bless (fly) up wit me

a selection of my plane pics from 2015

Traveling is always a Big Deal with me. I wish I could be one of those sleek, effortless people you see gliding through security with a book and a shoulder bag. Lets be honest though, those people have probably forgotten everything they need, and have no snacks. But over time, I've gotten better and better at it, to the point where I can now pack a week of outfits in a carry on. (It's the only kind of science I'm good at.) After the last year of being in tin cans every twenty minutes, I made you a list. 
From the gear to the good (advice), here is my ultimate travel cheat sheet: 

1. If it's short haul: Pack a carry on suitcase. Let me just tell you this: if it doesn’t fit in your backpack + a carry on, you probably don't need it. Roll up clothes, and put ya underwear in ya shoes. It'll work.

   - Long haul: DON'T TAKE A CARRY ON. I have decided that my life is too valuable to have it considerably shortened by all the stress of watching that many bags while I’m running around the terminal.


2. BUY THE BIGGEST BOTTLE OF WATER YOU SEE. In fact, splurge. Get the big Fiji water.  Regular hydration will keep you from feeling like you’re slowly turning into a California waterway (see what I did there). Unless you know you’re in the middle seat in which case don’t be an absolute pain and have to pee every twenty seconds. 

3. Don't wear tight denim. It is not necessary to bounce change off any appendages while in flight, and unless you are Beyonce, no one is expecting you to. You legs will swell, your seams will pop, and you will want to peel your skin off.

4. Know where you’re going. I like to schedule myself long layovers that give me plenty of time to find my gate, but if you’re working a quick turn around, take ten minutes before hand and find what you’re looking for.

5. Get yourself fed properly. While you’re researching your gate, do a little research on the food options your airline offers - re-microwaved airplane food is going to be gross no matter what, but  vegetarian or vegan options can be a little more pleasant. Orrr you can do what I did, and pull a Black Cindy - order Kosher.

6. Don't overplan yourself. I don’t sleep in cars, trains, or planes, so I need things to entertain me, especially on long flights. If you, however can’t even read a text in the shotgun seat of a car, don’t pack a library to occupy your time on board. 

7. Put it in a pocket. Passports, ID’s, boarding passes, phone chargers. Pick one pocket and designate it to hold all of the important things. That way when you are CONVINCED you’ve lost something, you won’t need to dump your whole bag upside down.

8. Pack ahead, even if only mentally. Leading up to your trip, every time you think "oh I should take", add it to a list on your phone. That narrows down our chances of forgetting something you'll actually need.

9. Bring a cardigan/scarf. I don’t care if you’re flying to Panama - just do it. 

10. Move around, before and during your flight/drive/whatever. Especially if you’re on a long haul flight - four hours of not moving and your legs become logs with blood veins.



Hopefully this is an actual thing that will help you.
and not just my over pressured brain spouting nonsense from 10,000 feet.

x J 




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