Last week, I told you carry-on travel is hard.

And I know for a lot of you, the hardest part isn't the bag itself. It's the "what if" spiral that kicks in the moment you sit down to pack. I see you. I've been you.

This week, I want to flip the script and show you the other side: what actually happens when things do go sideways on a trip, and how you figure it out without a giant suitcase full of "just in case" backups.

I gathered the most common "what ifs" I hear from you (and the ones I've lived through myself), and I'm walking you through every single one below.

These are real stories from my real life, with my real carry-on, in real countries where often times I didn't even speak the language.

Some are funny. Some are slightly humiliating. All of them taught me something.

And in every single one, I survived (with photos to prove it 😂).

So grab your coffee or beverage of choice and let's get into it.

1️⃣ "What if the weather changes and I packed for the wrong season?"

We were 4 months into a 6-month trip through Asia and Europe and decided to spend a month in Bosnia & Herzegovina last minute. It was technically summer. My carry-on was packed for summer.

Except... it rained the entire month. And it was in the 50s. Almost every single day.

🙋🏻‍♀️ So what did I do? I went to Benetton (great store by the way) and bought ONE sweater and ONE pair of pants.

I wore that same outfit for almost the entire month. Like Steve Jobs. Like one of those important CEOs who decided clothing decisions were a waste of mental energy.

Was it ideal? No. Did I survive and have an amazing time? Absolutely.

The lesson: When the weather goes rogue, you don't need a whole new wardrobe. You need ONE warm layer and ONE warm bottom. That's it. The rest of your suitcase still works underneath.

This also would not happen to you on vacation! Not if you're here reading my emails every week 😅

For the record, I also wore my other clothes, but layered. Here are some pics from that trip!

2️⃣ "What if I get my period and I'm not prepared?"

I once wore beige shorts to a beach day. While on my period. With NO extra tampons in my bag. [100% my bad]

Yes, it was as bad as you think. There was a crime scene situation in my pants. I had to overpay $25 for a sarong from a beach vendor (who absolutely knew what was happening and charged me accordingly 🙃).

I survived. Here's a photo. I laugh about it now. (the beige shorts survived with a hand wash - also, this was the same day. It was a diverse activity kind of day, so I packed my Birks inside my backpack)

The lesson: Beach towns sell sarongs. Pharmacies sell tampons. There are sinks. The world has solutions for almost every embarrassing situation, and you can almost always buy your way out of a "what if" with $5–30. (if it even happens)

3️⃣ "What if I run out of my favorite products?"

This happens to me ALL the time. Out of skincare. Out of makeup. Out of toiletries. And honestly? It's usually fun. I love wandering into pharmacies/beauty stores in random countries and seeing what they have.

Sometimes it's crazy shit like this 😂

The ONLY time it actually got hard for me was when I couldn't find natural deodorant and had to wear regular deodorant for almost a month. Which I hated. And my body didn't react well to it.

So now I always travel with two of my Primally Pure deodorants. Because that's the one product I refuse to compromise on. Use code WAYSOFSTYLE10 for 10% off if you want to try them. (lavender and blue tansy are my absolute faves)

The lesson: You'll run out of stuff if your trip is longer than a month. That's fine. Identify the ONE product that's non-negotiable for you, pack a backup if needed, and let everything else be flexible.

4️⃣ "What if I get bored of what I packed?"

Mid-trip in Bali, I got bored of my hair accessories (4 weeks in).

Tired of the same headbands and clips. So I started putting flowers in my hair. Free. Beautiful. Way better than what I packed.

The lesson: Your destination has accessories you didn't think about. Local markets, beach flowers, scarves you find in a shop, a cute hat from a vendor. When [or if] you feel "outfit fatigue," look around you, not in your suitcase.

5️⃣ "What if it's hot AND cold on the same day?"

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam.

We were on a boat all day. We got picked up at 5:00 am - the day ended at 7:00 pm.

Morning: freezing. Midday: roasting. Afternoon: cold again.

I had 4 totally different looks in one day, made entirely from layers I already had in my backpack.

​Tank top + long cardigan + pashmina = 4 outfit possibilities depending on what I peeled off. (I only have 2 photos, but you get it)

The lesson: This is exactly why I always travel with a small backpack as my personal item. It lets me stash the layers I'm not wearing without having to go back to my accommodation. Your "extra layer storage" is just as important as the layers themselves.

6️⃣ "What if I get sick somewhere?"

Bali, Indonesia.

No language in common. I was nauseous and miserable on a travel day. The pharmacist sold me pills that pregnant women take for nausea. They worked SO well I made it through the whole travel day to Vietnam without throwing up.

Little did I know this was the beginning of a classic case of something called Bali Belly 😂 It lasted one week.

The lesson: Pharmacies abroad are honestly amazing. They often sell things over the counter that would require a prescription back home.

Google Translate + showing them how you feel + trusting them = your best friend abroad.

💊: the only medicine we travel with are a couple of Imodium pills (this is for 💩). That's it. Everything else is solvable! (obviously if you don't have any serious health issues)

7️⃣ "What if I need a haircut, manicure, or wax abroad?"

I've gotten countless mani-pedis, eyebrow threadings, waxes, and haircuts in countries where I don't speak a word of the language.

My strategy? Google Translate + showing them a photo + checking reviews on Google Maps in advance. (same as #6 LOL)

I've never had a true disaster. (Knocking on wood as I type this.)

The lesson: Read the reviews. That's it. That's the whole tip. Also, this will likely never happen on trips shorter than 3 weeks.

8️⃣ "What if I can't sleep because of all the random lights in my room?"

Okay, this one is small but life-changing: I always travel with a tiny roll of black electrical tape.

Why? Because hotel rooms, Airbnbs, and rentals are FULL of tiny LED lights that you don't notice during the day, but at night they turn your room into a Christmas tree. The A/C light. The TV standby light. The smoke detector. The little blue dot on the router.

I just rip off a small piece of black tape, cover the light, and peel it off when I check out. Zero damage, perfect sleep.

The lesson: Sometimes the smallest things make the biggest difference on a trip. A $2 roll of black tape has saved my sleep more times than I can count.

The truth about all of this...

After almost 5 years of this, here's what I want you to know:

Things can happen. You can't control everything. That's just travel.

But because you can't control it, you also can't pack for it. You just don't know what's coming.

What I DO know is that if you try to pack for every "what if," you'll end up lugging a giant suitcase everywhere you go.

The goal isn't to prevent these moments or pack for every crazy scenario that goes through your mind. The goal is to know that you can handle them.

Because here's the thing about packing carry-on only:

Most "what ifs" can be solved with a quick trip to a pharmacy, a $20 purchase, or a creative solution involving flowers in your hair. They are never solved by packing 10 extra "just in case" outfits and lugging a giant suitcase.

A carry-on doesn't make you LESS prepared. It makes you more resourceful. And resourcefulness is honestly one of the best things travel has ever given me.

Now hit reply and tell me: what's a "what if" you've survived on a trip? Or what's a "what if" you're scared of?

I read every single reply, and your stories make me feel less crazy 😂

XO,

Aimara

These articles are a great place to start if you want to travel light:

• ​How I packed for 6 weeks in a carry-on (trip with multiple activities & temperatures)
• ​How to pack light no matter your size​
• ​10 items you WON'T need in Europe in spring and summer​