15 Luxury Travel Essentials for your Next Vacation

by Kelly | Oct 25, 2018 | Travel, Travel Advice

Helping you pack

1. Soft-sided Bag

Expanded Longchamp Carry-On

I see so many travelers wheeling their hard-sided bags through the airport only to get stopped at the gate to see if it’s the proper size for a carry-on. Often the wheels cause the bag to be outside the carry-on parameters. Hard-sided bag that are allowed on the plane are the ones most passengers struggle to fit in overhead compartments. Save yourself the hassle and get large, soft-sided weekender that is easy to pack, carry, and will fit anywhere! My favorite: Longchamp Le Pliage XL Nylon Tote.

2. Travel Luggage Scale

We in the United States are lucky that the weight of our carry-on luggage is not regulated. In the rest of the world it is. You will often be asked to put your bag on a scale before checking-in. Avoid surprises and extra fees at the airport as you move from city to city by bringing a luggage scale with you. Weighing only two ounces the Etekcity Digital Luggage Scale scale is a necessity for multi-city trips.

On the go

3. Memory Foam Travel Pillow

Even if you already have a cheap, bean-filled or inflatable travel pillow, you need to get this memory foam one. I never had trouble sleeping on planes, but when I was in the airport getting ready for my first super-long haul flight from Boston to Beijing, I invested in a memory foam pillow. It was one of the smartest decisions of my life. I have never fallen asleep faster or slept better while traveling than when using this pillow. I have lent it to many friends for their travels, and they all agree! You can’t go wrong with the Cabeau Evolution Memory Foam Travel Pillow.

4. Noise-cancelling headphones

Headphones are a must while on-the-go for listening to music, audio books, television shows, and movies. Noise-cancelling headphones will make your experience even more enjoyable by blocking out any extraneous engine or passenger noise. You can escape into your own world while you await your arrival at your destination. My go-to headphones are the BeatsX Wireless In-Ear Headphones.

5. Sleep Mask

Along with a travel pillow and noise-cancelling headphones or ear plugs, a sleep mask is essential for good sleep while traveling. Most airlines hand out their own cheap version on long-haul flights – the Japan Air one is actually rather nice! – but in case your airline does not, or you want to get some sleep on a shorter flight, this is a worthwhile investment. No need to buy something high-tech when you just need it to block out the light; try the Copebri Natural Silk Sleep Mask.

6. Tablet

You would think most airplanes would have back-of-seat entertainment systems at this point. Many new planes do. But what if you get stuck on a small McDonnell Douglas or an old Boeing for a 3+ hour flight? Bring your own entertainment on a tablet just in case. You can download a book to the Kindle app or a few movies to pass time on your way to your destination. There are many great options on the market, but I am especially a fan of the Amazon Fire Tablet.

7. Coloring book and pencils

An odd addition, I’m sure many of you are thinking. Believe it or not, despite the hundreds of flights I have taken, I still have a fear of flying. A remedy I recently discovered is putting on some music or a movie for background noise and pulling out an adult coloring book. It helps your mind focus on something other than the plane, and helps the time pass until you reach your destination. My first adult coloring book was the Harry Potter Coloring Book.

8. Sandals

No matter what you are wearing on the plane, or what weather is concurring in the city you are leaving or your destination, pack a pair of sandals for the plane. Your feet will swell while in the air, making you want to remove your shoes. Plane etiquette dictates that you do not go barefoot. Oddly, no one seems to mind if their fellow passengers are wearing sandals. I try to wear sandals to the airport, but if you don’t have room in your bag for another pair of shoes, or are in a cold climate, change into sandals as soon as you board your flight and stuff your other shoes under the seat in front of you. For a cute, sturdy, light-weight pair, check out Havaianas.

In the Hotel

9. Solid Shampoo and Conditioner

Not only are these products eco-friendly, as they don’t have disposable packaging, but they are perfect for travel. Solid shampoos and conditioners (or combo bars) effectively wash and condition hair while not adding to your tiny liquid or bag weight allotment. They last for hundreds of washes, so you don’t have to worry about running out like you would with travel-sized containers. Pick up a bar (or two) on Amazon or at Lush Cosmetics!

10. Dry Shampoo

The current theory on hair care is that you shouldn’t wash your hair every day. I don’t know about you, but while I prescribe to this regime, I still need to do something for my hair on off-days. Enter dry shampoo. In either aerosol or powder form, dry shampoo will pick up your hair on in-between days. It is especially helpful on days when you have to get out the door quickly for a travel excursion and don’t have time for a full wash and dry! I love Batiste aerosols, which also come in travel sizes.

11. Laundry Bag

When all your travel clothes go in the same bag, you need something to separate clean or reusable clothes from the dirty ones. Limited space requires an efficient solution. Pack a lightweight laundry bag in your travel bag to re-pack dirty clothes and keep them away from the rest of your wardrobe.

Out and about

12. Portable Phone Charger

How many times have you tried to take a video or send a picture and realized that you’d be using the last of your phone battery to do so? What about all those times you’ve run low or out of power on a flight on a plane that doesn’t have outlets when you’re watching a movie or listening to music? If you pack your portable phone charger on your vacations you’ll never have to experience that again!

13. Warm, Lightweight Jacket

If you’re traveling from one climate to another (like when this New Englander heads to the Caribbean in the winter) or visiting multiple destinations in one trip, it can be difficult to decide what type of outerwear to pack. Most jackets and sweaters take up a lot of room. Pick up a warm-yet-lightweight jacket like the Northface Thermoball to solve this issue. I am comfortable wearing this jacket unzipped in temperatures up to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. It is also warm enough to comfortably bundle up in visiting climates that drop below freezing.

14. Cross-Body Bag

Small, spacious shoulder bags are great no matter where you travel, but a cross-body bag is essential when visiting developing nations. Mine has traveled across the world with me from Greece and Ireland to China, Vietnam, and Cambodia. If you invest in one of these bags, make sure you always wear it across your body to deter thieves from an easy snatch. Pick up a super cute bag from Kate Spade to complement your travel wardrobe!

15. Multi-purpose Black Leggings

This is mainly a suggestion for the women, though these would make a great gift for any well-traveled women in the lives of the men reading this! A simple pair of black leggings is the most versatile piece of travel clothing options I can think of. Depending on how active my travel schedule is, I always pack a pair of either cotton or lyrca capri leggings. This one pair will get me through any sudden physical activities and then transition for a casual afternoon or nice night out by pairing them with a sweater and boots or flats. Any plain pair would do, but I always bring my black Lululemon Wunder Unders for this purpose.

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Stranded by Your Airline? Here’s What to Do

by Kelly | Oct 1, 2018 | Travel, Travel Advice

On October 1, 2018, Primera Air collapsed, stranding all of their customers. They canceled all of their flights and announced they would be filing for bankruptcy. You can find their official statement on their website here.

On October 17, 2018, Cobalt Air suspended all its operations. It canceled all scheduled flights and told customers not to go to the airport.

In 2010, when Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull Volcano exploded, my parents and I became stranded in Italy. I was living in France at the time, but my parents were visiting me in Europe. This further stranded them in Europe for a week. Classmates of mine were also stranded around the world, from the UK to the Greek Islands to Bogota, Colombia. We all became very savvy travelers very quickly that week.

Based on my experience and lessons learned, I compiled the following list – in no particular order – of things to do to improve your situation if you are stranded by Primera Air. Accomplish whichever you think is best or easiest first. If you have a travel companion or local contacts, tackle multiple items at once.

Consider Alternate Forms of Transportation

Your original intention was to catch a flight to your final destination. If you have a transatlantic flight, this is probably still your best option. However, flights will be packed over the next week or two with every other Primera Air customer. If your original flight path was within Europe, consider taking a train, a ferry, or renting a car.

Trains are the most efficient way to travel within Europe even if there are flights available. If you want to book your trip ahead of time, do so with the local train website in the country you’re leaving from (you can usually only collect tickets from within the country whose website you use).

• France: SNCF
• Italy: Tren Italia
• Spain: renfe
• UK: The Train Line
• Greece: TrainOse
• Denmark: DSB
• Norway: NSB
• Sweden: SJ

Alternatively, it is pretty easy to show up at a train station and buy a ticket on-the-spot. If your schedule is flexible or uncertain, this may be the best solution for you.

If you choose to rent a car, ask about local laws regarding taking the car across country borders if your trip will be international. This includes trips within the European Union or European Economic Area.

Look into Alternative Flight Routes

So you had a direct flight back from Paris to Boston this afternoon. Perhaps every other flight from Paris to Boston is booked solid over the next four days, but there are many flights available from London to Boston (they do have five airports compared to Paris’ two). If you find yourself in this situation, consider taking a train or a quick flight from Paris to London to catch a flight from there. This alternative may prove effective in getting you home faster and cheaper than waiting to re-book your original flight path.

Book a Flight

If you must fly to get to your destination, whether using an alternative route or your original flight plan, book a flight ASAP! Remember, there are hundreds of people around the world with flights canceled over the next couple of weeks. They will all be trying to get the same alternative flights you are getting. The BBC reported today that many other airlines are trying to help out Primera Air passengers by offering discounted flights for their remaining seats, but these will sell out quickly. [UPDATE: Norwegian Air released a statement this morning offering to repatriate Primera Air passengers for a 50% discount]. Book your flight now through the normal methods online, and then speak with the airline about any discounts they may be offering to help out.

When my parents were stranded in Europe, they booked themselves a Friday afternoon flight back home. They called the airline later that day but were told there were no flights available until the following Monday. My dad told the airline my parents about the reservation he had made on the Friday flight. The airline allowed my parents to retain that flight for free, as would have been the case for the Monday flight. Alternatively, my friend in Bogota went to the airport every day for over a week trying to catch a standby flight back to Europe. Everyone is going to be trying to find a new flight, so reserve yours now!

Reserve Accommodations

This is fourth on the list because I think it makes more sense to figure out travel plans first. However, if you know you’ll be spending at least one night in your current location, I would make this the first thing you do. My family and I did not do this when we were stuck in Milan with thousands of other travelers. We had to stay in the last hotel with available rooms, which was probably the worst place I’ve ever stayed (including hostels)! Check in with your AirBNB host to see if you can extend your stay given the circumstances, or look online for available hotels in your current city. I recommend a comprehensive hotel search site like Booking.com* for a task like this because it will show you every possible accommodation available.

Notify Your Employer, School, Family, and/or Friends

If you will be missing work, school, or a group vacation, remember to notify the necessary individuals. It may be stressful to tell your boss you need an extra three unscheduled vacation days, or to tell your professor you have to miss tomorrow’s exam because you are in another country, but I found that most people are very understanding in these circumstances. You did not cause the airline to collapse. You did not choose to get stranded and have to find your way home. As my mom’s boss told her in 2010, there is nothing you can do about your situation, so make your best effort to return and otherwise enjoy the extra few days off!

Look Into Other Reimbursements and Discounts

The extra flight and accommodation costs will unfortunately not be your only additional expenses. Maybe your vacation is now canceled or delayed, but you have a hotel booked for the next week. Maybe you parked your car at the airport and now suddenly will have to pay for an extra three days. Like the people in your life, most companies are understanding in these circumstances and will give you a discount or full reimbursement. This is especially true with hotels that can re-fill the room in which you were supposed to stay. You may even be helping out a fellow stranded passenger by freeing up a hotel room!

Relax and Enjoy your Extra Time

Once you have completed the above steps, take advantage of your extra vacation days! The stressful part is over. You have additional, unexpected days of vacation. Did you try to cram everything you wanted to do into a few short days? Maybe now is the time to pick your favorite attraction and go spend some extra time really getting to know it. If you’ve already seen everything you hoped for in your destination city, this could be the time to try something off the beaten path or spend time living like a local (if you want to try this in Northern Wales, check out my local recommendations in this post). Make the most of the additional time you now have, knowing that everything is in place for your delayed return.

Recovery from Primera Air

After you have safely reached your destination, you may consider pursuing claims against Primera Air for recovery of any travel expenses or losses. The aforementioned BBC article noted that it is unlikely most passengers will be able to recover anything from the airline because of the bankruptcy filing, but offers alternative avenues to pursue like those with the credit card companies. If you are an American citizen or have a flight involving the States, you may have American remedies available to you. You should contact an attorney if you choose to pursue a legal remedy. Bankruptcy law can be tricky and most customers are the last people to get paid in such instances after most of the money has run out.

Good luck to everyone stranded out there, and safe travels home!

Looking for more travel advice? Check out these other related posts!

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