Travel Tips
February 16th, 2006I’ve decided to not do a massive photo post, but work on a few a day. I just posted five new Amsterdam photos (you can see them on flickr [in case you don't know what the hell I'm on about, click on the little square images at the top of the page] for now, I’ll eventually put them in my archives here).
I’ll get to our trip in the coming days, but I thought I’d bust out some tips, mostly for myself to remember in the future, but maybe you have some good pointers that others might use? If so, leave a comment.
Blurbomat Travel Tips:
- Everyone has their own jet lag tricks, but the best thing is to eat on local time. Eat a big breakfast and keep the carbs coming throughout the day. If you can’t make it, just go the hotel and nap. Nobody is going to kill you. We took some over-the-counter sleeping pills the first night and the next day we slept in and were ready for action. Coming back is another story, but if you can, try to push your sleep time back to normal as soon as you can and eat on your normal schedule. It helps if you’ve actually got food in the house. We were out of everything and had to scrounge around yesterday. Pain.
- Use massive 2.5 gallon ez zip bags to store clothing, underwear, socks in their own bags without spending a fortune on other alternatives. These can be found at the grocery store. Use smaller EZ zip bags for toiletries and meds (keep prescription meds in original containers). We put all our bandages (in case of foot blisters) in one and not only is it convenient, the bag keeps them dry. This is something I think Rick Steves suggested or showed and it’s awesome. I was able to pack very quickly to come home because the bags kept everything all together. Plus, laundry sorting is made easier. Unless you have 20 tons of laundry.
- If you have more than one piece of heavy luggage, budget well and take a cab from the airport to your hotel. It will be more expensive, yes, but if you flew to JFK to visit New York, you’d just take the hit on the cab. Think of it like New York and take the hit.
- Drink water, all the time.
- Make sure your heaviest pieces of luggage have good wheels and can be rolled on streets and sidewalks and up and down curbs. I bought a cheapy laptop bag with wheels that we stashed both our iBooks in and it was a lifesaver. L-I-F-E-S-A-V-E-R. It docked with the carry-on nicely as well, so that each of us effectively had one piece of luggage each after we left baggage claim. One piece of very heavy luggage each. One was so heavy we got dinged by KLM on the return. €25! It might have been a little smarter to check two smaller bags instead of one large bag. That would have made a taxi a must.
- I have a rolling duffle made by Burton that I’ve had for five or so years that has gone everywhere with me. The problem is that it’s not quite big enough for two people. Heather and I bought a really good rolling duffle from a local travel store before we left made by Eagle Creek. I don’t want to tell you which one, because it’s so damn big, it’s embarrassing. The Eagle Creek one is better than the Burton by far, it holds a ton more stuff and can stand up on it’s own, no matter how crazy I’ve packed it.
- This one is from my father. Take half as many clothes as you think you’ll need and twice as much money. We had to take our coats and big warm clothes, and we were glad we did, but I took about double the clothing I needed on our Amsterdam trip.
- Talk to locals wherever you can. We’re indebted to Joke (pronounced Yoka) for hipping us to a sweet Belgian beer bar that was our local hangout nearly every evening. The locals can hip you to the good shit, and Joke did. Thanks Joke!
- Get noise reduction headphones. I have cheapy ones that a gift exchange and a Target card got me for my birthday last summer. I smashed one ear into the pillow and the other ear had the noise reduction earbud in. The ones I have will allow a person to lie down, possibly with both the buds in. The noise reduction isn’t like higher end headphones, but anything helps. Coming home it reduced the sound of a couple of kids crying. And having lived through that, I have nothing but admiration and sympathy for the parents. Still, I had laundry to do when I got home, so I crammed those headphones way in. Plus, great sound quality. They take some getting used to, but once you wear them, you can’t go back. Kind of like using WiFi.
- For some kinds of travel, you will be walking more than you might normally. Pack extra good bandages for blisters and pack extra pain relievers.
- Most new electronic gear is manufactured to be run on current worldwide with the simple addition of a plug adapter (not a power converter). The same cannot be said of things that women use to do their hair like hair irons and the like. To get the computers working and the camera battery charger working was a matter of a $4 USD adapter.
- Give yourself some time each day to rest and relax. It’s a vacation, right?
- This one is from a reader, but it’s a great one. If you are traveling with your cell phone, but it doesn’t work in the country you are going to and you know this beforehand, change your voicemail greeting so that it tells people in case of emergency (like a lost dog) a number that they can reach a family member or friend. Yeah. Would have saved about 48,000 BTU of stress in our case.
You got any good tips? Post them in the comments.
February 16th, 2006 at 4:42 pm
I have found that it is travelling with children that becomes insanely difficult. Now, I share a suitcase with my 7-year-old daughter,and my husband uses a larger suitcase than usual so I can use some of his space as well.
In the suitcase I share with my daughter, I pack a collapsible bag. I take it out and use it on the way home as an extra carry-on, which I always need since I am a huge shopper and so is my daughter. And who are we kidding, all of the presents we buy on vacation are for her anyway.
And I agree, the taxi is ALWAYS worth it.
Glad Chuck is OK!!!
February 16th, 2006 at 4:50 pm
Great tips, Jon. You might want to list this post as a permanent link on your side bar. I’d post the water drinking as number 2, as important as the food intake.
February 16th, 2006 at 5:09 pm
Just so damn glad Chuck is ok.
February 16th, 2006 at 5:11 pm
My single best tip for avoiding jet lag is to NOT SLEEP while traveling. I know that’s hard to do while on a 10-hour flight across the ocean, but it guarantees that you will arrive tired enough to sleep no matter what time your internal clock is. I haven’t had a case of jet lag since I was a kid, and that’s why.
February 16th, 2006 at 6:19 pm
Sounds simple but I always put a washcloth in one of those Ziploc bags. Sometimes it’s saved me. (from my husband I think) A very cold or very hot, depending on where you are and what you’re doing, clean washcloth on my face makes all the difference in the world especially when I’m approaching a meltdown. For hot climates I also learned the hard way to put a large t-shirt and bathing suit in my carry-on. If my luggage gets lost I can use the t-shirt to sleep in or as a bathing suit cover up. I’ve existed for three days on a bathing suit and a t-shirt.
February 16th, 2006 at 6:33 pm
My heart is still racing….I LOVE Leta (and you guys too…a little less) but thank God Chuck is okay!!!!!!!!!!!! Geez….I can relate! Welcome home and many happy trips to come!
February 16th, 2006 at 7:01 pm
If you already have a GSM phone (Cingular or T-Mobile) you can get it unlocked very cheaply before going overseas, then buy a pre-paid SIM card for around $20. If you’re stuck on Sprint or Verizon, you can buy an old, unlocked GSM phone on eBay for another $30 or so.
Depending on your phone plan you might be able to forward to your foreign number. If not you can give out that number on your voicemail, or just use the prepaid SIM for outgoing calls.
February 16th, 2006 at 7:42 pm
I’ve found I only get jet lag when I’m going out of more than a 6 hour time difference. (knock on wood) If I’m going to sleep, I try to have a night flight that lands during the daytime. It tricks my body into thinking it’s gotten a full night.
Since going to france for 2 weeks for the World Cup and not having my luggage for the first week, I always always pack one change of clothes in my carry on. Just makes life a little easier if your luggage disappears and heads to Delhi (seriously)
The other trick I learned from my mom is to always pack a article of clothing for the opposite weather of what you are expecting. Going to a caribbean island? Bring a pair of pants. Going to Norway? Pack a t-shirt since you ended up there during a Norwegian heatwave. (sigh)
February 16th, 2006 at 7:48 pm
Excellent tip on the ziploc bags. I have saved many clothes from leaky shampoos and colognes using this method. (I get a little embarrassed when traveling with business associates for my tacky gear - but it works like a charm.)
Another tip: Never pack all your electronics in a carry-on for safekeeping. My bag was pulled, and scrutinized like a terror suspects’ b/c I had stuffed it with two handheld electronic games for the kid, two digital cameras with extra batteries, battery chargers, memory cards for said cameras, two cd players, and a cell phone charger. I had packed so neatly, and these people are all the while saying, “Stay away from the bag, ma’am.
Stay completely clear of the bag,” while tossing my precious gear to and fro. Then, trying to repack the damn thing and still get to my gate before my plane leaves in 5 minutes. NOT fun in front of my kid, either!!!
Pack a power bar or two, in case you get into sightseeing fervently, lose track of time, and end up having to wait a long time to get a table at a restaurant.
Also, couldn’t agree more about the water. Especially when abroad!
February 16th, 2006 at 7:57 pm
When I flew overnight to Brussels from Dallas, arriving at 8am, my friend (who was from Belgium) was insistent that I *do not* sleep all day. She said I should pretend it’s a normal day and that was the only way to avoid jet lag.
Well, that night we met up with her friends and went out to various clubs and partook in various activities that involved various intoxicants and we finally got to bed around 6am and slept until 3pm. We did this for 2 days and it wasn’t so much with the helping of the jet lag.
So don’t do that. Actually, totally do that at least once.
HelpFUL advice: Underwear can be handwashed in the shower and hung to dry overnight. You only need 2 pair. 3, max. (I have yet to travel this way.)
February 16th, 2006 at 10:06 pm
My husband and I have traveled a lot together - we usually go on at least one big trip a year.
The ziploc bag trick is great. We used them extensively on our last trip. And Eagle Creek is the only way to go! It’s the only thing I’ve found that holds up to heavy travel. We have the wheeled ones that convert to backpacks, very convenient for Europe, where there aren’t always elevators or escalators.
Traveling abroad, keep several copies of the following, stored in different spots:
- passports (we take good color copies)
- drivers licenses
- credit card phone numbers in case they get stolen
We usually try to plan a bit of time apart, too. Just an hour or two every few afternoons is nice. Spending that much time with someone can be stressful (our last trip was 20 days!).
And last, always use the room safe ALL THE TIME if it’s available. We’ve never had any theft problems until our last trip, in Chichin Itza, Mexico - our room was broken into WHILE WE WERE ASLEEP IN THE ROOM. At 4:30 in the morning. We never woke up. We were lucky that our camera was recovered and that they didn’t hurt us.
February 16th, 2006 at 10:20 pm
As a seasoned traveller here are my tips:
a) packing: after getting all your stuff out that you think you need for your trip — make yourself choose only half of it. it’s all you will need anyway. people find this really hard to do — but seriously - you don’t use even *half* of what you take on any trip ever!
b) buy toiletries at your destination when you arrive. use them up before you go home or trash them. if you must carry them with you always use heavy duty ziplock bags in case of leakage. have a spare ziplock bag on hand for dirty underpants.
c) carry on: seriously take a spare pair of underpants, shirt, trousers, small travel shampoo, and washcloth. oh, and pinch the travel toothbrush off the flight. luggage definitely gets lost or delayed more than one might think! and the airlines seldom pay up for the inconvenience!
d) jetlag: don’t sleep on the flight ( in-flight sleep sucks anyway). when you arrive, just stay awake until local bedtime.
e) don’t drink alcohol when travelling. seriously, it makes you feel like shit and totally dehydrates you. water is the best.
f) eat light. eat light. eat light. heavy eating messes with the lower system — and travel just compounds things. eat light and eat fruit.
g) taxi drivers are notorious for ripping off tourists. accept it’s probably going to happen and just take the hit and move on.
h) pay-as-go sim cards are easy to get in Europe but won’t work in most phones from the USA (different band or some such technical jargon). check out whether or not your phone will work in Europe before lugging it with you. cell phones in the UK are fairly cheap - consider that as an option. we have one we use exclusively in Europe when we travel there (with a pay as you go sim card and permanent cell number which is a bonus!).
My heart was beating so fast when reading Heather’s account of Chuck gone missing. I’d totally freak if your dog got lost!! So glad he’s home safe and sound!!
February 16th, 2006 at 10:22 pm
Uh - next to the the last line in my above comment should read:
I’d totally freak if OUR dog got lost!!
February 17th, 2006 at 5:11 am
I have a few, gathered over years of 14 hour flights between San Francisco and Munich:
1. Bring a bottle of water with you, I also keep chapstick, lotion and breath mints on hand. They keep me feeling a bit human.
2. Invest in a good pair of pressure/flight socks, keeps your feet from swelling and reduces the risk of thrombosis. It’s also easier to get your shoes back on.
3. Dress comfortably BUT nicely. How you look affects how you are treated. Really. I’ve been bumped up to business and first class enough to know stretchy black slacks are better than jeans or jogging suits.
4. Ask at check-in if there’s a seat in the emergency aisle. they usually hold them until last and you can score some serious footroom.
5. Inflatable neck pillow. Sleep is easier and the right head position lowers risk of snoring and drooling. Always a plus for the dignity.
6. I tried sleeping aids once. Melatonin knocked me out for an entire WEEKEND. I was a zombie. So if you take a sleeping aid, for heaven’s sake give it a test-run first.
7. If you’re scared, get something from your doctor before hand. The way i sold it to mother was: you’re coming anyway, so might as well sleep through it, and if the worst happens you’ll be blissfully unaware, or so stoned you’ll enjoy the skydive.
February 17th, 2006 at 7:00 am
Unless laws have been recently changed, it is illegal to make color copies of passports or driver’s licenses. I know people who have made copies at Staples and Kinkos and have had them confiscated and shredded. I wouldn’t want to have said copies fall into the wrong hands - too easy to alter.
Last time (March 2005) we traveled to Italy, we left California at 8:00 AM, arrived in Venice at 9:30 AM, and hit the ground running after about 3 hours of sleep on the plane. By noon, we were sucking up beer near the Rialto Bridge. But we’re not night owls and we walk a lot.
Jet lag doesn’t exist for us if we are going east. Coming home? Ouch.
Don’t drink alcohol on the plane, wear the travel pressure socks, bring lightweight undies to rinse out - someone I know used to save their oldest holiest skivvies and then would toss them out after each wearing. What a treat for someone to find, eh?
February 17th, 2006 at 7:09 am
When flying long distance, I always sit on the aisle seat. you can get up and move around without disturbing people, and the people on the other seats feel guilty about getting up and disturbing you.
Have maps handy. Something that can be folded over and over again. I normally plan the night before where I want to go, and make notes on the map.
Do research about the place you go to. This helps to get familiar with local customs.
February 17th, 2006 at 7:14 am
Instead of folding your clothing, roll it up into neat, tight little rolls. It wrinkles less and takes up less space.
I hear melatonin is great for jet lag. The only time I’ve ever taken it is on a cross-country trip ñ†in a Utah motel, actually ñ offered by a traveling companion. We did get our first full (7h! we were on a schedule) night’s sleep in over a week then, but I was still surprised at how refreshed I felt.
Mm, all this is making me want to write up travel tips for going on a long bicycling trip in another country. But that would probably have narrower appeal.
Yay Chuck!
February 17th, 2006 at 7:15 am
So many fabulous tips!
And I’m so glad Chuck is okay. As I was reading Heather’s thread, my heart was in my throat! That’s when it hit me … you four almost feel like family to me!!
February 17th, 2006 at 8:07 am
I’m all about the flights, having done way too many long-distance ones, what with my family living in Singapore (28 hours on a plane, anyone?!)
Apparently, if a potential upgrade to business class is swinging in the balance, the deciding factor is your shoes. I’ve had my feet subtly scrutinized by the check-in desk people before; I think they’re looking for scruffy sneakers. Sounds ludicrous but I usually wear nice-ish (but flat and comfy) shoes JUST IN CASE.
Also, on loooong flights, I pack a special little bag to go IN my carry-on, and include it in all the things I’ll need on-hand: lip balm, moisturizer, Wet Wipes (for “washing” hands, dabbing on face to wake up if you’ve been asleep), that Evian spray for another sure-fire wake up method, Tylenol PM for sleeping, an eyemask, toothbrush and toothpaste — you get the picture. That way, you’ve got all this stuff handy in one bag and don’t have to go rooting around in your carry-on for it.
As for food that travels well on the plane, sandwiches get smooshed, so I take crackers (Triscuits tend to be sturdy!) and a hard cheese that can stay out of refrigeration for a while. Also ginger cookies or even ginger Altoids (to ease travel sickness), almonds, and the LARGEST BOTTLE OF WATER IN THE WORLD, because they never give you enough on the plane.
Last thing — if you want an aisle seat, I’ve found it’s always best to ask for one on the end of the middle row of seats; if you ask for one on the three by the window, you’ll have TWO people climbing over you when they want to get up. If you get one on the middle row, chances are, the other two or three people sitting on that row will know each other, and they’ll climb over the people they know, rather than you, which’ll save you getting up. Even if they’re not together, you’re only going to have one person clambering over you, rather than two.
February 17th, 2006 at 8:16 am
i have a few, but only one is coming to mind right now — a propos of making and carrying extra copies of all important documents (whether color or not):
- (if you’re comfortable with the security of your email account), you can keep scanned copies of documents in saved email on a web account (so you can access them from anywhere).
- make sure someone *else* (i.e. at home, etc.) has copies of your important documents — like a parent or relative. that way if *everything* gets lost and you’re sitting at the Embassy trying to start from zero, you can call them and help will be that much faster.
February 17th, 2006 at 8:23 am
You are so right about the water and the band-aids. Every big trip I’ve taken in my life, especially the one I took to England & France, I rubbed my poor feet raw walking all over the place. The rest of your tips are good too- luggage and the like. Glad ya’ll had a good time!
February 17th, 2006 at 9:07 am
along the lines of keeping copies of important documents, both with you and with someone at home, do the same for prescriptions, including *eyeglasses*. i had my purse stolen on an overnight train from vienna to paris. my cash, credit cards, and passport were in a travel pouch around my neck (and as dorky as those feel, the security it gave me was so worth it), but i’d put my glasses, for the sleeping, in my bag which was stolen. (also stolen - eurail pass, books, my friend’s watch.) i had to spend my first day in paris trying to find an optometrist and tracking down my prescription. my eye doctor wouldn’t give my mother the prescription over the phone for privacy reasons, but i was lucky - my friend’s sister was staying in our apartment, and i had an empty contact lense box in the bathroom from which she could read me the prescription. and luckily french contact lenses use the same measurements as american. but if that hadn’t worked out, i’d have been screwed - the prospect of being in my favorite city and not being able to see it was seriously depressing. learn from my near-mistakes.
also, if you’re not in a closed compartment, don’t put your bag under your seat. that was just stupid stupid stupid.
don’t ever put a bag under your seat, in fact. two years earlier i had the same bag stolen in italy - at an outdoor cafe, with a fence around the seating area, it was snatched from under my seat. however, another lesson here - report stolen bags! seems that in florence, theives tend to neatly deposit stolen bags, stripped of their goodies, with trash or recycling. i got a call the following morning that my bag had been found - cash, bus ticket, and chapstick stolen, but i got the bag, wallet, drivers license and everything back. still had my cards cancelled, because the numbers could have been copied, but getting at least some things back made me feel less horrible.
but really. don’t put your bag under your seat. ever.
February 17th, 2006 at 9:09 am
Save your old underwear with holes and shredding elastic for your trips. While travelling, simply discard a pair after use each day. I picked up this tip from a doctor I used to work with who travelled to Italy several times a year. It might sound bizarre, but it’s actually a stroke of simple brilliance and makes the laundry pile upon your return a bit more bearable.
February 17th, 2006 at 9:10 am
I don’t do any overseas travel, but I travel over two time zones quite frequently.
When flying west, what I find works for that little jump is staying up until your regular bed time, local time. Even though it’s 1:00am at home, I force myself to stay awake. The next day, there’s no pain; I’m already adjusted.
Heading back east is no biggie in my opinion. But that’s just me.
I agree whole heartedly about drinking lots of water. That helps so much.
February 17th, 2006 at 9:49 am
I have learned the hard way that if you like to shop (like me!) either pack with lots of extra room in your bag or (better choice) pack a collapsible bag that you can check on the way back. I have had to purchase luggage in Amsterdam, Oslo, Stockholm, etc. and now have a closet full of extraneous, crappy luggage.