I have been very fortunate to have been able to do quite a bit of traveling over the past couple of years. My travel generally falls into two categories: there is visiting and then there is exploring. For both types, my wife and I have learned how to travel very light, even for extended periods of time. Even so, I think I can travel lighter.

How Light is Light?

I travel with one carry-on bag that, if I’m flying, will fit in the overhead bin, and one small personal item that, again, on a plane, will fit under the seat in front of me. It doesn’t matter if I’m driving, taking the train, or flying, this is all the luggage I take. I’ve traveled this way on trips of 4 weeks or more with no issues. It took some trial and error to get here, but, for me, it is so much better this way!

For my tech, I always bring my iPhone (of course) as well as my iPad. My Apple Watch and AirPods also come along, as well as an external battery to charge my phone if needed. I bring my iPad because I figure I can use any downtime to get some writing done. I also enjoy the bigger screen for reading, research, and watching movies on the plane or train.

For trips that are visits, where I’m typically hanging out with family or friends, this works well. I usually have quite a bit of downtime and use my iPad regularly. I am also often doing some tech support on family trips (my family prepares a list before I arrive 😀), so the iPad is useful there too.

On the exploring trips, however, I’m generally out-and-about all day, every day. I’m walking, hiking, enjoying the view, learning about the history, and taking it all in. For these trips, I rarely use my iPad. And even when I do, I could just as easily use my phone for the same tasks. I just end up taking my iPad from place to place and worrying about leaving it in the hotel room.

Leaving the iPad Behind

I have an upcoming exploring trip, and I’ve decided to leave my iPad at home. I’m a bit nervous about this, as I’ve always brought my iPad along. Even though I rarely use it on these trips, I tell myself that I have it just in case I need it. For example, there have been times when flights have been messed up and having the larger screen was nice to get things fixed. But even so, I could do that on the phone. So, I’m going to give it a try.

Now, there are a couple of instances, even on these types of trips, where I do regularly use my iPad: on the way to the destination and on the way home. I download movies, books, and games and use the iPad while en route. The bigger screen is great for these things, but I figure I can easily do all these on my iPhone. But that has me thinking…

Which Phone?

I have always used the regular size iPhones. The Plus and Max sizes have always seemed gigantic to me. Too big to hold, too big for my pockets, and generally unwieldy. (I did briefly use an iPhone 7 Plus when it first came out, but returned it because it felt too big.)

I use my phone a lot during these trips: getting directions, finding places to eat, researching the area, and taking photos. The idea of traveling with only my iPhone has got me thinking about the larger iPhone again. There are a few reasons:

• The longer battery life would mean I (hopefully) don’t need to carry my external battery around all day. There have been times when my regular phone has run out of juice before the end of the day.
• The larger screen would be nice for research, maps, and especially airline apps/sites if something goes awry with flights. It would also be good for books, movies, and games on the plane, train, and bus.
• I take a lot of photos while traveling and always end up being the photographer on the trip. I truly enjoy it. The new iPhone 15 Pro Max, with its 5x telephoto lens, seems like a great addition for travel photography.

The Conundrum

I recently wrote a post about the new iPhones, and discussed how incremental new phones are relative to current models. My current phone (iPhone 14 Pro) is wonderful and serves me well. As I read my list above, I can see that I’m simply justifying to myself why I should switch to the larger phone, making it seem as if I need it. Maybe I should be in marketing!

It’s really kind of silly. I’ve done fine without the larger phone for years, and that surely will continue. And yet, now that the thought has entered my mind, it keeps nagging at me.

I’m leaning toward not switching. In everyday use, when not traveling, the regular size iPhone is perfect for me in every way. Perhaps the best approach is to just wait, take my next trip with my current phone, and really pay attention to how much better I think it would be if I had the larger one. Hopefully, I can get my mind to shut up.