and this is where we get to the whole issue of there being no right or wrong way to (in this case) travel by bike. It all comes down to what one is comfortable with and putting an emphasis on X or Y, and balancing bike+load weight with what one prefers, and having the right gearing etc for that choice and the type of riding style you are doing.
If you have to lift your bike over stuff often, or want to be really fast, then light is going to have obvious advantages.
You got it right, DJ. Its all about what you are a tourist wish to do with your spare time. I like to read, write in my journal, and relax. I hate cooking meals where its difficult to clean up afterwards. The older I get, the more-valuable every minute becomes, and I danged-sure don't want to be spending it cooking or cleaning or worrying about where to buy my next canister, or whether or not my stove will get confiscated at the airport. For me, its also a matter of simplicity. Fewer material things = less to worry about. Tyler Durden says, "The things you own, end up owning you." I say the less you take with you, the lesser you'll be responsible for them. This works for me. A spartan lifestyle isn't for everyone. There's purity in simplicity.