The Fig Leaf Question.

If our freedom to fly comes to this:
1. Will the fig leaves be supplied or will we be trusted to bring our own?

2. What if the fig leaves are supposed to be supplied and you get to the fig leaf station and they have run out of fig leaves?

3. Will we have a changing booth to change into our fig leaf?

4. With our arms out to the side you do we hold the fig leaf on?

Ultra Lite Camera

I read with excitement about new ultra lite cameras to ease travel.

What I have looked at so far is priced high when compared to other cameras.

The brands are good.

Prices are $240 to $300.

Stay tuned.

Clean Light Travel

October 6, 2009
Carrying Tools for easily washing out “a few things” help make lighter and more comfortable travel.
1. Concentrated laundry soap. Use less in washing by hand.
2. Small flat hangers for easy drying.
3. Collapsible line easily hung in bath for drying space.
4. Clothes designed for quick drying.
Thinking ahead for clothing care during travel makes for an easier experience.

Easy Good Eats

October 6, 2009
MSN recommendations for Cholesterol Health:
1. Almonds.
2. Oatmeal.
3. Fish.
4. Red wine.
5. Soy.
Worth thinking about!

Carry 2 Bags?

September 21, 2009 Re-think the Traditional full size Travel Bag. Often the start of Travel Packing is choosing the largest bag one can carry and stuffing it as full as possible. Large carry-ons are bulky, heavy and can bump others.
Consider 2 smaller bags as they:
1. Allow you to balance the weight.
2. Are easier to slide under an Airplane seat. (I recently submitted my name to fly stand-by. The flight moved my arrival home by several day-light hours. The Airline employee that took me on the full plane looked me over and said, “Oh, You don’t have anything. If you had a large bag or needed an over head space I could not get you on this full flight.” I took my seat and put my bags under the seat.
3. Using supplies as you go may allow you to take only one small bag home.
4. Accommodate less dirty laundry eliminating depressing mounds of dirty clothes when you get home.
5. Encourage thinking to mail home gifts.
Smaller Luggage is Worth thinking about.

How much do you really need?

Ever wonder if you could actually make it a week with one of those little toiletry containers?
IT is certainly surprising how far a little can stretch when you are relaxed and away.
You may find that next time you shop for a trip you will be looking for smaller containers.
Maybe the ones you take this trip will still have a little left at the bottom.
IT is a joy to travel lighter.

Can you Run with your Luggage?

Sept. 4, 2009.
Can you Run with the Luggage you Travel with?
1. Is the Item so important to take that with you that it could affect your ability to run?
2. Can you briskly climb stairs with your luggage?
3. Are you comfortable walking across Manhattan with your luggage?
4. Do you have to have someone watch your luggage to visit the Ladies room or hail a cab?
I read this thought early in my travel life and it has focused my “Lite” travel.
This concept really helps me with that ache to carry “IT” just because I Might want it.

What Do You Carry Around?

What do you normally carry with you?
Most of us carry a bag with us. Women can call the bag they tote a “Purse”. IT can weigh more than twenty pounds.
When you are preparing to travel look at what you will automatically “Drag” with you. Can you size it down?
Travel can be lighter in daily activities.

Care for the Loved Ones

August 19, 2009
Kennels: Being Sure the Loved Ones are Secured.
Making sure the little details of home are secure make for more enjoyable travel.
Choosing a Kennel in your area is choosing:
1. Location.
2. Lifestyle of your pet.
a. Indoor & or outdoor.
b. Feeding, grooming, waking schedule.
c. Creature comforts. (I have seen TV offered for pets.)
d. Pick up and drop off schedule.
3. Available Medical Care if needed.
4. The $$$ U are willing to part with for the care provided.
Set up your Kennel early in your plans to have easy last minute prep.

Do You Carry a Phone?

August 13, 2009
Do You Always Carry a Cell Phone?
Most of us do always have a phone with us.
When you are thinking about travel preparation give your phone some quality thought.
1. Phones are light in weight.
2. Many phones have a camera with picture management.
3. Your phone may serve as a mini computer with e-mail, files and Internet.
4. Phones have games, books, music, and movies.

Give thought to your cell phone a compact, multi tool device that may save you from carrying more and heavier items.

"I Might Want That."

August 6, 2009
“I might want that.”
That little edge of insecurity. The little tug of want is the fastest way to over pack.
I agree with those that have gone before:
1. Lay out everything you could possibly need.
2. Put 98% back away.
3. I have my first day travel gear hanging separately. I won’t need to pack what I am wearing.
4. When the tickle is at its worst, consider a pile of wants and maybe toss in one or two if you have comfortable space.
"Just Might” items can expand a comfortable carry-on to the point of an expected bust.

Sun Protection Packed "Lite."

July 28, 2009
Are you Sensitive to the Heat?
What do you pack “Lite” to protect yourself from the Sun and the Heat?
1. Hats are good sun protection. Shop for hats that can be packed flat or rolled and tucked in a corner. Hats can be worn when traveling preventing packing.
2. Water. Drinking bottles with fluid cannot be taken though airport security. I have taken empty bottles and refilled them later.
3. Cool over shirts can provide sun protection and a layer to reflect heat.
4. A scarf or cooling tube scarf can be worn for additional evaporation and cooling.
Think about what you would like to pack for sun protection. Shopping is part of the fun.

Bored?

Keep relaxed and entertained during travel. A few more items to consider for easy entertainment:
1. Today’s newspaper or favorite magazine. I like to save magazine pages I have been meaning to get to for light weight travel.
2. Music on your smart phone.
3. A few pages of favorite puzzles. They can be tossed as you finish them.
4. A favorite paperback book.
5. Note paper for a travel journal.
Keep a collection of favorite travel distractions for easy packing.

STARVING

What can you carry for quick snacks and feel good eating it?
Travel plans can go smoothly or be delayed. Wonderful is a tasty, easy to carry snack right in your travel bag.
Many grab goodies they avoid at home for travel. Salty, sugary snacks. These are the most available. I will endeavor to think of tasty and healthful snacks:

1. Raw nuts. Available with out the salt or sugar coating. Toasted nuts are also and wonderful.
2. Mini veggies like cherry tomatoes and carrots travel well.
3. Berries can travel well. Apples can be chunked for easy eating.
4. Dried fruits are tasty and compact.

Think in advance and stock up on foods for travel. You will have choices to expand the limited and expensive snack isles.

What is your Luggage made of?

Post: June 24, 2009
What exterior material do you use for your luggage?
1. Leather is luxury, but heavy.
2. Cloth needs to be water proof.
3. Nylon can be durable and lite weight.

Carry weight matters in luggage.

Camera Travel

June 8, 2009 Lite Camera Travel
What kind of Camera do you travel with?
Our world is filled with small point and shoot picture taking devices.
Many cameras have cases that clip to a belt for easy carrying.
Strangely, the camera I use the most it the camera inside my phone. I always have it with me.

List Plans for Carefree Travel

May 26, 2009. Countdown to Travel
Easy Fun Travel is helped by preparation. Consider making a countdown list so you are ready to go and stress free when it is time to go.
Weeks out List:
1. Pet arrangements.
2. Utility holds. Including mail or newspaper.
3. Items to pick up on regular shopping trips.
4. Start to think Wardrobe, Entertainment.
Begin thinking about what you need to travel in advance. Jot down your thoughts and a time to get them accomplished. Be ready for relaxed, carefree travel.

Travel Avoiding Wrinkles

Post: May 23, 2009 Wrinkle Reduction Packing
There are methods of packing to reduce wrinkles:
1. Selecting clothes that are engineered to shed or not show travel crumples.
2. Wearing or carrying delicate items.
3. Carrying a hanging bag of delicate items covered on a hanger.
4. Gently rolling items or bundle layering to reduce the number of folded surfaces.
5. Consider unpacking quickly to let wrinkles fall out.
Wrinkles happen. But can be avoided or managed in Travel. Ideally planning ahead to reduce wrinkles and then just relaxing and enjoying the fun can work well.

Toting Liquids

May 21, 2009 Toting Liquids
What liquids and gels do you really need to carry with you?
Airlines restrict flyers to 3 oz containers that fit in a quart bag.
Liquids are heavy to drag around.
Consider what you will have waiting on arrival. Many hotels have Shampoo, Conditioner, Soap, Lotion, or Mouthwash. Certain hotels advertise that they have products available that may have been forgotten.
Do you drop by a store at your destination? It can be wonderful fun to bump into the perfect product shopping. It can also be a real downer to need something you cannot find.
How many little bottles of liquid-gels do you need?

Fabric Matters

May 18, 2009 Fabric Matters.
Travel clothing is engineered. It is designed to be:
1. Light in weight.
2. Conserve packed travel space.
3. Wrinkle controlled to present a sharp, well groomed appearance.
4. Easy hand wash.
5. Quick air dry.
6. Multi-purpose utility.

When you are adding to your wardrobe keep in mind purchases for your future travel wardrobe.

Remembering to Take All You Need

May 14, 2009 How Do You Remember to Take What You Need?
Collect your thoughts as they come to you.
Make a list.
Keep your list handy to add what you need to your list.
You can keep a pencil and paper list or keep your thoughts in your phone or even E-mail your thoughts to yourself. (E-mailing creates a back-up copy.)
Just jot your thoughts down as they come to you.

Do You Find Reading Relaxing?

May 12, 2009 Do you love to read?
Reading a good book can be just the most relaxing activity.
If you like to have more than one small book to read what do you look for to keep your packing space from filling up with bulky books? Ideas:
1. Keeping a collection of smaller paperbacks ensures you have a choice when it is time to pack.
2. 2-3 of most paper backs will often fit in the space of one hard back book.
3. Small books can allow taking a variety of reading materials, including poetry or a collection of magazine articles you have been meaning to get to.
4. A few pages of favorite puzzles can ease a long wait or air flight.
5. Electronic reading is available and effective for space.
A variety of reading entertainment can make travel much more enjoyable.

Laundry on the GO

May 8, 2009 Doing Laundry on the Go.
How do you Travel light and keep your clothes clean and fresh?
Ease freshening your clothes into your morning and evening routine. If your clothes are always fresh you will be able to travel a lot lighter while always enjoying a clean selection of clothing.
Drop a few items in the sink while you are already in the bathroom in the evening. Let them drip “out” in the shower and move them to good air flow for a few hours to finish drying.
In the morning, while you are in the shower rinse out a few things. Doing a few items at a time will keep the work to a limit and you will be able to select from all of your wardrobe.

Entertainment

May 2, 2009: Entertainment.
Considering that travel is entertainment, what do you carry with you for entertainment when boredom starts to loom. Considerations:
1. Books. Paperbacks travel light.
2. Magazines and newspapers. I tear out articles and take only new paper sections.
3. Puzzles. Newspaper crosswords examples.
4. Music. Many carry methods these days.
5. Digital entertainment. All of the above comes in many digital forms.
The above list is my list. I expect as most read the list they said, “Oh no. I would take my ….”. So, What would you take?

What About the Hungries?

April 30, 2009 What about the Hungries?
I have learned to take prepackaged, travel friendly foods. I have had times when no food is available and I was glad to have food to eat. I take an extra look around the store on my last trip before travel for foods that would like to go with me on an adventure. I look for:
1. Delicious finger foods that can be packed in small amounts for munching.
2. Choices strong on calming hunger and lower in salts and sugars. I can buy salt-ies and sugars of my choice along the way. Raw nuts are compact to pack.
3. Fruit and veggies in my fridge that can be put in small packages and won’t still be desirable on my return. Blueberries are a choice I like.
Few things are worse that sitting on the tarmac for hours Starving! hungry. I can think of worse things of course, but hunger is a hard one. When you have good snacks packed, you have choices.

Which Bag Do You Choose To Carry-On?

April 29, 2009 Which Bag Do You Choose to Carry-on?
When you have one main bag to bring as a carry-on how do you choose the Bag? A carry-on for many airlines defines one carry on that is 40 total linear inches or smaller when the lengths of the sides are totaled. Criteria to help narrow the choices would include:
1. What is the weight of the bag you are considering? Some bags can weigh over 12 pounds. I like to keep my total bag weight close to 12 lbs.
2. Is the bag you are considering sturdy enough to be a checked bag on an air plane if the need arises. A checked bag would need to be sturdy enough to protect the contents while being tossed about in handling and possibly crushed by other bags.
3. Do you want to roll or carry a bag? Which is easier for you to walk with? What bag motion is easier for you to get on and off the air plane? What about getting Up and Down the cramped isles? Or In and Out of the over head?
4. Is organization of the bag while traveling, packing and unpacking important to you? Does your bag choice allow you to reach in to it in dark cramped conditions and pull out the one item you seek?
The choice of the best carry on for you is worth consideration when you have your travel “Stuff” in one bag. Thinking through the process of what will make you the most comfortable traveling can lead to a very satisfying and relaxing experience.

What to Wear on Travel Day?

Post 4/28/2009: What to Wear on Travel Day?
Frequently the first day of travel is an air plane flight. An important step in the process of packing light is identifying what to wear to start travel. Consider:
1. Is it comfortable?
2. Does it stay crisp and clean?
3. Will it freshen up quickly when you are tired?
4. Does the outfit keep the “stuff” you need handy with pockets?
5. Do you want to take the item but it is bulky to pack?
What goes on your person can be a big chunk of what actually goes on your adventure when paying attention to traveling light. The items chosen to be worn can stay neat and crisp, even chosen for comfort and quick clean ups. A vest with zippered pockets can keep travel items handy in a tight “sardine can” of an airplane.

Travel Light, Pack Light

One of the joys of our lives is the freedom of travel. A fun part of travel is not being weighted down by stuff. I invision the goal for my stuff to be a moving part of the travel experience.

Being able to find and use the stuff you have with you is a blast. Using everything you take with you is an expereince.