Happy Halloween

A little blurry, but here is my Halloween costume this year. My hubby was a pilot and I was a stewardess...for Mile High Airlines! 

Happy Halloween everyone! 

5 Travel Tricks & Tips for Travelistas on the Go

Time for another instalment of the Traveling Brown Girls Blog Carnival!

For more info, click here!

I've written a lot of "How to" posts in the past, but this one is going to concentrate on 5 tips for the jet-setting lady, someone who is always on the go! In my opinion, it's all about being organized and planning. Once you're all organized, it's easy to be spontaneous when you get invited to a last minute business convention or you take advantage of a last minute seat sale. Just roll with it, go with the flow and enjoy the journey :)

1) Always keep your toiletry bag well-stocked with must-have items

After a trip, even just a short weekend jaunt, I go through my toiletry bag and see what was useful, what was useless, what I was missing and what needs filling up. My toiletry bag is the easiest thing to pack because of this. I never have to worry about forgetting my toothpaste. You can spend as much time as you want picking out your clothes, but you shouldn't be worrying about where your deodorant is or if you have enough.

2) My father's advice - "carry a quarter and make sure there's always gas in the tank"

Ok, those days of only needing a quarter to make a call home from a payphone are far behind us, but my dad still had good advice! We can update it to "always keep your cell phone charged and paid up" and always have enough gas in your car to drive an hour. That was emergency advice, but it's also helps keep you spontaneous. You'll have a head start getting out the door if you don't have to stop to deal with those little time suckers. 

3) Make sure your passport is renewed way ahead of time

My recent passport issues prompted this tip. There can sometimes be processing delays and had I had something booked, I would never have been allowed to leave the country. Just plan ahead and it's preferable to not wait until your passport is about to expire. If you can do it about 6 months before, it helps. 

4) Have a travel fund

All this exciting jet-setting requires money, so put aside a bit every month in a savings account. The fact is, when all the stars align and you get that great combination of time off work and travel deal, you want to be able to take advantage without putting yourself in the poor house for it. If you always have a little set aside, you'll always be able to take advantage guilt-free when your girlfriends invite you on a last minute get-away. 

5) Trust your instincts

I have been to a few places people consider "dangerous" but I've never actually felt in danger. Trusting your gut or instincts helps keep you out of danger and helps you get out of sketchy situations before it gets worse. Remember, you are strong and capable. Don't let fear stop you. Listen to your basic instincts and then be cautious, but not afraid. You'll go far and see a lot if you stop worrying about being a woman and redefine yourself as a "traveler."  

Be sure to check out all the other great tips from the blog carnival here.

If you're interested in my other travel tips, follow the links below:

• How To Convince People You Can Travel Alone
• How To Prevent Jet Lag
• The Importance of Telling People Where You Are
• How To Pack Light and Stay Healthy
• Tips For The Naughty Bits

Travel Napping

I saw this product on TechCrunch.com today and it just cracked me up. It's called an Ostrich Pillow and you use it to nap in public.

Maybe people are more likely to stay away from weirdos with alien heads?

Hey, I know a third of people travel with teddy bears, so it's not all that far-fetched. The difference is your average adult doesn't take the teddy out in public and cuddle up. With this silly-looking pillow, you're actually attracting attention to yourself, essentially screaming, "I'm not aware of my surroundings, not watching my luggage and I certainly can't react quickly with this stupid thing on my head! Come, rob me, take my stuff!"

Not only that, but it looks HUGE. Not exactly light for travel unless you use it as your main pillow at your destination, but even then, it has limited use. There's no neck support for sleeping upright. I think they'd need to add an inflatable neck bit. Then it just gets weirder!