November Travel Tips

Prepare for Rain!

Spending the past few chilly days in and out of the rain was a great reminder to pack a small umbrella and/or a couple of rain ponchos in your suitcase!

We keep a small umbrella in our suitcase and two emergency rain ponchos tucked away in a small, compact pack. They take up very little space and can be a lifesaver when the weather doesn’t cooperate.

Of course, you can always live on the wild side and hope your destination has umbrellas available to purchase… at a premium!

A little preparation can save you from getting soaked! Happy travels, everyone!

 Pack the Snacks!

Call me the crazy snack lady, but I always travel with snacks!

My go-to travel snacks include protein bars, beef sticks, trail mix, nuts, and peanut butter crackers.

On our trip to Alaska last year, I became pretty popular with our group of 22 after our flight. While we waited for our transfer to the hotel, I pulled out the snack bag. Suddenly, the crazy snack lady wasn’t so crazy!

When we were in Arizona recently, there were a few nights when dinner consisted of snacks! We’d eaten two big meals those days and really didn’t want a third. Instead, we enjoyed our snacks while taking in the beautiful views of the Red Rocks of Sedona.  Sometimes, simple is perfect!

Earlier this year, we had a unique experience across the pond. The flight attendants announced that, due to a passenger with a severe nut allergy, no nut-containing items could be opened onboard. Guess what ALL our snacks contained?  Let’s just say we learned a lesson about checking our snack stash before boarding!

Whether it’s a long flight, a delayed transfer, a busy sightseeing day, or a night when you’re just too full for another big meal, having snacks on hand can be a lifesaver.

No one wants a hangry traveler!

Keeping Your Suitcase Organized!

How do you keep your suitcase organized, especially when you’re on a tour where you’re staying at one hotel for a night or two before moving on to the next?

We’re big fans of packing cubes! They help keep everything together and your suitcase neat and tidy, making it so much easier to pack up and move on to the next destination.

We have friends who pack individual outfits in smaller packing cubes. That’s a great idea, too! (I don’t usually plan that far in advance!)

We pack a tad differently. We use larger packing cubes to keep all tops in one, bottoms in another, and so on. We typically use about 4–5 packing cubes per suitcase.

Some travelers really like compression bags, but we find it’s too easy to max out that 50-pound weight limit when you squeeze in more clothes!  I may add a few of these bags to our packing routine, though, because they’re great for collecting dirty clothes along the way.

And one more packing tip: We roll almost everything!

I’m certainly no expert at packing. I might overpack a little (okay, maybe more than a little ), but I’m usually within a pound or two of that 50-pound weight limit!

What about you? Are you team packing cubes, team compression bags, or do you have another trick for keeping your suitcase organized while traveling? Share your tips in the comments!

Stay Healthy!

Cold and flu season is upon us, and the last thing anyone wants is to get sick before or during a vacation! So, let’s talk about giving your immune system a little extra attention while traveling.

Here’s what we do to help keep ourselves feeling our best:

 Vitamin C: We take Emergen-C daily, 365 days a year.

 Electrolytes: We drink electrolytes daily to help maintain hydration.

 Extra Support: About two weeks before a trip, throughout our travels, and for two weeks after we return, we add Airborne to our daily supplement routine.

 IV Supplements: On occasion, we’ve also incorporated IV vitamin treatments. (The picture is from our vitamin boost prior to going to East Africa in May. If you are local, we know a guy who can hook you up!)

Of course, everyone’s needs are different, so always check with your healthcare provider before adding new supplements or treatments to your routine.

A little preparation can go a long way toward helping you enjoy your travels!

Stay healthy, stay hydrated, and keep exploring!