As promised last week, here are some of my best recommendations for time-tested, WOW Travel-approved travel tips:
Planning:
Seatguru.com – Check your seat assignment, location of bathrooms, galley, etc. and location of under-seat electrical outlets.
Re: seating, if there are two of you on an aircraft with three-abreast seating, request an aisle and window. With luck, the middle seat might remain empty. Or, consider sitting across the aisle from each other.
Packing/Organizing:
Space bags (pictured above). They keep clothes organized, compress clothes to half the bulk and, surprisingly, my clothes are less wrinkled than otherwise.
Foam earplugs. Comfortable enough to sleep in. (Can be combined with Bose noise-canceling headset for extra measure of quiet.)
If you’re a nervous flyer, keep half a Xanax (or your drug of choice) accessible from your seat with a bottle of water.
Bottle of water. Stay hydrated.
Sleeping/Adjusting to Jet Lag:
Ambien. A half of a pill will help you fall asleep in a distant time zone. Take a whole pill and you’ll sleep through the night.
Do not rely on hotel wake-up calls. You’ve all heard the stories of missed wake-up calls. Use your phone or a travel alarm.
Wake up when the sun comes up. Do not block out the natural daylight with those black-out drapes.
Get with the program. Change your watch on the plane. Forget about the time zone you came from. Don’t calculate how many hours you’ve been in transit. That was then, this is now. Live in the present moment . . . you’ll adjust much quicker.
Photographing:
My beloved Sony NEX-5
Take a “real” camera. I find my iPhone tricky to hold and lacks features (intelligent auto, panorama, etc.). I like to shoot one-handed. I like my Sony NEX camera: No shutter delay. Great in low-light situations (rarely needs to flash…). Not too big, not too small . . . just right!
Small collapsible tripod is handy.
Edit, crop and trash your digital images ruthlessly.
1. Set your watch for the new time zone when you get on the plane and set your mind as well!
2. If you have allergies – find some local honey and take a teaspoon a day for three or four days to help you acclimate to the new area.
3. Use Gateguru.com and the app Gateguru to find your way around airports.
4. In a city with a subway – there is an app you can download to plan your routes.
5. Use Tripit.com and the app – you can forward all your reservation emails and it creates an itinerary for you – it’s really amazing.
6. Download Rick Steves’ audio guides onto your phone and use them to tour many famous sites and learn about the cities you are visiting.
Bobby Murphy
June 7, 2013 at
6:37pm
Be very careful in regards to tip # 2. During my last trip , I located a local honey and my wife throttled me when she found out.
Marilyn
June 6, 2013 at
5:38pm
Just thought of one more…. If they serve yogurt on a flight – be very careful when prying back the lid: it can explode all over you!
Karen Gray
June 7, 2013 at
9:31am
Pick one color as your “base” for packing such as black, khaki or navy…all mix & match pieces for layering. Take a few brighter tee shirts or scarves so you don’t get bored with the look. Less shoes=smaller suitcase=less angst!
Robert Chen
June 7, 2013 at
12:25pm
Never a good idea to recommend drugs with numerous side effects like Ambien or Xanax for sleep or nervousness. Magnesium (ideally in liquid form, or capsules) work well for me in terms of sleep and nervousness. Also Valerian capsules are effective for sleep and won’t cause lingering drowsiness afterwards.
Bobby Murphy
June 7, 2013 at
6:39pm
If your spouse catches you with a local honey, she may cure any problems you may have with sleep.
Ronnie Williams
June 7, 2013 at
7:55pm
Sleep mask – great for blocking out light and action when you want to sleep on the plane, or if you have a roommate who wants to stay up later than you do.
Also if you’re going to someplace hot, and/or are prone to GI upsets, either powdered gatorade or rehydration pills are good to bring along.
7 Comments
Jim Lockard June 6, 2013 at 1:26pm
1. Set your watch for the new time zone when you get on the plane and set your mind as well!
2. If you have allergies – find some local honey and take a teaspoon a day for three or four days to help you acclimate to the new area.
3. Use Gateguru.com and the app Gateguru to find your way around airports.
4. In a city with a subway – there is an app you can download to plan your routes.
5. Use Tripit.com and the app – you can forward all your reservation emails and it creates an itinerary for you – it’s really amazing.
6. Download Rick Steves’ audio guides onto your phone and use them to tour many famous sites and learn about the cities you are visiting.
Bobby Murphy June 7, 2013 at 6:37pm
Be very careful in regards to tip # 2. During my last trip , I located a local honey and my wife throttled me when she found out.
Marilyn June 6, 2013 at 5:38pm
Just thought of one more…. If they serve yogurt on a flight – be very careful when prying back the lid: it can explode all over you!
Karen Gray June 7, 2013 at 9:31am
Pick one color as your “base” for packing such as black, khaki or navy…all mix & match pieces for layering. Take a few brighter tee shirts or scarves so you don’t get bored with the look. Less shoes=smaller suitcase=less angst!
Robert Chen June 7, 2013 at 12:25pm
Never a good idea to recommend drugs with numerous side effects like Ambien or Xanax for sleep or nervousness. Magnesium (ideally in liquid form, or capsules) work well for me in terms of sleep and nervousness. Also Valerian capsules are effective for sleep and won’t cause lingering drowsiness afterwards.
Bobby Murphy June 7, 2013 at 6:39pm
If your spouse catches you with a local honey, she may cure any problems you may have with sleep.
Ronnie Williams June 7, 2013 at 7:55pm
Sleep mask – great for blocking out light and action when you want to sleep on the plane, or if you have a roommate who wants to stay up later than you do.
Also if you’re going to someplace hot, and/or are prone to GI upsets, either powdered gatorade or rehydration pills are good to bring along.