Air Travel Realities.

Air Travel Realities.

by | Feb 11, 2021 | 0 comments

Airplanes take several trips a day, carrying hundreds of different passengers to a multitude of destinations. As a passenger, you are but one of the hundreds who travel in the lifespan of that airplane. Whether you are a world traveler or not, here are five things constant in air travel.

Leave your shoes on when flying on an airplane. Chances are you are sitting in a seat that many have sat in before you. There’s a strong possibility the person who sat before you may have spilled their drink at best, or at worst the contents of their stomach. It has been my experience that there is no deep cleaning of airplane carpets between trips, so please keep this in mind.

  1. If you take an opportunity to visit a lavatory while on the airplane, you will most definitely want to keep your shoes on. The liquid you see on the floor, while most assume is water, is most definitely not.
  2. Having your child or toddler crawl up and down the aisle or on the floor of an airplane is at worst unsanitary, not to mention unsafe. Not every passenger is child friendly or aware, and the likelihood of your child inadvertently becoming hurt or sick is more common than you realize.
  3. Secure your items, especially the smaller objects. Items roll backward on takeoff and forward on landing. Things such as wallets, mobile phones, earbuds, or eyeglasses often go missing during these takeoffs and landings. The seatbelt sign will be on during takeoffs and landings, and you cannot search the airplane for your lost item. It is often left to the goodwill of your fellow passengers to return said items to you.
  4. You should not only secure your small items but your valuable ones as well. The person sitting next to you is someone you perhaps have never met and probably will not see again. Trusting them to leave your purse in their care when you step away from your seat is a risk in itself. Flight attendants take on many roles but policing and investigating is not one of them.

Having flown thousands of trips over my flight attendant career, these are but a few of the circumstances I have encountered from a first-hand perspective. Are they any others you have experienced? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Hotel or Rental Stay?

Hotel or Rental Stay?

by | Feb 7, 2021 | 0 comments

When considering travel plans, they are many options for where to stay. Many people have a preference due to budget, availability, and risk, to name a few. As I mentioned on a previous blog post, travelers need to prioritize their likes and dislikes, research their options, and determine their value.

Hotels often outrank rentals due to the experience of hospitality and luxury accommodations if that is their specialty. If these are not priorities for you as a traveler, then a rental may be a better choice.

When it comes to a preference for amenities, hotels are usually a better choice. They provide lean sheets and towels every day as well as cleaning services upon request.

Rentals offer more privacy as there usually will not be as many people on the property, and you will probably know beforehand exactly how many people are occupying the property.

Although a hotel and rental both offer benefits. A hotel stay is usually in a more public environment and may provide more safety consideration. It usually is a private residence with a rental, and you may not know the owner or how they handle cleanliness or guest bookings.With a hotel stay, rules are more in your favor than a rental visit. Hotel stays are pretty standard, and regulations are often uniform. With a rental, you are subject to the owner’s rules, and they may vary depending on the owner. For example, refunds due to cancellations are much easier to negotiate than with a private individual.

Rentals tend to be more budget-friendly, especially if you are sharing the costs with a group. A traveler may book a single rental with accommodations for up to six or more guests, whereas a hotel might require a booking of two rooms or more to house the same amount of people.

Finally, the issue of transparency is more evident with a hotel than a rental. Rentals are usually private property and subject to the likes and dislikes of the owner. Although you can experience racism and bias with both accommodations, there is more recourse with a public property like a hotel rather than a private rental.

What would be your choice and why? I’d like to know.

Five Tips for First-Time Flyers.

Five Tips for First-Time Flyers.

by | Feb 3, 2021 | 0 comments

Although airplane travel happens every day, the fear of flying for many is genuine, and there is even a name for it, Aerophobia. It is an anxiety disorder people experience when anticipating flying. After years of flying as an international flight attendant, I can safely say that the fear is real to many. However, I can also say that with over 23 years as a flight attendant, I have never had an airplane emergency other than sick passengers.

1.Every airplane traveler has a first time, whether it was years ago or a plan in the making. The angst you feel is widespread, and there are even courses given to first-time travelers. Jitters are normal, humans and flying do not go hand in hand, and the idea of being in the air with no control can be frightening.

2.Be excited about your destination and the plans you have made for your trip. Thinking of more pleasant thoughts can keep you from thinking of the idea of flying.

3.Make yourself comfortable for travel. Don’t overdress but be comfortable in your outfit. Make sure to charge your electronics fully. Many airplanes now have outlets for charging at the seats; all aircraft don’t have this capability. Choose music or videos you enjoy and have it already downloaded to your device. Wi-Fi is still incredibly expensive in flight and not always reliable.

4.Do not over medicate yourself for your anxiety. I can’t tell you the number of times passengers have gotten on my flight, taken a sleeping pill, and become incapacitated. Or worst to have drunk so much alcohol beforehand, they have become sick, belligerent, or denied boarding. It’s just not worth it.

5.Practice calming tricks like breathing or meditation beforehand. Let your flight attendant know that it is your first time flying. They are very experienced and will keep an eye on you and talk to you during the flight. Flight attendants are much happier to see you calm than anxious. More so, they will keep an eye on you, and you won’t feel so alone. Think of your flight attendants as friends, and they are so much more than waiters in the sky!

Have you experienced any first-time jitters? Let us know; we’d love to hear.

My Birthday Trip to Aspen, Colorado.

My Birthday Trip to Aspen, Colorado.

by | Jan 28, 2021 | 0 comments

With the realities of COVID travel, I decided to travel to Colorado for my birthday celebration. It was as fulfilling as any of my international destinations, so I encourage you to try exploring within the US as much as you desire to travel internationally. Here are some highlights of my 5-day 4-night trip.

After I planned my trip, the hotel notified me that the COVID restrictions had changed for Aspen and Pitkin County not to allow indoor dining. Also, a negative COVID test was necessary before travel. I considered canceling my trip as the thought of testing, and outdoor dining in the winter was not my idea of an ideal trip, but I’m so glad I chose not to.

My stay was at St Regis Aspen, and I planned to arrive mid-afternoon as many hotels post that the room may not be ready until afternoon. My room was ready upon arrival, and my reception was as expected for a St. Regis property. A hotel representative met me at the airport who tagged the luggage to my room, so I did not struggle with luggage.

Day one was for checking in, getting set up in the room, and exploring around the hotel. I was not too fond of the first room assigned because of the obstructed view and, upon request, was moved to another room right away. The concierge recommended an excellent restaurant for dinner, and even though it was outdoor dining, it was an enjoyable experience with the heat lamps.

Day two was my birthday, and I scheduled morning snowmobiling and an afternoon dinner. Since there was also an 8 pm curfew, dinner had to be early to be back at the hotel before the deadline. The hotel arranged transportation to and from the snowmobiling location for a fee. However, it was private transportation, and the driver was accommodating with great tips and ideas. I chose to go to another county, Basalt county, to have an indoor dining experience for dinner. The hotel offered a BMW 7 series car with a 4-hour test drive window, and I took advantage of it as the restaurant was less than 30 minutes away.

On day three, I chose to go for a snowboarding lesson on Snowmass. Again, I took advantage of the car from the hotel and drove to Snow mass, which was also less than 30 minutes away. Snowmass was all that I pictured Aspen Colorado to be with snow falling, gondola rides, and ski lift experiences. The heated pool at the hotel was a great end to the day.

Day four was set aside for writing content for my blog and relaxing after snowmobiling and snowboarding lessons. It was an excellent way to relax before leaving the following day.

Overall, my trip to Aspen was an incredible experience, and my stay at St. Regis, all I expected and more. The staff was excellent, and I received complimentary champagne and truffles from the hotel to mark my birthday. The hotel also offered a breakfast credit in their modified outdoor dining space and blankets to make dining a pleasant experience.

I did not anticipate a winter vacation being so wonderful, but I encourage you to give it a try. Have you been to Aspen? Let me know if your experiences were as good as mine or ask me any questions you may have.

5 must have items that stay in my carry-on.

5 must have items that stay in my carry-on.

by | Dec 10, 2020 | 0 comments

As an avid world traveler who has done this both professionally and personally, my carry-on is always semi-packed. Here are my tips and advice on the 5 items I consider must-haves and should always be in my carry on.

1. A lingerie organizer bag (details on another blog post). The one I use has two sides, one for clean underwear and the other for dirty. You never want to get them confused!

2. An electronic organizer bag (blog post coming). With people being so connected it is so inconvenient to lose connectivity and most hotels do not provide enough power outlets for the technology we use in our daily lives.

3. A toothbrush which in my opinion is even more needed than the electronic organizer. Many people pack this in their suitcase but with the chances of your luggage being lost, I like to always have this at hand.

4. A medicine bag with items like Tums, ibuprofen, cold medicine, etc. I tend to also have eye masks, face masks, prescription medications, band-aids, Neosporin, alcohol pads, and such (more on another post).

5. Finally I always have a small makeup bag with the basics like mascara, lip moisturizer, lipstick, makeup remover cloths, toner, and face moisturizer. These are always found at beauty supply stores and pharmacies in travel sizes.

You make have other priorities for your carry-on. If so, what are they? I’d love to find out.