Shirt folding in under 2 seconds — video by DaveHax
I love sharing good travel packing tips. This 2-second method of folding a short sleeve shirt is pretty amazing, especially great for men who travel.
Packing
Gals, pack clear nail polish 1
Even if you’re certain you’re not going to wear stockings, bring a pair — and help them last by packing a tiny sample size of clear nail polish. These items are well worth the room.
Best Travel Spirit Songs
[updated Feb 13, 2015] Every now and then I come across a song that exudes the sprit of travel, puts words to the song of the travelers soul, or just fits a traveling mood. Last night, May 17, 2014, in a house concert in Austin, Texas, USA, I heard another song like that and realized I wanted to start sharing these songs. So here’s my ongoing blog entry of best travel spirit songs. I’ll add to it from time to time. And if you meet me on the road, you’ll know these are on my iPod. I am opting, for the time-being, to not embed performances on this page as I don’t want to slow the page down.
Pack 4 white skirts? Can’t do. So…
My favorite travel skirt (one no longer sold by Gap) wore out past wearability a month ago and my other tore, leaving me needing to fully replace my travel skirts. Since I’ve been home: I pulled the twin of that favorite skirt out of its Space Bag to bring on my next trip. My favorite was tan. This one, though, is as close to white as possible, without being white. Pulling out the twin of a heavier favorite but now too-worn skirt out of its Space Bag, I found that Space Bag had turned this once light turquoise skirt white. A friend gave me a great wrap-around skirt. It was too long for her, but perfect for me. I love that as I travel, a part of her will be with me. That wrap-around is pure white. Another friend gave me an above-the-knee skirt with a comfy wide elastic waist, saying “It looks fantastic on you; you have to take […]
Rethink your hair brush for travel? Maybe!
This post is likely just for the women out there.
My question to you: how large is your hair brush?
I actually have a larger one that used to be my favorite, but I started using this one to get used to a smaller, more travel-fitting brush.
So, did I take this brush when I went away for a year and a half? Actually, no. I took a much thinner one. I found one that had plastic bristles that wouldn’t ruin my clothing and that took up much less space. (Yes, every centimeter really does matter.) But I must admit that I didn’t like the brush I took.
My best advice to you about packing a hair brush….
What color sandals to pack for long-term travel? 2
when traveling, one doesn’t have a closet of footwear. One pair of sandals, maybe on nice but lightweight show that doesn’t take much room, and perhaps lightweight sneakers or Skecher’s GoWalk shoes — and that’s it.
Packing the right shoes – I went with Aerosoles
As I packed for my first long-term trip in many years, I pondered my shoe choices.
At age 26, as I started what turned out to be 3 years going half way around the world, I took one pair of leather sandals that had a good strap over my toes as well as an ankle strap and one pair of sneakers good for walking. (How well I remember those battered dirty sneakers.) Perhaps I had flip-flops. That was it. I liked this packing; nice and light. I’d later bought a pair of hiking boots in Italy. I carried them for 2 years, rarely wore them, and regretted their bulk and weight.
However, when invited to a state dinner, I missed that opportunity due to lack of appropriate clothing and shoes — and I didn’t want that to happen again.
Lost your glasses? How to See Without Glasses. 1
If you’ve ever forgotten your eyeglasses, or don’t feel like pulling them out, but you want to read a sign in the distance, this trick will help you. It really works. I use this simple trick.
This is well-done Minute Physics video on YouTube.
BEST Apple laptop protection for travel
As I set out to travel again, now with a brand new MacBook Air after my first one was stolen, I sought out and finally found the best case for myself and other travelers to use on our Macintosh computers — but, surprise, the protection solution is not actually a case. It’s a simple combo. [This article has been updated at times to add protection information.] If your laptop is not a Mac, part of this will be helpful and perhaps you’ll be able to adapt some of this for another laptop computer, but I have not found a snap-on shell for other brands. From what I understand, the models change too often for manufacturers to create the shells. I always want to be able to pull my Mac (or netbook/laptop) out of my satchel or handbag, pop it open, work, slap it closed, slide it back into the bag, and […]
Collapse•it food containers — perfect food storage 3
Fabulous food storage containers for home or for travel. The best space-saving food-savers I’ve ever seen. I LOVE these Collapse•it containers! As you can guess, one reason I love them is that they’re collapsible. But there are so many other reasons. They’re an excellent addition to any home and also work for travel. They are clear. Perfectly clear. You can see what you’re storing. They collapse brilliantly. They fold about mid-way, folding back on themselves. This takes up the least amount of height and gives you a good, usable container. They fold down to about ½ their full height. Their shape provides strength, and lets you get everything out of the container. The silicon walls are thick (but flexible). They’re safe. They’re non-allergenic, and contain no toxins, no PBA, no phthalates, no lead.
Zipper Pull Replacements, just $1
If like me, you find yourself needing to replace some zipper pulls on your backpack or other luggage, and you happen to be in the USA, I have a great, inexpensive recommendation for you. Outdoor Products’ Replacement gear 4 Zipper Pulls I found them in Walmart — the box of 4 only cost $1. The plastic pull tab is exactly the size of the original pull tabs on my backpack and the cord is thick. I can now find the zipper pulls on my backpack and open it with ease. I’m thrilled.
Open wine without tools
Did you know you can open a bottle of wine WITHOUT a corkscrew or other wine-opening tool? This is a tip that every wine-drinking traveler should know. Thanks to Mirabeau Wine for sharing this tech-less tip.
Light-weight pazazz for women’s travel wardrobes
It can be a challenge to pack light while also being ready for the nicer events that come your way as you travel. Sometimes some extra sparkle can help. Strapletz Jeweled Bra Straps offer a nice extra sparkle for woman who can wear a strapless bra, or a convertible bra which has removable straps. The Strapletz have open hooks on each end, and those open hooks need to slide into a fabric loop on the front and back of your bra. If you select a Strapletz Jeweled Bra Strap for yourself as part of your travel wardrobe, remember to choose a design that’s lightest weight and won’t snag your top or dress as you wear it. Stay away from the straps that have Rhinestones or other set “jewels.” Go for the lighter-weight but still snazzy looking plastic-only straps. Having seen the entire line in person, I recommend GOLDEN GIRL- Gold Beaded […]
Sandals or shoes good for travel
I am always on the lookout for sandals/shoes that I might choose to take on a year-long trip. I intend to add to this post as I find shoes that I’d consider for travel. Here’s my shoe wish list: Good for walking long distances Light weight Packs into the smallest possible space Looks good with a skirt or dress, but not dorky with shorts or trousers (likely not factor for men’s shoe choices) Looks good with shorts or trousers, but not stupid with a skirt or dress (likely not factor for men’s shoe choices) Can stand up to rain or water Can be washed when they get muddy Have traction
Tetanus & Travel
Tetanus is not necessarily a required vaccine, but I personally think it can be a wise decision to get one. I did, for Central America. Here’s an article that may help you decide for yourself. How Dangerous Is Tetanus Really? 10 FAQs by James Hubbard, MD, MPH — The Survival Doctor. This article about Tetanus and the debate about getting a Tetanus shot — and many more that may be of help to you are on his website, The Survival Doctor. His survival-medicine website, as he says: “provides general information, not individual advice. Most scenarios assume the victim cannot get expert medical help.”
Fire knife handy on your travels
If you’re traveling to places where you want to ensure that you have fire, you might love this Swedish FireKnife. One of the best knife companies, Mora of Sweden, teamed with the Swedish company, Light My Fire, to create this handy 3.4 oz. (94 g) knife that ensures you’ll always be able to start a fire — as long as you have something to burn. You’ll find it, and other useful travel items here, at Industrial Revolution.
Carrying cables & small tech stuff
As you travel, you’ll find you need a pouch to carry your cables and smaller computer or cellphone accessories. I used a soft zippered ditty bag to keep weight down, but STM Bags just came out with STM Cable Wrap Portable Organizer — which looks promising as a way to keep your cables and chargers organized and tangle-free.
Carry light, give light
I think that we who live in cities, be it on any continent in any city, tend to not realize that there ARE places in the world where there is NO electricity and people do not have light — other than that of the sun. And we who live in cities have so much light in the sky at night that we don’t even realize… how very dark the night really is. Those who live in non-electrified places can wake with the sun and go to sleep with the sun — but there are still issues such as: going to the bathroom before bed or in the middle of the night a mother needing to get up in the night to feed an infant a parent needing to tend to a child a person needing to work until dark and then find his/her way home boats needing to cross a lake or ocean or […]
3% international fee on credit card purchases — not!
This post is for American travelers who plan to use an American credit card while traveling outside of the United States.
It’s great to be able to travel with a minimum of cash in your pocket but did you know that when you use your credit card outside of the United States, you may incur a 3% fee on top of your actual charge?
Perfect travel handbag for women 3
As I was getting ready to travel, I looked and looked for a lightweight, ripstop nylon handbag that would take very little room in my backpack, yet be there for me whenever I stayed put in a town overnight and wanted a nice handbag to carry for the day or evening.
Scosche – Best card reader for travel & all
Every traveler should carry a light, well-made USB card reader that handles multiple formats. Why? Because you are bound to want some of the photos someone takes of you or for you and that person may or may not ever get around to sending them to you. Granted, you still need to get to a computer in order to upload those photos, but at least you’ll be prepared. Because you may need to copy data from a computer somewhere and this will let you copy that data onto one of your camera’s memory cards, something you’re likely to have while traveling. The Scosche USB 2.0 Card Reader is THE find among card readers! It weighs virtually nothing so its a no-brainer to carry with you daily as I did throughout my trip, and continue to do. It’s compact and the USB connector and cable are protected within the unit so it packs well. […]
iStabilizer smartphone mount for photography – Terrific for travel
While in Panama City talking about the Panama Canal with a terrific guy/terrific photographer named Joshua Flannigan, Josh showed me the time-lapse video he created of a few ships locking down in the Miraflores lock. I loved it — and loved the device in which he held his iPhone to shoot them. Josh traveled with a brilliant device — a light-weight, tiny $20 device called the iStabilizer Mount, which simply held his iPhone (or most other smartphones) in place and screws onto any standard tripod. I actually loved Josh’s photos and canal enthusiam so much that I brought him out on a Panama Canal tugboat and we got lots of great photos and time-lapse videos. Now that I am back in the states, I have the iStabilizer Flex™ — the same Mount but with a detachable, incredibly light-weight flexible-legged tripod. The iStabilizer Flex legs are well padded so they won’t scratch anything and […]
Hiking shoes instead of hiking boots
I write this on March 15, 2013. In November 2011, as I was preparing for my year’s travel, I visited a favorite cousin, who happened to work at a respected sporting goods store. At the time, I had no idea where I would begin my year out of the US, nor where I might end up. (I only knew I would stay away only for year due to a promise to my nieces that I would not stay away longer.) I had carefully picked out a pair of Aerosoles * as my all-around travel shoe, but my cousin looked at them, pointed out that they would not provide support and that I would want or should have a good hiking shoe for both hiking and long walks. I was 100% opposed to taking hiking boots when I had to fit everything I required for the year into one backpack — and refused to […]
A personal cell phone charger shelf
I saw it so often — and each time the sight bothered me, being just short of sending chills down my spine… The sight of cell phones sitting on the floor as they charged. On the FLOOR where they might be stepped on, or a backpack could easily land having slide off of a tired backpacker. The sight of a cell phone sitting on a bathroom counter to charge — right by a water facet, or by the soap dish hands reach for so often, on a counter that gets wet at the hands of the various others using that counter. Yes, even iPhones were left charging in such manners.
Traveling with music… I didn’t and…
I am listening to Peter Cetera, a voice and music that I have loved far longer than I knew, because for years I didn’t know he was the voice of Chicago that I was so enamored by. It is so nice to have my music again. I actually made a conscious decision to not bring my favorite music on my trip. I had a nice, small iPod Nano that would have been easy to bring. I was bringing an iPhone and MacBook Air. But on the latter two I wanted to keep the limited space available for work files, photos and videos. And I made my friend take my Nano so she could have music to walk to. My thought was that while traveling I preferred to be exposed to local music and sounds. I knew I would be doing a LOT of walking — and I sure did! — and […]