When did travelling become an administrative task? Because, deny it if you will, but at some point, it did.

A weekend away now seems a lot more complicated than it did, say, a decade ago. Now, before going away for a mere three days and two nights, it often requires multiple browser tabs (if you’re a millennial), a shared Google Maps list, restaurant reservations made weeks in advance, a shared TikTok folder of saved videos, and, of course, outfit planning. Before even leaving the city, I find myself already exhausted.

So, what if we experimented with doing the exact opposite?

Book a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Chiang Mai, pack only what you can fit into a small carry-on, choose one thing you genuinely want to experience, eat somewhere good without a reservation, get a good night’s sleep, and fly home. That’s it.

The challenge is resisting the urge to turn a quick trip abroad into a full-blown travel itinerary.

Pack light and give yourself a limit

We’re all guilty of it: packing three to five “just in case” outfits for a two-night trip, only to come home with 80% of said outfits unused. But we understand that this experiment may feel mildly threatening.

Whether it’s a backpack or a carry-on, give yourself a limit. Two changes of clothes, toiletries, comfortable shoes, your charger, and whatever else you genuinely cannot function without. And please, for the love of all that’s right, there is no need to pack your entire underwear drawer. No judgement because we’ve all been there, but you’re very unlikely to have a Paul Finch (American Pie) moment of your own.

There is a practical upside to all this because travelling with only carry-on luggage means you’ll spend less time checking bags in or waiting for them at the carousel. And if you’re really struggling to pack light, try the Sudoku packing method!

Choose one experience, not everything

I chose Chiang Mai due to its relatively close proximity to Kuala Lumpur, which made it an easy choice, but it does present another problem — there are lots of things to do in Chiang Mai, and, as the over-consumed beings we’ve become, the instinct will naturally be to do all of it.

Resist, dear traveller.

Skip building a checklist of temples, markets, cafes, and viewpoints and instead just pick one experience that KL may not be able to offer. And, to each their own, but for this destination, I’d pick something nature-related.

A lot of mornings in KL are spent surviving the morning rush, so why not spend a morning around Doi Suthep-Pui National Park and just wander among the trees? The key here is to allow yourself the unusual luxury of not rushing anywhere else after.

If you have time after, get some coffee or tea, or whatever drink your heart desires, and sit for a little longer. Then head back to the hotel to rest and do absolutely nothing if that’s what the body and mind requires.

So what if you flew to Thailand to take a nap? You deserve it.

You don’t have to find the “best” food

I get that, as Malaysians, we are so passionate and deadly serious about food. What we eat, what we think of eating, and the list goes on. Being such serious foodies, the innate desire to find the “best” food can be exhausting. We often spend a lot of time researching prior to going on a trip and, let’s be honest, if you found a recommendation for a “hidden gem” on TikTok, it’s unlikely that it has remained hidden.

For one weekend, try something different — maybe go old school and ask the staff at the front desk of the hotel where they would recommend you eat. Or better yet, follow your nose and just wander until you find somewhere busy that looks good. And when you do, order something you’re unfamiliar with because, when in Thailand, no matter what you order, it’s unlikely to be disappointing.

Here are some of my suggestions:

KIDDING, go out and explore.

Leave before you’ve done everything

I think the most challenging part of these short international trips is returning home with the feeling of barely scratching the surface. There might be a few temples you didn’t get to visit, restaurants you didn’t get to eat at, something you forgot to buy at 7-Eleven, and normally all these unticked items would bother us. Especially because we have been taught that travel needs to be “worth it”, especially when flights, accommodation, and precious annual leave are involved.

It feels like we have not done enough, but perhaps, that is the point?

A trip can’t be deemed worthwhile only if we’ve completed a certain number of places on our itinerary or our usual routine has completely disappeared. Maybe a trip can be worth the spend if we go somewhere just because we can.

Maybe we don’t always need five days and a full itinerary, which often comes from months of planning. Maybe we just need to give ourselves permission to leave with a little less luggage and fewer expectations?

Book that flight, take the smaller bag, choose one thing worth going for, and leave the rest alone. You might come home having done far less than usual, but you might also come home feeling as though you had the break you needed.