Travel Tip Tuesday (on Thursday) - Holiday Travel Eating

When you know you are traveling on a major national holiday like Christmas, it's best to have a game plan for eating. Does the hotel you are staying at have an open restaurant? Will you have a kitchen to make some basics you pick up from an open gas station? Are there nice places where you can eat if you make reservations? Will you be able to find an open fast food restaurant?

Kris and I knew we'd be in Phoenix on Christmas evening, and, while I knew we could rely on IHOP or Denny's being open, we had that on Thanksgiving with my brother Jimmy.

We didn't want fast food, but we also didn't want to spend $35+ dollars for a fancy Grand Prix meal at an upscale restaurant. After a little internet research, I found a local Jewish deli called Chompie's would be open. Better yet, they were featured on Man vs. Food.

Sometimes a bit of pre-prep can save you a bunch of headache.

Happy eating!

Travel Tip Tuesday: Pack the Wrapping

With holiday travel taking place, it's easy to forget security etiquette. Remember not to wrap your gifts that you are taking on a flight. Bring the wrapping paper & tape with you, and leave the gifts unwrapped in your luggage.

 If there is anything questionable about the package when that gift is scanned, they'll have to unwrap it.

 

Travel Tip Tuesday: Security Timesaver

While waiting in line for your ticket or for security (or better yet while getting ready for the day), put all loose items you’d put in your pants (wallet, keys, change, etc.) in your jacket pockets or carry-on bag instead.

You have to take your jacket off anyway, so it’s already ready for security and none of your items will be floating loose in the plastic bin.

Travel Tip Tuesday: ITA Flight Matrix

One of the best websites I know of for finding airfare is the ITA Flight Matrix (which also has an app called On The Fly).  This awesome website will search more airlines than any compiler I've found and returns the best rates.

You can't book your flight through the Matrix, but you can use the codes to contact a travel agent or, at least, have the information needed to ensure you are getting the best flight prices possible through Orbitz, Expedia, Travelocity, or the airlines directly.

Happy Hunting!

Travel Tip Tuesday: Colgate Wisp

On long flights where you might not have access to a toothbrush, try Colgate Wisps.  They're inexpensive, refreshing, lightweight, and barely take up any room.  No water needed.

Borrowed image from notcom.com

Travel Tip Tuesday: Necklace Packing Trick

I love RealSimple.com.  One brilliant suggestion I ran across lately was to use a drinking straw to keep necklaces from tangling during travel.  So simple and smart!  I may try it on our next trip.

Reclining in flight

When traveling, it's really easy to forget about those around you. We're often harried and stressed and oblivious to those around us. The one thing I notice the more I travel is how awful the seat recline is for the person in the seat behind you.

I get super frustrated on short flights when the person in front of me reclines. Those tiny inches of recline really don't make that much of a comfort difference for the person reclining...I know...I've tried, but they make a heck of a lot of difference to the person behind you who can no longer access the stuff they've stored under the seat in front of them. Those inches matter a lot to the person who can no longer use their tray table or laptop, or even easily get up to go to the restroom.


I'm sitting behind a person right now going from Denver to Dallas. He isn't sleeping, which would, in my mind, make reclining forgivable, and he's in the exit row. There is nobody seated next to him. But he reclined anyway...and he's using the tray table of the seat next to him. And, to top it off, he's not even leaning back!

So do people a favor and think twice before you recline.

End rant.

Travel Tip Tuesday: Cruise Soda

To save money when cruising, bring your own soda on board.  I usually pack an extra collapsible bag in my luggage expressly for packing some soda for the cruise ship.

Find a grocery or convenience store at the cruise ship port, and buy a six pack or eight pack of bottled soda.  (I like the bottles so I don't have to drink it all at once.)  Pack this in the extra bag you packed and use one of your luggage tags for it.

The cruise ship soda card can cost a lot of money.  You can get glasses of ice at anytime on the cruise, and you are allowed to bring your own soda...even if it isn't advertised.

Travel Tip Tuesday: Spice Solution

Going on a long trip where you might want to cook?  Use contact lens cases to carry small quantities of spices you wouldn't want to purchase on the trip.  Just make sure to label the tops.

*This would not work for our trip to New Zealand or our upcoming trip to Australia, as they don't allow food to be brought into the country.  Make sure to know your restrictions before you go.

Travel Tip Tuesday: Lost Camera Recovery Tip

With your phone and with your camera, take a photo of a piece of paper that says, "If found, please contact:" and provide your contact information.

If your camera is lost, hopefully the people who find it will go through the photos and will contact you.

If your camera was stolen, hopefully the people will at least be nice enough to send you back the memory card.

If you've got a minute, check out this guy's pictorial guide to avoid camera loss.  It's pretty awesome.

Travel Tip Tuesday: Airport Time Saving Tip

It's always packed outside of the arrivals gates at an airport, but the departures gates are usually clear. Get your party to pick you up at departures instead of arrivals. It saves lots of time and frustration.

If that isn't possible, check to see if there is a cell phone waiting lot at the airport you are flying in to (or picking someone up from).  You can often sit there for free until the person calls to say they are outside.

Photographic Moments

I fancy myself a traveler, not a tourist.  To most people, there is little distinction, but I hold true to the motto seen all over New Zealand...

Take only photographs...

Leave only footprints.

Kris and I try not to touch valued artwork.  We attempt to be cognizant to those around us and not ruin their moments.  I try to quickly take my photographs if a group is around and leave for the next person to get a turn.

We evaluate whether or not we really need to be in a photo if there is a crowd around.  If you are next to a monument, art, or something that attracts others, you are likely ruining someone else's moment or photo.  Do you need to be?

Kris says I should embrace it.  He says I should just make a photo album called, "Photos that could have been great if the tourists would have gotten out of the way..."

So, taking his advice, I got the photo with the tourists; then waited around for one without the tourists.

 

What do you think?  Better with the tourists or without?  Feel free to weigh in on the matter in the comments section!

Travel Tip Tuesday: Keeping Clothes Clean

Last Christmas, my mother-in-law got me a nifty little product called Shoe Ins from The Container Store.  They are two blue and two gray sets of shoe bags with a drawstring cord that keep my shoes from getting my clothes and bag dirty when traveling.  The bags are washable, so they are a reusable solution for people who carry extra shoes.  *If you don't have Shoe Ins, you could probably also just use some old large socks.

Kris, my husband, however, hates carrying extra bags around and has shoes too big to fit in the bag anyway.  If his shoes get nasty on a trip, we usually put them in plastic grocery sacks.  (I always carry a bunch with me.)

However, a nifty little trick I saw on Real Simple is to put your shoes in those cheap, disposable shower caps often provided gratis at hotels.  Small feet can shove both shoes into one cap.  Larger shoes might need two shower caps.  Assuming they don't shift in travel, they should also work as a water guard against your clothes and wet shoes.

Travel Tip Tuesday: Heat Guard; Stowing Hot Hair Appliances

Don't want to spend massive amounts of money to buy bags that are meant to store your curling iron, straightening iron, and other warm accessories as they cool down?  Pack them in an oven mitt.

Just as the oven mitt keeps your hands protected from the hot pans in the oven, it'll keep your clothes and suitcase protected from the hot metal of your styling equipment.

If you're crafty, LifeHacker has an article on how to repurpose a pot holder into a flat iron case.

If you're like me though, you'll just leave those products at home and throw your hair into a ponytail.

Travel Tip Tuesday: Inventory Luggage with a Photo

If you ever have a claim with insurance for lost luggage, you'll need proof of what you packed.  Snap a quick photo of the contents of your luggage before each trip with your camera or phone's camera and email it to yourself.

It'll take you seconds to do, but it's the proof you need later.

Travel Tip Tuesday: Surge Protectors are your Friend

It's a good idea to invest in a small, lightweight surge protector with a decent length cord for travel.  Not only can this make it possible for you to sit further away from an outlet while charging items, it may be the only way you'll get to charge multiple items at once.

I bet if all of the outlets were taken at a gate at the airport and you had a surge protector, you might even be able to convince someone to share the outlet with you.

Having a good surge protector with an extended cord has made it possible for Kris and me to charge our camera batteries or laptops concurrently...very important for the longevity of our marriage.

If you don't already have one, this is a decent one from The Container Store.  I like that one of the outlets is on the back.  This is where you could charge something with a large base that might otherwise block the other plug.

Belkin has a good surge protector with USB ports on the side, but it doesn't have a cord.

If you have a lot of devices, the Chargepod might be a great option for you.

Travel Tip Tuesday: Know Your Credit Card Benefits

Before you buy trip insurance and rental car insurance, check the benefits of your credit card.

 Most people don't realize that most credit cards already come with the benefit of travel insurance, trip cancellation, lost baggage, rental car insurance, and more.

 Knowing the benefits of your credit card could save you lots of money and could help you pick which credit card to use.

This infographic could also help explain some fuzzy items.

Adventurer McCoy Avatar

I have an amazing former student who is an incredible artist.

She's made me a custom avatar that I ADORE!  I love it.  It's grand and gives me chills.

Introducing the updated Adventurer McCoy and Skitler, her trusty fennec fox:

She delighted me so much, that my husband helped me build a website inspired by her.

And, truth be told, I'm quite fond of her first Adventurer McCoy too.  I'll throw her in here for good measure.

You are one talented lady Hari Fox!

Travel Tip Tuesday: Save Money on Liquids

In a world where the amount of room we get for packing liquids is minuscule, I've spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to pack the smallest quantity of liquids possible without breaking the bank.

If you have a liquid that just doesn't come in a small size but you never need too much of it to get you through a trip (moisturizer, eye makeup remover, acne cream, vaseline, etc.), buy a cheap contact lens holder and fill the cups with the liquid. You can carry one or two liquids per contact lens container, and it saves a ton of room. The outsides can be easily labeled.

Save money by buying refillable containers and filling with your normal products. If you really want to use the hotel products - go ahead. Otherwise, you can always save up some and donate to a local homeless or recovery center.

If you have liquids that can be purchased in powder form (like BareMinerals Exfoliating Treatment Cleanser), I always recommend it. Otherwise, pre-moistened cleansing cloths will wash your face while keeping you from needing an additional facecloth. They don't count against your liquid allowance from what I've been told by TSA screening agents and can really refresh you on a long flight.

Cologate Wisp mini toothbrushes are great for the plane and allow you to pack your toothpaste...or at least keep you from trying to retrieve it from your bag on a long flight.





*I didn't get anything for mentioning some products.  I just really like the products.

Travel Tip Tuesday: Bungee Cords

Bungee cords are a very easy to pack useful item when it comes to travel.  There's no telling the number of things you'll need to secure during a trip, and these can always be used for fastening.  They attach to the outside of your bag without taking up any additional room and are an inexpensive versatile tool.

If you need an impromptu clothesline, these little guys really do the trick.

Travel Tip Tuesday: Dirty Clothes Solution

So often when traveling, we spend forever packing our clothes to make everything fit perfectly in our suitcase.  Then, when things are dirty, we just throw it in a bag.  I hate carrying around that second bag and figuring what to do with it at the end of the trip.

Thanks to my mother-in-law and a great REI sale, we've started using Eagle Creek Pack It travel folders to pack our clothes.

They are these great folders that help you fold your clothes and keep them compressed.  I have some in different colors to help separate my pants from tops.

I've just recently started carrying around a third folder...for those dirty clothes.  Not only do I not have another bag to lug around, my dirty clothes are separated in a manageable way into that third pack-it and fit into my luggage without issue.

They even fit in my travel backpack!

This tip courtesy of Kristy and Terri.

Travel Tip Tuesday: Carry a copy of important documents

When recently traveling from Oahu to Kauai, my husband dropped his driver's license on the airplane.  Luckily, the airport was able to locate it and return the license to him a few days later.

The outcome of this debacle could have been much worse.  Regardless, my husband finally admitted that what he previously had thought as my being a travel lunatic was rather quite brilliant.

I always carry a full color copy of both of our drivers licenses, passports, and the front/back of our credit cards.

I carry this in an inconspicuous location separated from our wallets.  Many a travel horror story ends with a stolen or lost wallet or passport.  If you have no way to identify yourself, especially outside of the United States, it could be a nightmare.  It'd be way easier to have the American Embassy issue you an emergency passport if you had evidence of your existence.

We also take a different wallet traveling than we carry at home.  Take only what you need, know what you are carrying with you, and split up your assets.  You shouldn't have one person carry all of the cash, and my husband and I carry different credit cards in case one doesn't work.

Hopefully you'll never need to worry about this, but better safe than sorry.

Tuesday Travel Tip: I'm Tired of Buying Water at the Airport

It's hard laying out $4 for a bottle of water at the airport...at least for me.  That's why I've started bringing my water with me.  

Now, I know you can't bring a bottle of water through security, but you can bring an empty bottle.  I'll often bring a full bottle from home, drink it on the way to the airport, and empty it before I get to security.  They don't care if there are trace droplets of water left in the water bottle.  Some airports like Boston, San Francisco, and Chicago are providing patrons with a water bottle hydration system.  Otherwise, just refill at the water fountain.

The Madhouse that is Customs

I love being part of the Global Entry program when coming back into the United States after traveling abroad.  I wish you could apply for all countries.  I'm not looking forward to customs at London Heathrow.

I fully expect this postcard to be a decent representation of what we'll be experiencing soon:

Should be fun.  =)

Haggis - Kris may, I won't - but a postcard I purchased

I have no interest in trying haggis when we go to Scotland, but Kris does.

I did have interest in a haggis recipe postcard though. I found it on Zazzle.com:

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Kris chose to eat Haggis twice during this trip.  Here he is trying it for the first time.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

The National Animal is What???

Watercolor unicorn from elfwood.com 

My Scotland trip planning has commenced, and, whilst doing my normal search thing, I discovered that Scotland has chosen an imaginary creature as their official national animal.  No joke.

The official national animal of Scotland is...the unicorn.

That bloody rocks!

I think the national mammal of the United States should be the mermaid.

Know of any other weird or odd national animals?

Now you too can have a School Toilet playset

While I was in Switzerland over Spring Break, I went into a toy store.  Along with the many handcrafted toys, they also had the School Toilet Playset:

Now you too can have a School Toilet playset:  just click here

The Village Shoe Shop and Street Market Set should also not be missed.

Make sure, however, not to forget the Father at Home set.

“Victor Tailbury is very keen on doing crosswords and planning what he's going to do next in the garden. He likes nothing better than to sit on the sofa with a puzzle or magazine to study the lovely gardening ideas.  This Sylvanian figure comes with a sofa and accessories including a plant, picture frame and magazines.
Add this Father At Home Set to your Sylvanian Families collection, a great way to encourage imaginative play.”

You’ll have to forgive me.  Playing with the Hamburger Wagon has made me feel greasy.  I’d better wash up.

All this and many more toys for girls:  http://www.fishpond.com/Toys/Toys_for_Girls/Sylvanian_Families

It just makes me laugh!