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Recently I read a post about the largest airport in the US. Is it Denver International, Los Angeles Municipal, or JFK International? Which one do you think covers the most area?

It is Denver with twice as much land as Manhattan. Surprised?

Did you know you can do a few things to help beat your jet lag symptoms? Airline flight attendants and other frequent flyers offer solutions that help them. See if some of these will work for you.

Eat healthy before you travel. No huge burgers and fries just before you board a transatlantic flight!

Exercise always helps. Try to increase your exercise routine for a few weeks prior to a long flight. And, exercise while on that long flight. Walk around, move your legs and ankles, or do some deep knee bends.

Alcohol and caffeine may cause dehydration or disrupt your sleep patterns.

Wear loose clothes and shoes. Take your shoes off and put on some slippers if that helps.

Adjust to your destination’s time zone as quickly as possible.

These are a few of my favorites that work for me. Let me know what works for you.

Traveling to a new city and need a hotel? Have you ever researched hotels on line and then called the hotel directly? Many times specials are offered by doing just that. Ask if there are any specials that are not listed on the Internet. You may be surprised.

While you’re at it, ask if they have any packages or any discounts to favorite spots in that area.

And, don’t forget to look at independently run smaller hotels, bed and breakfasts, vacation rentals, or other alternatives to larger hotel chains. You may be surprised here as well.

Do you use your phone when traveling outside the US? Do you use it often? Is is necessary for you to use it?

If so, perhaps you need to think about getting an international plan through your carrier. Be sure you understand and know the limits of that plan, including minutes, charges, hours, etc.

Or, maybe you would be better off with a disposable phone. It probably won’t be the smart phone you are used to, but you won’t need to worry about minutes and extra charges.

What shoes do you take when traveling? How many pairs of shoes do you take?

Experienced travelers take a good pair of walking shoes…especially if you plan on walking around new cities, etc. Make sure you have broken in your walking shoes before you leave home. Did you know that most Europeans can tell you are an American tourist if you wear tennis shoes? There are so many great, comfortable brands of walking shoes that are not ‘tennis shoes’. Plus, many of these types of shoes will work for day trips and then for evening. (unless of course, you are wearing your tux!) Check them out.

How about flip flops? They don’t take up much room in your luggage and they come in handy for the beach, outdoor showers at the beach, walking in the hallways of hotels, etc.

What about nicer shoes to wear when going to dinner? One simple pair that goes with different outfits or different occasions works for this.

Bottom line…you don’t really need a different pair of shoes for each day. Save room in your luggage and double up on the uses for your shoes.

Do you use your email account when traveling? Have you ever set up an email account just to use when traveling?

It might be a good idea to create an email account to use only when traveling. This is especially good if you are accessing wifi in an unsecured network.

Something like johndoetraveling@gmail.com. That way if someone would access that account, it doesn’t contain any personal data, any work or financial data or emails, or anything you don’t want to lose. Be sure to set a password entirely different from those you may already use. And, give that email address to those you want to communicate with while traveling.

Another item that makes it into my carry on bag or purse is disinfecting wipes. Many places carry them in packs of one or two. They are flat and fit easily into my bag.

Their uses appear to be endless. Use them for wiping off phones or remotes in a hotel room, dusty shoes after a walk, sandy seashells, and questionable door handles. They come in handy in rest rooms with no paper towels or with dirty surfaces. Wipe up spills before they set. Of course…use them to clean your hands!

There are so many other uses and I’ve used them in many places. What about you?

What are some of your travel essentials? There are several I always take on a trip.

My shawl is one of the first things I pack in my carry on or my purse. It’s made of a thin wool, polyester blend so it rolls up nicely and fits in a small space. I have used it to keep warm on a plane, to dress up a simple outfit for dinner, as a skirt to enter a church in Italy, as  pillow, as a backrest, and to wrap my camera in. Plus, I’m sure I’ve used it for more than that…

I’ll let you in on a few other secrets next time…

When packing food for a road trip, use small frozen gel packs in your coolers. These can fit between layers of food, keeping both sides cold. Keep in mind they won’t last for long periods of time, though. For short trips, trips to the beach, etc. they work great. Check out ones that are made for diaper bags. They tend to be more streamlined and don’t take up as much room.

Some foods that travel well include: veggies like carrots or celery, cheese cubes, apples, bananas, nuts, cookies, granola, and dried fruit. I’m sure you have your favorites. Travel healthy!