What I really liked about Ray Jardine's book wasn't so much the weight saving tricks but the philosophical outlook. Rather than traveling a bit like in outer space, i.e. isolating yourself from the environment and carrying everything you need, the idea is to study the environment, work with the environment, get intimate with the environment. That's the great fun of travel, anyway! If it is just an athletic event, you could be on a trainer in a fixed location!
The great idea is to fit the way of traveling to the terrain. The game is not to focus on equipment lists and comparing equipment options, but to study the resources and challenges of the terrain: the people, the climate, etc. How do you want to interact with the world?
I have heard that in places like India and China, for the most part it makes no sense to attempt camping. Of course China is huge and diverse so it depends where you are in China. But mostly there are people everywhere and you can find an inexpensive roof.
Versus e.g. a route like the Great Divide Trail in the USA.
