It’s been almost exactly a month since I returned from Spain. The lazy pace of life that we had embraced during our trip had to be shed the instant we hit U.S. soil. Goodbye Spanish siestas, hello New York minute. But today, on this quiet Sunday, I feel the need for a mental revisit. Come, walk with me…

Hi everyone! Well, I'm back from what can only be described as a whirlwind trip to Spain. It was a once in a lifetime trip. I visited the charming cities of Barcelona, Madrid, Seville, Valencia, and Bunol - all in 10 days! Phew! It was certainly action-packed. While I like to cover most touristy spots in a city, I'm usually the sort of traveler who likes to do things that are a bit unique as well. Indeed, in this trip, I took part in the maddening Tomatina Festival, went to a clandestine underground supperclub, did an exhilarating cliff jump into a river, attended a bull running, and watched a fiery flamenco song & dance performance in an intimate setting, to name a few. Needless to say, I fell in love with the culture, the food, and most of all, the amazingly warm and friendly people of Spain.

As a quick recap, I wanted to share a few photos from the trip (you can see more pictures on my instagram @richat81). I plan to share more details and pictures in the coming posts.
 

With a trip to Spain coming up in just a couple days, I’m literally giddy at the thought of visiting beautiful cities, immersing myself in the local culture, and engaging in a gastronomical journey! It’s a 10 day trip, action-packed with visits to several different cities in Spain. With all that we have planned, carrying a light suitcase will be immensely helpful in keeping us quick on our feet. There are a few things to consider, which affect how and what I pack.

- While we will be wearing clothes suitable for the hot weather, we have to be mindful of certain places which require covered, respectful attire (eg, churches and other places of worship)
- During the day, we will be walking a lot. During the night, we will be out dancing a lot
- We will be shopping a lot

Keeping these scenarios in mind, how do you travel light? As someone who travels abroad a fair amount, here are 5 tips that I have found to be useful time and again.