Tag Archive

It hasn’t exactly been a quiet start to the year. By the end of February, I’ll have traveled to the U.K.,  New York (twice), Maui (sadly not twice), D.C., Arizona and Colorado, during the last three months alone. Some of that was for lovely leisurely trips to the sunshine and slopes, and some of it was for work. Although even on a work trip, you can always sneak in some Crack Pie…

It’s been and will be a whirlwind of time zones and climates. But, touch wood, I haven’t really borne the full brunt of it, as you might expect. A little tired? Oh yes. A sniffle or two. Definitely. But nothing too bad.

This may have been happen stance, as I’d hardly categorize myself as a seasoned road warrier. I’m not exactly George Clooney. Although, let’s face it. Even George Clooney isn’t really very George Clooney most of the time. Right? Or perhaps he really does bathe in a perpetual glow of Nespresso and the Italian Riveria…

So, I digress. Once again. The point of this post was to share a few tips I’ve gleaned from my increasing travel load. They’re not very professional, and hey, they might not even be that helpful. But, inspired by the sturdy business travelers at Man On The Go, here they are:

• Pack some great, yet healthy snacks: I get “food panic” whenever I’m faced with a long journey. Even a 15 minute car ride will see me make like a pack rat and stuff my handbag with nibbles. I always seem to envisage the worst scenario and therefore stuff my gills like a chipmunk. Just in case. It’s way too easy to go the junk route here, so here are some of my faves, inspired by my unofficial (as in, she doesn’t know it) mentor Ms Bethenny Frankel: dried apple slices, nuts and a tiny wedge of dark chocolate, an apple with a mini Babybel (Yes! Mini circular cheeses have their uses!), or some whole grain pita chips or Pop Chips. A recent 5 hr plane ride even saw me stuff a whole, ripe avocado, a tiny sachet of salt and a weeny plastic knife and fork in my carry-on. Trust me, spread on some Pop Chips, with a Bloody Mary and a repeat of The Social Network, it was a pretty good way to start a vacation!
• Check in as soon as the 24hr window opens: It’s definitely getting more stressful booking air travel. One of the most successful tactics is to try and grab one of the earlier boarding groups, so you can get on and get settled, in the seat you want, with the minimum of fuss and stress. This is a game though – even checking in on the stroke of 24hrs, can still see you dumped down in the depths of Boarding Group 5. Beware! But also get feisty on that website’s ass. Keep hitting “refresh” until you get in! And never, ever, leave it until you’re actually at the airport. Because you know who’ll be getting that middle seat at the back of the plane.
• Try and do carry-on if you can: Also getting a lot harder. And also getting a lot more stressful, as flights consolidate their routes and always try and fly full. However, if you can do it, it’s a great way to maximize your vacation time. Case in point? United schedules to Maui are just begging for carry-on baggage. Without the interminable wait for your case, you can be on the beach before lunch. My secret weapon in the carry-on war? A smaller than average carry-on case. I bought it in the U.K., and it’s a good few inches smaller than the standard requirement. But it is very deep, so you can cram a LOT of stuff in there. And trust me, I always over-pack. Makes all the difference when you can stand there with a serene smile as the guy next to you goes apoplectic trying to shove his wheels where wheels just shouldn’t be shoved.
• Invest in noise-canceling earphones: But no, you don’t have to go all fancy and Bose on us. Cheaper ones like Shure are just as good at blocking out ambient noise, snorers and screaming children. Unless it’s your screaming child. Then probably not so good, although understandably tempting, to try and block it out…
• Get a properly-shaped travel pillow: Please don’t be one of the uneducated ones. You know, the people who wander around an airport with a dazed look on their face and a U-shaped pillow stuffed around their neck like some particularly lurid and unattractive sausage. I like the Brookstone Wedge pillow – a genius contraption that actually mirrors the contours of your head and neck, for a much more comfortable seven hours in Economy. And yes, I’m aware that’s oxymoronic. But you need to know how to make the best of your situation and this pillow can help. Also? A plea. Please don’t use the scratchy blankets the airlines provide. You know, the ones that have all the stories written about them? Yeah, those. Not so good. Ladies – just pack a soft wrap or a scarf and problem solved. Plus it’s a fashion fixer for when you roll bleary-eyed off  the flight. Speaking of which, my final tip:
• Stay awake when it’s, you know, light outside: One of the hardest things about traveling is the jet lag. Even for teeny tiny changes like a couple hours. The natural supplement melatonin can be a great help in regulating your body’s alarm clock, but the best thing to do is try and stay on the same time as everyone else around you. Learning from harsh experience on my many trips to the U.K., I know that although napping as soon as you get there *might* seem like the best idea in the whole entire world like ever; it’s actually the kiss of death to anything resembling a normal routine and any feeling of bodily comfort throughout your trip. Yes it’s hard. Yes, you can feel your eyes “breaking” because you’re so tired. But do it. Power through and live to see and love another day on your short trip. Because it’s so worth it.

Did I miss any obvious ones? Any gems? Let me know!

Photo credit: http://urbaneola.blogspot.com/2007/03/busiest-airports-in-world.html