As I prepare to embark on a journey to London, I thought I'd try my hand at this travel-blogging thing. If this post is repetitive to some, I apologize. It has taken a couple of different trips for me to figure out what works and what doesn't, so I hope this helps at least some of you! This particular entry will discuss prep and that dreaded (or exciting) portion of the journey: the flight.
But first, prep!
Pack as light as possible. My first journey overseas was extremely difficult to pack for, because I hate having to wear the same clothes over and over again in front of my fellow travelers. My remedy? Accessories! You can mix and match different items of your outfits in order to create a different look with the same clothes. That being said, try not to bring any pieces of jewelry that are too valuable. Again, that might sound obvious, but I've heard one too many stories of people who brought irreplaceable items with them and lost them. Remember to pack your jewelry in organized, separate boxes or bags to keep them from getting tangled or lost!
One of the best tricks I've learned is to take a collapsible duffel bag and pack it in your suitcase. Place your souvenirs into it for the return journey and use it as your carry-on!
I also recommend packing plenty of bandaids/blister patches/neosporin/whatever works to use on your trip. Keep some with you during the day, just in case. Your shoes should be well broken-in, but even if they are, you may still get blisters. It never hurts to be prepared! I've always had to apply and reapply blister protection, unfortunately.
Also remember to pack any electrical outlet converters you may need. I got mine from Target for a great price ($20 for a set of four, I believe). The outside of the box should list the countries that that particular box of plugs will work in.
Any important items like medications, makeup (yes, I am that attached), etc. should come with you in your carry-on, just in case your luggage gets lost. I believe that information is also on the TSA website, but there you go.
Remember to contact your bank and credit card companies to let them know where you'll be and how long you'll be there, just to make sure your account doesn't get blocked by them when you try to use your cards in another country. As for phones, you can either use yours and get a temporary international plan (which is what I do, because I need access to my emails and the internet), or you can buy a pay-as-you-go phone from a drugstore once you arrive at your destination. And currency? Don't bother getting it from the airport as it's time-consuming and expensive. I always find an ATM once I get there and withdraw what I'll need for the time. Use your actual cards as little as possible as there's a charge on each transaction from your bank.
And, this may be a bit paranoid, but I always register with the State Department before I leave, just in case something happens in the country I'm in. It's just a precautionary safety measure.
The flight:
This is my least favorite part of the journey. Maybe some of you enjoy flying, and that's great, but those trans-atlantic flights bore me to death! There's nothing to see, and hardly any room to move! I'm not one of those lucky people who can sleep on planes, so I'm usually stuck trying to find some way to amuse myself and make myself comfortable for 7 hours or so. *sigh* And then, of course, the whole journey usually takes 9-14 hours, so I'm completely exhausted and worn out once I finally arrive...and then I have to stay awake until a decent hour to get on their time. But it's a small price to pay, yes?
I won't waste your time going over TSA regulations. We all know they're paranoid, just pack anything controversial in your checked luggage and you'll be fine. Remember to put liquids in ziplocs!
Now, as far as attire goes...dress in comfortable layers. I'm all for traveling in style, but remember to do so with comfort and function in mind. I made a huge mistake when traveling on my first "big girl" trip to St. Louis with my best friend, Cait. We had decided to dress up like women used to when flying about fifty years ago. Classy, right? Well...yes and no. I chose to wear a LBD with gorgeous red stilettos:
My advice? Wear a pair of cute, comfortable flats. If any article of clothing takes more than 2 seconds to remove, rethink it. Make sure everything is easily accessible (including boarding passes and passports, of course!).
One of my favorite fashion gurus, Victoria Beckham, advises dressing in the classy style that I described above regarding my first trip. Classy is always fabulous, I agree. However, she advises changing into a comfy sweatsuit on the plane and applying as much moisturizer as possible to keep your skin hydrated (we all know how awful airplane air-conditioning is for our skin, right?). In my case, I disagree with her advice. She travels far more often than I do, but she also travels first class or private, which makes a big difference in the amount of comfort one can aspire to.
My solution is to keep a small, TSA-friendly bottle of rosewater spray in your carry-on. Spritz your face and hair at your convenience (remember to keep in mind others around you who may protest) and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. Drinking lots of water will also help with jet-lag. Avoid caffeine, if possible.
And ladies, regarding makeup...apply lightly. Moisturize well, then apply what's necessary to look nice, but somewhat natural. When you're tired, sleeping on-and-off, and traveling for 14 hours or so, your makeup tends to smudge, fade, and altogether melt off your face. I usually apply primer, foundation, enough eye makeup (waterproof, if possible) to make my eyes show up behind my glasses (I travel in glasses because traveling in contacts for so long, being so tired, and in that airplane air-conditioning tends to get uncomfortable), blush, and a tinted lip balm to add some color and, again, keep moisturized. I like the tinted lip balm by a line called Fresh:
It usually costs about $22, but it lasts a long time and it works really well! It's one of those "desert island" beauty picks, for me.
And there you have it! I know that was a bit of a long one. My posts should get less mundane once I get there!
Until then, cheers!
