What to Bring?

One of the big things I've been concerned about is how much stuff to bring. In addition, in what kind of luggage? I've been known to be quite stingy when it comes to some things. So I plan to take a super big carry-on, and then a smaller backpack that will serve as my "personal item." I plan to just leave my big pack at my hostel, or at home when I arrive in Salamanca.

I found the Osprey Porter, which holds 46 liters (wow!) and is still carry on size.

The Porter 46 is not very good for doing rigorous outdoor activities, but is probably the best choice for me because it can hold so much stuff.

It can also act as a "pseudo" duffel

As I stated earlier, I also want to bring a smaller day pack. I would really like that this day pack has hip pockets to put my camera and phone. It would also be a big bonus if it is hydration enabled. However, since the Porter is about $100, I'm not sure how much I am willing to spend on this second pack.

The personal item "cannot exceed 36 inches( length+width+height)." So I am not super limited on what I can take. I mean, I already have a backpack I'm sure I could use, but its just a basic school backpack. Also, there are not a lot of pockets in the bag I have. 

The Patagonia Mass Sling might be a good choice. You can fit a laptop (13") in it, and its about $80. I like that it would be really easy to get to stuff, because all I would have to do is spin it around front. However, my laptop is way bigger than 13". But it would definitely hold my ipad mini. It seems like a good choice. A little on the pricey side. There's also anther pack by Patagonia, also a sling, called the Atom Pack.

The atom doesn't look as cool, but I really like that it has a pocket on the front strap. However, I do not know if its as big as I would like. These day packs should hold at least one pair of clothes, flip flops, my ipad and preferably my laptop.

Obviously I'm still undecided.

Also, I want some really comfortable shoes. I was thinking about some high quality hiking shoes. However, I think that might be a topic for a post of itself.