Travel without traveling.

Travel without traveling.

by | Apr 11, 2021 | 0 comments

With Covid realities, many people have put off traveling due to health and safety concerns.  For those who love traveling, however, Covid has not stopped them from traveling. I’m an advocate of traveling, but I highly advise doing it safely and with the thought of not only your health but the health of your fellow traveler.  Although staycations are great, here are a few more ideas to temper the travel bug without traveling long distances.

Visit local tourist attractions as though you were a tourist.  Often, we take our cities for granted and never take advantage of the local attractions those who pay to fly into our towns to enjoy.  One of the single most significant costs of a vacation is the flight.  Not having to pay for travel might cover the cost of a local tourist attraction you would otherwise consider expensive.  Additionally, you can go whenever you choose.

Read travel blogs like mine (shameless plug), watch travel videos, documentaries, podcasts, and all things travel. You’ll be amazed at the things you can learn from other people’s travels and experiences.  You will also be better able to plan your trips in the future by knowing some tips and tricks about your preferred destination.

Visit an international museum virtually.  One of the benefits of Covid is that museums worldwide now offer virtual tours.  A virtual international museum tour could save you time on your itinerary to visit something else or do another activity you might not have time for when you finally reach your destination.

Try dining out in different international restaurants in your area.  The world is so multicultural that it is almost a guarantee to have an international restaurant in your area.  Why wait until you travel far away to try the cuisine.  Dining locally might give you a better palate for the food when you do travel.

Try cooking an international dish at home, along with an international wine, or making a destination drink while you’re cooking will make you feel more compelled to complete the plans for your trip.

Have you tried any travel without going places? I’ve taken advantage of my home city Dallas Texas and seen places I hadn’t even considered.  How about you? Let me know.

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.

Assumptions, travel bias, and micro-aggression.

Assumptions, travel bias, and micro-aggression.

by | Dec 7, 2020 | 0 comments

I spent twenty-three years in the airline industry as a flight attendant. Many of those first years I was often the only person of color on the crew. Therefore, my experiences in being looked at differently have been more than eye-opening.

My career started in the late ’80s and people of color travelers were not as prevalent as they now are. As a flight attendant, I had the privilege of standby travel, which meant I flew somewhat free, but that meant I got any seat not taken by a paying passenger (more on another blog post). Often it was the dreaded middle seat, the least desired seat near the restroom, or even on a flight attendant jumpseat, which is often right next to the restroom. I traveled plenty but not often comfortably.

As I began to travel more for pleasure than work, I often chose to fly in premium cabins. I had often heard the refrain “you get there at the same time so why does it matter?” My choice had a lot to do with the fact that in a premium cabin I could expect the type of service I paid for, or in some cases demand it. I say demand because often while traveling as a person of color, there appear to be assumptions that people of color don’t deserve service, much less premium service.

There were many times when the announcement was made for premium cabin boarding, and I would be almost pushed out of the way or looked over by others who did not expect me to be in a premium cabin. Gate agents would often look at me and reiterate the boarding announcement as if I was hard of hearing. Flight attendants would demand to see my boarding card if I paused in the premium cabin to put my bags away. The many acts of travel bias and microaggression often left me with a less than pleasant travel experience.

Have you had similar experiences? If not a person of color, have you ever noticed it? I’d love to hear about your experiences and your thoughts.

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