1) Take the same set of things with you as much as possible (outfits, gadgets, toiletries, etc.). Not only does this make packing faster, you know what clothes go with what. On any given trip, I'll only rotate in similar items (different scarves, different t-shirts, different pairs of flip flops). Unless you see the same people on every trip, it works!
2) Take photos of typical "sets" that you take with you. For 2-, 3-, 4-, or 5-day business trips, I have photos of what to take. Works like a charm.
3) Make sure you have the right items in your carry-on! Sure, you bring your iPod and your ereader. Here's what else I won't (can't?) live without:
a) Noise canceling headphones (Bose. Expensive. Worth every penny, as you will land feeling less tired if you haven't listened to engine noise the whole time!)
b) Soft sleep mask and foam earplugs (essential for overnight flights)
c) Travel pack of disinfecting wipes (airplanes are disgusting germ factories, especially in domestic cattle class, so use liberally in your area)
d) Hand sanitizer (perfect pre-food if you don't get a warm towel; essential after a visit to the lav)
e) Good lotion and lip balm (take care of your skin and lips! I love Neutrogena's Norwegian formula for hands and Lucas' Paw PaW Ointment for lips)
f) Soft socks and slippers (flights 3+ hours; I have one pair of slippers that are for the plane ONLY)
g) Good snacks, because the airlines cannot be trusted. I like fruit (blueberries/grapes travel very well), veggies (baby carrots are a perennial fave), whole wheat crackers, nuts, chocolate (duh!), and LOTS of water (I bring a Camelbak bottle)
i) Plastic bag(s) and ziplock baggie(s) (useful for everything from exploding toiletries to extra snacks to segregating something gross from the rest of your bag)
j) Pen (blue or black, of course; take THAT, customs forms!)
4) Dress for success! Okay, don't get me wrong... most people who get off of a 14-hour flight will look like they went through a keyhole backwards -- I know I do (and if you don't, what is your secret?)! I'm still amazed by the dumb clothing choices I often see on flights. To be clear, for short flights (less than three hours), wear as you choose. For longer and especially overnight flights, I recommend the following:
a) Leggings or yoga pants (women); comfy track pants or loose-fitting, wrinkle resistant pants (men). If they look like you've slept in them after wearing them for a few hours of normal activity, these are NOT the pants for you. You want something to look decent after hours of traveling.
b) Comfy, soft t-shirt (men or women). Don't pick something gross or ill-fitting. I prefer bright colors to contrast with the black pants I am inevitably wearing. Ladies, if you want to get fancy, get a tunic to thrown on over a tank.
c) Scarf (women, men if you can pull it off). Scarf + t-shirt + sunglasses as a headband gives you the instant "world traveler" look. You can also practice speaking with a pan-European English accent to increase your likelihood of an upgrade. Okay, that last sentence was in (half) jest.
d) Slip-on shoes (women and men). I prefer something sockless, like Toms, but someone people are weirded out by shoes without socks, which I sort of get. Regardless, you will change into your slippers once settled in.
e) Comfy sweatshirt for overnight flights (women and men). Make it baggy enough to accomodate shifting around in your sleep but, again, don't wear something raggedy. Take my advice -- lie down in the hoodie to make sure you can get it into a comfy position, as some hoods will not squish properly.
f) Post-flight clothes (women and men). Ditch the baggy sweatshirt and trade it for a jacket or stylish sweater, and if you need to go somewhere straightaway, pack another outfit.
5) Try to get some rest or sleep on the flight. If you are one of those people who can sleep anywhere, including next to a screaming child on a flight, skip this one. If you are like me and find sleeping on a plane somewhere between challenging and impossible, read on. I've gotten a lot better at it! Here are some things that have worked for me:
a) Pick your seat wisely. If you truly want to sleep, opt for a window seat. I stick with the aisle regardless, just know that the aisle seat comes with the joy of getting up often (though if you are or look asleep, people think a lot harder!). Check to make sure you are not in the last row of a section, as that might mean that your seat doesn't recline (as I learned on a 11-hour flight once from Frankfurt on Lufthansa, as they changed my seat to one in the last row of a coach section) and choose close to the lavs or galleys at your own risk (more light, talking, etc.). You will likely get more sleep in a seat that reclines more, but that's not rocket science.
b) Get onto the plane tired. On most of my flights to Mountain View (SJC), I've passed out fifteen minutes into the flight and proceed to drool happily until the flight attendant taps me and tells me I have to put my seatback to its upright and locked position. When that 10k bell dings, the noise canceling headphones go on and I go to my happy place. Sleep deprivation is often your friend.
c) If you have 6+ hours to sleep (not to fly, to sleep, which means flights of about 9 hours or more) take melatonin. I take one (3mg) about one movie into the flight, as by then dinner has finished and they are turning down the lights. Any less than 6 hours and you'll feel a little groggy... but you'll feel that way anyway, I suppose...
d) Don your sleep mask. The ones you can buy for yourself are bigger and softer, but beware of the gel-filled ones -- angry TSA people might make you throw it out if they deem it more than 3oz.
e) If you have long hair, I recommend the low side ponytail. Better than a knobby bun and better than waking up drowning in your own hair.
f) Find a comfy(ish) sleeping position. In cattle class, this is particularly difficult. I find using the small pillow for back support is best. You might use your bag to elevate your feet if you are short, as I am. Remove your slippers and have your blanket ready if it's cold. If your seat lies flat or nearly flat, I find that taking off my noise-canceling headphones and putting in foam earplugs and sleeping curled on my side works best.
6) Fight jet lag like hell. Yes, a better seat and more sleep help tremendously (I had very little jet lag coming home from Japan, which is 16 hours ahead of Seattle). I find, however, that people who bitch the most about jet lag do not abide by the following rules (yes, rules! not guidelines!):
a) Change watch/phone clock immediately when landing.
b) Stop calculating the time difference unless you have to make a call ("Wow, it's 3am back home!"). Not at all helpful. Look at your watch. That's what time it is.
c) Immediately get on the timezone. Stay awake until 9pm local time and try to be up by 8am the next day (which gives you eleven blissful hours of sleep). Day one will suck, but it works.
d) Light is your best friend. Fling those curtains open as soon as you wake up. Take a walk outside if you feel tired. And sleep in as close to total darkness as possible.
e) Water, water, water. You are dehydrated from flying.
f) Eat, even lightly, on the new schedule right away.
g) ONE DRINK ON THE PLANE! Only if you must. ONE!
h) Go easy on the caffeine.
i) Take two showers a day. Don't ask me why, but it works.
j) Take melatonin at night to help you reset your sleep schedule.
7) Stay healthy! I detailed my travel exercise tips in this post, so I won't rehash them here. I'll just add that eating well on the road is very hard and takes discipline, but that you'll feel a million times better if you don't make every meal a cheat meal. Staying well is the other half of the equation -- beyond the normal sleep enough tips, use your wipes in hotels and wash your hands liberally. Yes, you can get fitter and even lose weight on the road, as long as you stick to your guns!
8) Unpack when you arrive. I came to this idea few years ago, as I was digging through a bag that was a mixture of clean and dirty clothes, gadgets, books, and shoes. I generally take 30-60 minutes to unpack, iron, and sort all of my items the day I arrive. As a result, the final packing takes about ten minutes, as all of my dirty clothes have been packed, rolled into their places, and I just need a small (if I've planned well) bag for clean clothes. Not only does this make departure day easier, it makes laundry easier too!
9) Make time for memories. Duh, you might be thinking -- Sarah, this is not a tip! But as someone who travels primarily for work, it's hard. You work a lot and by the time you're done, all you want to do is crash on your hotel bed, watch trashy tv, and eat chocolate... or something like that (ahem). Or you go somewhere thirty or forty times (say, Mountain View, CA? just hypothetically) and you can get bored of it. I try to challenge myself to visit old favorites in places I've been (In N Out and mini golf always make me happy) or try something new (thirty plus trips in and I have never been to the Winchester Mystery House, which I am always reminded of by a billboard on the way to the airport). Keeping it positive and taking as little as 15 minutes to drive a different way makes mandatory travel a bit of fun.
10) Have fun! Learn something. Try something. Appreciate something. Revel in all this world has to offer you on your trip!
Next post: Where does this world traveler want to go next? Where do YOU want to go next? Can't wait to travel dream with you :)
xoxo
Sarah
Thank you for the keen insight! Very wise tips, travel pro. One of my favorite lines was the one about going through a keyhole backwards. Haha. Enjoy paradise. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Monika! You've shared tons of good ones with me as well!
ReplyDeleteThis should get published in a magazine. :)
ReplyDeleteI've also heard that you should start eating on the schedule that you will be eating when you reach your destination...meaning that if it's an 8 hour flight and you're arriving in the early morning, maybe have a snack when you get on the plane, but then don't eat again until it's time to get off. What do you think of that advice?
When you say,"change watch/phone clock immediately when landing", do you mean when taking off?