Luggage together, in one daypack
I want to walk around the fields and mountains of England and see a lot of things, so I've kept my belongings to a minimum. I'll carry things that aren't too heavy to be a nuisance even if I carry them all day.
Cotton pants and a T-shirt are the basic clothes, but long-sleeved shirts are also necessary for summer mornings in England. A small folding umbrella and a thin jacket to protect you from the wind when walking in the mountains are also necessary.
To make things as light as possible, I try to leave things behind that I'm not sure whether to bring or not. I've decided to just buy them when I'm in trouble. I don't bring guidebooks, I only copy the parts that are absolutely necessary. The important thing is maps that you can buy when you're in the country. I attach a compass to my daypack so I won't lose it.
Of course, I did laundry every day. I wash it with a small soap in the bathroom. But I have trouble finding a place to hang it. Many youth hostels have drying rooms in the basement or elsewhere, which is helpful. If there's no place to hang it, I'll be careful and lay towels on the floor to prevent dripping next to the bed.
In times like these, it's convenient to have mountain climbing shirts made of materials such as dry acrylic or polyester that are excellent at absorbing sweat and drying quickly.
Climbing pants also dry when hung indoors overnight. I wash socks every day, but so far I haven't found any that dry as easily as mountain climbing T-shirts.
I wear sneakers that are easy to walk in. I probably should have bought some rubber sandals somewhere to cross the tidal flats at Walton on the Naze.
This time I brought a digital camera and a small computer, the HP200LX. I downloaded a lot of records from the web of Donky and other senior pilgrims. I was planning to type my diary into this, but a paper notebook was quicker and more convenient after all.
I use pencils, so I bring a touch knife to sharpen them. This only has a 5mm blade, but I once found one at Kansai Airport and couldn't bring it on board.