Include identification info inside your luggage – Packing tip

by Gadling Staff on

Be sure your luggage has your identification inside, along with your i.d. tag on the outside. (External tags can sometimes become separated from your bag.)

When I travel on long tours, I have a 2-sided information sheet pinned to the inside of checked bags. One side has contact info (usually the address and phone number of someone back home who knows how to reach me). The other side has my itinerary.

If my luggage is lost en route, there’s a better chance of locating me during my adventure, helping ensure that my bags don’t make it home before I do.

“Venue-hop” for a progressive dinner – Dining out tip

by Gadling Staff on

Venue-hopping is a great way to sample the cuisine and make any city your dining amusement park. How to “venue-hop”? Simple!

  1. Start with DRINKS at a local dive, where you’re bound to get some great recommendations on local cuisine from residents.
  2. Move on to APPETIZERS at an upscale restaurant that you might otherwise skip on a tight budget.
  3. Make sure to sample the local specialty for your MAIN COURSE at a more casual establishment.
  4. Top the evening off by ordering your DESSERT/COFFEE to-go from a local bakery. Walk the streets or find a park to enjoy your dessert.

Take a mask, take some photos, send them home – Souvenir tip

by Gadling Staff on

If a close friend or family member is unable to go on a trip with you, enlarge a photograph of their face and attach a paint-stirrer to the back with duct-tape. Take pictures of you and the face in key locations on the trip, such as at monuments and attractions.

You can then send the photos to the person in a letter to remind them that they’re there in spirit! This souvenir idea is both thoughtful and frugal!

Keep a “forever-packed bag” – Packing tip

by Gadling Staff on

One way to never forget the essentials is to maintain a “forever-packed travel bag.”

Find a small travel case and put travel sizes of all the basics — a toothbrush, floss, toothpaste, mouthwash, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, hair spray, styling products, comb or brush, contact lens solution, soap, razor, shaving cream and lotion — inside. Other items to consider adding include safety pins, nail clippers, emery boards, shower cap and shoe shine cloth.

Each time you return from a trip, replenish what you used out of the bag before you put it away. Then, the next time you need to pack, you’ll save yourself time (no need to repack) and worry (“What did I forget?!”).