It’s a bird. No, it’s a plane.
Nope, it's just a tired passenger
The idea of enclosing yourself in a steel shell and moving at over 100 km/hour to somewhere else fascinates me. For work. For pleasure. For family.
It doesn’t terrify me but every so often the risk feels real. There was a medical emergency on a my flight and in a calm voice rife with panicked undertones the attendant loudly called for help over the intercom: a doctor, a nurse, or any medical professional. There was strong turbulence occurring at the same time and I immediately remembered every episode I’ve ever seen of Mayday.
I enjoy flying, don’t get me wrong, but it’s different. I still remember when you checked your bag at check-in and didn’t have to carry it through security. I was also surprised by the myriad baked goods and candy on sale between gates. They know their market: the gentleman across the aisle gobbled an extra-large KitKat bar and can of Coke by 9am, then snacked on roasted-salted almonds. I imagined his insulin system responding to all that energy from the sugar, while he sat dehydrated and strapped into the seat-belt. Not filling or nutritious. And drink enough liquid to go to the bathroom at least once in 4 hours.
These are 6-tips on my packing list that have helped me get through easily:
- Large freezer bag with slider for all liquids, creams, tooth paste and the like. Pack this last so it’s easy to take out at security.
- Separate bag for all other toiletries, cables and medications so they don’t get messed up if the liquids burst.
- Packing cubes for a bathing suit (because most hotels have a pool) and socks/underwear (one set per day, plus 2 extra pairs of each) and a grocery bag for dirty laundry.
- Slip on shoes. Every airport has a different security protocol. Make your life easy.
- Pack an empty water bottle. There are restaurants and fountains on the other side of security to fill up.
- Don’t put away your boarding pass until you are on the plan. Everyone will ask to see it.
Safe travels!
P.S. Don’t forget to sign up with my good friend Jeff for your chance to win a solar-powered battery charger. It’s an amazing tool to take on your next trip. It plugs into a wall or charge up to 4-phones from the sun! Contest ends April 30th.
