You’ve been up all night traveling to an international destination. You’re tired, hungry and probably cranky. All you want to do is get to your hotel. You hop in a cab only to find there is a huge language barrier. If you have a printed map with you, just show it to them and you’re off. Bring a few copies just in case.
Ed’s note: this is a good idea in the US, as well, given that some taxi drivers rely exclusively on GPS now, and occasionally the address you need isn’t in the GPS…
I like to “stack pack” when I travel. I fold my jeans, shorts, dresses, and tops, and carefully place them into two equal size stacks in my suitcase. Undergarments are always in the center, between the stacks.
At your destination, don’t unpack your suitcase: just take the clothes from the top of the stack. When you’re finished with those clothes, place the worn items underneath at the end of the day.
This way, you’ll always have your clean clothes at the top of the stack, ready to wear each morning.
…even small ones. Madame Pele, goddess of Hawaii’s volcanoes, has been known to reach out as far as the mainland to make you very sorry that you took her stuff.
The Hawaii Visitor’s Bureau receives rocks in the mail every day from folks who have suddenly hit a run of bad luck. Returning the rocks will get you back in the goddess’ good graces. Even the County of Maui, on their website, lists an address to where one can return the rocks they pocketed.
Buy an aloha shirt and leave Pele’s rocks alone.
If you’re going on a cruise or traveling for a special occasion, you’ll undoubtedly pack a few pieces of jewelry. Finding a matching set of earrings in an overstuffed travel-size jewelry case can be frustrating.
To avoid this problem, follow these tips:
One problem many fliers share is a fear of turbulence. If you fly, you’re bound to experience it at some point — but airplane turbulence doesn’t have to be scary! Bring an MP3 player aboard and, the moment the air gets bumpy, turn it to your favorite track and get groovy!
You’ll likely get some looks from the other passengers, but hey — you get to have fun and forget the fear.
When you dance in place — or “chair dance” — the dips and jolts all seem like part of the experience, and they become less noticeable. It’s tried and true advice. Don’t be skeptical; try it on your next flight!