Monday and Tuesday this week found me in Atlanta (and airports in between). Next Tuesday I head for Germany and France which means more airports and an even "longer time to hang in the sky." (Sorry, some old John Denver line!)
So, this week's TIP TUESDAY question is:
What tips do you have for airports and flying?
Don't get me wrong, I generally LOVE airports. The energy, the people watching, the movement of people on a mission going somewhere with a whole bunch of strangers, the interaction and conversations, the anticipation of 'time travel' to a different destination ... it is a luxury that I recognize and appreciate for the opportunity.However, there are also the long security lines, even longer transports to terminals, super tight seats, waiting on the tarmack, delays, unexpected changes in plans ... the spectrum of life's ups and downs (literally) all in the space of a few hours between destinations.
My tip is to walk. I walked from Check-in at Delta in Atlanta through the underground tunnel and back and forth on Terminals A, B and C yesterday. It helped me occupy my time, gave me lots of people watching opportunities and helps me feel better for the snacks I consume (in lieu of a real meal!). I get energized from airports, inspired by the different people who's path I cross and sometimes even blessed by smiles and random acts of kindness along the way.
Share your airport travel tip. Selfishly, I can use it before next week's international flights. Hopefully others can share and benefit from tips so we help each other have safe and enjoyable journeys, or as my Dad called it 'traveling mercies.'
P.S. For great girlfriend or personal travel tips, check out the podcast with Marybeth Bond. She is the "Gutsy Traveler," and the #1 Women's Travel Expert. From places to visit to how to pack, shop, dress, etc. Marybeth's the expert. Check out her and her great travel books
for women!
4 comments:
Always have a good book, and a back-up book if you're stuck in the airport or on a plane.
Based on all the mistakes I made on my first solo trips overseas, here are some tips and cautionary tales:
- Don't stay up two nights in a row putting lots of finishing touches on the custom couture you've designed for yourself. (You end up looking like death warmed over by the time you get to Orly.)
- Even if you're lucky enough to get a meal on the trans-Atlantic flight, if you don't know what you're eating and you've never tasted anything like it before, DON'T eat it. (You might end up with a case of hives so severe that your throat closes up and the cabin attendants start wondering--out loud--if you're going to pass out. Makes it hard to survive the flight, let alone enjoy it.)
- Try to carry a timepiece that shows military time (00:00 to 23:59). (You might fall asleep at your hotel to nap for an hour or so after arriving in Switzerland, wake up completely disoriented to see the sun low in the sky and wonder, in a panic of embarrassment, whether it's 6:00 p.m. or a.m. or what to do if you've missed a really important dinner appointment.)
- Don't take amazing, once-in-a-lifetime pictures of stunning Alpine vistas and quaint villages with your lens cap on. (Makes you want to hurt somebody.)
- If, despite my tips, you happen to commit any of these sins, LAUGH hysterically about them (at least in retrospect), savor every moment, and share the experiences with your girlfriends.
Bring Extra Zip Lock Baggies. Just before going through security, bring a gallon size zip lock baggie for your watch, jewelry, and other stray items that you're putting in the Xray bins. Then, immediately after getting through security, grab the bag and go sit somewhere where you can re-accessorize yourself comfortably. If you do that, the other people in line won't then look at your funny for treating the end of the security line as if it were your personal dressing room.
If you're carrying a laptop, also carry a splitter so that you can share a power outlet with someone else. An available outlet is often hard to come by but if you bring a little plug where you can double up on the power - others will be happy to share with you!
Beth Whitman
www.WanderlustAndLipstick.com
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