Sunday, June 29, 2008

Travel Essentials

I don't go on a ton of trips, but I could call myself a fairly seasoned traveler. I've picked up hints here and there. I watch and read things that tell me how to do it right and what to bring along.

On this last trip I discovered some travel essentials -- some things I've used for awhile and some things I've never used before but will from now on. Because you are so good to read my blog I want to pass this wisdom on to you by sharing 6 of my favorite travel tips.

#1 Bring a brightly colored suitcase. Mine is just like the one pictured, except mine is lime green. It's awesome. I got teased for it (mostly by my mom who asked me if I was going to the Emerald City) but I didn't care. I didn't have to attach a ribbon or sticker to set it apart. I didn't have to read tags to make sure it was mine. I could spot it on the conveyor belt from across the airport baggage claim and say, "Oh, there's mine." AND, I didn't have to worry about somebody mistaking it for their own. LOVE it. $40 TJ Maxx.

#2 Tide pens. I only brought one but should have brought a couple more because not only was it incredibly useful for me, it proved useful for everyone else as well. I recommend these over shout wipes. I brought both. I think the Tide pen works better AND you don't need to dispose of it when you're done treating the stain. You just put the cap on and stick it back in your bag.

#3 Ziploc Baggies. Bring a lot. Especially if you have a lot of beauty products that expand and explode at high altitudes. My toner, moisturizer and hair gel all benefited from the baggies they were in. Well, I guess my suitcase is what benefited.

#4 Extra rechargeable battery for your digital camera. I'm really glad I bought one. It was an extra fifty bucks, but even though I brought my battery charger, a charger won't help you when you're outside and your battery dies.

#5 These shoes. I bought these Nike Mary Janes for my trip because I knew I was going to do a lot of walking and I knew I had to look kind of nice for a lot of the venues I was visiting. I brought four pairs of shoes, but I wore these about 75% of the trip. They're cute, comfortable and durable. After one hot day in Paris, I changed into flip flops so my feet could breathe. But as soon as I walked out of the hotel and down the street I realized how remarkably comfortable my Nikes were and I regretted changing into flip flops immediately.

#6 Fold up hanging Mary Kay cosmetic case. I don't know who this little girl is, but this is the best picture I could find online. I couldn't even find it on Mary Kay's site, so you may have to find something similar rather than the real thing. I noticed my friend Maria's when we went to D.C. a few years ago and thought it was the greatest thing ever and so she got one for me for Christmas or my birthday or something and I always take it with me. It's so perfect. All four plastic compartments are washable and they are velcroed on so you can take them off if you want. It folds up into this perfect cube for your suitcase and then it has a hanger on it so you just hang it on the bathroom door in your hotel room. I LOVE it. Get one.

So there you go. If you have travel tips for me, I'm still collecting for future trips.

13 comments:

Maria said...

Those are all excellent tips- and I have them all! The Nikes are the best!

Im glad you had a fun time on your trip!

Cameron's Corner said...

How much are those Nike shoes? My wife also wants to know if you can run in them... short distances (like about 2 or 3 miles).

Laura Lee said...

I think I paid $60 for them at Famous Footwear. I'm not a runner, so I'm not sure how they'd hold up...

Kell's Belles said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Kell's Belles said...

I still use the Mary Kay bag you got me! It IS the best!

Charlotta-love said...

I agree on the batteries. I'll have to check out those shoes. I'm always looking for comfy yet cute shoes.

SRA said...

My recommendation from my Eurotrip last year is to get a bag from PacSafe. I got mine at a discount online place...I just googled PacSafe and a bunch of stores came up. The bags are GREAT...I got one of the smaller ones, but it still held all my important stuff, including a water bottle (very important for late August in Rome!). I felt very safe wearing it, knowing it was made of steel mesh & wire and couldn't be cut off of me by a purse snatcher, and that all of the zippers could be locked closed too. I wore it cross-body, too, which made me feel even more secure about it. I still use it when my usual bag is in the wash. A great purchase and much more helpful than a money belt!

Johnny Metropolis said...

Wouldn't it be more prudent not to take explosive products and just buy them on arrival then to pack them so that when they do explode the don't ruin anything but themselves?

Ilene said...

Gee, I just need somewhere to go.

I'm jealous of your suitcase. My parents bought me standard issue suitcases when I graduated from high school (or was it college?). They are such a pain to find at the airport- I have to use a lame ribbon.

Janey said...

Laura it is good to squeeze the air out of your shampoos and stuff before you put them in plastic bags- maybe you did, I don't know. I always where socks and shoes on airplanes because otherwise my toes are cold and I am miserable

Steph said...

My travel tip is to not ever use the blankets and pillows they give you on planes. I've heard from a couple different sources that they never wash those things. I'm glad you had such a fun time on your trip. I agree w/everyone else that the Mary Janes are totally fabulous!

dre said...

The suitcase deal, yes mine is green and blue PLAID! It has been helpful to notice. Like when I flew into Huston but my bags into New Orleans so we had to go to baggage to pick them up. No line, I saw it ran over, Ba-BOOM! no wait!

And it is a sure thing liquids will explode, (however not explode the plane) baggies are a must.

Anonymous said...

Your idea of Ziploc Baggies is amazing...... like your other travel tips too.