I’m not a very good traveller. No, really. I think it’s because I hate looking like a traveller or a tourist. This used to be a big problem; when it came to seeing a beautiful view or being in a restaurant I ended up loving I would be too nervous to whack out my camera for fear of looking like a tourist. Obviously, this caused a lot of problems when I started blogging, and I slowly began to realise that just telling you guys about stuff wasn’t going to work, you deserve to see it the best I can photograph it!
So now I take a lot more pictures, and whilst I cringe taking them and still refuse to be in them, I got over it for the sake of the blog. A hangup I still have though is trying not to dress like a tourist. This isn’t really fair on everyone else that does, there’s nothing wrong with looking like a tourist and we should be far more worried about making the most of the incredible city we’ve found ourselves in than what we look like.
So I don’t have practical travelling clothes, and I still don’t own a backpack. My future physiotherapy bills will definitely make me regret this fact, especially as I carry everything heavy on one shoulder. Let’s just say I’m working on it. Here’s me not working on it last year with the Roxy holdall I took travelling:
So, in all efforts to try and not look like a tourist, I am always looking for the right bag to carry around the city. I also still worry that anyone could just get into my backpack when I’m in a crowd or on the metro – the though of having my essentials behind me out of sight makes me nervous!
As if I don’t sound needy enough, here are all my essentials needs when looking for the perfect weekend city bag:
Versatility
If the bag doesn’t have at least two uses it won’t even get a second look! The size of a carry-on is too small to fit a bag for each outfit, so the bag I take away for a city bag needs to match everything, whether I’m taking it out sightseeing during the day or bar-hopping at night
Security
Similarly, I won’t ever consider taking a bag away with me on a city break if it doesn’t zip up across the top. If I lost my phone and purse walking around with an open-top bag I would never forgive myself! I’m also far more likely to take a bag which has a few pockets inside, of which at least one needs to zip up too and that’s where I’ll stash all my most crucial documents and money! When it comes to strap choice, if I have to carry my laptop I tend to take a handbag, but for walking around a city across-the-body straps are top of my list for safety ad security.
Easy To Pack
The smaller and lighter the better! Like I said in the versatility section, carry-on luggage rarely leaves room to manoeuvre so the less bulky the bag the less stressed I get when trying to zip up my holdall and get it through security!
My Best City Break Bag: Jones Bootmaker Afton Across Body Bag
You can get a much better idea of how useful my bag is from the video at the top, but for a tourist-who-doesn’t-want-to-look-like-a-tourist like me, well it’s pretty much a perfect fit. The majority of my carry-on outfits for a weekend away tend to be black or purple, so the brown leather matches really well. As for security, there is an inside zip pocket, and the bag zips up across the top. Add to that the fact that it’s an across the body bag that I can just swing around and hold in front of me in crowded areas and I definitely feel safe carrying my money around in it!
My only issue with this bag is that if I am carrying a lot of change and my notebook around all day, the thin strap can weigh in on my shoulder. However, the strap also detaches which means I can use the perfectly-sized bag as a purse in the evenings if I go somewhere fancy for a drink. There’s the versatility point right there…
And as for packing? Well you wouldn’t believe how slim it is! It takes up next to no room in my carry-on as it just lies flat as a pancake! I’m actually feeling pretty chuffed right now as I’ve just agreed to a city break in Paris in December and I know this will be the perfect bag to take with me! Again, take a peek at the video at the top of the page to see how I fit all my essentials for the day in it, and if I don’t have a chance to pop back to the hostel and remove some of the bulkier items I’d still have no problem taking it out to the bar with me.
Do you guys have any city breaks planned over the Christmas period? Two words…Christmas Markets!
Lots of love,
Disclaimer: I would like to thank Jones Bootmaker for the bag and impress that all opinions are mine…and luckily it’s now my best city break bag!