Footloose and Fancy Free - Packing for Any Trip!

I dont know about you, but when I travel, the last thing I want is to be weighed down with giant suitcases, schlepping luggage to the airport, dragging it off the baggage carousel and then trying to cram it into the taxi or rental car, all for the purpose of bringing a bunch of stuff I probably didn't need in the first place! I don't see the point of it, and while I might sometimes check a bag on my way home from a trip (if the shopping was especially good!) I almost never check luggage at all. I've got a few tried and true tips on packing for travel, and since I'm gearing up for a multi-country adventure next week, I thought this might be a good time to share them.

First off all, it's important to have the right suitcase. I've had the same trusty Samsonite for 15+ years, and while it is overdue for replacement, my indecisiveness has left me using it one more time for this trip. I've been chatting with a few luggage companies about getting a new bag, but for now, it's what I got.

I love this suitcase because it a) fits in the overhead of most air carriers, b) has a zip out expander and c)fits in the overhead! I prefer fabric suitcases over hard-sided, mainly because there seems to be a bit more "give" to fabric bags, making it easier to fit everything into it. I also love that this is a 4-wheeled bag. I'm telling you, once you try the 4-wheely, you will never use those unstable two-wheeled rollaways again! I also got this great shoulder bag by Amolar, which not only has room for your laptop and other flight essentials, but has a convenient sleeve that allows it to fit over your bag handle. Makes walking through airports a breeze! Both these bags are roomy enough that you can fit everything you need, while still remaining in compliance with the "One bag, one personal bag" rule on most airlines.

Now that you have the perfect bag, make a packing list. I'm an obsessive list-maker and when I'm planning a trip, I find it incredibly helpful to make a comprehensive list of everything I want to bring. Nothing gets left out, from party dresses to underwear, it all goes on the list. I also make note of any special events or tours we might be doing that can require a specific outfit. If  I know we'll be going to a fancy dinner, I make a note to bring a dress for it. Or if we have a hike planned for our trip, I make sure to add "hiking clothes" to my list. I divide the list into clothing items, toiletries, and "other" such as my laptop and headphones. Everything I am taking goes on that list!

Once I have an idea of what I want to bring and what kind of clothes I'll need (is this a beach vacay? Business? A tour? What's the expected weather? What are the cultural norms for dress?) then I start sorting through my closet. I try to stick with comfortable clothes that don't wrinkle and can be rolled up. Most of us who travel often know that rolling items is the best space saver, and lighter clothing items roll better than bulky ones.

 

Layering is key, as well as picking clothes that can be mixed and matched or work for dual purposes. My workout shoes can double as walking shoes on days we plan to be out sightseeing all day. A cute skirt can be paired with a casual tee and sandals, then segue to something fancier with the additional of a silky top and some jewelry. Try to stay with colors that all go together if you can. Your pink and blue striped palazzo pants might be cute, but will they go with more than one top? Sometimes you have to make the sacrifice and leave a favored item at home.

 

For us fashion-conscious girls, shoes are always problematic. I've found that boots are usually just a no, with the  exception of ankle boots, which have thankfully stayed in style this season. I have a pair of black booties that pretty much go with everything, and if I'm short on space in my suitcase, I simply wear them on the plane. Sandals and slip on flats are also my go-to, as you can slide them into a corner pocket without taking up space.

It's also important to remember that with the advent of Airbnb, doing laundry is as simple as making sure the place you book has a washer-dryer. This can really help stretch your luggage contents, plus its just nice to have a few freshly laundered pieces.

If shopping is your thing and you're worried about all the cool finds you won't be able to live without, consider a small collapsable travel bag. There is a wide range of duffles and shoulder bags that fold up for travel, some smaller than a wallet and easy to toss into your suitcase to use as an extra bag later. Check out a review of the 14 Best Foldable Travel Bags for tons of options.

So many times I hear people complain that they ended up bringing far more than they needed for their trip. I think we forget sometimes that in today's modern world, even smaller towns tend to have drugstores and shops. It's really not that hard to pick up a toothbrush or an extra t-shirt if you forget something.

But more than anything else, remember that when you travel, it's not about the stuff. It's about all that you can see, all that you can do, all that you can experience. So lighten your load and make your travel a little freer by streamlining your packing process and leave those unnecessary extras right where they belong - behind you. You won't miss them and you won't need them, I promise.

Fitness Near or Far

I'm just going to admit it right now; I'm a little obsessed with exercise. I work out pretty much every day and when I don't, I'm really not a very nice person to be around.

Regular exercise reduces stress, helps insomnia and has been proven to be almost as effective as medication in treating depression and anxiety.  It also makes it a little easier for me to enjoy my other favorite thing in life - food! I am a total foodie and if I can't eat the things I love, well, that makes me sad. And since sad, anxious or stressed aren't things I like to be, staying in shape has become one of my highest priorities.

In my daily life, I stick to a pretty strict schedule, working out at least six days a week and rotating between weights, running, spin class and yoga. Travel can throw a big wrench into that schedule and it would be easy to dump my workouts, but I've found that it's just as important, if not moreso, to stay active when I'm on the road. Travel can wreak havoc on our systems. Between long plane rides, jet lag, food we might not be used to, and crazy international time zones, our bodies can sometimes falter and we end up exhausted (or even ill) which can ruin the best of vacations.

I can't quite keep my workout routine intact, but I have figured out a few ways to incorporate fitness into my schedule, no matter where I am:

Pack those shoes
First off, pack your workout gear. Running shoes, a sports bra, a couple pair of shorts and tops, none of this takes up much space and just having them with you can motivate you to work out.

Fitness-friendly hotels
When I'm booking hotels for a trip, I always try to find one that has a gym. Even a small gym has everything you need, and having it right there makes it easy to get up in the morning and get 'er done before you head off to sightsee. This is the workout room at the Sheraton Gateway at LAX, which has newer equipment and a nice view of the pool.

Make a run for it
If you don't have access to a gym, go for a run. Jogging through residential neighborhoods in a new city helps you see things on a whole different level. There's nothing like coming across a unique coffee shop or seeing the architecture of a city from a runner's view.

Schedule a race
I've run 5ks, 10ks and half-marathons in places like Hawaii, Vancouver and even Texas! Planning a trip around a race, or signing up for a race that happens to be going on at your vacation destination, will keep you training and give you a goal to achieve. And as you can see, it's also an awesome thing to do as a couple. This is me and B, finishing the Maui 10k together a couple years ago.

Take a class
Whenever we're in Hawaii, we seek out at least one or two yoga classes. I've found that most fitness studios offer drop-in rates, whether it's yoga, pilates or even a gym. It's fun to go to a yoga or spin class in a different city and see how they do it. We've met some cool people at some of these classes too!

Get some wheels
B and I often rent bikes if they are available when we travel. Many towns have paved bike paths and there's nothing more fun than biking along the beach on a sunny day, or exploring the backroads of an international city.

Climb every mountain
Okay I don't climb mountains (I'm not crazy!) but I do love a good hike. Again, it's a great way to get a different perspective on a destination. Getting out into nature has given us the opportunity to see parts of the country we might not otherwise get to see. Here's B at the Hollywood sign, a fun an relatively easy hike.

And this is Maui's Haleakala crater. We hiked down into the crater and then back up. All I can say is altitude is no joke! Hiking up was wayyyy harder than hiking down!

   

Just walk it off
When I travel, I try to walk as much as I can. The last time I was in San Francisco with my kids, we walked across the Golden Gate bridge and all the way to Saulsalito, where we had lunch and took the ferry back across the bay. It was a long walk but not strenueous, and made for a very lovely and memorable afternoon. I don't get to enjoy these kind of days with my children very often anymore, so their willingness to go along for the ride made the day extra special.

We also did some serious walking around at Valley Forge when we visited Philadelphia last year. It's pretty much all flat ground, and we got to combine history with getting some fresh air. My dad especially liked pretending to shoot the cannons!

With just a bit of planning, you can enjoy your travels while still making your health a priority. There are too many places I've yet to see in this amazing world, and the last thing I want is to have those plans compromised by poor health. So stay on that path of fitness, no matter where you may roam. You'll be glad you did!

When Irish Eyes are Smiling

I think Ireland was probably one of the first places I  put on my bucket list, back when I didn't know what a bucket list even was. My mom used to tell me stories of her grandfather coming over "on the boat" from Ireland,  and my dad said his grandfather, who died before I was born, was a "red-headed Irishman." Being Irish isn't anything unusual, I think a good portion of our population probably has a touch of Irish blood in their veins, but for some reason, it always fascinated me.

So when I had an opportunity to go to  England and Ireland with a couple of my girlfriends, there was no way I wasn't going to go! This was back in the 90's, and like I've mentioned in other posts, those were the good ol' days for airline employees. We got some really great deals on travel, and for this trip, we snagged round-trip tickets on British Airways for $150 each. British used to fly out of Anchorage, and we had a local ticketing agreement with them (yes, we used to have these paper things called tickets) and even scored business class on the way over.

First stop was London and we enjoyed all the tourist sites and a few off the beaten path spots too!

 

We went to London's original Hard Rock Cafe, which was exciting because it was before there was a Hard Rock Cafe in every corner of the world. I splurged on a denim jacket (which I still own and occasionally wear, it's a freakin' collector's item by now!) 

Of course, we had to go to Picadilly Circus , a tourist trap but one of the most vibrant parts of the city and a fun place to people watch! We loved exploring Madam Tussaud's Rock Circus, which was a walk-through wax museum of all the great rock icons.

 

After spending a few more days in the English countryside, visiting my friend Colleen's grandmother, who was born in Shanghai, raised in Hong Kong, and was one of the most interesting people I'd ever met,  we headed to the Emerald Isle.

Crazy as it may sound, Ireland felt like home to me. The people were warm (which was a good thing because Ireland in November is decidedly NOT warm) and Dublin was charming. We explored castles and wandered city streets.

One of the most memorable things we did was a tour of the Guinness Brewery! Best of all, the tour ends with a free pint. I was never a dark beer girl, and I'd only ever had Guinness from a can, which was really horrible and bitter.  I wasn't excited to try my free pint, but I was pleased and surprised to find it one of the best beers I've ever had. Coming fresh from the brewery, the flavor was mild, delicious and well, we had more than the one free pint.

We closed our trip with a visit to the town of Wicklow, home to Wicklow castle and where parts of the movie "Far and Away" were filmed. Unfortunately, we chose a Sunday to go there and there were exactly two places open, a pub where we had lunch, and a hotel where we sat and waited for the bus. It was beautiful countryside and a perfectly clear, but cold (coastal Ireland, cold cold cold!)

Funny story about that, I somehow misread the bus schedule and thought the bus departed from Wicklow back to Dublin at 6pm, when it really left at 4pm. Despite years of reading military time, I somehow didn't look closely at the bus schedule, so we ended up having to sit in the hotel bar and wait another two hours for the 8pm bus. My friends did not think it was funny at the time, but we laugh about it today.

There've been many trips since then, many memories that I cherish. There's nothing like trips with girlfriends to solidify connections and create lifelong bonds. Our circle of friends has expanded over the years, making it harder for all of us to fit those "girls trips" into our busy schedules. But when we do manage it, there's never a dull moment and events that leave us with stories to tell, or sometimes secrets to keep (what happens on a girls trip, stays on a girls trip!)

I'm lucky to have my friends, who always accept me for who I am, even if that means sitting an extra two hours to wait for a bus. And I'm lucky to have seen so much of the world with them.

Flying Away to Fairbanks, AK

For those of you who are parents of older kids, you know all too well the adage "the days are long but the years are short" rings true for all of us. It seems like yesterday my son was a tiny baby, so I'm not really sure how I was suddenly seeing him off to college in Fairbanks last week.

Located in the heart of Alaska's interior and about 350 miles from Anchorage, Fairbanks is Alaska's second biggest city. Of course, the first thing most people think of when the city of Fairbanks is mentioned is the cold. The area is classified as subarctic and is known for long, cold, dark winters. It is considered America's coldest city. I can't argue that -40F is nothing to mess with. Cold is cold, no doubt about it!

                                   

Thankfully for my son (and for me when I visit soon!) there's much more to Fairbanks than inclement weather. Visitors can enjoy places like Chena Hot Springs, where you can soak in the natural hot spring waters, explore their ice museum (and ice bar! Appletinis, anyone?) or go on a sled dog ride. The resort is open year-round and has a wide range of accommodations available. 

If you're all about the holidays, you can head to North Pole, Alaska, which is part of the Fairbanks Borough and home to Santa Claus House, where it's Christmas every day. Kids love Santa whether it's December or July, and this little shop is fun no matter what time of year it is. Fairbanks also has plenty of places for camping, hunting and fishing, as well as tours and other tourist activities.

Our focus wasn't on adventures this trip, but getting my son settled at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks.  UAF sits just outside the main part of the city, creating its own little community of college students. 

I had a few people ask me why my son, who is majoring in Film Production, would choose Fairbanks over one of the showrunner film schools like UCLA or USC. And it's true, if you want to make a career out of making movies, southern California is the hotspot.

But I also had to consider my son, who, while being well-traveled and a smart, sensible kid, also hasn't lived away from home or even spent much time away from me until now. We both did a lot of research before coming to the conclusion that Fairbanks would be a good choice, at least for his first couple years. 

Cost is certainly a huge factor and the last thing anyone needs is a boatload of student loan debt. I'm not in a financial position to foot the bill for a 60k a year school (is anyone????) and he was able to get enough scholarships through UAF and other private entities that his first year of college will cost him....nothing. He will probably get a little money back when it's all said and done. That alone is a priceless gift when it comes to trying to afford an education in this country. 

Fairbanks also has a pretty robust arts department, with their film production major working in tandem with a theatre major. While it isn't quite the same as UCLA, the smaller class size and individual instruction makes up for the lack of "big name" players at the school. 

My son's father drove with him from Anchorage to transport all his stuff, and I flew up the next morning to help him move in. I never went to college in this kind of setting, so it was really fun to see the kids all milling around, excited, maybe a little nervous, as they found their dorm rooms and got situated. My son was lucky to get one of his high school buddies as a roommate, and several other friends from school were attending UAF as well, giving them a good core of familiar faces as they started anew in an unknown place. Faculty and senior students were on hand to help, with established students assisting parents and kids with luggage, and student services open for questions and assistance. 

He unpacked, we went and got his books, went to the store to stock up his mini-fridge, and walked around campus so he could get his bearings. The weather was sunny and beautiful, a little bit of leftover summer to get the kids through those first few weeks of school. 

I put it off as long as I could, but as the sun stretched low across the campus, I knew it was time to say goodbye. "Are you gonna be okay?" I asked my son. He nodded and hugged me, said "Are you gonna be okay, mom?" I choked back my tears and nodded as well. When I looked at him, I didn't see the 18-year old young man, who towers over me. I saw instead the little boy, looking up at me with complete trust and putting his hand in mine. The years rushed by in my mind, memories and moments of being by his side, teaching him, watching him grow, loving him. 

We raise our children with the hopes they will become contributing members of society, that they will thrive as they make their way through this world. But I never expected the moment of letting go to feel so much like heartbreak. 

I know he's still close enough to come home often and I know I'll see him sooner rather than later. I know the bond he and I have goes beyond any distance. And I know that all those years of love and devotion have culminated in this moment; a young man strong enough to fly. 

Alaska Adventures - Bird to Gird

Things can get a little frantic in Alaska in the summer. We know we have a pretty solid six months of winter ahead so everyone (and I do mean everyone) in the state makes an effort to get out and make the most of any sunny day that the sun gods bestow upon us. Dishes rot in the sink, dust bunnies gather their dusty little armies under beds and not a child in town understands the concept of "bedtime" (who can sleep when it's light out at 11pm anyway?!)

B and I recently decided to make the most of a beautiful Alaska day by doing one of our favorite bike rides, known as the "Bird to Gird" bike trail. This trail starts at the Bird Creek campground area, which is about 15 minutes south of Anchorage, and goes all the way to the town of Girdwood, located about 45 miles out of town. We like to park a little further down the highway at the Beluga Point parking lot and go from there, which is roughly 12 miles round trip and is a moderate, albeit somewhat hilly, ride. The parking area is a great spot for photo ops, with a nice walkway that takes you out near the water. And where else will you see Beluga whales rising from the sidewalks?!

It was a perfect day and we enjoyed perfect views of Turnagain arm, peeking out from the trees as we made our way toward Girdwood.

The drive from Anchorage to Girdwood is one of Alaska's scenic byways, and I consider it one of the most beautiful drives in the country, summer or winter. A word of caution, however. The highway is unfortunately also one of the most dangerous in the country, so if you do make the drive, please adhere to the posted 55mph speed limit, keep your headlights on, and never, ever pass in a no-passing zone.

Since we were on the bike trail we didn't have to worry about traffic hazards. There were other worries though, like the tons of bear scat we saw on the trail. Despite living in Alaska all my life, I have an almost phobic fear of bears, and an unprecedented number of bear attacks this summer hasn't helped. I countered that fear by singing very loudly the whole bike ride, which I'm pretty sure scared off any bears (and a few people) in the area. We did stop at this pretty little glacier waterfall along the way though.

As you get closer to Girdwood, you can see one of Alaska's majestic glaciers nestled into a mountainside, as well as sentinels of dead spruce trees, which are leftovers from the 1964 earthquake. Tidewater invaded the area during the quake, poisoning the spruce to death and leaving behind their ghostly, stoic remains.

There are plenty of rest stops along the way, and the path is both pedestrian-friendly and wheelchair accessible. If you're visiting from elsewhere, you can rent bikes for the day or longer from one of several places around town, or you can walk the trail if you prefer a slower pace. The bike trail goes all the way to the gas station/grocery stop that marks the beginning of Girdwood, but we usually turn around at the railroad tracks.

One cheesy love selfie later, we were on our way back to the car. Please don't be too jealous of my cool pink bike helmet, I know it rocks!

There are days I wonder what it would be like to live in a place where sunny days didn't mean that much, when you'd rather sit inside and enjoy the air conditioning than go out and face another sweltering day. It might be nice to not worry about those looming winter months, and know that if you don't get outside in the nice weather today, there's always tomorrow.

But I also think no one appreciates good weather quite as much as Alaskans do. Summers are short, winters are long, and those frantic sunny days and long, light-filled summer nights are treated like a beautiful gift. Whether we're fishing, hiking, camping or biking, we make the most of what we're given. We don't complain about another sunny day, we don't worry about A/C (most of us don't even have A/C!) and we try our best to get outside.

So get on your bikes and ride, Alaska. Winter is coming. Winter is always coming.