Safety Sunday

The first thing I do when I get to my hotel room (after checking for bed bugs) is sanitize. I know, it sounds very germaphobic but I have to do it. Cleaning service does just that, CLEAN. Not sanitize. I don’t clean every square inch, just a few of the main things. Before I leave home, I put about 5 antibacterial wipes in a zip lock bag. I keep them in the front pocket of my luggage for quick access. Here are the top things I sanitize:

1. Remote control
2. Phone
3. Night stand tops
4. Drawer handles
5. Door knobs
6. Faucet handles
7. Light switches
8. Toilet handle
9. Last but not least, the toilet seat

The whole process only takes a few minutes, and it makes me feel much cleaner for the entire stay. I just look around the room and think… If there was a person with the flu in the room before me, what would they have touched?

Safety Sunday

Here is a few tips to keep you itch free in your hotel… Before booking a hotel check Bedbug Registry to see if there have been any reports of bedbugs.

When you do get to your hotel, do this quick dreaded test.

1. Pull out the sheets and inspect the corner of the mattress. No need to rip off the whole thing, a corner will do the trick.
2. Get a damp wash cloth or antibacterial wipe. Pull all the drawers open and wipe the bottom of them. Be sure to get all the way to the back. Still bug free? Here is one last tip to stay that way.
3. To make sure none come home with you, do NOT leave your suitcase on the floor, put it on a luggage rack or dresser.

What are you looking for: Mature bed bugs are brownish red and about the size of an apple seed. They are carnivorous, so they will bite you. YUK!

Safety Sunday

Keep a list of any prescription medications or allergies on you at all times. This could be a life saver. I would recommend making 2 copies and give your travel buddy a copy also incase you are unable to respond or medical staff can not find your list. First things first, make sure your name is on the card to verify this is your list.

For medications I list the medication, strength, reason and time of day you typically take it.
I.e.: XYZ Medication / 25 mg / high blood pressure / 8 AM and 8PM daily.

For allergies I list the allergy, reaction and cure. This is for medication and food allergies.
I.e.: Allergic to seafood / throat closes and I have difficulty breathing / use 50 mg of Benadryl.

I print these on a business card size paper with medications on the front and allergies on the back. I put it right behind my ID. I figure that is the first place someone would look. Keep your descriptions brief and don’t print it to small.

Safety Sunday

When traveling to a country that does not speak English, it is best to know basic medical words incase you need to pick up any OTC drugs. I make a spreadsheet and keep it in my day bag with the following words and the translation.

1. Allergy medication
2. Cold medication
3. Rash / Blister ointment or cream (A blister on the toe can ruin a trip)
4. Anti-acid/ Anti-diarrhea medication
5. Antibiotic ointment
6. Ice
7. Band-Aids

These are generic ones that everyone should have. If you have an issue that happens often, add it to the list. There are free translation websites on the internet that will translate any word. I have found that it is not always exact, but will surely get you what you need.

Is there one I missed? Let me know.

Favorite Friday

My favorite place to stock up on my “less than 3 ounces” travel necessities is Minimus.biz. They have a great selection and good prices. They have everything from travel sized food products to OTC medications. The best part about it is free shipping on orders over $20.

Favorite Friday

My favorite walking sandal is from Ecco. Ecco makes shoes and sandals, but the pair that have been all over the world with me are my Passion Quarter Strap sandals. They have been on my feet walking the streets of Italy, Greece, France and Turkey all the way to the beaches in Monterey, California. They clean up nicely after being in the sand and they dry really fast.

Check out their official site at ECCO USA.

Favorite Friday

What is my favorite Flip Flop? The Fit Flop. Now I can’t say anything about the “fit” benefit, but I don’t really do a lot of “fitness” walking in them either. I’m sure I could though. They are super comfy. I can wear them all day at a theme park and not have tired feet at the end. They are great for water parks too. They do have lots of benefits including increased leg, calf and gluteal muscle activity, improving your posture, simulating aspects of barefoot walking but with more muscle load, and improving muscle tone.

Check them out at FITFLOP.

Thrifty Thursday

Here is what I do when I buy clothes that come with extra buttons in those itty bitty zip lock bags. I keep all of my buttons in my sewing box (that way I can actually find them when I do need one) and I put the tiny zip lock bags in my suitcase. Why? These little bags are great for all sorts of stuff. Here are a few…

1. Keeping pills handy while sightseeing (always keep your next dose on you at all times)
2. Holding small items like jewelry, coins or small artifacts.
3. Non standard dietary items like artificial sweetener or no-salt salt

I’m sure you will find your own uses for them. They are great for just about anything small.

Thrifty Thursday

Surfing the net for the perfect vacation? Sign up at Swagbucks and all of your surfing can add up to lots of points and free stuff like amazon.com gift cards.

Thrifty Thursday

Search for freebees. I love to find free samples on the internet. A simple internet search for “free sample” can produce loads of free stuff. The best thing about it is that you don’t even have to leave your house to stock up for your next trip.

Just be cautious of anything that wants you to enter a credit card number or pay for shipping. That is NOT a free sample, and I personally do not participate in these. Typically you can find things like toothpaste, shampoo, lotions and OTC medications. My favorite is the single load laundry soap.

Another added bonus is that after you use all of these freebees, you toss them and free up space in your luggage to bring home souvenirs.

Travel Tip Tuesday

Planning a road trip in the U.S. or Canada? My favorite tool for planning is AAA’s TripTik site. I don’t think you actually have to be a member to use it; I’ve never needed to put in my member number. On the other hand, AAA roadside assistance could be a lifesaver on a road trip. I don’t leave home without my AAA card.

I input my starting point and ending point, let it create the route, zoom in, follow the route and check out all the cool points of interests, lodging, gas stations and more. We have visited some of the neatest museums and stores that we would have NEVER known about thanks to this tool!

Travel Tip Tuesday

Make sure your bags stay with you. I love this Retriever Luggage Tag. I print my entire itinerary and put a copy in these tags for any bag that I check at the airport or leave at a hotel bag check. There are so many opportunities for your bag to get misplaced in a sea of black bags.

I also give a copy of this same itinerary to my house sitter, dog sitter and any relative that needs to know where I am. Everyone but my boss, I’m on vacation.

Mind Saving Monday

A picture can be worth a million words. When you have packed the last bit of your belongings in your suitcase take a few pictures. A picture of the suitcase open so you can see the contents and one of the case closed. You can either print the pictures or keep them on a digital camera. That was if your luggage is lost, you can explain exactly what it looks like. Very handy in a country where you don’t speak the language.

Mind Saving Monday

Have you ever lost your luggage or needed to account for its contents. Here is an easy way to keep track of your belongings. As an added bonus this will help you to not over pack.

Before you pack make a list of all of the items you will need to pack. Separate the list by suitcase and carry on. I always write at the top how many days I will be gone. Gone 4 days, pack 4 pair of pants. I always pack an extra pair of underwear and a shirt in my "personal item" carry on bag (usually a back pack). Now that you have this great list, use it as a check off sheet while you are packing, then put it in your purse or carry on. If your bag gets misplaced, you will be able to verify what was in it.

Mind Saving Monday

Tired of spending an 8 hour flight in the worst seat on the plane? Check out one of my favorite websites Seatguru before you book. Now you can ensure you always get a good seat.

Mind Saving Monday

Can’t decide between pants and shorts? Pack both with this two-in-one product! For the best of both worlds, buy a pair of convertible pants. I have a pair of black, tan and brown pairs and they are perfect for travel. Put them on in the morning when you need pants and zip off or roll up the legs for shorts in the afternoon.

They are also great for traveling to different climates and not needing to over pack. Road trip through France? No problem, you’ll have pants in the Alps and shorts on the Riviera.

Mind Saving Monday

Ever forget where you parked your car at the airport after leaving it there for a week? Well here are two tips that may help.

1. If you have a digital camera or camera phone: Take a picture of your car parked in the parking spot, make sure to include a post or sign in the picture. Also take a picture of the nearest locator marker. When you get back from your trip, just pull your camera back out and you can’t get lost!
2. If you still take pictures old school, use a paper tag on a key ring (like the ones they use when you get your car serviced). Use the tag to write down your locator marker and attach it to your keys. Store your keys in a safe location and when you return you will have your keys and car location in one handy spot.

Thrifty Thursday

Coupons, coupons, coupons.

Coupons are a great way to save on vacations and still enjoy them. On our last trip to Florida a few weeks ago, I used coupons for just about everything. My two favorite places for coupons? The internet and my hotel lobby. For all of my pre-booked stuff I used the internet to search for coupons. Sites like Retail Me Not are great to see the best coupons like airlines and rental cars. If you know where you are staying or what you are doing you can just do a search for "XYZ coupons". For anything you buy online, if you see a place for a coupon code or discount when checking out go search for one. Also, don't forget any membership cards like AAA or AARP.

Here is a run down of our savings for 2 people on our trip to Florida:

Coupons found online or in my wallet:
5% off the rental car through Advantage rental car. The coupon online was the same as using my AAA card.
Savings: $8.10

We got a huge savings online for 3 nights at the Homewood Suites by Hilton using a coupon on Retail Me Not and paying in advance. Non-refundable, but worth it.

Savings: $155.70

We also picked a hotel with free daily breakfast and they served dinner 2 nights. Although we were only expecting appetizers, it was full dinner so it saved us extra money on not needing to eat out. With the red eye flight we arrived to Florida early in the morning and the staff was wonderful enough to check us in early and invite us to breakfast on our fist day, saving us more money. They were fantastic. Full breakfast for 2 for 4 days = approximate $80 savings. Dinner for 2 for 2 nights including beer & wine = approximate $60 savings.

Savings: $140.00

For the flight, it actually worked out better to book through Expedia. We were able to get a flight that worked better with our schedule and got to use a coupon of course. At $851.60 for 2 tickets, this was our biggest expense, but a 15% off coupon I found online, I saved quite a bit.

Savings: $127.74

We knew that there was two activities that we were going to do ahead of time so we bought those tickets in advance. This saved us money and time not having to wait in line once we got there.

For the Busch Gardens tickets, I found a $15 off per ticket when buying online and you get $2 off parking when buying in advance.

Savings: $32.00

The Universal tickets were discounted also. We bought the 2 day multi-park tickets and found a discount online for $25 off each ticket, plus a free commemorative "Harry Potter" ticket and a coupon book. I have to admit though we never found out how to get the coupon book.

Savings: $50.00

I used my AAA for lunch and shopping at the Hard Rock Café, saving us 10%.
Savings: $9.82

In our hotel we found coupons for two other places that we visited.

One was a restaurant that we had been dying to try because we see the commercials in CA all of the time but don't have any. CiCi's Pizza. The coupon was buy one meal and two drinks and get one meal free. We went for dinner on our last night and loved it so much that we went for lunch again the next day (after picking up a second coupon at the hotel).

Savings: $12.76

The other coupon we had at the hotel was for Wonderworks, a fun interactive museum down the street. The coupon was $2 off per person and we bought the $4 guide book that included a coupon for a few bucks in game tokens, plus we got to keep the book as a souvenir.

Savings: $4.00

Total Savings: $541.12. Just by using coupons.

As an added bonus, I used the points on my Capital One credit card to pay for our hotel room when we got home. An added savings of $330.30.

So really we saved $874.42 on this trip to Florida!

Travel Tips

Buy a composition book. You can usually pick them up pretty cheap on back to school sales. Staple a few envelopes inside and you have a perfect travel journal with pockets to hold museum tickets and mementos for cheap.

Buy convertible pants. The kind with zippers that turn into shorts. These are great for places that are hot during the day and cool at night or if you need to wear pants in a church or if you just want two different looks.

Get a collapsible hamper for trips like cruises or if you are staying in one hotel and you are doing laundry. They usually fold flat and take up very little room in your suitcase. It also makes transporting your laundry to the laundry room a breeze.

Speaking of laundry, if you are going on a cruise pack your quarters in a baggie and use them for laundry. Cruise ships often run out of quarters in the laundry room. Don't forget to pack your dryer sheets either, they are costly in the vending machine.

Also, try to collect free samples of laundry soap or buy the travel size (3 oz or less) to bring with you. This will also save money. If you are checking luggage (which I don't recommend) you can fill a plastic water bottle with laundry soap. If it's the liquid kind make sure to put the bottle in a baggie too. You don't want soapy clothes.

Packing Tip

Never over pack! Not sure what amenities your hotel or cruise ship provide? Ask! First check their web site or any confirmation paperwork you have. If you can't find it there e-mail or call them. This way you don't fill your suitcase with unnecessary items like shampoo, shower gel or blow dryers.

I stayed at a hotel in Venice, Italy that said the rooms were supplied with a hair dryer. Well, what it should have said is there was one hair dryer at the front counter that you could borrow. Just one for all of the guests. I was glad it was a small hotel and it always seemed to be available. I chalked it up to lost in translation, but it worked.

Back to school shopping means travel shopping

Do you ever think about your college days and life in the dorm? Does it remind you of the size of a cruise ship stateroom?

While most parents are stocking up on dorm sized accessories and schools supplies for their kids, I'm stocking up on my travel necessities...

Here are my top 10 back to school/ travel buys:

1. 10-Shelf Hanging Fabric Shoe Rack (hangs in the closet)
2. Pop-Up Hamper
3. Compact Fabric Steamer
4. Over the Door Organizer - 24 Pockets for shoes and accessories (I hang it in the bathroom for storage)
5. 18 Pocket Hanging Shoe Bag (hangs in the closet)
6. Composition Books (great travel journal)
7. Backpack (great on a hike or touring a city, also good as a carry on bag.)
8. Books (on travel, foreign languages, history)
9. Pens, Pencils and paper, notebooks. (all good stuff to have)
10. Printable labels (make your own address labels)

Keep and eye out on your Sunday sale ads to see when these go on sale. When they are cheap, stock up on them. Happy Shopping!

Packing Tip

If you have a spare room start thinking about your packing early.

1. Check the weather for your destination.
2. Check for any dress codes. Do you need formal wear for a cruise? Something to cover your shoulders in a church?
3. Plan your days. Do you know what you are doing each day? What you will need to wear?
4. Start laying your clothes out so you can see everything.
5. When you have everything you think you need put back 25% of it.

You should be able to fit all of your clothes in a carry on suitcase without it being expanded. You'll want to expand it to fit all of your souvenirs in.

If you are going somewhere cold like Alaska plan on layers. You can always where a pair of jeans or sweatshirt more than once. Bring plenty of t-shirts to wear underneath.

If you are going somewhere warm like the Caribbean plan on taking more than one set clothes per day. You may also want an afternoon shower. The good thing about warm weather clothes is that they don't take up much room.

In-Flight comfort kit and stretching

Do you miss the days when airlines would provide you with all of the amenities to make your flight comfortable? You can make your own kit for very little money and have the best flight ever. I use Minimus.biz to buy small size amenities and I surf the net for free samples. Sample sizes are perfect and if you start looking for them way in advance you will have no problem finding them for free. Don't forget the liquids will need to go in your quart size bag for security. The key to long flights is keeping hydrated and moving around.

Before you travel, buy a travel guide on the place you are visiting or research on the Internet and print out information about the culture or tips about traveling there. Re-read these on the flight as a refresher course. The good thing about printed pages is that you can toss (or recycle) them when you're done and don't have to carry them around your whole trip.

If you are traveling to a country that you don't speak thier language I recommend buying a language program and practice before you go. I get the learn while you drive ones on CD and learn on my way to and from work. I also copy it to an MP3 player so I can listen on the flight to pass the time.

In-Flight comfort kit
Large Ziploc bag
Lip balm
Toothbrush & Toothpaste - or a "brush up" finger mitt
Floss
Hand lotion
Sleep mask
Slipper socks
Eye drops
Golf ball –foot massage
Dry washcloth
Deodorant wipe (single use packet)
Anti-bacterial wipes
Ear Plugs - if needed
Chewing gum
Nail file
Tylenol PM
Rolaids
Airborne
Snack size Ziploc bag
Vitamin C

Snacks - like home made granola or trail mix. I also put peanut butter and jelly in a small disposable container like a baby food jar and a few pieces of bread in a lunch bag. Make your own sandwich anytime you want.

In-Flight Instructions
At the beginning of the flight:
Use the lip balm and hand lotion. Take off you shoes and use the slipper socks to walk around. Use anti-bacterial wipes to clean both sides of your tray and all hard surfaces including the arm rests. Take Airborne and drink a glass of water.

During the flight:
Use the lip balm, eye drops and lotion as needed. Use the golf ball for massaging the bottom of your feet, your back and legs. If you put the golf ball on the floor under your foot and roll it back and forth it is a wonderful massage. Use the hand wipes to clean your hands before eating every time. Drink lots of water. Use the mask & ear plugs for naps. Take vitamin C every 3 hours.

In-flight Travel Stretching: To be done every hour or so along with drinking a glass of water. Focus your stretching on any trouble areas you have (bad back or shoulder).

1. While sitting cross one leg over the other. Rotate your elevated foot in circular motions. Reverse directions, then reverse feet crossed. (2 reps @ 15 seconds each)
2. Sit with toes on the floor and heels slightly raised. Lower one heel, then the other. (20 reps)
3. Rotate head in circles, move head side to side, touch chin on chest and hold also touch chin to right shoulder then left and hold. (5 reps)
4. Reach as high as you can with one arm, then the other. Lower arms and repeat. Reaching further each time. (5 repetitions)
5. Stretch arms in front of you. Flex wrists up, down and in a circle. Bend your elbows so you touch your shoulders with your fingers. Rotate your arm so your elbow is straight up, then then bring it back down and straighten your arm back out. (10 reps)
6. Stand and hold on to chair back, bend knee, grab your ankle behind you. Rotate ankle while holding position. (2 X each @ 15 seconds per leg)
7. Clasp arms at elbows. Turn to one side 3 times, then the other. (5 reps)
8. Rotate extended arm at the shoulder in a full circles. (10 reps per arm)
9. Sit up straight, draw in stomach and clasp arms in front of you. Drop torso forward and stretch arms to floor. (5 reps)
10. Lift 1 knee to your chest as far as possible then stretch leg as far out as possible. (20 reps)
11. With arms at side, roll shoulders in wide circles, forward and backwards. (10 reps each)
12. Stand with palms on low back, tuck chin and slowly arch back while exhaling. Hold for 10 seconds then relax. (5 reps)
13. Extend your arm across your chest, pulling it towards your chest with the opposite arm. Hold. (15 seconds per arm)
14. Interlock your finger, stretch your arms out in front front of you, bowing your back and hold. (2 @ 15 seconds)
15. Stand with your feet set apart at shoulder width, legs straight, one hand overhead and one at your at side. Bend to side while reaching overhead. (10 reps per side)
16. Walk in place or up and down the isle for 5 minutes. I usually try to walk up one isle and down the other.

One hour before the flight landing:
Ask for a cup of hot water, put the washcloth in your small Ziploc bag, carefully pour some of the water into the bag to create a steaming washcloth, use it to wipe your face, hands, arms and anywhere else. I typically go to the rest room for this with my toothbrush and deodorant.
Use the toothbrush, toothpaste & floss. Use the lip balm, hand lotion, and deodorant to freshen up. Take off your slipper socks and put your shoes on because you are almost there!!

When you get to your hotel take out all of your clothes as soon as you can. If any of your clothes are wrinkled hang them in the bathroom and take a hot bath with bath salts. The heat will help release some of the wrinkles and the bath will help relax and hydrate you.

My Favorite Trail Mix

This mix is great for traveling or just an afternoon snack.

3 cups Unsalted Whole Almonds
1 cup Dried Cranberries
1 cup Chopped dried mango
1 – 2 cups Cashews
1 – 2 cups Peanuts
1 cup M&Ms

I add more of the almonds and less of the peanuts and M&M’s. It is really up to your taste. I use the unsalted almonds because I’m not a big salt fan and the peanuts and cashews add enough salt.

You can also add seasoning like Caribbean Jerk season, spicy taco season or cinnamon sugar for a variety of mix. Be creative.

This is great for an in-flight snack because you get the protein from the nuts and the health benefits from the fruit. The M&M’s are just yummy.

For sightseeing during the day in hot weather I omit the M&Ms so they don’t melt. A baggie of trail mix and a bottle of water in your back pack or purse can be a lifesaver while waiting in line for a museum or on a bus.

Kelly's Granola

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups rolled oats
½ cup wheat germ
¾ cup oat bran
¼ cup or less sunflower seeds
¼ cup or less Sesame seeds
¼ cup ground flaxseeds
¼ cup or less pumpkin seeds
1 cup finely chopped almonds
¼ cup finely chopped pecans
¼ cup finely chopped walnuts

½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons maple syrup
¼ cup honey
½ cup vegetable oil, olive oil or coconut oil
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ tablespoon vanilla extract and or almond extract

¼ cup flax seeds
1 ¼ cups dried cranberries


DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 225 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment.

Combine the top ingredients in a large bowl.

Stir together the other ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then pour over the dry ingredients, and stir to coat. Spread the mixture out evenly on the baking sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven until crispy and toasted, about 35-40 minutes. Stir once halfway through. Immediately after baking add ¼ cup whole flax seeds.

Let the mix cool in the pan, then stir in the cranberries before storing in an airtight container.

Keep an eye on it the last couple of minutes in the oven so it does not burn.
It will harden and clump when it cools.


OPTIONS AND TIPS:
¾ cup of honey only instead of maple syrup and brown sugar
1/2 wheat germ and 1/2 ground flax seed
Do not use oat bran, just increase the rolled oats.
Ground flaxseed in place of the wheat germ
Add a tablespoon of water to help it clump a little better
Add other dried fruits too

Make your own in-flight snack box

The days of free snacks or meals on your flight are gone, but why pay for $10 for a box of pre-selected snacks when you won’t like half of them.

Here is some of what I pack in my lunch box to bring with me. A paper or plastic bag work fine too. These snacks are great for any day trips or flights because they don’t need to be refrigerated. My favorite website for travel sized snacks (well, really anything travel sized) is Minimus.biz.

A baggie of Kelly’s Favorite Snack Mix (see recipe in July post below)
Kelly’s granola (also in July post below)
Pretzels
Beef Jerky
Chewing Gum
Crackers and cheese pack
A favorite candy bar
2 pieces of bread and a few tablespoons of peanut butter (For a PB sandwich- but don’t put it together until you are ready to eat it)
Hard candies like lifesavers or butterscotch
A baggie of salad mix, a baggie of toppings and an individual size dressing. (I’m not sure if the dressing is technically a liquid, but I’ve always had it in my lunch bag and I’ve never been asked about it by security) The salad will be fine for a while, but I do eat it first.
If you are traveling in the morning an individual sized cereal is yummy. You can usually get milk on the flight if you need it.
Fruit Snacks
Granola Bars

Packing Tip

Pack like a boy scout, but don’t pack the whole medical kit. Here are a few things you should never leave home with out.

Ibuprofen or aspirin
Antacid tablets
Band-aids
Topical antibiotic ointment like Neosporin
Sunscreen and bug repellant
Anti-diarrheal like Kaopectate
A small flashlight
Collapsible drinking cup
Travel sized package of tissues
Anti-bacterial wipes
Stain eraser pen