to Travel
People like this are fundamentally extraordinary, and the fact that they all lived out of one bag and travelled with only the bare essentials really shows that they have their priorities straight; life isn’t about the romanticised frills of travelling and posting about it on Instagram! Life is about living!
Some Onebaggers are digital nomads too; digital nomads are individuals who use technology to work remotely and live independent, nomadic lifestyles. Common digital nomad jobs can range from computer programming to freelance photography to creative writing. I believe we all either have or can acquire skills that allow us to lead such a lifestyle and generate money while on the road. We just need to work for it.
Also read: To Quit or Not to Quit Your Job to Travel?
There are many ways to embody the Onebag idea, whether it is a weekend getaway to a nearby city, or a year long trip wandering across the globe, or a permanent lifestyle for the rest of your life. The duration matters less than your thoughts, belief system and experiences. And I think you can call Onebagging a belief system. It is a lifestyle of minimalism, where excess is not permitted, where living is truly in the present. Because if you take away the traditional tourist experience of shopping and commodified cultures, you finally get to experience this world as it is.
Also read: 9 Ways a Day in the Life of a Travel Writer is Similar to Any Other Job
To be on the road, and to feel home in every corner of this world – to me, that sounds like the dream. I believe that nobody really cares about social status and material wealth once they discover what this great world holds. So go! Let’s Onebag it. Rid ourselves of excess. And I’m sure we will see this universe with a different perspective.
