--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We all travelled light, taking with us…" description: "\"“We all travelled light, taking with us only what we considered to be the bare essentials of life. When we opened our luggage for Customs inspection, t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc9/gerald-durrell-9611_books_we-all-travelled-light-taking-with-us-on_1795610.png" --- # We all travelled light, taking with us only what we… ![“We all travelled light, taking with us only what we considered to be the bare essentials of life. When we opened our luggage for Customs inspection, the contents of our bags were a fair indication of character and interests. Thus Margo’s luggage contained a multitude of diaphanous garments, three…” quote by Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc9/gerald-durrell-9611_books_we-all-travelled-light-taking-with-us-on_1795610.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc9/gerald-durrell-9611_books_we-all-travelled-light-taking-with-us-on_1795610.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc9/gerald-durrell-9611_books_we-all-travelled-light-taking-with-us-on_1795610.png) > ““We all travelled light, taking with us only what we considered to be the bare essentials of life. When we opened our luggage for Customs inspection, the contents of our bags were a fair indication of character and interests. Thus Margo’s luggage contained a multitude of diaphanous garments, three books on slimming, and a regiment of small bottles each containing some elixir guaranteed to cure acne. Leslie’s case held a couple of roll-top pullovers and a pair of trousers which were wrapped round two revolvers, an air-pistol, a book called Be Your Own Gunsmith, and a large bottle of oil that leaked. Larry was accompanied by two trunks of books and a brief-case containing his clothes. Mother’s luggage was sensibly divided between clothes and various volumes on cooking and gardening. I travelled with only those items that I thought necessary to relieve the tedium of a long journey: four books on natural history, a butterfly net, a dog, and a jam-jar full of caterpillars all in imminent danger of turning into chrysalids. Thus, by our standards fully equipped, we left the clammy shores of England.”” [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People's luggage reflects their priorities and character, revealing personal values. **In simple terms:** Baggage shows who we are. Key Takeaway Observe what you carry. Themes character materialism self‑reflection Mood curious analytical Type literary observational When to use this quote - travel planning - packing for trips - minimalist lifestyle Key Concepts sociology literary analysis Questions to Reflect On - What does your everyday “baggage” say about you? - How can you simplify to focus on essentials? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on possessions can misrepresent inner values. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Long journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-journey/) [Natural history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-history/) [Personality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personality/) [Travel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/travel/) ## Related quotes > [In luggage claim at the Minneapolis airport, the guy came up to me and said, "Maybe you're wrong, maybe stories do matter." I wrote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/in-luggage-claim-at-the-minneapolis-airport-the-guy-came-up-to-me-and/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [Amelia Earhart, who said, Stop looking for me; see if you can find my luggage! Never got a dinner!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-buttons/amelia-earhart-who-said-stop-looking-for-me-see-if-you-can-find-my/) [Red Buttons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-buttons/) > [Though I'm a fashion designer, I never stuff my luggage with too many items.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reem-acra/though-i-m-a-fashion-designer-i-never-stuff-my-luggage-with-too-many/) [Reem Acra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reem-acra/) > [I was in Antwerp - which, I had about 20 shows left at that point - and a guy said, "That's Dave Attell's." Also,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cross/i-was-in-antwerp-which-i-had-about-20-shows-left-at-that-point-and-a/) [David Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cross/) > [“Ruth could have left me the carry-along case. Taking a boyfriend would have been enough for most. Not Ruth. She wanted luggage too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-anne-holmes/ruth-could-have-left-me-the-carry-along-case-taking-a-boyfriend-would/) [Lucy-Anne Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-anne-holmes/) > [It can hardly be a coincidence that no language on earth has ever produced the expression "As pretty as an airport." Airports are ugly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/it-can-hardly-be-a-coincidence-that-no-language-on-earth-has-ever/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [ When \[Erwin Schrödinger\] went to the Solvay conferences in Brussels, he would walk from the station to the hotel where the delegates stayed, carrying… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dirac/when-erwin-schr-dinger-went-to-the-solvay-conferences-in-brussels-he/) [Paul Dirac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dirac/) > [So let's not pretend that travel is always fun. We don't spend 10 hours lost in the Louvre because we like it, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/so-let-s-not-pretend-that-travel-is-always-fun-we-don-t-spend-10/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [“hold up son, I found your luggage”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-tay/hold-up-son-i-found-your-luggage/) David Tay > [The extra luggage of indiscriminate dreams, desires and attachments will make your life's journey miserable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/the-extra-luggage-of-indiscriminate-dreams-desires-and-attachments/) [Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/) > [Travelling so much, sometimes my luggage goes astray. But I can get the right stuff sent to me overnight by a special shipper. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivana-trump/travelling-so-much-sometimes-my-luggage-goes-astray-but-i-can-get-the/) [Ivana Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivana-trump/) > [I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-ve-learned-that-you-can-tell-a-lot-about-a-person-by-the-way-he-she/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I've been racking my brain. I've been trying to figure out how Bob Dole's luggage got on my airplane...I told the doctor, I said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-ve-been-racking-my-brain-i-ve-been-trying-to-figure-out-how-bob/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“Death may be by choclate, but I' ve discovered something greater: Death by luggage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel/death-may-be-by-choclate-but-i-ve-discovered-something-greater-death/) [Isabel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel/) > [I travel without barely any luggage. Just a second set of underwear and binoculars and a map and a toothbrush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/i-travel-without-barely-any-luggage-just-a-second-set-of-underwear/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) ## More by Gerald Durrell > [I do wish you wouldn't argue with me when I'm knitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/i-do-wish-you-wouldn-t-argue-with-me-when-i-m-knitting/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [ Gradually the magic of the island \[Corfu\] settled over us as gently and clingingly as pollen. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/gradually-the-magic-of-the-island-corfu-settled-over-us-as-gently-and/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [They were maps that lived, maps that one could study, frown over, and add to; maps, in short, that really meant something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/they-were-maps-that-lived-maps-that-one-could-study-frown-over-and/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [“It's all your fault, Mother,' said Larry austerely; 'you shouldn't have brought us up to be so selfish.' 'I like that!' exclaimed Mother. 'I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/it-s-all-your-fault-mother-said-larry-austerely-you-shouldn-t-have/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [As I watched the pulsing fire among the trees and heard the beat of the drum merge and tremble with the voices, forming an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/as-i-watched-the-pulsing-fire-among-the-trees-and-heard-the-beat-of/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [Each day had a tranquility a timelessness about it so that you wished it would never end. But then the dark skin of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/each-day-had-a-tranquility-a-timelessness-about-it-so-that-you-wished/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [We stared at the odd garment and wondered what it was for. 'What is it?' asked Larry at length. 'It's a bathing costume, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/we-stared-at-the-odd-garment-and-wondered-what-it-was-for-what-is-it/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [“Lying spread-eagled in the silky water, gazing into the sky, only moving my hands and feet slightly to keep afloat, I was looking at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/lying-spread-eagled-in-the-silky-water-gazing-into-the-sky-only/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [“Larry was always full of ideas about things of which he had no experience.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/larry-was-always-full-of-ideas-about-things-of-which-he-had-no/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [“No sooner were they drowsing pleasantly than the Magenpies would start the food call, one doing the hiccoughs while the other did the piping.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/no-sooner-were-they-drowsing-pleasantly-than-the-magenpies-would/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [“The noise of drinking was exhilarating. Champagne corks popped and the pale, chrysanthemum-coloured liquid, whispering gleefully with bubbles, hissed into the glasses; heavy red…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/the-noise-of-drinking-was-exhilarating-champagne-corks-popped-and-the/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [My childhood in Corfu shaped my life. If I had the craft of Merlin, I would give every child the gift of my childhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/my-childhood-in-corfu-shaped-my-life-if-i-had-the-craft-of-merlin-i/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [The great ecosystems are like complex tapestries - a million complicated threads, interwoven, make up the whole picture. Nature can cope with small rents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/the-great-ecosystems-are-like-complex-tapestries-a-million/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [There is no first world and third world. There is only one world, for all of us to live and delight in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/there-is-no-first-world-and-third-world-there-is-only-one-world-for/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [Until we consider animal life to be worthy of the consideration and reverence we bestow upon old books and pictures and historic monuments, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/until-we-consider-animal-life-to-be-worthy-of-the-consideration-and/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) [Explore all 67 Gerald Durrell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) Christopher K. Krebs > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) Markus Herz > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We all travelled light, taking with us only what we considered to be the bare essentials of life. When we opened our luggage for Customs inspection, the contents of our bags were a fair indication of character and interests. Thus Margo’s luggage contained a multitude of diaphanous garments, three books on slimming, and a regiment of small bottles each containing some elixir guaranteed to cure acne. Leslie’s case held a couple of roll-top pullovers and a pair of trousers which were wrapped round two revolvers, an air-pistol, a book called Be Your Own Gunsmith, and a large bottle of oil that leaked. Larry was accompanied by two trunks of books and a brief-case containing his clothes. Mother’s luggage was sensibly divided between clothes and various volumes on cooking and gardening. I travelled with only those items that I thought necessary to relieve the tedium of a long journey: four books on natural history, a butterfly net, a dog, and a jam-jar full of caterpillars all in imminent danger of turning into chrysalids. 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