Just an FYI…
When the high-speed trains in France say they leave the station four minutes after they arrive. They mean it.
Doesn’t matter if you are on or not.
Doesn’t matter if all your traveling companions are on or not.
Three of the four of us were on the train. One was not. He was standing on the platform as the trail pulled out.
We had all the luggage.
He had his ticket and his passport.
Luckily, there was a second train traveling to Paris from Avignon. He made it onto that train.
Do you worry about identity theft when traveling? Here are a few suggestions which might ease your mind.
I make two copies of everything I am taking…credit cards, passport, ID, everything. I leave one copy at home. I give the copies of my info to my husband to pack securely away and I take his copies. These do not get put in checked luggage, however.
I also travel with two credit cards or less and my husband uses two different credit cards.
I have extra passport photos along when traveling out of the US.
Typically, we do not use the hotel safe. We both have safe spots where we carry our info.
My purse and wallet are RFID protected. This radio-frequency identification protects my sensitive information from being stolen by someone using a specific device and just walking by.
My luggage tags do not have a bunch of personal info on them. I use an email and a cell phone number. No home address.
What do you do?
Stay tuned for my story of eating and drinking our way around Avignon.
Keokuk National Cemetery
Having a plan and then actually planning are two different things. A world apart, in fact.
Gone are the days of showing up at the airport with a change of clothes…then hopping a plane to somewhere exiting and unknown. Passports, TSA, and security demand a little more planning than that.
Let’s plan…at least a little.
Checking airfare and finding the right prices, deciding where to stay, and looking through guidebooks and websites presents half the fun of travel for me. Maybe, it’s because I’ve done this countless times. Maybe, it’s because I know what I’m doing. Or, maybe it’s because I have a plan.
Plans don’t have to be long, drawn out, set-in-stone documents. Plans are just simple guides…something to help you start off on the right foot. Starting with the right plan can be the difference in a great trip and one that leaves you frustrated.
I like check lists. I also like spreadsheets. They help keep me organized.
You may not like either of those! That’s okay. Keep reading and something may jump out at you!
These suggestions, tips, and planning tricks have been compiled from my travels, from other professional travelers, from travel journalists, and from those who love to escape somewhere new.
Figure out what works for you and start planning.
Trieste…Loitering at its Best
“Trieste offers no unforgettable landmark, no universally familiar melody, no unmistakable cuisine.” Jan Morris
Why on earth would anyone go to Trieste after reading that quote from travel writer Jan Morris? Because. In fact, writers have come to Trieste for years to embrace the city’s prickly grace, savor its glistening belle époque cafes, and enjoy the lack of tourism. Having said that, the best way to experience Trieste is by loitering.
Start your day with a fantastic cup of coffee, relaxing in the Piazza dell’Unita d’Italia. After all, this is one of Europe’s greatest coffee ports, supplying more than 40% of Italy’s coffee. The thriving coffee industry began here with the Austro-Hungarian government and is still considered the coffee capital of Italy.
As for the Piazza, this vast public domain is supposed to be the largest square opening onto a waterfront in Italy. Dozens of cafes and bars open onto the Piazza. Sit and savor coffee in the morning, prosecco in the afternoon…or the other way around. It doesn’t matter. Watch the ships in the harbor as you listen to locals greeting each other in Triestino, the local dialect still in wide use. Enjoy a Viennese pastry with coffee or chocolate cake and nibbles with your prosecco. If it’s the hour of the passeggiata, the so Italian moment between the end of the workday and dinnertime…an entirely different scene unfolds in the Piazza. Trieste hospitality includes more nibbles with your evening prosecco. Life is good.
Trieste is a medium size seaport literally teetering on the edge of Italy, its limestone plateau gracefully tumbling into the Adriatic Sea. Its history is somewhat convoluted and Trieste has been in more than one tug of war between countries. It once was one of the oldest parts of the Habsburg Monarchy. Throughout history Trieste has been an important spot in the struggle between the Eastern and Western blocs after WWII.
History and its influences are evident in the streets, buildings, food, and castles. Sitting in the Piazza, look at the buildings bordering the three sides of the square. With a boxy wedding cake like style, these massive buildings look like they belong in Germany…not Italy. Many streets appear to be symmetrical with buildings resembling everything from rigid, almost Teutonic in style to one showing off proud neo-Classical features. Italian flair mixed in with Germanic rigidness proves how history influenced this city. Influence of the Roman Empire remains here as well, with the Roman theatre ruins. Built between the first and second centuries AD, these were uncovered in 1938.
Of course, there’s the castle…Castello Miramare to be exact. Lying on the waterfront only five miles from the city center, this castle was built on a rocky cliff between 1856 and 1860 as the residence for Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian of Hapsburg and his wife Charlotte of Belgium. Eclectic in design is the only way to describe the features included…an aquarium like fixture in one ceiling, an impressive display of weapons, and styles throughout that combine Gothic, Renaissance, and Medieval. The 22 hectar large park with its imported soil, exotic trees, and spectacular plants and flowers from all over the world were meant to be impressive. Included on the grounds is the Castelletto, a small castle where Charlotte lived after her return from Mexico. Sadly, it is also where she was locked up after a nervous breakdown.
History didn’t forget the food, either. Most pastries are rich, flaky, and Viennese in style and taste. In fact, the local cuisine is just as diverse as the population of Trieste. German influenced sauerkraut, salt cod from the Adriatic, or local red wine…nothing stereotypical here.
Trieste…a city meant to be walked and explored. Linger…loiter…savor at a relaxed tempo. Don’t worry about the other Italian cities putting on their show of architectural splendor. Trieste is a modern city sometimes neglected by guide books. Take some time to explore this corner of Italy.
If You Go: Fly into Venice and take the two hour train ride. Once in Trieste, you can walk everywhere.
Most of these things, I pack. Again, in small quantities. Some are must-have items. You’ll figure out which ones are yours. Keep in mind, they may differ depending upon the trip you’re taking. That’s the beauty of this list.
Compression bags are perfect for consolidating less-needed items, or even dirty laundry. Don’t have compression bags? Use large re-sealable bags. After you put your things in the bag, close it part way, and squish out as much air as you can. Then, finish sealing it.
If you use a resealable bag for each charger and label the bag, you’ll know exactly what goes with what device. If all your devices take the same charger, it’s still handy to have it in its own bag. In your hotel room, put the empty bag by your glasses, phone, or something else you know you won’t forget. That will remind you of the charger sitting in an outlet across the room or behind the desk lamp.
Trying to figure out how to pack your shoes? You may need to take a nice pair and don’t want them scuffed up in your suitcase. Or, you may need to bring home some sandy ones after a day at the beach. Use a disposable shower cap. The elastic edge helps hold the shoes in and the plastic keeps them away from other clothes. In fact, I keep one from a hotel in my suitcase.
Wondering why you need to pack some of these things?
Happy Mother’s Day to all Mothers…
Check out these simple tips if your trip is six months out:
Do you sleep on planes? If so, you probably already have your routine set. If not, maybe some of these tips will help.
A sleep mask blocks out the light. Ear plugs block out sounds. Noise cancelling headphones can be a great addition to your carry-on bag.
If your flight is an overnight one, it might help to dim the screen or shut it off completely.
If you’re taller than the blankets given on long flights, you might want to bring a shawl or lightweight blanket of your own. That way you can stay warm enough.
Consider bringing an extra pair of socks.
Make sure your legs have enough room. I know there isn’t much extra space to deal with, but moving whatever you can out of the way will help.
If you’re used to taking Melatonin to help with sleep, consider taking it on long flights as well.
If motion sickness is an issue, be sure to talk to your physician and see what you can take.
Sometimes, having an essential oil like lavender helps as well.
If you normally have a glass of wine before you go to bed, have one in the air.
If you have extra time in the airport before you depart, get a massage.
Be sure to wear comfortable, not constricting, clothes.
What are your suggestions?
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