Travel Luggage History | Minimalist or Maximalist?

When you go on a trip, is it better to be prepared for anything, or to pack the bare minimum?

The female friend with too much luggage

When I went to a southern island with a few friends, A-ko had her boyfriend carry an oversized suitcase that looked big enough to fit a person inside.
What on earth did she pack for a 3-day, 2-night domestic trip?

I, too, brought three swimsuits.
I can't remember now why I did such a foolish thing.

B-ko brought a slightly large boston bag for a trip to Kyoto (also 2 nights). The size was acceptable, but the weight was the problem.
She brought her usual cosmetics, lotions, and even full-sized bottles of shampoo and conditioner.

As expected, she couldn't keep walking halfway through.

The sales department's rising star, C-san

The company I joined as a new graduate had an annual company-wide trip.
C-san from the sales department showed up at the meeting spot looking light and agile with just a clutch bag.

"C-san, is that all the luggage you have!?"
"That's right."
"What's inside?"
"A spare pair of underwear and a paperback book."

S-so cool!...

I was so impressed that I decided to aim to be like C-san.
However, as a woman, I couldn't just bring one pair of underwear.
Through trial and error, I managed to lighten my load and fit everything into the bag I usually took to work.
(Back then, I didn't use convenient things like backpacks.)

I was pleased with myself, thinking how cool I looked going on an overnight hot spring trip with the vibe of a Marunouchi office worker heading to work.

A few years after I had settled into being a travel luggage minimalist, tragedy struck.

D-kun, who takes care of every little detail

I went on a ski trip with some colleagues from work.
The inn was a small hotel near the ski resort.
Apparently, its selling point was that "foreign guests often stay here too."
(Back then, the image of foreigners was Westerners.)

However, I had a bad feeling when we arrived at the inn.
Is this a hotel, or a guesthouse? No, it was even simpler than that.
There were no amenities whatsoever; there wasn't a single thing provided, not even a yukata, a toothbrush, or even a thin towel...

I was stunned. Since my ski gear took up most of the space, I had become even more of a minimalist than usual. I had pants, but no towel or pajamas.

That was when one of my companions, D-kun, appeared as a savior.
For some reason, he had brought enough luggage for two people, packed into separate sports bags. He offered to lend me one of them.
The contents were a complete set, as if they had been prepared specifically for me at that moment.
There was a sweatshirt and sweatpants to change into. A toothbrush and a bath towel, too.

“Thank you!! D-kun!”
It is a fact that he helped me immensely, but deep down, I felt a bit uneasy.

“Why is this guy so well-prepared? Generally speaking, who brings two sets of everything?”

Even now, when I think back to that time, am I heartless for thinking, 'Something is weird,' about my own benefactor?

So, what is this story about?

Since the back gate of the alleyway has opened, I have participated in the following project by Konishi Kinoko. Thank you for your consideration regarding this submission.

#WhatIsThisStoryAbout

Well then, until next time.
Farewell.