Quick Whit's Travel NON-essentials

Hello to all! I hope everyone enjoyed Last week's Travel Essentials blog! Today's post is a little different, but just as important when packing: what NOT to pack. Because let's be honest, people over pack. Americans are pretty notorious for it, but let's be honest again, people EVERYWHERE over pack! Unless you are actually moving your entire family to a new place permanently, you really don't need to take your whole house with you!

People over pack for lots of reasons: we want to be sure we didn't forget something (and inevitably, you do); we want to be prepared for anything (and inevitably, we can't be); we think we need all those things (I often make myself revisit the meanings of "want" and "need"); perhaps we think we're better safe than sorry (except when the bag is so heavy with all that stuff you end up injuring yourself while lifting, dragging, pushing, pulling, or lowering it from the overhead bin).

I'll tell you a secret.

I sometimes over pack. But not for lack of trying!

Last weekend, Steve and I met some friends in Monterey, CA, to celebrate Val's and my 30th birthdays. Woohoo! But did I wear the nice dress I packed to go to dinner? Nope. Did I wear that other top I brought so I wouldn't have to re-wear the top I really liked best? Nope. Did I lug those things around the whole time? Yep!

I'll tell you another secret.

I have occasionally under packed!

While traveling in Warsaw, Krakow, Bratislava, and Prague a few years ago, I was not prepared for the climate. It was unseasonably warm in Warsaw, chilly in Krakow, hot as an oven in Bratislava, and chilly again in Prague! I finally couldn't take the heat again in Bratislava, so I went and bought a dress at a local store. It was not expensive, and it's ended up being one of my favorites, and I still wear it to this day. It's also the last thing I purchased before meeting my future husband, Steve, in Prague a couple of days later! So that all worked out--I have a great souvenir!

So cute, right? 

Oh, and I wish I'd taken maybe one more shirt to the Galapagos with me. But it worked out fine! I just re-wore my t-shirt another time before it was time to toss it! (More on tossing clothes later.)

Here is my list of things that I never bother packing. I realize everyone's different, and you should certainly use your own judgement, but maybe this post will give you some ideas for packing light next time you travel, even just overnight!

1. A Checked Bag

These are all carry-on sized. Pick one, two at most! 

Maybe you're convinced you HAVE to check a bag. You can't possibly fit an entire day and night's wardrobe and accessories into one carry-on and one personal item (like a purse or laptop bag). But I'm here to save your back and your space! Let's be frank: checking a bag is expensive. If you pay around $75 a year for an airline club card, you might be able to check one bag free, but then you've paid $75 for something "free." If you're lucky, your airline only charges $20 for your first domestic checked bag, but international checked bag fees can certainly be even more than that! And what if your bag is just an ounce over the weight limit? Be ready for an extra $100 coming out of your pocket on many airlines! I never ever check a bag!

Not only is there an extra cost, it takes an awful lot more time to wait for it once you reach your destination. And what if your connecting flight gets cancelled? Then you're on a different flight, but are your bags? And bags do still get lost, believe it or not. With as much as Steve and I travel, our odds of having a bag lost go way up!

2. More Clothes than I'll Need

Do not pack your entire closet! 

A good rule of thumb is to pack your bag, then take out half of your clothes. If that scares you, just take out a third! Really, if you do a little planning, pack things that mix and match (you don't have to pack all black, but that's sure an easy way to go!). It IS ok to re-wear a few or even all of your things! I will be writing a blog post soon about clothes to leave behind. Subscribe above and look for it coming to your inbox! For now, just wrap your mind around packing half of what you think you'll need.

3. My Laptop

OK, as a travel writer, this is a hard one to type up (I'm currently typing on my precious laptop!). I have a very efficient MacBook Air. It's five years old, and I bought it with the intent of taking it with me while I travel. But in the age of iPads, e-readers, smartphones, and more gadgets coming out all the time, laptops have almost become obsolete! There are plenty of things I prefer to do on my laptop, but while I'm traveling, I can do pretty much everything I need to do on my iPhone. I blog in the Notes app, and it goes straight to the Notes app on my laptop so I can copy-and-paste it into my blogging website. I can review sites, hotels, and restaurants on my phone (and find them with the "Near Me Now" feature in the Trip Advisor app), I can post pictures, Skype or FaceTime with my family, and have my calendar at my fingertips when I need to know what we have up next on our schedule.

However, if I was going to be gone two weeks or more, and I wouldn't be moving around too much (like if we went on a cruise), it would make sense to have my laptop with me and do some day-of blog posts. But for trips 10 days or fewer, I can be patient enough to use my phone for all my computing needs abroad and save laptop work for when I get home!

4. Beautification Tools 

This would be things like curling irons, hair dryers (even "travel size"), nail polish, flat iron, curlers, etc. Embrace the hair God gave you and enjoy the natural look! Most hotels have hair dryers, and if not, maybe you'll find a new way to wear your hair that you like even better! Or wear a ponytail. Or wear a hat. Or better yet, get a fabulous hat as a souvenir!

5. Excessive Toiletries

Meet my travel toiletries stash. No, I do not pack them all! 

Just about any place you stay (even many hostels) have shampoo, conditioner, soap, and maybe even lotion, toothpaste, and mouthwash!

Shampoo:
I have also learned that I do not need to shampoo my hair every day. And actually, no one does! I can easily go 8-10 days between shampoos and no one is the wiser! So I don't bother bringing shampoo unless I'll be gone more than 10 days or will be at the beach.

Conditioner:
Personally, I'm particular about my conditioner, so I have a 3-oz, TSA-approved bottle I take with me and refill from home as needed. If I had straight hair, I would totally use whatever the hotel or hostel gave me for free. Conditioner is my one toiletry item I maybe shouldn't pack, but do.

Liquid face wash:
Don't do it! The wipes are a little more expensive, perhaps, but #1 you don't have to worry about another liquid; #2 they lay flat instead of being an awkward shape and size, so they're easy to pack and take up almost no precious space; and #3 you can use them on the plane or in the airport after a long flight without getting messy with water splashing everywhere (like on your clothes or your luggage).

Soap:
Just use what's provided. It'll get you clean, even if it's not your favorite scent.

Lotion:
There is usually some in your accommodation, but if not, you can use the coconut oil I recommended in my Travel Essentials post that pulls double and triple duty!

Perfume:
If you're traveling with friends or family, they don't care how you smell as long as you're clean! If you're traveling alone, you have no one to impress!

6. TSA Prohibited Items

NO WATER! (Or peanut butter.)
Absolutely no water at all, and no liquids over 3.4 ounces. Three ounces is more common, and there is less room for discrepancies! Steve and I were going through security a couple of weeks ago, and the woman in front of us had a 16-ounce bottle of unopened, freshly purchased water. Liquids, even unopened bottles of water, have been banned since 2006. Bring an empty bottle and refill it. Oh, and I once had my 16-oz peanut butter confiscated. The security officer said it can be melted and made into a liquid. I was upset. That was for my in-flight snack!

Full-size toiletries:
See "NO WATER!" Additionally, they take up too much precious space.

Dip spreaders, knives, scissors, optometry tools, and the like:
I'm originally from the South, and I know tons of people who've lost their pocket knives because they simply forgot. My mom got her bag searched going through security from Canada to the US because she had bought a dip spreader as a gift and decided to carry-on her bag at the last minute. Whoops. My dad, an optometrist, had some of his optometric tools with him (rather expensive items) on our way home from a trip. He got stopped at security, but thankfully he didn't have them confiscated! He was able to mail them back to himself.

These are the most common faux pas I can think of. But please check the TSA website for more!
https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/prohibited-items

7. Money

Believe it or not! I never travel with cash money. Sure, take some if it makes you feel more comfortable--perhaps for a cab to get to your hotel if you get in late at night, or for a cab ride home once you return to your homeland. I take one credit card (one that has a good rewards program and NO international fees) and my debit card. In most of the popular destinations like countries in western Europe, North America, Australia, Asia, and more, you can use a credit card for everything you need. The big exception here is Ecuador. They use US currency as their own for now, and small bills are what you want to have on hand. Just about anywhere else, you're better off leaving your money at home most of the time.

I like to have some of the local currency on me for that cool, tiny shop that doesn't take a credit card, or for street vendors, or for tips for tour guides, but I get it from the first ATM I see. Exchanging money is expensive (more expensive than you think), but getting money from an ATM charges a nominal fee, if any fee at all, depending on your banks ATM regulations.

So those are some things I never pack, or if I do, I better have a good reason or be going to a third-world country where they may not have toiletries! What would you add to this list?

Destination Birthday Extravaganza in Monterey!

Just when you thought Steve and I were going to be hanging up our traveling gear for a while, we packed it all up again! This time we took a domestic trip to beautiful Monterey, California! My friend Valarie's birthday is the day after mine, so we like to celebrate together when we can! This trip was a bit delayed, but we got it in the right month!

The birthday girls!

Here are some fun facts about Val's and my friendship: 

Valarie was the first friend I made after I moved to DC! She and I met at a volunteer dinner before the Cherry Blossom Festival in March 2008. We found out our birthdays were just one day apart, and we've been friends ever since! 

We both married older men... and they're both named Steve! 

The picture that pops up on Val's phone when I text or call her makes me look like I'm picking her nose. 

And lastly, if you didn't figure it out yet, we're goofy together! 

Val and I have been planning this trip since May, so we had been excited for a while, and the day had finally come! My Steve and I rose early on Friday (yeah, just 6 days after the Volcano of Doom Debacle) and headed back to our home airport, Washington-Dulles! Whoever Steve calls to pick us up and take us to the airport, they're pretty great. They're always early, so we are never waiting for them--which is good, since we like to cut it close! 

I desperately needed some coffee, and luck for us... a new Starbucks opened across from our gate! Woohoo! And we were off. The good thing about flights from the east coast to the west coast is that you really only lose a couple of hours, even though you're flying for about 5! We landed around 9:00 am and hit the road! Our rental car even had our name on it! 

See that handsome man sitting in the driver's seat? =) 

The drive from San Francisco to Monterey was a nice one, and surprisingly swift. I guess we beat the morning rush! We stopped for lunch downtown on Cannery Row, right on the water. It was a little chilly, but the food was good, and the views were beautiful, even on an overcast day! 

We took a romantic stroll along the trail that goes through town, and eventually, the sun came out! 

And we made some dolphin friends! 

Time to check in! Val and her Steve were still on their way up from Camarillo, so my Steve and I made a stop at Trader Joe's for some weekend food essentials and found our Air BnB (like a house-sharing thing). We would have the two bed, one bath house to ourselves for the weekend! After putting away the groceries and settling in to rest for a while, Val and Steve arrived about 3:00 or so. It was a happy reunion! Steve and I had only seen them once since their wedding last year, so it was great to catch up! 

The four of us drove to town to check it out (just a couple of miles away), and them made our way to Val's friend's house, just a couple of communities over. They have a beautiful farm! Their house is from the 1800s (I think she said maybe 1880s?), and though they've added on over the years, they've made a real effort to keep it antiquated and charming! If I'd had my wits about me, I would have taken a picture of their awesome kitchen! They even have an authentic stove that's over 100 years old! 

Oh, and they have a dog friend! 

So sweet! Dogs love my Steve, and my Steve loves all dogs!

And they have a swing! 

Yes, Val had too much fun with that. 

And so did we!

So fun. Her friends are originally from Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside of DC--what are the odds? Anyway, Val knows her from working at National Geographic. Maybe they were friends of friends, something like that. But they welcomed us like we were all old friends! So sweet. 

After dinner, we pretty much headed right to bed. We're not really nightlife people. =) 

Saturday! Time to run! There is a really nice running and biking trail through Monterey, called the Monterey Peninsula Recreational Trail. It goes through town and extends I don't know how far. But it was really nice to run by the shoreline! People were out there swimming, kayaking, snorkeling, and SCUBA diving. The water would definitely be too cold for me, but to each his own! It was so nice to run in a cool place with low humidity, though. I felt like I could go forever! But I stopped at 3.5 miles. =) 

Back at the house, Val and her Steve had already showered and were ready and raring to go! Another of Val's friends was driving down from San Jose to meet us for brunch around 10, but he hit traffic (of course!), so we went ahead and ate while we waited for him. 

There are a couple of things you need to know about Val and her Steve. Val likes to try her hand at EVERYTHING! She has crops in their backyard--avocados, oranges, blood oranges, lemons, key limes, sapotes, onions, tomatoes, and more! And they have chickens--hooray farm fresh eggs! The other thing is that her Steve is an amazing cook! We ate very well both mornings! 

Val's friend, Brett, got there eventually, so Steve dutifully made him an omelette and we all got to know him! He has been living in Israel making olive oil-based soap using Old Testament ingredients. Val has the most interesting friends! He joined us for an afternoon at the world-renown Monterey Bay Aquarium and lunch at the famous Cindy's Waterfront Restaurant as well. 

Something else you should know about Val is that she has a degree in marine biology, and she loves the cephalopods--those are the octopuses and such. We got an education going through an aquarium with her! 

Don't forget: don't flash the octopus! Can you see his tentacles? 

My favorite part of the aquarium was the "Open Sea" exhibit. There were all sorts of fish, but also hammerhead sharks and sea turtles! It was too dark for my pictures to come out well, though. You'll just have to go see them for yourself! 

After a fun afternoon of sea creature time, we decided to get back to the car and head to the house to refresh ourselves. But it took long enough to get there taking the free trolley that we decided to go back to downtown instead because as soon as we got to the house, we'd have to turn around and come back anyway! So we headed to the Sardine Factory (Monterey got its start in the sardine business) to fill the gap until ghost tour time.

Sardines, anyone? 

Mr. Peabody Pembroke had to get in on the sardine action. 

Talk about some fine dining! I literally felt like I was on the Titanic, it was so over-the-top grandiose. I loved it! Do I wish we'd been in fancy clothes because I like to play dress-up? Sure. But we were treated with kindness and were well attended-to even in our touristy street clothes! I highly recommend it, even f you just get some appetizers and soup like we did.

And now... on to the ghost tour! After yet another negative experience with the complimentary trolley (they drove past us and announced over the PA, "Sorry, full!" Oh, and their 10-12 minutes between trolleys advertisement is totally false), we summoned Uber and got where we needed to go in about 6 minutes. Bam.

Being a ghost tour guide myself, I'm always interested to see how other cities and companies do their thing! Our guide was great. He was funny, and we drove from place to place instead of walking because sites are more spread out there than they tend to be on the East Coast. But the best part was his dog, Nugget! He looked like a dachshund mix to me, but I don't know dog varieties that well. However, I do know he was cute! And very well-behaved!

We saw some of the oldest sites in town, heard some tantalizing tales, and had great fun, but the story that stuck out to me most was the one about a "doctor" who actually poisoned people! The population of Monterey went down 40% each year he was in practice there! And as it turned out later, he actually wasn't a doctor at all, he just told people he was! There's a restaurant now in the house he used to live in called 1833 (the year this doctor showed up in town). Eat there if you dare!

Bedtime.

Good morning! Time for a run. I usually don't run two days in a row, but it was just so pleasant, and I felt really great, so I did it. And it was great! My Steve ran that morning, too, and on my way back to the house, Steve and I met in the middle, gave each other a mid-stride smooch, and continued on our respective runs! I thought it was cute. ;)

We met back up at the house with Val and her Steve, and he outdid himself with breakfast again! We had marinated steak breakfast tacos with ingredients from their urban farm again. Amazing! We readied our selves and checked out of the house, then set out to explore the famous 17-mile Drive on the coast!

These are just some of the beautiful seaside views! 

We took our time and enjoyed it. There were seals and birds and cypress trees, the kind that only grow near seawater here in California! They're even called a California cypress.

We stopped briefly at Pebble Beach, but there was a bit of excitement upon our arrival... one of those famous California fires! Not to make light of it at all--it seems no one was actually hurt--but it seems an A/C unit caught fire on the roof. Several fire engines came out, guests were evacuated (and given perrier instead of water, of course), and the firemen took care of the problem.

We browsed around at the expensive shops and enjoyed the flowers and greenery (hotels and resorts can water more than most others in the state), then hopped back into Val's car and headed to beautiful, adorable Carmel-by-the-Sea! (AKA: Carmel)

It was getting on into the afternoon, so we needed to find some place for lunch. We found a cute little cafe on the most adorable little street you every did see! Clint Eastwood was the mayor for a few years, but it looks nothing like a Western town! There are trendy little shops and restaurants, a wonderful little lavender and scent shop called AJNE (we talked to the owner and her husband--so nice!), and there's even a Dr. Seuss art gallery! Made me think of my mama. She loves the Cat in the Hat! They had prints of the originals for sale!

After a delightful lunch and window shopping excursion, it was unfortunately time to head back to the house and pick up our rental car. For a long weekend trip, it sure was short! But then, time is always too short with good friends!

Val and her Steve headed on their way, and my Steve and I headed ours--back up to San Francisco! We had plenty of time to get there, and it's a good thing! We hit traffic on the way up. We planned to go to church that evening in San Jose, but those plans were thwarted with the hour-long traffic jam. :(

We made it to the San Francisco airport, wandered around until we figured out where to go (even seasoned travelers get lost and confused in the airport, especially when many would-be security lines are closed!), grabbed a couple of wraps for supper (because sometimes you just have to buy airport food), and waited for our flight to board.

So there we were, all settled in for the cross-country redeye flight:

He looks bright-eyed, but he was sleepy!

The flight back was uneventful (well, except for the screaming child in front of us who was, by the way, old enough to have his own seat). I didn't get any sleep on the plane but hey, what else is new? We both made it through Monday, and that was the goal!

Fore more pictures, click HERE!

Quick Whit's Travel Essentials

Greetings! I have been reading several other travel blogs lately, and many of them have at least one post on packing and/or travel essentials. But many of these lists leave out some very important things that I view as absolutely essential.

Also, people are amazed at how lightly Steve and I pack whether it's a weekend excursions or a Trip of a Lifetime lasting 10-days or more. Get ready! I'm about to share some of our secrets!

1. Coconut oil

Why coconut oil? It does double duty about five times over! Is that deca-duty? It is my lotion, facial moisturizer, sunburn soother, hair mask for beach trips (curly hair is naturally dry, so when you saturate it with sand, salt, and sun, it needs a little extra moisture!), and as an added bonus, it's anti-fungal and anti-bacterial, so you can use it as a topical ointment in a pinch. It has a million other uses, but those are the ones I make the most use of! Using coconut oil has changed the way I pack my toiletries.

2. Smartphone

Ok, part of the beauty of travel is unplugging sometimes. But you can still unplug from social media, e-mail, phone calls, texts, etc. all day long while still using the benefits that come with bringing your smartphone. Some of my favorite travel apps are:

Trip Advisor
We can use the full app on wi-fi or download the city we're be visiting before we leave and have access to maps and reviews to restaurants, activities, and hotels/hostels/B&Bs!

Notes
This is how I blog abroad. This is also how I write messages to Steve when we're in a cab or a place where I'm not sure it's ok to talk. This is where I keep my post card list. This is where I type out our itinerary for the day when I know we won't have access to wi-fi (what we want to see, addresses, hours of operation, our hotel phone number and address, anything I think we might need to know or be reminded of).

Camera
Yes, I use my iPhone camera to take pictures of all the fun we're having, but it's also handy when I don't have time to type or write things down. I can just snap a picture of the name of the restaurant we went to so I can remember to review it or include it in the blog later. I take pictures of books I want to look up at my library or on Amazon, and I should start taking pictures of everything we pack, just in case. I've also read that some people take pictures of their passports, itineraries, visas, backs of their credit cards, etc., just in case those things get stolen. Snap a picture, e-mail a copy to yourself and/or a friend of family member, and you have an electronic copy of all those important documents, just in case.

United Airlines
Steve and I travel with United more than with other carrier. We both have the app on our phone, and it's saved us a time or two! You have mobile boarding passes, all your flight information, and you can even see where your equipment is coming from. You can even purchase tickets from the app and see how many miles you've accumulated!

Maps
Sure, there are maps available in lots of touristy places and in guidebooks, but the one on my phone tells me where I am now, which helps me figure out which direction I need to go next!

TripIt
I don't use this for every trip, but it was very valuable for my trip to Canada with my mom and brother. This is your one-click spot to keep all your flight info (and companions if you're coming from different places), accommodation info (what was the address and phone number for the hotel again? It's in my e-mail somewhere...), event information (plays, group trips, anything you received an e-mail ticket for), and more. Just forward your e-mails with all the information to plans@tripit.com, and it's available to you offline!

XE
This is a currency converter. So, you have all this foreign money, and you see how much it's worth where you are, but how much are you actually spending in American dollars? Just type in the amount of currency you have or what you're about to spend, and the app calculates it for you in the US Dollar (USD) amount you can understand quickly.

Convert
What? The Eiffel Tower is 33 kilometers from where you landed at Charles de Gaulle Airport? How far is that? Can I walk there? Just type it into the Convert app and it'll tell you how far that is in miles, yards, feet, inches, meters, centimeter, millimeters, and nautical miles! You can also convert weight, time, speed, temperature, volume, area, and more. It comes in handy when converting Celsius to Fahrenheit, too!

Translate
This one is powered by Google Translator, and I use it to figure out how to say things like, "Please," "Thank you," "Yes," "No," and "Bathroom" before I travel to a new place. You type in a word in English, choose what language into which you need it translated, and there you go! You can also have it spoken to you so you know how it sounds.

Duolingo
A friend just told me about this app, and I love it! It's an easy, fun, interactive way to learn the language of the place you're going. Start it two or three weeks before you leave, and you'll be able to communicate pretty well by the time you get there! It just takes a few minutes a day!

Bible
I usually take my hardcopy Bible with me. It has been with me since my first trip overseas to Japan in 2006! But sometimes, knowing there will be weight restrictions or if I know I'll be doing wet or very active things, I leave it safely at home and use this app. You can highlight, mark your page, even choose from several reading plans! It gives you access to numerous versions of the Bible (English as well as in other languages), and you can download any version you want so you can use it offline as well.

3. Phone Charger Case

I have been using a phone charging case ever since I got my first iPhone three years ago, and I don't care how cute other cases are, I am sticking with mine! I got mine from Amazon for about $10, and it will keep my phone going strong for up to two days. It uses my phone's charger, so I don't have to keep up with multiple chargers, and if I charge it with my phone in it overnight, I literally have a 200% charge for that day's adventures!

4. Power Strip

Many countries just don't require rooms to have as many outlets as the US does, so we were always scrambling to find that extra outlet for one of our phones, or my waterproof camera, or a laptop, or Steve's GPS watch. You don't have to bring a full-size power strip that will take up too much precious space in your carry on.  We have a three-outlet power strip that uses just one outlet wherever we are, and that's usually plenty for Steve and me. Just don't forget your adaptor! Google what the outlets look like in the country where you'll be. Adaptors are pretty inexpensive, and often hotels have extras if you forgot yours. Having a power strip also ensures you don't need to have multiple adaptors!

5. Phone Charger

Should be a no-brainer, but it's ALWAYS at the top of my packing list! And any other chargers you may need. But be sure to check all your cords to see if any of them can go to more than one thing. Steve's phone charger also works for my waterproof camera!

6. Ear Buds

I hardly ever use my earbuds at home, but when I'm on a plane and they don't have earphones to give away, it's nice to have my own pair! I can also listen to music on my phone, watch TV or movies in-flight, or listen to a podcast or watch a show on Netflix or YouTube on my phone while I'm waiting in the airport.

7. Notebook and Pens

Because you never know when you'll need to write something down the old fashioned way (or have a stranger on the street write something down for you or draw a map for you), and you'll need a pen to fill out your declarations form when entering most countries (and always in the US!).

8. PASSPORT! 

It's a given that you'll need your passport, so don't forget it! I also keep my yellow vaccination card and a copy of Steve's and my marriage license in my passport case as well. If you're going into a country for which you need vaccinations, you need to have your yellow card handy as proof that you've had your shots, especially yellow fever. If not, they will vaccinate you at many boarders--and let's be honest, they may not be using the most sterile of equipment. Get your shots in the States. As for the marriage license, when we went to get ours, the man who issued it shared a story about a man who got sick on vacation, but the hospital did not allow his wife to be with him because they didn't have enough proof that they were married. This just covers that bas for us!

9. Plastic Bags

These can be grocery bags, laundry bags, shopping bags, or whatever else you might have handy. These are great for dirty clothes, wet clothes, wet water shoes, anything that smells funny, and many more things! I take a minimum of five. They take up almost no space, and you'll be glad you have a few extras!

10. Watch

My phone usually acts as my watch, but I usually turn off my phone in-flight unless I have a purpose for having it on (listening to music, typing a note, etc.). It's handy to have a watch around--attached to your arm or to your personal item--because you can set it to the time at your destination and keep track of how long you've been flying and how much longer you have to go. (Also, your phone won't update to the time at your destination until you arrive.)

11. Travel Wallet

A friend got me a wallet and matching purse as a going away present before I left my job to travel the world and follow my dreams, and I have been using it ever since! It has two bill pockets so you can carry around more than one kind of currency (like you sometimes end up doing in Canada or if you're visiting multiple European countries that are not using the Euro). It also has a change pocket and a place for your license and multiple cards--insurance card, credit and debit card, Nexus card, etc. It is Unbelievably handy to have!

12. Water Bottle

Nothing has changed about liquids since 2006: you cannot bring liquids greater than 3oz through security. But buying water really adds up when you drink a LOT of water like I do. Plus, traveling is dehydrating. I have a Contigo spill-proof/leak-proof water bottle, and I LOVE it! I had a Nalgene, but it tended to leak no matter what I tried. I am in water love with my Contigo! It's 32-ounces, which is about as much as I want to be carrying around at one time, and it's no problem to refill. Most restaurants at the airport are happy to refill your water bottle, even if you don't eat there, and many US airports have these handy motion-sensor water bottle refilling stations, so you don't have to worry about germs--it's hands-free, and no one is putting their mouth on any spouts!

13. Dutchess Cup, Diva Cup, Lunette, or other "Cups" 

This is for the ladies. Please do a search for this. Best. Purchase. Ever.

14. Travel Purse

 

I have the world's best, most secure travel purse. I got it for 5 Turkish Lira in Kappadokia, and I wish I'd got about 10 more. I've had it four years now, and I have never found another one quite like it. It can be worn as a backpack, so it's not bad for your posture like a one-shoulder bag, and there is a small pocket on the front that's good for non-valuable things like my notebook and pens, hand sanitizer, and the like. But the best part is that the main zipper is on the back--and agains MY back. No one's getting in there without my feeling it! I keep my wallet, phone, camera, water, "purse bag" (with hair ties, bobby pins, headband, and chapstick), book, snacks, sunscreen, and I've even fit my MacBook Air in there. If you're a woman especially, you need a good travel bag. Anyone want to take a trip to Turkey with me? It's worth a trip to get one! It also folds up nicely into my backpack when I'm limited on how many carry-ons I can have (many airlines only allow one bag, and they sometimes have REALLY strict weight limits, too).

15. Carry-on Baggage

Meet Osprey. Notice she opens at the top AND the bottom, which has already proven to be super handy! Sometimes I travel with my Osprey backpack on my back and my regular backpack on the front. Sometimes it's just the Osprey and my travel purse (mentioned above). No matter what, I like to travel with my legs fully mobile and my hands free. Roller bags are not in the picture for me. If my bags are too heavy to carry on my own, I've packed too much, and I need to take some out! Even when I was recovering from both foot surgeries, even when I was wearing a walking boot, I traveled with stuff on my back and shoulders. Steve was incredibly helpful, and we didn't walk as much as usual, but I needed my hands free for balance, and even with my short legs, I always kick roller bags and get tripped up on them. Seriously though, you only have to walk from where you get dropped off at the airport to your gate. And then you can take a cab or a bus to your hotel when you arrive. You can do it!

Also, Steve and I never EVER check a bag. We're not so much afraid of getting our luggage lost as we are about wasting precious time waiting for luggage! I once packed for a trip to Switzerland and Turkey (two VERY different climates!) for two and a half weeks with just a duffel on my back and my backpack on my front. And I probably could have done it with less if I'd been a little smarter about my packing back then. It can be done!

Next up, Quick Whit's Travel NON-essentials! I know it's hard to go without things you think you might need, but in my next post, I'll share some of my secrets for packing light!

Quito and the Volcano of Doom!

Thursday evening, we landed in Quito again, still the world's highest capitol! I was all excited because it's a new place to me, it was one of the first ever UNESCO World Heritage sites (tied for first with Krakow, Poland; see my posts from Krakow in May 2012), it is one of the best preserved cities in the world, and Steve picked out a hotel for us that was originally a grand home with two indoor patios, built in the 16th century! 

But our excitement was short-lived. For one, the smell of pollution was completely overwhelming. Everything we read about Quito warned us about altitude sickness, but we didn't have any problem with that. We had problems from breathing in the fumes! I thought maybe once we got away from the airport the air quality would improve. I was not correct! But on the bright side, we got to enjoy this view on our flight in: 

Pretty, huh? 

But I'm getting ahead of myself. You see, when we went to the taxi stand to get a ride to our hotel, the woman at the desk saw the address for our hotel and said, "This is a problem." 

What? 

She took us over to another woman who could speak more English, and that lady told us there were protests going on in the old section of downtown, so a cab could get us close, about a 20 minute walk away from our hotel, but it could not drop us off there. So there you go. Good thing we travel light!  

So we got in a cab and drove almost an hour into town. It's only 23 kilometers (just over 14 miles) from the airport to downtown, but the mountains make the roads curve, which makes the actual distance much greater! The good part about it taking so long was that the crowds had started to disband, so our cab driver was able to get us within 4 blocks (about a 5 minute walk instead of 20 minutes) of our hotel. Hooray! 

So we made it to the Hotel Patio Andaluz! The hotel is truly beautiful and has been meticulously restored! It's incredible! The staff were friendly and helpful, and everyone was dressed professionally, yet traditionally. And our room had two levels! One for sitting and one for sleeping. We mostly used the one for sleeping.

After walking only 4 blocks in the smog and amongst the (still disbanding) protestors just to get to our beautiful hotel, we didn't want to leave it to go find supper. Instead, we had a lovely and romantic dinner on one of the indoor patios. 

Traditional mountain soup! 

There were several other couples there, including a super cute older couple--the husband was on his e-reader, the wife was enjoying some peace and quiet. Too cute. Steve and I talked about what fun we had in the Galapagos and played the "thankful game". I said one thing I was thankful for, and he said one thing he was thankful for. We took turns for a while until our food came. :) 

Shellfish paella, anyone? There were lots of leftovers!

After dinner, we took a hot shower (something we missed on Isabela Island!) and headed straight to bed! For not doing much but traveling and sitting in planes and airports that day, we sure were sleepy! 

Friday morning, we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast on the indoor patio, then set out in search of history and adventure! We planned to go on a free guided walking tour at 10:30, and we had a couple of hours to kill before then. We got directions from our hotel's front desk attendant, checked out, left our luggage with her, and began our day with an uphill walk to the National Basilica! 

The altitude got to us a bit, especially on the way up the steps in the towers, but the pollution was what shocked my system the most! You could even see it in the air, not just smell it. Other than that, the views were pretty nice! Except there was this little white debris falling on us and getting in our eyes...

But I was able to get one good, clear shot of the city!

The hostel where we were supposed to meet for the walking tour was apparently not in a good area--good thing it was daytime! You know I'm pretty adventurous and not afraid to be on my own just about anywhere in the world, but so many people warned me about Quito and Ecuador being dangerous, I guess I freaked myself out because I was a little more self-aware and on the lookout than usual! I was glad to have my handsome, strong, take-nothing-off-nobody husband with me! And glad that we would be in a large group for the tour. Turns out we had nothing to worry about anyway! 

The hostel itself--called Community Hostel--was actually quite nice! I really like the atmosphere of a hostel actually. People are friendly, everyone is respectful of personal space and others' stuff, people are usually traveling on a dime, and you can pick up some good cheap travel and packing tips! There's a "we're all in this together, so let's have fun and make the most of life" kind of attitude. 

That said, I am so blessed to have a husband who can afford to put us in nice, historical places in good parts of town when we travel! I LOVED the Hotel Patio Andaluz! 

I won't bore you with all the details of the tour like I usually do. Honestly, the 3+ hour tour could easily have been an hour, maybe an hour and 15 minutes at the most! There was a lot of waiting time between stops--picture time, buying juice time, buying candy time, bathroom and snack time, etc. But we also learned a lot about the origin of Quito as we know it (Quito means half of the earth, or something to that effect, because the equator runs through it), and Ecuador is also in the best position on Earth to study the sun! 

We also learned about the Incas and then the Spanish who settled here, the uprisings and revolutions (another similarity with Krakow and Poland!), and that there was a president who was killed walking from the church across the street to the president's palace. We even learned about the local fruits and vegetables and where to get a good quality meal! Our guide was fun and really seemed to enjoy himself, which made it even more fun for me! 

Oh, and we saw this adorable street. =) 

Anyway, when we finished up with the tour, Steve and I meandered back to our hotel to pick up our stuff and figure out the best way to go to the equator and get to the airport while avoiding the upcoming protests at 4:00pm. Fortunately, going back to the hotel also meant our phones would automatically connect to the wi-fi and check our email. Unfortunately, that is where things got interesting...

Our flight out of Quito was cancelled!

Wait! Don't call the cab for the equator! The hotel attendants had already started calling for us, but as soon as we realized we had a bigger problem, we knew we needed to get that figured out first! Steve clicked on the "See my options" link in the United cancellation e-mail, and the message we received was: "There are no options." No kidding. 

So, United wasn't very helpful. There is exactly one flight out of Quito on United per day, and it leaves at 11:55pm, bound for Houston. For Steve and me, waiting for tomorrow night was not an option! So Steve and I, while Steve was on the hotel phone with United, searched for better options. The representative told us the cancellation was because of the volcanic ash in the air, so even tomorrow night's flight might not go! You remember that stuff I mentioned that was falling on us earlier in the day? It was volcanic ash! 

What baffled us during this new flight-finding process was that so many other flights were leaving Quito. Anyway, we (Steve and me, not the United representative) finally got some new flights booked after an hour on the phone. Now, instead of leaving at 11:55pm and arriving in DC at 11:29am the next day, we would be leaving at 6:28pm and landing in DC at 11:45am! What started with Quito to Houston to DC now became Quito-Panama-Newark-DC. And we needed to book it to the airport!  

The Quito airport is nearly an hour away from town, and protests would be starting soon! No equator excursion for us! :( Our helpful hotel assistants were there for us through the whole ordeal, which was really helpful! They even called us a cab and told him to go really fast! Round and round and round the mountains we went! Up some hills and down some curves, roundabouts abounded, and other cars came way too close for comfort! Our cabbie even had his flashers on for us, and we got there in under an hour. He was pretty awesome! 

So there we were, ready to fly on Panama-based Copa Airlines, in the Star Alliance with United. When we checked in, the man behind the desk told us to go straight to the gate because the flight may leave early because of the volcanic ash. Or it might be cancelled. So go to the gate immediately! We muddled through passport control and the duty-free zone (trading the exhaust and gasoline smell for way too many perfume and cologne!). Then we realized... Our gate was behind an impenetrable barrier, a glass wall! 

And so we waited. No one could really tell us why the big glass wall was there. No one could really tell us when it would open. We just had to wait! We made a friend in line. Her name is Janice, and she is from New Jersey! She would be on the first two legs of the journey with us. And she had just come from a week in the Galapagos, too! We had seen her at the Basilica that morning. She was great! 

Our flight took off just a few minutes early, and we watched the sunset over Ecuador! 

Then we made it to Panama: 

But we missed the Canal. 

Landed. Hooray! Steve took a shower in the Star Alliance lounge while I Skyped with mom for a few minutes. Then I made a mistake. I went to ask the girls at the front desk if there was a Starbucks in the airport. I wanted to add a mug to our collection and have it as a reminder of our exciting detour on the end of our trip of a lifetime. They looked at me like I had just insulted them in the worst way! Glad looks don't kill! For the record, there is no Starbucks in Galapagos, Quito, or the Panama City Airport! 

The Panama airport was pretty impressive. I've never seen so many high-end stores in an airport before, many I had never heard of! But the experience at the gate was less glamorous. They had us go through extra security, which is fine; I like to feel safe. But they also took away our water at the gate. The only other airport we know of where they do that is Hong Kong! Now, I drink a lot of water. This was problematic. Those little 4 ounce cups of water... Seriously? The flight attendants came by once for beverage service (I got a water and a hot tea), and once more with a tray of cups of water. By the time we got to Newark, I was incredibly thirsty! But on the bright side, I didn't need to go to the bathroom so much! 

And it's a good thing! Because Steve spotted a 6:00am flight from Newark to Dulles. If we could get on that flight, we would save ourselves 4 agonizing hours waiting in the airport, and get home 4 hours and 45 minutes ahead of schedule! Let's go! 

Thank goodness for Global Entry, mobile boarding passes, TSA Pre-check, and Steve's elite status direct phone line to United! They just really pay for themselves over and over again, seemingly on every trip, and this time they were especially helpful! We rushed through security, ran from Terminal C to the Terminal A shuttle (after missing it and having to backtrack!), and waited 10 precious minutes. We needed to get to Gate A25A to ask if we could even get on the flight. But by the time we got to the waiting area for the shuttle, it was already 5:25. The gate agents would probably tell us no by the time we got to the gate, but we had so much time to spare while we waited for the shuttle, and it hit me... Why don't we call now and get a jump start on the process? 

So Steve whipped out his fancy 1K United card and called the magic number on the back. Much to our delight and amazement... She got us in! The shuttle finally arrived, and when it parked at Terminal A, we dashed to the counter and got our new tickets printed. The United employees at the gate were very rude and unnecessarily bothered by us coming on at the last minute, but you know what? We didn't care! We were going home! 

And this was our view just before takeoff in Newark. 

And you know what we did when we got home? Took a three-hour nap! Thank you for joining us! I hope you enjoyed the ride and that you'll join us on another trip soon! 

For more pictures, click HERE!