7kg for 7 Days – A Masterclass in Travelling Light While Others Lose the Plot

When it comes to hand luggage and liquids, there are two kinds of women on holiday:

1. The one gliding through the airport with 7kg of carefully curated essentials, sipping something cold by the beach in a floaty kimono.

2. The one hauling a 30kg hot pink suitcase, loudly demanding to know why the pool is closed and the swing from the brochure is missing.

Guess which one I was.

I’ve just returned from a week at the Iberostar Waves in Djerba — a beachfront resort that costs up to £220 a night in peak season. I paid £47 per night with Booking.com, and just £46 for my EasyJet flight. No checked luggage. No seat upgrade. No fuss. I travelled solo, packed light, (hand luggage and liquids in an EasyJet under seat carry on) looked fabulous… and had a front-row seat to Gale’s daily poolside meltdowns.

People ask how I choose my hand-luggage-and-liquids-only luxe-on-less holiday locations. Word of mouth Darling! Djerba (an island off the coast of Tunisia) was a gem from a woman I chatted to in a Japanese coffee shop.

The Woman. The Myth. The Gale.

Gale arrived with a vengeance — and approximately 30kg of luggage, plus an open-top carry-on threatening to spill across the lobby. Her HRT patch was proudly stuck on her upper thigh like a statement piece (most of us hide them, but not Gale). Her shellac manicure featured a different neon colour on every finger, perfectly clashing with her kaftan. And she was fuming.

Why? Because her £475 EasyJet package didn’t deliver the outdoor pool (a few days under maintenance), and she couldn’t locate the wooden swing that had appeared in the glossy brochure. She began a full forensic investigation, muttering darkly about “false advertising”, while ignoring the perfectly lovely indoor pool and beach in front of her.

She also blanked me after a brief and entirely civil conversation. I mentioned I’d paid less than she had, booked independently, arrived by private taxi and travelled with hand luggage and liquids in an under seat carry on. She reclined on her lounger and replied, “Lots of places,” when I asked about her favourite destinations. And that was the last I heard from her.

Gale’s Imaginary TripAdvisor Review:

Title: Don’t Bother Unless You Love Disappointment

“Booked a 4-star all-inclusive expecting luxury and got a broken pool and no swing. No one mentioned the HRT patch might come unstuck in the heat. Food was fine but NO bacon at breakfast. One woman kept going on about how cheap her holiday was, how she travelled with just hand luggage and liquids and wore a see-through dress — not my vibe. VIP terrace access only granted after complaining. Wouldn’t return.”

How I Packed Hand Luggage and Liquids for a Week With 7kg

People always ask how to travel with just hand luggage and liquids. The truth? It’s part strategy, part wardrobe sorcery, and part not caring if your kaftan is slightly transparent.

Here’s exactly what I packed:

Hand Luggage and Liquids:  Wardrobe:

• 3 floaty dresses for daytime (Indian cotton/polyester/viscose — light as air). And Prada prescription sunglasses.

• 3 evening outfits: think silk kimonos, kaftans, black evening trousers and a black vest and one fake gold necklace and a pair of real gold & diamond earrings ( I live dangerously)

• 1 animal print swimsuit and a sarong (doubled as a wrap/scarf)

• 1 skimpy nightdress (folds into nothing)

• 1 pair of black M&S travel sandals (light, flat, went with everything)

• 1 outfit worn to travel: black jeans, a fake-fur bomber, a cashmere jumper and layers ( was coming back to middle of the night sub zero temperatures)

• A Pacsafe (which I wear constantly as I travel alone) and travel envelopes for foreign currency organised by denominations. A spare credit card, business cards and currency which is kept separate from my bag for emergencies and a travel TSA approved luggage padlock for your suitcase for when there is no hotel safe.

Hand Luggage and Liquids: Toiletries & Essentials:

• Tiny 5ml sample pots and 15ml tubes from Amazon and everything from foundation to lipstick is decanted into these. TSA approved 1 litre press-to-lock liquid bags. (Luton Airport may have removed the litre bag liquid rule but the rest of the world hasn’t.

• Miniature self fill atomisers for insect repellent & hair styling spray

• Hotel toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, hand wash and body lotion) used for hair and body. The only travel toiletries I buy are travel toothpaste and travel deodorant and both of these last a week.

• Travel-sized pharmacy: just enough prescription meds, plus basics eg. paracetamol. anti diarrhoea, oral rehydration salts, senna tablets, anti travel sickness, plasters, antiseptic cream, antihistamines, prescription meds and supplements in 7-day pill dispenser containers, 1 month spare prescription meds in case of change of plans.

• No slippers, but the hotel was clean and I had sandals

• Washed underwear by hand using the hotel bubble bath in the sink each night. 4 pairs of pants and 1 spare bra

• Packing compression cubes which are essential for getting your clothes into a a miniature suitcase.
• A CabinMax under seat EasyJet trolley bag. My days of lugging a heavy rucksack are behind me. But check and double check the airline hand luggage rules before you fly or it will be you having the unseemly meltdown at the gate when they decide to charge you an arm and a leg to get home with your stuff.

Tip: Choose clothes by weight. If it’s nearly see-through, it’s probably perfect. I wore everything twice, and never felt underdressed — in fact, I was often the most put-together person there.

Travelling in Style With Hand Luggage and Liquids Only.  (Even When Others Don’t)

Gale had ME TIME on her mind, but what she lacked was poise. The real key to luxe-for-less isn’t blagging a VIP pass or hauling a mini wardrobe across continents. It’s knowing that peace, confidence, and well-planned packing go further than any package deal.

So when you meet your own Gale by the pool — and you will — smile, sip your cocktail, and remember: you packed smarter, paid less, and didn’t need a swing to enjoy yourself.

Want More Luxe-for-Less Travel Secrets?

I’ll be sharing my Luxe on Less travel tips — including packing lists, hidden gem hotels, flight hacks, and how to look expensive without spending much — in my upcoming monthly newsletter.

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