Theo Sulfate, when I left Canada for warmer places many years ago, my job at Radio Canada gave me a whopping two weeks of paid vacation time every year, and my managers, while tyrants in other ways, didn't begrudge me taking the time in full every year if we wanted. Compared to almost every other Canadian I knew, I thought myself very fortunate. However, In Australia, I discovered I had landed in a culture of four weeks of paid leave every year, with purchased (extra) leave offered by many companies. I had landed in nirvana!
From the mid '80s, I indulged in the luxury of an overseas trip every year, to an Asian destination. Asia then didn't have the tourist glut it has now. Life was slower and better. In 1989 I left a Nikkormat camera on the seat of a bus in Central Java. A passenger found it and gave it to the conductor, who stopped the bus and ran back to return it to me. Not sure it this would happen now, but I make darn sure I don't leave camera gear lying around, on buses or elsewhere. I had three Nikkormats in those days, and a bag of lenses, and I shot Kodachrome 64 or Panatomic-X, Plus-X and later, the old TMax films. Yes, those long ago days...
Like benjiboy, I'm also retired, and every day is either Christmas or holiday time,whichever I want. I still have those Nikkormats and all the lenses. Last year I decided to try to use up my hoard of Kodak films, and went off to Sarawak and other ASEAN places with two Nikkormats (FT2)and 24-28-50-85mm lenses. The 28 f/2.8 stayed permanently on the 2nd Nikkormat for street shooting. The other lenses got about equal usage, with the 50 most used.
In 2006 I was away for six months of thatyear (a test run at retirement) and I took two Contax G1s with 28-45-90 lenses, UVs and hoods, and of course film,tho' ten years ago one could still buy 35mm color neg stock everywhere in Asia. During my travels I added a 35 but it didn't see much use. One G1 developed rewind problems a few weeks after I got back home. Lucky... It still works well and I haven't had it repaired. I carry a black changing bag in my kit when I go out with it. Oddly, it now rewinds more often than it doesn't.
I've used Rollei TLRs in Asia and had great results. A Voigtlander Perkeo 1 was into my kit on two trips in 2011 and 2013, but sadly I never used it and it stayed locked in a bag in my hotels.
I have several other MF cameras including a beaut Hasselblad 500CM butI wouldn't ever carry this around Asia or anywhere else, it's too heavy. Being older is all about traveling light, until 2014 I often went around Asia with carry on bag only but I now find this too limited,and I often as not I find I buy basic things I already have at home.Six million toothbrushes later, I now check a small rollaway bag and try to keep it at between ten to fifteen kilograms maximum. Cameras always go with me in cabin luggage.
I no longer shoot Kodachrome (duh) but now use Fuji color neg film and heaps of B&W. Shooting temples of rice fields with B&W is a challenge I enjoy and I find the interplay between shadows and mid tones produce results I like best. I'm still a "hands on" photographer and like many others who came to photography in the classic film era, I enjoy and value time spent in my darkroom.
Twenty years ago I wanted to take every lens in my arsenal with me but I now make do with a minimal kit. A Nikkormat with a 28 f/2.8, UV filter and lens hood is more than enough, with the 85 as a second lens. One or two lenses forces you to make the best use of what you have. Which lens you take depends on you, of course.
I do admire those who can set out with a Nettar and a few bits, but I have far too many rolls of 120 in my film fridge at home, so a trip in the near future with the Perkeo, a lens hood, one or two filters, a Weston meter and 40 rolls of B&W film may be on the cards...