We asked Austin-Lehman Adventures’ travel consultant Mindy Vanderhoof what she carries in her travel bag, and why. Learn her list of must haves.
“Every trip is a little different,” says Vanderhoof, “but in this world of fast paced connectivity and limited suitcase sizes, here are five travel essentials I don’t leave home without.”
#1. iPad. It seems you either are or aren’t on the Apple bandwagon. I am on definitely on it. The iPad has everything in a super small, completely packable package! You can e-mail, take notes, play games, watch movies, and listen to music all from one gadget. Not to mention it takes photos and videos. I recommend getting the WiFi 3G model so you can log in anywhere. Also, buy more memory than you think you’ll need: 16GB seems fine… until you take a bunch of video and download a bunch of apps. Better to put forth a little more money and have the storage space.
#2. Flip Flops. This is probably the most low-tech, but important thing that I pack. They take up limited space, weigh practically nothing, and are great for walking around the hotel or a casual dinner. I don’t usually have much spare time when I travel, but I am always grateful to take off my ‘real’ shoes and slip on sandals.
#3. A Pashmina. No matter where my travels take me, these multi-functional wraps come in handy. They can dress up an outfit, keep your neck warm in the cold, be worn as a shawl, or act as a make-shift picnic blanket or beach towel. Available in so many patterns and colors, you are sure to find one that is just right for you.
#4. Classic Black Pants There is nothing better for travel than a fashion classic and you can’t go wrong with a pair of casually elegant black pants. Find a pair that won’t wrinkle and you are even better off. You can stroll the boardwalk, go shopping, have a nice meal, or take in a business meeting and always look the part.
#5. Gum. You never know who you are going to meet or when. You can be ready for anything with a pack of minty gum. Think long flights, and airplane meals: You can pop your ears, or eat garlic without worry. Gum is an inexpensive and failsafe travel essential.
What can’t you travel without? Leave a comment below and let us know.
About the author: Mindy Vanderhoof came to the adventure travel business with more than a decade of independent travel experience and has now traveled to 41 countries. Working in the travel industry she is able to bring her knowledge, passion for travel, and background to help others experience the world.
photo via istockphoto.com
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Are you tired of long lines, time-wasting procedures, and the whole the U.S. entry rigmarole? Here are a few federal programs designed to help trusted travelers skip the traditional lines at U.S. airports and other ports of entry.
Border with Mexico
The SENTRI program has been popularized across the land border with Mexico because it allows its members to avoid waits of up to several hours when crossing back into the U.S. by car. Participants go through special lanes that move more quickly and are generally shorter.
To join the program, applicants need to pass a criminal background check and provide digital fingerprints. They also need to be interviewed by an official from the Department of Homeland Security. There is a fee of $122.25 per person for a five-year, renewable membership.
The following are some key points about the program:
Traveling by plane
Travelers who want to avoid long lines when coming back to the U.S. by plane might want to consider enrolling in the Global Entry program. This program allows members to go through special lines or electronic kiosks at some airports, avoiding the traditional passport checks and customs booths.
To enroll, travelers need to fill out an application and, just like in the SENTRI program, pass a background check and provide digital fingerprints.
The following are some key points about the program:
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
With their hard plastic chairs, plastic food and service to match, airports are about as inviting as a root canal. Sure, elite members-only lounges are a wonderful perk if you have access. But thankfully, more and more airports, especially in Europe, are offering in-house options where even the economy-flier can relax, work and freshen up in civilized surroundings. Here are a few airport rest-stops worth checking out next time you’re passing through.
MUNICH AIRPORT photo by llinke via flickr (commons license)
MUNICH
As the five-star Kampinski Hotel Airport Müchen, designed by Helmut Jahn, passengers are welcome to use the indoor pool, sauna, steam bath, whirlpool and gym for 22 euros. Thus refreshed, head to Airbräu, the world’s first airport brewery with an outdoor beer garden, for a cold one brewed right on the premises.
HELSINKI-VANTAA AIRPORT
At Helsinki’s award-winning airport, known for its Finnish cutting-edge design and first-class telecommunications capabilities, Finavia offers free unrestricted wireless Internet connection, but for a private microenvironment where you can watch a film or work online in peace and techy comfort, check out the “artpod” chairs at eService Bar near gate 20.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
The worst part of travel isn’t the security checkpoints with prison-issue wands, puffs of air blowing in your face or gloved agents pawing through your belongings. It’s not the airline seats with their lumbar supports that spear your spine or the $2.25 you pay for a small bottle of filtered tap water at airport restaurants. It’s not the jetlag—which can be so brutal that your left foot doesn’t know where your right foot is walking—or the suitcase that vanished with the travel clothes, gadgets and gear you have spent half a decade assembling.
The worst part of travel is actually coming home. One day you are in Peru, gaping at Machu Picchu or in the Canadian Rockies, heli-hiking amid the granite spires of the Bugaboos. Maybe you’ve been cycling in Italy, trekking in Nepal, cruising down the Nile in Egypt, or sauna hopping in Finland. The next day, you open the door to your digs and…chaos.
The answering machine is blinking, there are hundreds or thousands of emails, the snail mail spills over the edge of a huge tub and stares at you from the floor. There are bills to be paid, deadlines to be met, appointments to be kept. Your hair needs new highlights, your car is due for servicing, there’s a leak in your office, you forgot to send your sister-in-law a birthday gift. The exotic fades as you slip into the quotidian and start trouble-shooting, catching up, returning calls, and squirming in the dentist’s chair. Hooray! You are home.
I have not yet figured out how to make homecoming a celebration. But I have a few tips if you are as overwhelmed as I am when you step over your own welcome mat.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
words + photos by Jenny McIver
Five years ago I had a dream – to take the trip of a lifetime “Round the World.” Visit the Pyramids, the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall – there was so much of the world I longed to see. So I did it. I cashed in all the airline miles and hotel points that a decade of business travel had afforded me and after a solid year of planning, I made it happen. It was the most amazing experience of my life and forever changed me as a person and as a traveler. I confess…I am hooked.
What I thought would be a once in a lifetime trip quickly turned into an annual adventure to ring in the New Year. And as I embark upon my 5th circumnavigation of the globe this month, I am happy to say there’s no turning back now.
Why RTW? Well, any old vacation can take you to Rome or Thailand or Australia, but only an around the world trip can take you to all of them on one plane ticket. That’s the draw. More bang for the buck, so to speak.
There is quite simply no better way to see as much of the world in as little time. Though my own journeys have taken about a month each, if you have as little as two weeks or as much as a year – a RTW trip could make an addict out of you, too.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Keep Your New Year’s Travels on Track With These Essential Tips From Cheapflights
This New Year comes with new travel restrictions. So, it is going to be extra important for flyers to be prepared when heading to the airport. Wondering how the new TSA restrictions will affect your flights? Cheapflights has compiled 10 travel tips to help you handle the changes and stay on track:
1. Prepare for the pat-down. The TSA is requiring that boarding gate crews perform a pat-down of all passengers before boarding a flight and inspect each and every carry-on item before you sit down. Be prepared for this new rule and have your bags open and ready for checking.
2. Stick to the aisle seat. In-flight rules will be enforced more than ever, so mind your manners and pay close attention to the flight attendants and cabin crews. Airlines are enforcing the all-passengers-in-seats rule at least one hour before landing, so if you’re prone to potty breaks be sure to choose an aisle seat so you can get to the bathroom before the seat restrictions go into place.
3. Dress in layers. Some airlines are asking passengers to remove anything from their laps during flight — this includes blankets and pillows. Dress in layers so you can keep warm and add or remove layers during your flight.
4. Compact packing. Forget about shoving everything you can into your barely closeable carry-on.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".