Travel Advice

With Labor Day weekend on the horizon here in the U.S., my mind has turned to fall travel. Today's post kicks off a series of posts on websites I've found helpful while planning trips. Some of them are well known, and some are not. But today I thought I'd focus on a few logistical tips I've found very helpful in both international and domestic travel:

Packing & Prior to Departure
    * The best tip I could possibly offer is to pack light. We travel exclusively carry-on only, and have managed weekend, weeklong, and more than one month-long trip out of a standard carryon suitcase (each). It requires careful planning, and knowledge of your itinerary, but it is very possible, and frees you from having to lug heavy suitcases up and down staircases or cobblestone streets, pay baggage fees, or wait for checked luggage.
    * If possible, leave part of your suitcase empty. This ensures you have space to bring home any wonderful souveniers you might stumble upon on your way (even if it's just a bottle of the local tipple). If you're flying on a non-budget carrier, another way to handle this is to pack a second bag that you could check if you needed more space, but then you have to wait for checked luggage when you get home.
    * Plan your departure several days ahead of time. This includes when and how you're getting to the airport, what you need to bring with you, and what needs to be done before then. You'll be glad you had a checklist when you don't forget your passport, or you remember to toss the milk before you leave.
    * Get rid of any perishables that won't last, and empty your trash right before you leave. No one wants to come home to rotten food, or an overflowing trash can.

Organization
    * Determine what you want to do while you're gone. I've found that a good rule of thumb is to plan approximately 2 activities (sights to see, parks to wander, restaurants to visit) per day in a new city. That way you have time to get lost or stay longer at something you love without feeling like you're getting off schedule. We also plan a few "optional" outings in case we have extra time. I'll be posting several websites later in this series that can be very helpful to determine where you want to go.
    * Check the weather. There's can be a big difference between the weather you expect and the weather that actually occurs. We didn't know how cold and wet Dublin is over New Year's Day- save yourself some seriously cold feet and check the weather before you go, then plan your outfits accordingly.
    * Make a checklist of all the items you'll need with you for the activities you have planned, and all of the things you need to do before you leave. I find it helpful to run through each day in my head as I make the list. Remembering that I'll need to brush my teeth reminds me to put my toothpaste and toothbrush on the list, etc.
    * Save important information somewhere easily accessible- if you're traveling domestically, smart phones can be a great way to access information saved on email, but it's also helpful to mark information for upcoming trips as "important," so that you're not wasting time searching through years of hotel/airplane/car reservations to find the right ones. If you're traveling internationally, phone service can be a bit spotty- we like to bring printed copies of our information then (one set per person).

Upon Return
    * Give yourself at least half a day to unpack and get back into to things before you have to get back to your regular schedule. I never used to do this, but it makes for a much more relaxing reentry.
    * Plan your airport pickup before you get home. There's nothing more frustrating than a 40 minute transit after a day of flying, when you could cover the distance in a car in 20 minutes.
    * Keep a few fully cooked meals in the freezer, so that you don't need to go out to eat again.
    * While social media is very tempting, consider waiting to post pictures until after you return. Social media is not always as secure as we want it to be, and I'd personally hate to make my home a target for a break-in because I made it clear to the world that no one was home. Plus, it gives you a chance to relive the experience while it's still fresh in your mind!

Last, but certainly not least- save a pair of easily removable shoes to wear to the airport (even better if you also have socks on). It's always nice to be the person who can just reach into their carryon, grab their 3-1-1 liquids, and slip off their shoes. No one likes the security lines, so do what you can to move through them more quickly!