Packing Tips for a Business Trip
January 19, 2012 by Scott Applebee · Leave a Comment
No matter how often you travel, there’s something about packing that’s always a little more stressful than it ought to be. And there’s always that nagging feeling of forgetting something…
So get into the habit of packing only the bare necessities; you won’t have as many things to forget if you do. Very rarely will anyone remember what pants you were wearing on the first day if you wear them on the third day, and chances are, you won’t be lounging around in your suit after your presentation or big meeting. Just something to consider…
Here are a few guidelines for the size of your luggage, depending on how long you’ll be traveling:
- 18 to 20 inch for two to three day trip.
- 22-inch for something slightly longer, up to five days.
- Anything beyond that, you’ll probably be stuck checking a larger suitcase.
(We’ve discussed other packing tips in the past where some people have been able to manage getting seven days’ worth of clothes into a 20 inch carry-on, but these are good guidelines to start with.)
Wear your heaviest clothes on the plane if you can. Often, that’s your suit and dress shoes. Not only can those items get wrinkled, scuffed, or otherwise damaged in your carry-on luggage — we recommend shoe bags if you must pack them — but they also take up a considerable amount of space, especially footwear.
Not to mention, wearing your business finest to the airport could prove lucky…you never know who you might meet at your gate. Never underestimate the power of on-the-go networking.
Don’t overlook garment bags: Back in December, Peter Kessler, “the voice of golf” and regular business traveler, raved about Travelpro’s Platinum 7 Suiter on his blog. A well-made garment bag with all your shirts, jackets and pants inside will leave your most important clothes kink-free for a big day in the boardroom or presentation room.
If your clothes still need a refresh, you have several in-room options: First, check your closet for an iron, which comes standard with almost every room. You can also shower with your clothes: Hang them in the bathroom while you enjoy a nice, hot one. You can press out small wrinkles with your hands after the steam does its work. Or, if you have the time and wherewithal for it, many hotels also offer dry cleaning and pressing services. Leave them with your housekeeping staff before you leave for the day, and you’ll have them back in no time.
Clothes aren’t the only thing to consider, of course. How about toiletries?
If you’ll be carrying on, size is obviously a concern. Often it’s better not to worry about packing precisely 3 ounces of each of your favorite toiletries. Instead, just use what your hotel provides for your showers. And if you forgot something, many hotels have plenty of supplies behind the front desk in case of emergency, whether it’s a toothbrush, toothpaste, razor or some other essential. This is especially useful if you took a red-eye or arrived late after a long-delayed flight. Even if the provisions are just tiding you over, they’ll ease your stress and get your trip off on a better foot.
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Airlines Urged to Lighten Up on Baggage Fees
January 17, 2012 by Scott Applebee · Leave a Comment
Who says there’s no good news in the papers anymore? In late November, the L.A. Times did a story on politicians goingto bat for passengers rights by tackling that hassle of the highest order: baggage fees.
Mary Landrieu, a Democratic senator from Louisiana, introduced proposed legislation just before Thanksgiving that would allow airline passengers — by law — to check one suitcase, gratis, per flight. That allowance is only one part of a larger proposal that would keep carry-on baggage free and guarantee travelers access to water and bathrooms throughout their flights.
If you do choose to check your bags, most airlines charge $25 (or more!) for your first bag and additional charges for second and third bags.
But what if you want to avoid those fees? Carrying bags on is a real source of stress for air travelers. Let’s start at the security line. Those used to checking bags — and therefore not accustomed to TSA restrictions on liquids and other items — can cause real hold-ups in line. (It’s stressful for everyone around, too.)
In the Times article, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano said that carry-on bags increase screening costs nationwide by $260 million a year.
If you thought that TSA line was long and slow, wait until you actually start boarding. Passengers now have to be ready to fight tooth and nail for a coveted spot in an overhead bin for their Rollaboards or business briefcases. That jockeying for bin space — and the inevitable scramble to gate check a bag (for free, by the way) when the last passengers to board can’t find space — not only slows down the boarding and deplaning process, but it’s also fostering animosity among already-stressed travelers who have to share a very small space for the next few hours. This has also made flight attendants’ jobs understandably more challenging as they attempt to keep customer’s happy and ensure that the doors of the overflowing overhead bins are closed and secure.
Most airplanes are built with a huge area underneath for storing luggage and other items. As fewer people check bags to avoid checked-bag fees, that space is going largely unused. Meanwhile, people are fighting for on board bag space and hoping they’ll find a place for their feet afterward. The system as it stands now is counterproductive — and it should change.
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Proposed Air Travel Tax Could Hurt Smaller Cities, Airports
January 5, 2012 by Scott Applebee · Leave a Comment
Just as the holiday travel season was getting under way, CNN published an article by Brett Snyder, the blogger at “The Cranky Flier.” Snyder discussed the new plan just set forth by the federal government to help shore up some revenue losses from the economic dip we’ve experienced these past few years.
It’s a two-pronged plan. The first part would simply increase the security fees levied on travelers when they fly. (And those costs would likely be passed directly on to passengers when they book flights.) But the second part is a bigger tax that would have pretty major implications for certain parts of the country: a $100 tax on every flight that takes off from any airport in any US city.
For big cities already served by a major airport — or sometimes even more than one — this proposed tax likely wouldn’t have much of an effect. The volume of travelers coming through and the sizes of the planes that take off from and land at these airports would allow these costs to be fanned out to the point where nobody has to feel too much pain. As little as $.50 per passenger.
But for smaller cities with smaller airports, which are often served by smaller aircraft, a $100 fee per plane is steep. Snyder points out in his article that for airports served by small, 19-seat aircrafts, the tax would add more than $5 per seat for a completely full flight. (That number obviously goes up when loads are lighter.)
This proposed tax could actually squeeze smaller metropolitan areas out of the airport business altogether because they either can’t afford the fees based on their volume — or they just won’t be able to justify staying open for reduced passenger loads when air travel plummets because travelers can’t afford to fly anymore.
There are a number of groups that are against these proposed taxes, including StopAirTaxNow.com (an airline industry group) and the American Aviation Institute. Only time will tell what happens here, but this year’s projected travel numbers paint a pretty clear picture that travelers know they still have options: of the 42.5 million travelers who traveled at least 50 miles this year for Thanksgiving, 38.2 million of them (that’s 90 percent!) chose to drive — up 4 percent from last year’s numbers.
A $100 tax could have a further slowing of airline travel, which could not only put small city airports out of business, but could have an opposite effect of the one the government is hoping to achieve.
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Travel Tips for the First 40 Minutes In Country
December 29, 2011 by Karen Amin · 1 Comment
Our friend and travel-writing hero, Mark Eveleigh, has been doling out some pretty great travel advice on a number of different blogs, and his latest one — The First 40 Minutes on RoundTheWorldFlights.com — really caught our eye.
In it, Eveleigh details some of the different traps and pitfalls that international travelers, especially backpackers, can fall into if they’re not careful.
We found a few of our favorite tips, and think they’re especially important, whether you’re an adventure traveler on a backpacking trip around the Far East, or a business traveler landing in Mexico City, or even Chicago.
1) Don’t arrive late at night when security is lax, taxis are expensive, and you’re too sleepy to be fully alert. This is true whether you’re landing in London or touching down in Thailand. You need to be alert, even if it’s just to make sure you get the right airport shuttle, and don’t inadvertently leave something behind.
2) Know in advance what the exchange rate is, and if possible, try to arrive with enough local currency to get you through the first night. We’ve talked before about how credit cards are going to be your best bet to finding the best exchange rate. But also, the worst places to exchange money are right there in the airport — exchange rates are not in your favor in most places, but especially in the place where people are in a rush to change their money. Find a bank away from the airport to make exchanges the next day.
5) If there’s a domestic terminal in the same airport, head there and take a (often cheaper) taxi from the same stand where you see locals waiting. Some taxi services see international travelers as a way to make a little extra cash, especially if you show up wearing a suit, but that doesn’t mean you have to fall victim to it. Walk over to the domestic terminal, step outside there, and catch your cab on that end. The prices may be a little cheaper, and you are less likely to be taken advantage of. And, be sure to take only an official taxi, don’t get a ride with someone who says they’re “just as good.”
7) Don’t let yourself be rushed into anything — it can be a benefit in a particularly hassled airport simply to grab a seat at a cafe and ‘people-watch’ for half an hour. We know from personal experience that it’s easy to get caught up in the stampede of people all rushing to get off the plane, get out of the airport, and get to your destination. If you’re in a brand new country and a brand new culture, don’t get caught up in the rush and miss something important. Take a few minutes, sit down, relax, and soak up some of the atmosphere. Get an idea of what’s going on, plan out your next step (probably the hotel), and then move to the taxi stand or shuttle station at your own pace.
Going to a new country can be frightening for some people. But if you plan in advance, move at your own pace, and — this is especially important — look like you know what you’re doing, you can get to where you need to be without any hassle or problems.
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Winter Packing Tips
December 27, 2011 by Scott Applebee · 1 Comment
Whether you’re heading out on a ski trip, jetting off to see relatives up north, squeezing in some last-minute chilly business travel, or pursuing any other cold-weather activities during a trip this holiday season, you’ll need to pack for the frosty weather.
When you’re staring into your closet and trying to decide what to pack for the cold — all while taking into consideration what will actually fit into your luggage! — it can be a bit daunting. But don’t despair. Here are some tips that should make your frigid travels much less shivery.
Image via Wikipedia
Consider where you’re headed.
If you’ll be spending a lot of time outdoors — like on the ski slopes or at an ice-skating rink — of course you’ll need to bring along several pairs of insulated socks, a warm coat, toasty boots, a warm hat, gloves, and so on. But if your exposure to cold weather will mostly be the brief times between the car and the mall or on the short trips from one family member’s house to another, you may want to save yourself some space and hassle by leaving your heaviest, most cumbersome coats and boots behind.
Bring along thin layers.
One of the most essential principles of clothing yourself for cold weather is wearing plenty of thin layers. Bring along lightweight shirts to layer under sweaters and thin jackets. Don’t forget tights, leggings, thermal underwear, or leg warmers. Pack some garments made of fleece for a toasty option that will resist wrinkling. Also consider toting along items made from Thinsulate and Gore-Tex.
Get creative.
Ladies, bring along a pashmina shawl that can also serve as a blanket on the plane, a wrap or a shawl, as well as a scarf. Pashmina shawls are available in a wide variety of prints, colors, and designs and are quite fashionable in addition to their practicality.
Envision how you can layer your individual clothing items differently so you can re-wear each piece multiple times. Mix and match colors, and have fun with your look!
And if you’re running short on luggage space, wear your bulkiest items onto the plane. You’ll always be able to take off a layer or two once you’ve boarded if you get too warm. Travelpro® Rollaboards have extra large front pockets that are ideal for storing hats, scarves and sweaters.
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Finding the Best Seats on the Airplane
December 22, 2011 by Scott Applebee · Leave a Comment
These days, as flights are more crowded and more in demand, it’s hard enough just to score yourself a seat at an affordable price, let alone a great seat. It’s especially worse if you’re on a tight budget. So how can you avoid the bummer experience of being trapped with no legroom next to the lavatory and get one of the better seats instead?
First off, plan ahead. The more time in advance you book your flight, the more likely it is that you’ll be able to nab one of the nicer seats on the airplane, simply because more seats are available earlier. And while booking, seek out the seat you want, if possible, and choose it from the get-go. This will save you a lot of hassle and discomfort later.
If you book online, you can use the airline’s seat selector. Or if you book on a third-party site like Orbitz or PriceLine, log into the airline website and use the same seat selection process.
SeatGuru.com is also a powerful tool to use during the flight-planning process. Check out this site to get details on everything from seat maps to in-flight amenities to detailed ratings of individual seats on planes. The site uses helpful color-coded diagrams and incredible depth of detail in its descriptions. You can even submit your own comments on particular seats or airplanes, if you’d like.
Pick a seat near the very front of the plane to get on and off your flights more quickly. This is great if you’ve got a tight connection to make, or you simply want to get home or to your hotel as quickly as possible.
Tall passengers may want to choose seats in the bulkhead or exit-row seats. These seats typically have much more generous legroom than those on other parts of the plane. Take advantage of this if possible.
If you do, however, find yourself without your desired seat on the day of the flight, you may get lucky and land a better seat if you just ask airline employees nicely. This won’t, however, work for flights that are packed to the brim. (Hint: If there are standby passengers, count yourself lucky that you have a seat at all.) And for flights that have plenty of empty seats, it never hurts to ask if you can change seats. If possible, the folks with your airline will often accommodate you.
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Why Do Airlines Pad Their Flight Times?
December 20, 2011 by Karen Amin · Leave a Comment
Have you ever wondered why it takes so long to get anywhere when flying these days? And have you been curious whether airlines are just trying to make themselves look better with more “on-time” flights by padding their schedules? It can be pretty easy to take a cynical stance on padded flight times and more time-consuming travel, especially with all the other hoops to jump through when traveling by air. But maybe we shouldn’t be so quick to assume airlines are padding their flight times without legitimate cause.
The general consensus among many experts seems to be that airlines actually pad flight times for no reason other than to plan for the worst-case scenario. So many variables come into play when it comes to air travel: congested airports, air-traffic control delays, unpredictable inclement weather, unfavorable headwinds, crucial last-minute maintenance tasks, and much more.
Today’s more heavily congested airports can up the wait time for flights. With the oft-crowded airports of today, it often takes travelers a long time to make it through security and to one gate from another. Consider, too, that travelers have different levels of experience navigating their way through airports, which can also add to necessary travel time.
Also think of how the huge number of planes arriving and departing influence travel time. It makes a lot of sense — the greater the number of planes heading into the air, the more time it will take for air-traffic control to organize the incoming and outgoing flights. On the runways, it’s the same principle as rush hour vs. off-peak times on your local roads: high-volume traffic can create bottlenecks and logjams that leave people waiting and waiting.
Bad weather and headwinds also contribute to padding of flight times. As soon as thunderstorms, fog, snow, or other bad weather situations enter the equation, flights times can become very uncertain. Unfavorable headwinds, too, can slow down planes significantly.
Flight times are also padded to allow for any necessary maintenance work.
Airlines tend to pad their flight times a bit to help compensate for any of these uncertainties, which can actually be a great thing for travelers. There’s a bit of a built-in buffer to help customers arrive in time to make connecting flights or to touch down on time at their final destination.
So that’s that: With the skies heavily saturated with air travel and abounding unknowns thrown into the mix, it simply takes longer now to get from Point A to Point B. And just think — without those padded flight times, it’d be far more common to find yourself at the airport in a crowd of disgruntled travelers who expected to arrive at their destination much, much sooner. So maybe they’re not such a bad thing after all.
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What to Pack When It’s Winter at Home, But Summer Where You’re Going
December 13, 2011 by Karen Amin · Leave a Comment
As if packing for a big trip isn’t enough of a challenge already, sometimes you need to use some strategic planning to figure out what to tote along when it’s cold where you are, but your final destination is balmy and sunny.
The temptation is to take a big coat, and maybe a couple of sweaters. But you’ll find once you’re down there that you’ll never need it, and you never needed to pack that stuff to begin with. So what steps do you need to take to make sure you pack smart for where you’re going, not where you’ve left? You may be able to get by with one or two pieces of Travelpro luggage depending on the duration of your trip. Travelpro Rollaboards can expand 2 ½”. This allows you to expand the luggage, instead of taking additional luggage. This saves you the cost of checking an extra bag.
Leave bulky stuff at home.
It may be sub-zero in your departure city, but that doesn’t mean you have to drag your heavy parka to sunny locales like Jamaica or Florida. Unless you’re flying out from the frozen tundra, you’ll likely be able to get by just fine in the short times you’re outdoors in the cold with a jacket or sweater. And though you may be uncomfortable for a few minutes between the house and the heated car or the heated car and the airport, it’s worth leaving a heavy coat behind to save precious luggage space and hassle when you touch down in a tropical climate.
Pack a variety of light, thin garments for layering.
You’ll want to be warm enough in your departure city, and airport and airplane temperatures can be incredibly unpredictable, so be sure you’ve got several layers to keep your parka-free self from freezing until you make it to your sunny destination. Think layered T-shirts, cardigans, and jackets paired with comfortable bottoms. You can always shed the excess layers as you get closer to your destination. Men can change into more lightweight clothing during layovers, and women can even wear thermal tights or leggings under a dress, then remove them when they touch down.
Check the weather.
Be sure to study the forecast for the area you plan to visit. Pay special attention to both projected daytime temperatures and nighttime temperatures. After all, it can be shorts-and-T-shirt weather all day, then drop to jeans-and-jacket weather once night falls. A-ha! This is where your thin layers will come in handy. Also be sure to research whether you need to be prepared for rain. Temperatures in even the warmest of cities can quickly drop when storms blow through.
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How To Ease Travel Sickness
November 15, 2011 by Karen Amin · 1 Comment
It’s easy to deplete your body’s natural defenses when traveling. Who among us hasn’t foregone sleep, skipped exercise or strayed from a balanced diet when on the road.
And the all-too-common result from these lapses? Our old friend, travel sickness.
But, fear not. The road doesn’t have to lead to the sick bay. With a few common sense precautions, you can avoid the inconvenience and unpleasantness of out-of-town illness.
Keep Your Hands Clean: Wash your hands often. And not only before eating, but after you’ve touched common items which are breeding grounds for germs and viruses.
Stay Hydrated: You not only expend more energy (which is dehydrating) when traveling, the airline’s pressurized cabins dry you out. Therefore, it’s critical that you drink enough water (bottled) to replace the fluids your body is losing. Also, go easy on both alcohol and caffeinated drinks.
Get Enough Rest: Don’t ignore you body’s need to replenish itself with sleep. This can be difficult early in your trip due to jet lag. Adapt to the local schedule immediately by eating meals and going to bed at the appropriate times.
Eat Properly: With the number of calories you burn while traveling, it’s important to get enough nutrients. But, be selective about what you consume, especially when traveling overseas. Though the food you eat abroad isn’t necessarily unsafe, your body isn’t accustomed to it. This gastric unfamiliarity combined with the use of natural fertilizers abroad can lead to digestive difficulties.
To minimize your risk of contracting any food-borne illnesses, be sure to:
- Drink only bottled water, and avoid ice, unpasteurized milk, cheese and yogurt.
- Don’t eat raw or unpeeled foods. The foreign traveler’s rule of thumb is “Cook it, wash it, peel it, or forget it.”
- Only eat condiments that come in sealed packages.
- Order entrees “well done”, and send them back if they’re not served hot.
- Use caution when ordering seafood, and steer clear of clams, mussels and oysters.
If you do become sick while traveling, there are ways to recover quickly:
- Don’t fast. Even if you don’t feel like eating, your body needs nutrients to fight off your illness.
- Eat bland food (such as unseasoned, boiled chicken), and avoid all fried or greasy food and sweet desserts. Soup is also a great way to get nutrition in your body.
- The “BRAT Diet” (banana, rice, apple sauce and toast) is a combination most people can keep down. These foods help absorb stomach acids which eases nausea and vomiting.
- Drink ginger ale, various teas, lemonade or flat Coca Cola (sipping them slowly).
- Rinse your mouth before and after eating.
- Eat in a relaxed, private environment.
- Stay away from your favorite foods to avoid associating them with feeling sick (causing you to not enjoy them again later).
Obviously, if your illness persists, be sure to see a doctor.
If you follow these basic steps, you can ease any travel sickness you pick up while you’re on the road, or even avoid it in the first place.
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Travel tips for Hungary
November 10, 2011 by Scott Applebee · Leave a Comment
This guest post was written by our favorite French expatriate, Julie Duran-Gelleri. Julie has lived in several different countries around Western Europe, so we asked her for some travel tips in some of her previous homes.
Hungary has everything a traveller could wish for: breathtaking landscapes, a complex and fascinating history spanning back thousands of years, hospitable and kind people, and a lip-smackingly good, hearty cuisine. Not to forget hundreds of hot springs and thermal baths…
Image via Wikipedia
Eating in Hungary is a real treat if you’re a meat eater. Food is rather cheap, portion sizes are big, sauces are rich and spicy, and paprika is omnipresent. If you’re watching your weight, scour the menu for something that is not deep fried; most restaurants offer half-size portions on request. Menus will usually have a rather reliable English translation.
It is customary to tip in bars and restaurants, by adding 10% approx. and rounding it up to the nearest “round” number. If your bill comes in at 13550 forints, tell the waiter to round it up to 15000 forints, or 16000 if you’re feeling generous.
In more traditional hotels and guesthouses, don’t be surprised if your bed looks like a sofa with a sheet on it. This is because Hungarian homes can be quite small, so beds are often designed to double up as sofas. Bring an eye mask if you’re sensitive to light: in Hungary the sun rises very early and most rooms don’t have shutters, or curtains thick enough to block out the light.
In the bathroom, most of the time you will only find one towel per guest. If you would like another towel to use as hand towel you will have to ask for it. You might be surprised to see that the toilet has a platform, which makes a kind of shallow pool for things to collect in… If you’re squeamish, don’t look before you flush!
Taxis in Hungary are professional and reliable, and will always use the meter. Always choose taxis that have a phone number displayed on the taxi light and doors. Many taxi companies in Budapest have phone numbers like “44-4444″ or “66-6666″. Your best bet is not to hail a cab from the street but to call the cab company instead. They usually have English-speaking staff, and if they don’t, well, another company will.
And please, refrain from making the “Hungary/hungry” joke. They’ve heard it a million times already…. A better way to impress your hosts is to learn the word for “cheers!”: “Egészségedre”, “to your health”, is pronounced “Egg-esh-egg-ed-ray”.
Get a feel for the country before you leave:
The Book of Fathers, by Miklos Vamos, is the chronicle of twelve generations of fathers in the Csillag family, and a fascinating and lively crash-course in 400 years of Hungarian history.
A Guest in my own Country: A Hungarian Life, by Gyorgy (George) Konrad, is a first-hand account of the rather troubled history of Hungary in the 20th century. Gyorgy Konrad narrowly escaped being sent to Auschwitz as an eleven-year old, survived the last winter of the war among the ruins of Budapest, was active in the liberation struggle of 1956, and had to contend with censorship as a young writer in Socialist Hungary. What a life!
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