Three days. No luggage. No worries. Yes, really!
Britt Smith, Yelp’s regional director of marketing and community and one of Indy’s biggest cheerleaders, and her husband recently tackled a three-day vacation with only what they could carry in their pockets. And she’d do it again. Here’s her advice for how to pull off the three-day pocket travel challenge.
Where did the idea for this trip come from?
From my husband, David. When we started dating, he mentioned the idea and I ran with it. We’ve actually done this twice. The first time was to Florida, and this year, I bought airfare to Colorado as his Christmas gift. Our relationship has always revolved around travel; our third date was an Amtrak trip from Chicago to San Francisco!
You seriously went three days with just what’s in your pockets?
Honestly, I could do it for a week. It’s easier after you’ve done it once and realize how little you really need to get by.
What’d you take with you?
I had my phone, a credit card case, and clean underwear. We shared deodorant, toothpaste, and a cell phone charger. When we went through security at the airport, I forgot I had the underwear in my pocket and had to hand it over to the security agent. That was a little uncomfortable.
Have you ever done anything like this before?
Six years ago, my friend Joanna and I did what we called travel roulette. We went to the airport with no destination 
booked and a flight on that had to cost $300 or less. We had to decide where to go within an hour, and it had to be somewhere that one of us hadn’t been before. We ended up flying to Denver, driving to Cheyenne, Wyoming, through Rocky Mountain National Park, and down to Garden of the Gods. It was so fun and we immediately started thinking about our next adventure and how we could challenge ourselves even more.
What’s the hardest part about doing a trip like this?
You don’t have space to pack makeup, so half the battle is not worrying about how you look.
What did you miss having with you the most?
A notepad and a book. I had the urge a couple times to go to a bookstore and buy something, but you can’t fit a book in your pocket! And I love taking notes for work and journaling while I’m traveling, so I’d use the little notepads you get at hotels for that.
Where would you like to go next?
I’d like to do a road trip based on following historical marker signs. Or, the Pacific Northwest would be good. I’d also love to do a week in Europe taking the Indy-to-Paris nonstop flight.
What advice would you give other women who want to travel spontaneously and minimally?
Soak in the simplicity of it. Don’t stress. If you find you really need something, you can always run to a store and buy it. You still have your phone to take photos and stay connected if you need to, but I love to leave mine on airplane mode for the whole trip. It really forces you to be present and in the moment.
Amy Lynch is a freelance writer based in Indianapolis.
