Bottle, that is. It is astounding the number of disposable water bottles people use, particularly when traveling. We all become hobos, and cling desperately to anything people are willing to give us (including free tiny water bottles on the airplane). Convenient as they might be, they are certainly no good for the planet. I'll help you break down some barriers that I had:
Barrier 1: Ick.
Reusing a water bottle for a week without washing it is disgusting. Agreed. I thought for a bit about carrying a small bottle of dish soap with me for this purpose, and was not terribly pleased with the idea. Then I found these little alka-seltzer-like tablets sold by SIGG to clean their bottles. Fill the bottle with hot tap water, allow to fizz, rinse and voila.
Barrier 2: Taste=ick.
Last summer I went to an unnamed theme park in the deep south with my husband. In July. As a friend recently said, the weather "felt like it licked me." In an effort to encourage the purchase of cool, crisp, clean spring water, said amusement park had no interest in cooling or filtering their drinking fountain water. Warm and slightly metallic in taste (although up to standards and perfectly potable), I thought desperately about solutions. Two exist: purchase gallon (or three gallon) containers at the grocery store and load up before you head to the park, or purchase some tiny flavor packets to help mediate the flavor. We did both: cool, delicious water in the morning, and purple-flavored water in the afternoon, when we were too hot, tired, and crabby to care much.
Barrier 3: Airport shenanigans.
It is true, you cannot transport large quantities of liquids through airport security. You can, however, transport an empty water bottle. Just dump it out before you walk through and refill on the other side. Too clumsy? Get one that clips to the outside of your purse/backpack.
Barrier 4: lazy.
I can't help with lazy. Maybe there is a blog that can. Just give it a try? Buy a small, resealable water bottle (kids size) and try it on the next trip. If you like it, buy one for everyone you know next holiday season.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Sunday, August 8, 2010
The perfect bag
If you are seeking designer bag advice, I apologize as this post will disappoint. I have little fashion sense, which ends just shy of accessories, somewhere near appropriate footwear.
I'm writing today to tell you about the perfect travel bag and how to use it.
Perhaps you recall not so long ago when you would leave the grocery store and have seventeen cheap plastic sacks which you would tote home and then shove somewhere (such as the front closet or under the sink). It is possible that you threw them away immediately, but I was raised in a household where both conserving material goods and ingenuity were esteemed values, so I retained an inordinate number of these bags until I became overwhelmed and threw them all out at once. In the last ten years, it appears that people are starting to bring their own bags to the grocery store, a practice that is nearly as fascinating to me as what other people choose to purchase from the grocery store. Some folks bring bags they received from walk-a-thons, the library, a CSA, or other nonprofit organization. Sometimes they are recycled plastic or canvas. These are not quite ideal for the travel purposes I have in mind, although you may hear about them again in another post.
The world's most perfect travel bag is the nylon shopping bag.
Yes, I said nylon.
Have you seen these? They are typically constructed from one piece of fabric, have two handles, and are somewhat larger than the plastic grocery sack. Many of them have stuff sacks made of the same material, either attached or separate from the sack itself. I believe every individual traveling for more than two days should have one of these, for the following purposes:
1. Carry one's snack/lunch/dinner aboard the plane.
2. Carry one's purse (and sweater, book, lunch, or other small bags) aboard a plane without being forced to check one's roll-aboard.
3. Grocery shop at one's final destination.
4. Carry one's beach goodies to the beach.
5. Tether one's lunch to one's kayak during day trips (the handles can be tied together, keeping the contents inside, and then hooked to the kayak).
6. Sit on (empty) at the beach, a picnic, or whenever the seating space is deemed otherwise icky.
7. Contain one's soiled clothes after a day of hiking/biking/kayaking in the rain until one can launder them.
8. Replace one's purse, should one's purse choose a time during travel to spontaneously disintegrate.
9. Hold blanket/pillow/towel/extra sweatshirt/socks for air travel.
10. Fold tiny with almost zero additional weight into one's other baggage when not in use.
Key features of the bag: nearly weightless, very strong, handles that cannot be detached and are not constructed separately, washable, quick-drying, mostly close-able, compact when not in use, and inexpensive.
I'm writing today to tell you about the perfect travel bag and how to use it.
Perhaps you recall not so long ago when you would leave the grocery store and have seventeen cheap plastic sacks which you would tote home and then shove somewhere (such as the front closet or under the sink). It is possible that you threw them away immediately, but I was raised in a household where both conserving material goods and ingenuity were esteemed values, so I retained an inordinate number of these bags until I became overwhelmed and threw them all out at once. In the last ten years, it appears that people are starting to bring their own bags to the grocery store, a practice that is nearly as fascinating to me as what other people choose to purchase from the grocery store. Some folks bring bags they received from walk-a-thons, the library, a CSA, or other nonprofit organization. Sometimes they are recycled plastic or canvas. These are not quite ideal for the travel purposes I have in mind, although you may hear about them again in another post.
The world's most perfect travel bag is the nylon shopping bag.
Yes, I said nylon.
Have you seen these? They are typically constructed from one piece of fabric, have two handles, and are somewhat larger than the plastic grocery sack. Many of them have stuff sacks made of the same material, either attached or separate from the sack itself. I believe every individual traveling for more than two days should have one of these, for the following purposes:
1. Carry one's snack/lunch/dinner aboard the plane.
2. Carry one's purse (and sweater, book, lunch, or other small bags) aboard a plane without being forced to check one's roll-aboard.
3. Grocery shop at one's final destination.
4. Carry one's beach goodies to the beach.
5. Tether one's lunch to one's kayak during day trips (the handles can be tied together, keeping the contents inside, and then hooked to the kayak).
6. Sit on (empty) at the beach, a picnic, or whenever the seating space is deemed otherwise icky.
7. Contain one's soiled clothes after a day of hiking/biking/kayaking in the rain until one can launder them.
8. Replace one's purse, should one's purse choose a time during travel to spontaneously disintegrate.
9. Hold blanket/pillow/towel/extra sweatshirt/socks for air travel.
10. Fold tiny with almost zero additional weight into one's other baggage when not in use.
Key features of the bag: nearly weightless, very strong, handles that cannot be detached and are not constructed separately, washable, quick-drying, mostly close-able, compact when not in use, and inexpensive.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Appropriate footwear
I do not need to tell you not to wear stilettos. There are two sorts of opinions people have about stilettos: the type that knows stilettos are irrational and doesn't care because of how fabulous they make their legs look, and those who would rather go barefoot, and neither one finds my advice relevant.
One of my biggest struggles traveling used to be how many pairs of shoes to bring. Practical shoes for travel? Shower shoes? Hiking boots? Running shoes? Fancy work shoes? Goin' out shoes? Water-socks? The possibilities are endless, and I have found (more than once) that my suitcase was so full of shoes that there wasn't space for anything else. Like clothes.
I now have a strict travel code: Thou shalt not bring more than three pairs of shoes, and thou shalt always bring two pairs of shoes. Why? Unless you are headed to a yoga retreat or towards a beach vacation (which I'll get back to in a bit), you will likely be walking a lot more than you normally do. This is certainly true on air-travel dates, when there is much standing, walking, waiting in line, waiting on the moving walkway, etc. Having an alternate pair of shoes helps in any long day, so long as neither pair is a pair of pointy heels.
Fancy shoes: Try to find something comfortable. This may not be possible for the black tie event or school reunion, but if you're headed to a wedding, graduation, or other event where people will care less about your footwear, be kind to yourself. I love Aerosoles, Danskos, and J-41.
Beach shoes: Bring shoes that cost $1-$3. Plastic flip-flops are the best... anything that can be sandy and will not get hot on the beach (no black bottoms). I like brightly colored flip flops, but also have some that look remarkably like cork-like while still being completely water resistant.
Running shoes: If you intend to actually run (as in, you have a regular running routine and know that you will not only have time but will make the time to run) you will need actual running shoes. The socks pack right inside, as do the shorts and top (probably). Bring one or two pairs of running socks only, and wash them in the sink of your hotel. The same is true for winter boots, should winter boots be your travel shoes of choice.
Walking shoes: There are dozens (ok, hundreds) of excellent walking shoes with nice sole that are significantly smaller and lighter than actual running shoes. I recommend these for those who enjoy walking, using an elliptical trainer, or a stationary bike.
Tiny slippers: These are essentially socks with non-slip bottoms and a tiny bit of cushioning. This is not the time for bunny slippers, but you might really appreciate them if you are staying in a place with a cold floor, or if you are staying with in-laws and you want them to think how put together you are by bringing your own slippers.
1. Pack your smallest shoes and plan to travel wearing your largest shoes, such as your running shoes or work "heels." If your travel shoes are sandals, I also recommend keeping the teeniest pair of socks in your purse for the nippy airplane temperatures.
2. Stuff things into your packed shoes, if possible (think socks, undergarments, pjs).
3. Select packable shoes, like flip flops or "crushable" walking shoes.
4. If sparkly, fancy, or otherwise highly polished footwear is required, pack each shoe inside an old tube sock to prevent rubbing or contact with clasps and zippers.
5. Make sure you bring clothes that match all of your shoes, not shoes that match all of your clothes.
One of my biggest struggles traveling used to be how many pairs of shoes to bring. Practical shoes for travel? Shower shoes? Hiking boots? Running shoes? Fancy work shoes? Goin' out shoes? Water-socks? The possibilities are endless, and I have found (more than once) that my suitcase was so full of shoes that there wasn't space for anything else. Like clothes.
I now have a strict travel code: Thou shalt not bring more than three pairs of shoes, and thou shalt always bring two pairs of shoes. Why? Unless you are headed to a yoga retreat or towards a beach vacation (which I'll get back to in a bit), you will likely be walking a lot more than you normally do. This is certainly true on air-travel dates, when there is much standing, walking, waiting in line, waiting on the moving walkway, etc. Having an alternate pair of shoes helps in any long day, so long as neither pair is a pair of pointy heels.
Fancy shoes: Try to find something comfortable. This may not be possible for the black tie event or school reunion, but if you're headed to a wedding, graduation, or other event where people will care less about your footwear, be kind to yourself. I love Aerosoles, Danskos, and J-41.
Beach shoes: Bring shoes that cost $1-$3. Plastic flip-flops are the best... anything that can be sandy and will not get hot on the beach (no black bottoms). I like brightly colored flip flops, but also have some that look remarkably like cork-like while still being completely water resistant.
Running shoes: If you intend to actually run (as in, you have a regular running routine and know that you will not only have time but will make the time to run) you will need actual running shoes. The socks pack right inside, as do the shorts and top (probably). Bring one or two pairs of running socks only, and wash them in the sink of your hotel. The same is true for winter boots, should winter boots be your travel shoes of choice.
Walking shoes: There are dozens (ok, hundreds) of excellent walking shoes with nice sole that are significantly smaller and lighter than actual running shoes. I recommend these for those who enjoy walking, using an elliptical trainer, or a stationary bike.
Tiny slippers: These are essentially socks with non-slip bottoms and a tiny bit of cushioning. This is not the time for bunny slippers, but you might really appreciate them if you are staying in a place with a cold floor, or if you are staying with in-laws and you want them to think how put together you are by bringing your own slippers.
1. Pack your smallest shoes and plan to travel wearing your largest shoes, such as your running shoes or work "heels." If your travel shoes are sandals, I also recommend keeping the teeniest pair of socks in your purse for the nippy airplane temperatures.
2. Stuff things into your packed shoes, if possible (think socks, undergarments, pjs).
3. Select packable shoes, like flip flops or "crushable" walking shoes.
4. If sparkly, fancy, or otherwise highly polished footwear is required, pack each shoe inside an old tube sock to prevent rubbing or contact with clasps and zippers.
5. Make sure you bring clothes that match all of your shoes, not shoes that match all of your clothes.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Inside the medicine box
Has anyone ever told you to put a wet washcloth over your eyes to relieve allergies?
It sucks.
There is nothing in the world like appropriate medication. Allergy eyedrops allow me to continue on with my day, eyes open. Ibuprofen allows me to stand upright after hiking thirty floors of stairs the day before. Anti-diarrhea medication needs no accolade or introduction; it is simply the work of the gods.
Few things are less enjoyable than illness or moderate discomfort during travel, and many of these inconveniences can be treated with modern medicine. These are the few that I take with me on every trip (pardon brand preferences and substitute as you see fit).
1. Anti-inflammatory (I use Advil)
2. Anti-diarrhea (Immodium, one tablet in the original packaging)
3. Anti-allergy (I usually bring both Claritin and Benadryl)
4. Artificial tears (there are some sold in single use, tiny containers. These are excellent for long days, excess driving, excess plane time).
5. I don't suffer digestive woes, but I might suggest Gas-x or Tums, if you need them on an occasional basis.
6. Anything else that is clearly labeled and you use on a regular basis.
I like to carry with me anything that will enable me to get to a drug store to obtain the appropriate medication, or anything I might like to take in the middle of the night. If you need cold medicine, you'll likely know in time to get yourself what you need. The same is true if you need a second tablet of anything. These cannot be substituted with other products (there is nothing in a standard American hotel room that will treat diarrhea like Immodium).
Some travelers I know (who shall remain nameless) carry a pharmacy with them. I find this unnecessary unless one is traveling outside of the country or into a remote area where one will not have ready access to replacement medications. In this case, the medications should be carried on your person, particularly if they include antibiotics or injection medications.
Note also that this does not include prescription medications or vitamins, which I recommend you bring as one of the five travel essentials. Note also that this is per traveler. If you are headed to a location where all of your travel buddies are likely to need anti-diarrhea medication, you ought to recommend that they bring their own, or in the case of your family, bring one per mouth.
I keep all of these "emergency" medications in a small baggie inside my toiletry kit. Most of the pills remain in their original blister packs, with clear labels and expiration dates. Pills like Advil travel in a very small pill bottle (capacity of ten pills) in my purse. I don't travel with the labels and dosing instructions, because my intended use is "take as needed and get thyself to a drug store."
It sucks.
There is nothing in the world like appropriate medication. Allergy eyedrops allow me to continue on with my day, eyes open. Ibuprofen allows me to stand upright after hiking thirty floors of stairs the day before. Anti-diarrhea medication needs no accolade or introduction; it is simply the work of the gods.
Few things are less enjoyable than illness or moderate discomfort during travel, and many of these inconveniences can be treated with modern medicine. These are the few that I take with me on every trip (pardon brand preferences and substitute as you see fit).
1. Anti-inflammatory (I use Advil)
2. Anti-diarrhea (Immodium, one tablet in the original packaging)
3. Anti-allergy (I usually bring both Claritin and Benadryl)
4. Artificial tears (there are some sold in single use, tiny containers. These are excellent for long days, excess driving, excess plane time).
5. I don't suffer digestive woes, but I might suggest Gas-x or Tums, if you need them on an occasional basis.
6. Anything else that is clearly labeled and you use on a regular basis.
I like to carry with me anything that will enable me to get to a drug store to obtain the appropriate medication, or anything I might like to take in the middle of the night. If you need cold medicine, you'll likely know in time to get yourself what you need. The same is true if you need a second tablet of anything. These cannot be substituted with other products (there is nothing in a standard American hotel room that will treat diarrhea like Immodium).
Some travelers I know (who shall remain nameless) carry a pharmacy with them. I find this unnecessary unless one is traveling outside of the country or into a remote area where one will not have ready access to replacement medications. In this case, the medications should be carried on your person, particularly if they include antibiotics or injection medications.
Note also that this does not include prescription medications or vitamins, which I recommend you bring as one of the five travel essentials. Note also that this is per traveler. If you are headed to a location where all of your travel buddies are likely to need anti-diarrhea medication, you ought to recommend that they bring their own, or in the case of your family, bring one per mouth.
I keep all of these "emergency" medications in a small baggie inside my toiletry kit. Most of the pills remain in their original blister packs, with clear labels and expiration dates. Pills like Advil travel in a very small pill bottle (capacity of ten pills) in my purse. I don't travel with the labels and dosing instructions, because my intended use is "take as needed and get thyself to a drug store."
Monday, June 21, 2010
Less is More
Three weeks ago I ran through New Haven towards the train station in inappropriate footwear. I thought momentarily about dropping my shoulder bag and just living out of my purse, and decided against it. Instead, I kicked myself for bringing so many things with me, schlepped my bag to the other shoulder, and ran on.
Does that sound familiar?
While weight-bearing exercise is good for everyone, lifting weights as a part of a pre-departure fitness program was not appealing to me. However, I didn't want to be THAT person on my flight who couldn't lift her bag into the overhead bin (or worse, as I saw this fall) the person not quite strong enough to prevent my roll-aboard from bonking someone on the head. What to do?
My answer has been to take less. Each time I travel I evaluate what I brought that I
- needed
- brought and didn't use
- didn't bring and wish I did or had to buy
There are usually items that I brought with me that I didn't touch, and a couple of them are still travel necessities (medications, etc). However, keeping track mentally or otherwise of what you must have in Houston in December vs. August can help prevent travel shoulder in the future.
Case in point: I use an unreasonable number of personal care products. I know this. I have special lotion for morning, night, eye cream, hair gel, and a number of other products most folks would find unnecessary. My solution to this particularly troubling limitation (thanks to the TSA quart-sized bag of liquids rule) has been contact cases. Seriously. I travel with three contact cases but wear no contacts. I have labeled each with a sharpie, and am able to travel with six liquids for the space (and weight) of one.
Note this solution isn't fantastic for watery liquids, but ideal for creams, gels, lotions and other quasi-liquids. Depending on your usage, you could certainly fill TWO containers with the SAME THING, but I find that one container for morning face lotion and one container for evening face lotion is perfectly suitable for a ten day travel period.
Does that sound familiar?
While weight-bearing exercise is good for everyone, lifting weights as a part of a pre-departure fitness program was not appealing to me. However, I didn't want to be THAT person on my flight who couldn't lift her bag into the overhead bin (or worse, as I saw this fall) the person not quite strong enough to prevent my roll-aboard from bonking someone on the head. What to do?
My answer has been to take less. Each time I travel I evaluate what I brought that I
- needed
- brought and didn't use
- didn't bring and wish I did or had to buy
There are usually items that I brought with me that I didn't touch, and a couple of them are still travel necessities (medications, etc). However, keeping track mentally or otherwise of what you must have in Houston in December vs. August can help prevent travel shoulder in the future.
Case in point: I use an unreasonable number of personal care products. I know this. I have special lotion for morning, night, eye cream, hair gel, and a number of other products most folks would find unnecessary. My solution to this particularly troubling limitation (thanks to the TSA quart-sized bag of liquids rule) has been contact cases. Seriously. I travel with three contact cases but wear no contacts. I have labeled each with a sharpie, and am able to travel with six liquids for the space (and weight) of one.
Note this solution isn't fantastic for watery liquids, but ideal for creams, gels, lotions and other quasi-liquids. Depending on your usage, you could certainly fill TWO containers with the SAME THING, but I find that one container for morning face lotion and one container for evening face lotion is perfectly suitable for a ten day travel period.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Shirk Fear
In the last ten days more than a dozen people have asked me for packing advice. Seriously. I may not be an expert packer, but I've come about an idea or two and thought I'd better write them down before I completely run out of voice.
My parents are heading to Europe in a day or two, and they are defying many of my travel codes:
Travel Code (for travel less than one month in a developed country)
1. Don't check a bag.
2. The total weight of the stuff you bring with you should be less half of your total weight.
3. Worst case scenarios can be handled by a very few essentials:
a. A credit card
b. Your passport/driver's license
c. Prescription medication
d. Listerine pocket packs
e. Ear plugs
In preparation for their trip, my parents have packed and repacked bags. They are deciding how many pairs of underwear and socks to bring on a ten-day trip to Europe, how many batteries, how much ibuprofen and it has been challenging for me to listen to them agonize about what to take and what to leave. What can they live without? Apparently, not much.
It comes down to a more fundamental question: what are you afraid of? In the case of my parents, they are afraid of death. Literally, their most notable fears are: airline disaster, heart attack, being knifed over the $50 in their pockets. While it is difficult to say to my parents (and hence, why I am saying it here) is that socks and ibuprofen are unlikely to stave off any of these disasters, even if MacGyver happens to be nearby.
I inherited much of this fear, and shaking it has been the most important travel lesson I have learned. No matter what you bring on your trip, You Can't Take it With You.
My parents are heading to Europe in a day or two, and they are defying many of my travel codes:
Travel Code (for travel less than one month in a developed country)
1. Don't check a bag.
2. The total weight of the stuff you bring with you should be less half of your total weight.
3. Worst case scenarios can be handled by a very few essentials:
a. A credit card
b. Your passport/driver's license
c. Prescription medication
d. Listerine pocket packs
e. Ear plugs
In preparation for their trip, my parents have packed and repacked bags. They are deciding how many pairs of underwear and socks to bring on a ten-day trip to Europe, how many batteries, how much ibuprofen and it has been challenging for me to listen to them agonize about what to take and what to leave. What can they live without? Apparently, not much.
It comes down to a more fundamental question: what are you afraid of? In the case of my parents, they are afraid of death. Literally, their most notable fears are: airline disaster, heart attack, being knifed over the $50 in their pockets. While it is difficult to say to my parents (and hence, why I am saying it here) is that socks and ibuprofen are unlikely to stave off any of these disasters, even if MacGyver happens to be nearby.
I inherited much of this fear, and shaking it has been the most important travel lesson I have learned. No matter what you bring on your trip, You Can't Take it With You.
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