Travel tips? - packing, delays, good deals, etc

juniper · Apr 29, 2016

Hey there, there's been some talk in various thread on packing light for travel, dealing with airplane ticket counters, security, handling delayed flights, what to take on a cruise, finding good deals ... if you've got some good ideas, please mention them here.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who packs "just in case" items that go unused. Good packing technique is especially important for airplane travel now, since most airlines are charging for checked bags and limiting the weights of suitcases. I've looked at YouTube videos and websites and some of the advice seems too extreme for me.

And yet, I know people who will take just a backpack for a trip of 3-4 days. I have a friend who did just that when she visited me recently - she was actually here for a job-related visit, but stayed with me - and she did just that - flew from another state with just a backpack. Admittedly her job-related meeting was casual clothes, she didn't need a suit or fancy shoes, but still - all her personal stuff plus clothes, in a backpack.

I envy that. I'm a "just-in-case" kind of person, even in my daily handbag. So I'd like some packing tips.

One tip I'll throw out here I learned several years ago. If you're booked with an airline, put their 1-800 customer service phone number into your contacts list on your phone. Then if your flight is delayed and there's a melee at the airport with everyone crowding around the ticket counter, you can call and get help quicker than waiting in line. That's saved me a couple of times.

Also, consider alternative travel routes if you're delayed. The airports we frequently use are susceptible to weather delays - we've run into them a lot. One time, trying to fly out of Portland Maine, the airport was closed as we were there, waiting in line. As we were trying to get onto another flight, I overheard someone talking about taking a bus down to Boston Massachusetts and flying out from there. The Boston airport was open. I went online on my phone and found the bus schedule, worked with the airplane ticket agent, and we took a bus down to Boston and got on a flight from there.

Once while flying from southern California to somewhere ... ? ... the flight through San Francisco was canceled but we managed to go through Reno Nevada instead and continued on our way.

Thinking outside the box is critical for travel mess-ups.

Ok, who's next? I've got a cross-country flight planned for next month and I'm determined to improve my packing by then.

darkprincealain · Apr 29, 2016

I know, I know, I know, everybody hates the cattle call, but my big packing tip for travel is fly Southwest. That way you don't have to limit your packing as much.

If your just in case item will only get you out of one potential jam or is obtainable within a reasonable budget at your destination, don't pack it. You could posit 100 what ifs and given the fact that no one can predict the future, you could end up bringing a bunch of things unsuitable to get you out of the jam that actually happens. Also, a lot more fits in one suitcase if you just follow someone's organizational structure. Throwing things in arbitrarily never uses suitcase space very well.

CassandraW · Apr 29, 2016

Some packing tips I posted in the "girl stuff" thread. I am allergic to checking luggage and to carrying lots of stuff.

CassandraW said:
bras -- I fold them in half and put panties and/or socks in between to keep the cups in proper shape.

running shoes -- I hang on to old running shoes that are close to their end. I bring those on trips, and leave them wherever I'm going, so I only need to bring them one way. Sounds stupid, but it makes room if I want to buy something. Also, I just hate carrying any more shit than I must.

Stuff shoes with socks, or a mini umbrella, or other things that are small that you don't mind coming in contact with the insides of shoes.

I generally limit myself to my running shoes and one pair of simple but attractive flats that go nicely with either jeans or casual dresses. I wear one of those pairs. Sometimes, depending on where I'm going, I'll bring a pair of flip flops, or if I have a specific dress occasion that requires a fancier shoe, I'll bring those, but I never bring them "just in case."

CassandraW said:
oh, I absolutely wear jeans at least 4 times when traveling! If you spill something on them, you wash the stain in the sink and hang them to dry overnight (or lay them on a radiator, if it's winter. Or hell, use a blow-dryer on the spot.

Jeans hold up well to multiple wearings. IMO. I suppose if you have powerful body funk or plan on doing really dirty stuff in them, that might be another thing. But after 4, 5, or even 6 days just walking around a city, my jeans do not seem to smell, nor do they look much the worse for wear, as a rule. (Unlike, say, cotton trousers, which seem to look like shit after one wearing.) Underwear, t-shirts, and running attire are another matter, of course.

Even with regard to that stuff, though, I generally bring very little and just wash stuff in the sink. That's why I can travel for a month with a carry-on bag. Did I mention I HATE carrying lots of luggage? If I can't carry it up several flights of stairs myself in a pinch, I won't bring it. Also -- while I'm happy to wash stuff, I will not iron. Ever. Even at home, I avoid it whenever possible.

CassandraW said:
I am quite serious that I have traveled for a month with a carry-on bag, and with fairly large climate fluctuations. (In fact, when on vacation, I have never carried more than this. I only have needed a larger bag when on prolonged (like more than two weeks) business trips that also involved dress-up occasions.

Bring simple, flexible, neutral stuff that you can layer and dress up and down, and that will cover you for most weather and most situations. You can be seen in the same thing again and again -- no one gives a damn, as long as you don't smell!

Cold weather, or a big weather fluctuation is the biggest challenge for light packing. I have a black wool cardigan that zips up the front into sort of a turtleneck (if you zip it all the way), or you can leave it open, or you can leave it partially open so the turtle forms kind of a collar. It's simple and classy looking, looks good with jeans or a skirt. It was expensive, but worth every dime -- it still looks great and I never go on a trip without it. Under a light jacket, with a scarf, hat and gloves, it is warm enough for any temperature above freezing. Alone, it will carry through the 50s and 60s (or alternatively, I can wear the jacket alone). I need no other sweater or jacket. And I don't need to wash it during a trip unless I glop something on it -- it seems to be immune to smells. Seriously.

I have a pair of black skinny-legged pants with a touch of spandex in them. They're very flattering on me, I can roll them in a ball and they emerge perfectly, can easily be dressed up or down. They come with me on most trips. Most of the time, paired with a black top and/or the sweater, they dress me up as much as I need to be dressed up when I'm on vacation.

If it's all warm weather, it's even easier to get everything in a carry-on. I have a couple of really great very comfy little sundress things that can be rolled into a ball if need be. They have shelf bras, and as I'm a B-cup, I don't even need a bra under them. E.g. -- http://www.patagonia.com/us/product/womens-latticeback-dress?p=59015-0 And they look darling with a little cardigan or a jean jacket (I particularly love them with a jean jacket). They're comfy enough to run around in all day, but IMO, you can dress them up enough to get you through most situations on vacation (unless you're going to be dining at very fancy places or have a black-tie event or something-- I rarely do).

Oh -- and GET AN E-BOOK READER!!! Yes, you might prefer reading physical books. I do myself. But with a kindle, you can bring hundreds of books (even library books) with less than the weight of a single paperback. OMG, so awesome. I can easily get through a couple of novels on an international flight, so my bag used to be half books (which I'd discard as I went, purchasing new ones whenever I found an English book store). My kindle saved my back and my wallet!

Five things I will not travel without, ever, no matter where I'm going and why:

--my kindle
--my music
--noise cancelling headphones (a MUST on long plane, train and bus rides)
--foam earplugs (your hotel room might be across the street from an all night disco...)
--eye cover for sleeping (on planes, trains, buses, and maybe your hotel room)

Tip on a planes with screaming babies -- insert foam earplugs. put noise cancelling headphones over them. Put on music or white noise app. Foam earplugs alone won't suffice to block out screaming babies, nor will the noise-cancelling headphones, but together, they do the job.

Do not ever bring full-size toiletries. Even if I go for a month, I don't need a whole bottle of anything. Get little bottles/jars and fill them with your stuff.

You probably don't need a blow-dryer. Most places have them. Double check to be sure, but these days, I've found that to be true even in dinky bed and breakfasts and really cheap places. (I'm very cheap.) Double check, if you're really that attached to a blow-dryer.

Consider sleeping nude, especially if traveling alone or with a spouse/significant other. That's one less thing to pack. I bring sleeping clothes if I'm traveling with a friend, but not otherwise. It's plenty warm enough under the covers.

ETA:

another thing I always bring on international trips (or any trip that involves a very long stint on a plane, train, or bus) is an inflatable head pillow that goes around my neck to support it. This kind of thing. Why inflatable? So it folds down into a tiny packet when I'm not using it. Why the kind that goes around your neck? So if you can't recline much, your head doesn't loll around and wake you up.

c.e.lawson · Apr 29, 2016

Ooh, fun.

I color coordinate the wardrobe each trip so that decreases the number of shoes or belts required. (And also only 1 lipstick shade needed)
I use a body lotion that also works great on my face - St Ives Skin Renewing - so one less beauty product.
I carry on one suitcase plus one bag that's larger than a regular purse but still easily fits under the seat in front of me - can get a lot into that.
My travel pillow for the plane is inflatable
I wear my bulkiest shoes on the flight
I pack nail polish remover cloths which come in tiny packets, instead of a bottle of the liquid.
Mini brushes or combs work fine instead of the full sized ones
I have a Kindle app on my iPhone so don't even need to bring a Kindle to read books.
Tide and Woolite have little packets of laundry soap for hand washing in the sink (or machine if the hotel has a washer).
I switch to a smaller wallet with only the necessary cards for travel (unlike my usual bigger wallet that has library cards, too many credit cards, business cards I rarely use, etc.)
I use my jacket (which is my favorite soft travel jacket) for a blanket on the plane which keeps me cozy (I always get cold on planes) and leaves more room in my suitcase.
I use little travel pill containers for tylenol, ibuprofen, etc. instead of their own containers which are bigger/bulkier.
Fun thread! I'll post more if I think of anything.

CassandraW · Apr 29, 2016

If I've booked hotels or other arrangements ahead of time, I always print out the confirmations and bring them. Scoff all you like. At least twice, the hotel has lost my reservation and has been sold out. If you can show them that you did indeed book, they'll bend over backwards finding you a decent place to stay, and take care of getting you there. This happened to me once when I arrived in Copenhagen during some festival time (or something where practically all the hotels were booked to the hilt). It was night. They weren't all that apologetic until I pulled out my booking sheet and they realized it was their fault. I sat down and had drinks and snacks on them while they phoned around and found me a place to stay -- and then paid for my cab there. It's a few pieces of paper. Bring 'em.

IMODIUM! Or some kind of diarrhea medicine. ESPECIALLY if you are going to a foreign country. Trust me, if you get diarrhea on your trip, the last thing you want to do is shuffle around to Russian drug stores trying to find the appropriate stuff. Even if you're in a place where you speak the language, the drug store might be close. You might be just about to get on a plane or train when it hits. You want something with you.

-- Cass, 36 countries and counting.

ETA:

Heh. On the hotel confirmation sheet front -- when I was in Croatia, I arrived at my hotel to discover it was CLOSED FOR RENOVATIONS since the time I booked it! And they hadn't notified me. Looking at my confirmation sheet, I saw that they had sister hotels. I found one, presented them with my confirmation sheet and my situation. I got a huge apology and a suite -- they upgraded me to make up for the hassle. A couple pieces of paper take up so little space, and they've saved my ass more than once.

c.e.lawson · Apr 29, 2016

Ooh, one thing I just did for the first time out of desperation - couldn't find a flight from Eugene Oregon to San Francisco at the right time in the evening. So I booked a 1 stop flight from Eugene to Los Angeles that had the stop in San Francisco where we had to switch planes at the perfect time for us. We just didn't take the second leg, haha.

CassandraW · Apr 29, 2016

c.e.lawson said:
I have a Kindle app on my iPhone so don't even need to bring a Kindle to read books.

I have the kindle app, but I bring the kindle anyway on trips. First, I hate reading on that tiny screen. Second, the battery on my kindle lasts literally days -- sometimes weeks, if I'm not reading all the time. The battery on my phone -- yeah, a day. And that's if I'm not using it all the time. It sucks to have the battery run out.

It's not much weight or space, so it is worth it to me. Also, I travel alone and read a lot. If you're with someone and/or don't read much, a phone is probably fine.

AW Admin · Apr 29, 2016

I also print two copies of boarding passes, because weird shit happens.

cornflake · Apr 29, 2016

What is the stuff you take just in case?

If it's like, Imodium and stuff, call the hotel and ask if there's a 24-hour pharmacy or mini-mart type thing within walking distance. If so, skip packing that stuff. Or limit yourself to one small pill bottle - stick in a couple of Tylenol, a couple of whatever, etc.

If it's clothes, do something like either write down everything you took on your last trip and what you used of it, or write down everything you wear at home for the same number of days - to the sock. Then figure out what you actually need. Say you normally bring seven shirts for four days, used five because you changed for dinner once, and at home you wore three shirts in four days. Take four or five and you'll know you're covered.

It's hard to change all at once, so step down, like the pill bottle or one extra whatever instead of three.

Also, track what you use every trip for a bit and it might make you feel better. Get one of those packs of a few hundred little brightly-coloured stickers, like to put prices on garage-sale items, little yellow circles or whatever. Stick a sticker on each thing as you put it in your suitcase. Every time you use a thing on your trip, remove the sticker from it.

When you get home, see what still has stickers.

CassandraW · Apr 29, 2016

AW Admin said:
I also print two copies of boarding passes, because weird shit happens.

I do that, too! Because yes, weird stuff happens, and I'm paranoid.

Also, I make a copy of the main page of my passport and bring it with along in my bag if traveling internationally. I read somewhere that if it is lost or stolen, having a copy will facilitate getting a new one. (I have never, thank heaven, lost my passport, but this just makes good sense to me.)

I also write down the emergency numbers on my credit/debit cards I'm bringing, along with the account numbers, and keep it separately from my wallet. Once, a long time ago, I was pickpocketed, and this paid off. It is much easier to call your credit card company, cancel the card, and get a new one overnighted to you if you have those numbers handy.

I know it sounds like I'm lugging around a bunch of pieces of paper "just in case," but all together they take up less room than that extra t-shirt you didn't really need. And seriously, they have saved my butt on occasion.

For those of you who don't know it, by the way, just about every place has an ATM these days. And usually, that's a better option than travelers checks or exchanging money before you go. (If you're going somewhere remote, double check on this.) Also -- make sure your debit card's password will work in that place's ATMs! Any decent travel guide should tell you how many digits it should have, what types of cards work, etc. My passport is four digits long and so far works everywhere.

I always hang on to at least 15-20 euros from my previous trip to Europe. I know I'll go back, and having that bit of money to start with is rather nice, just in case I don't immediately find an ATM and want to grab a cup of coffee, to take a cab, etc. (If you don't travel often to Europe, then obviously this is pointless. )

Lavern08 · Apr 29, 2016

I agree - Always travel wearing your heaviest, bulkiest, coat/jacket/shoes/boots - Leaves more room in your luggage.

No matter how long the trip, I only take a carry-on and a really large purse - Make sure you keep your toiletries, meds, makeup, water and snacks in that big purse, too - Because you never know when or if you need to make a quick get-away and not have time to grab the carry-on.

cornflake · Apr 29, 2016

I believe the passport thing is true - I went on a trip in college that came with some security/insurance service thing and they had a list of stuff to do, which included making two clear copies of your open passport (the info page obvs.), visa, all tickets and itinerary. You can arrange stuff so it fits on a page or two. Then we had to carry one set and leave one set with someone who could be reached at home, in case everything was gone, or something happened, they'd know where you were meant to be, basically, and could fax or scan and send your info to an embassy or you or whatever. They said it was much easier to get a replacement or temp papers to allow you to travel if you had the copies for the embassy.

You could also take pics of documents with your phone now, and make a list of emergency numbers - people at home, embassy, airline, whatever, and save them in contacts (most countries do this under ICE [In Case of Emergency] - so if cops in Bulgaria are looking on your phone, it's likely that's what they'd look for) or take a pic of a physical list.

CassandraW · Apr 29, 2016

cornflake said:
If it's like, Imodium and stuff, call the hotel and ask if there's a 24-hour pharmacy or mini-mart type thing within walking distance. If so, skip packing that stuff. Or limit yourself to one small pill bottle - stick in a couple of Tylenol, a couple of whatever, etc.

It kind of depends on where you're going and where you're staying. Even then, it's mighty handy to have it with you when you need it.

If you are staying in a nice hotel with English speaking staff in a fairly good-sized city, maybe the hotel will obtain it for you. But that's not always the case when travelling internationally and/or on the cheap. They may not even know what the hell you're talking about. There may not be anyone at the desk all night at your little bed and breakfast, or they may not speak English. I have been there, more than once.

I was struck with diarrhea in a small town in Poland with no 24-hour pharmacy. On a Sunday. When NOTHING was open. Traveling alone. Yeah, I was glad I had Imodium with me. Oh, and let us not forget my four days in a mountain lodge in Thailand, far from any pharmacy.

Also, even if you are in a place with a nearby pharmacy that is conveniently open, if you have really bad diarrhea, getting to a place "within walking distance" can get ugly. Having it with you when you need it -- priceless. (It really doesn't take up much room.)

I would rather bring a single black t-shirt and wash it every blessed night of my trip than leave my Imodium at home.

cornflake · Apr 29, 2016

CassandraW said:
It kind of depends on where you're going and where you're staying. Even then, it's mighty handy to have it with you when you need it.

If you are staying in a nice hotel with English speaking staff in a fairly good-sized city, maybe the hotel will obtain it for you. But that's not always the case when travelling internationally and/or on the cheap. They may not even know what the hell you're talking about. There may not be anyone at the desk all night at your little bed and breakfast, or they may not speak English. I have been there, more than once.

I was struck with diarrhea in a small town in Poland with no 24-hour pharmacy. On a Sunday. When NOTHING was open. Traveling alone. Yeah, I was glad I had Imodium with me. Oh, and let us not forget my four days in a mountain lodge in Thailand, far from any pharmacy.

Also, even if you are in a place with a nearby pharmacy that is conveniently open, if you have really bad diarrhea, getting to a place "within walking distance" can get ugly. Having it with you when you need it -- priceless. (It really doesn't take up much room.)

I would rather bring a single black t-shirt and wash it every blessed night of my trip than leave my Imodium at home.

Heh - I guess it depends on what and how much someone is taking 'in case.' If you're packing a few of this and a few of that, ok. If you're taking like, Zantac and Benadryl and etc., boxes even though you're not known to be allergic to anything and don't have acid reflux but once 10 years ago, you may be overpacking.

I do not enjoy sink laundry, personally. I know people do and it's not a deal, but to me, bleh, a chore and I don't like the result.

c.e.lawson · Apr 29, 2016

CassandraW said:
It kind of depends on where you're going and where you're staying. Even then, it's mighty handy to have it with you when you need it.

If you are staying in a nice hotel with English speaking staff in a fairly good-sized city, maybe the hotel will obtain it for you. But if not, they may not even know what the hell you're talking about. There may not be anyone at the desk all night at your little bed and breakfast, or they may not speak English. I have been there, more than once.

I was struck with diarrhea in a small town in Poland with no 24-hour pharmacy. On a Sunday. When NOTHING was open. Yeah, I was glad I had Imodium with me. Oh, and let us not forget my four days in a mountain lodge in Thailand, far from any pharmacy.

Also, even if you are in a place with a nearby pharmacy that is conveniently open, if you have really bad diarrhea, getting to a place "within walking distance" can get ugly. Having it with you when you need it -- priceless. (It really doesn't take up much room. )

Yeah, even going out for Motrin when you have a bad headache sucks. It's worth it to me to bring a little Tylenol or Motrin, Benadryl, antacid, and Kaopectate.

MaryMumsy · Apr 29, 2016

Yes, yes, a thousand times yes, on printing your hotel confirmation. My last trip they wanted to charge me $30 more for the second night of a two night stay. Had my paperwork in hand. They still got the $30, but they got it in the bar. And yes on printing two copies of the boarding pass.

I'm with the dark prince on SWA. I love the cattle call. I pay the $15 each way for them to do early check-in for me. That way I get a window seat (no one climbing in and out over me) and there is still overhead bin space above my seat.

Black goes with everything. I wear one black skirt to travel and have a back-up in my duffle bag. All tops are either black or black with color. One shirt type black jacket that can be rolled and stuffed in the duffle or in my tote bag. One top for each two days of the trip. You can rotate them. Two sets of underwear. The one I have on and a spare to wear while the first set is drying. One pair of black flip-flops I wear, and black flats in the duffle. Many things "live" in my duffle. Hair dryer, shampoo/conditioner, asparin, pepto-bismol tablets, collapsible hat, hair pins/scrunchies/etc. I can pack for a week long trip in 30 minutes as long as I don't have to do laundry first. And it all fits in the duffle.

Don't fold clothes, roll them. They actually take up less space and are likely to be less wrinkled. Take several empty plastic zip bags. They take no space, and you never know if you'll need to pack something wet or icky.

I get those little "snack" size zip bags. Meds go in those. One days worth of pills in each. Takes much less space than the original bottles.

And I echo Cass: if you can't carry your bag yourself it is too big.

Never put your meds or jewelry in checked luggage. I've been flying for 60 years (yes 60), and have never had a bag lost or delayed, but better safe than sorry.

MM

CassandraW · Apr 29, 2016

MaryMumsy said:
Never put your meds or jewelry in checked luggage. I've been flying for 60 years (yes 60), and have never had a bag lost or delayed, but better safe than sorry.

MM

Yes, indeed. I had a friend who had a bag go missing forever -- she never got it back. It doesn't happen often, but it happens. Another had a laptop and some jewelry stolen from her checked bag. That, I think, happens more frequently.

I rarely check anything, but if I do, it's nothing valuable.

My last trip they wanted to charge me $30 more for the second night of a two night stay. Had my paperwork in hand. They still got the $30, but they got it in the bar.

Yes, this has also happened to me. If you got a really good deal on your hotel room, especially if you booked it through another site, it's doubly important to bring the confirmation to prove the rate. They might have your room in their computer -- but conveniently lost your bargain rate. Also, if they confirmed you had a balcony or a non-smoking room, it's good to have a piece of paper proving it.

ETA:

If you book a room on a travel site, always double check the rate on the place's own website. They might have a better bargain than the one you found, or some special deal (e.g., stay the third night free). Also, FWIW, I've noticed I'm more frequently upgraded to a better room if I book on the place's own site, so if all else is equal, I do so.

jjdebenedictis · Apr 29, 2016

My apologies if anyone else has covered these tips in-thread, but here's what I do:

- Plan to roll ALL your clothes. Jeans, panties, t-shirts, collared shirts. Done properly, not only do rolled clothes not wrinkle as much, they also take up less space. [Edit: I see this one has.

]

- Learn how to roll your t-shirts like this. Then, add the following twist: Roll up one pair of underwear and one pair of socks in the t-shirt. Now one bundle = one day's clothes. Less rummaging in your suitcase trying to remember where all the necessary bits were put.

- Take an empty cloth bag -- something voluminous yet pliable. Your dirty laundry goes in the bag, keeping it separate from clean clothes, and you can punch the laundry bag into the space that the clean clothes previously occupied. (If you start running out of room in the suitcase, you may need to start rolling your dirty laundry, however.)

- Yes, bring anti-nausea medicine, anti-diarrhea medicine, painkillers, pepto-bismal and antacids. (And anti-malarials, depending on where you're going.) Also...

- ...go to the dollar store and buy one of those small plastic boxes that lets forgetful people organize their pills by day. Put some of each of the above medicines in your pill case, and label them with the medicine name and its dosing instructions. That little pill box now goes in your pocket or purse, and you take it with you everywhere. If you get the trots two hours into a six-hour tour, it's now not a problem that you left your bottle of Imodium back in the hotel room.

- Put a large, empty ziplock somewhere easy-to-get-to in your carry-on. When you're ready to head into the security line-up at the airport, take off your jewellery and belt, and throw them in the ziplock along with the contents of your pockets. Now put the ziplock back in your carry-on and close the carry-on up. After the line-up, you aren't stuck having to fish all that small fiddly stuff out of a bin while everyone waits for you; it's all one unit, and it's in your carry-on, so you can walk away and put everything back on later, in the pre-flight lounge.

- A baggy coat with big, zippable pockets has two advantages:
1) If you put it over your purse and skirt/pants pockets, it's an effective barrier against pickpockets, and
2) Anything you might want from your carry-on bag while in transit can go in your coat pockets instead, saving you from having to climb over people and rummage in the overhead bin to get it.

- For transoceanic flights, bring a pair of earbud headphones in a small ziplock baggie (to keep the cord under control) in case the airline wants to charge you money to get theirs, or theirs don't work. It's also nice to have an eyemask and an inflatable neck pillow with you.

- Speaking of neck pillows, try putting the open end of the u-shape toward the back of your neck, not the front. Some people find that works better (although I'm not one of them.

)

I_love_coffee · May 5, 2016

Has anybody traveled with their pets?

I Need to plan a summer vacation- 2 adults, 2 teenage boys. Would love to bring our dog, too. There's a whole boring backstory about why I'm concerned about leaving him at home and having a dog sitter come in.

So, thinking of a driving trip within 8 hours of where we live ( NJ), and need to find somewhere to stay that is dog friendly. Anyone have any ideas?

cornflake · May 5, 2016

How does your dog do in the car? Do you have a car crate or seat belt for him? Is your route/plan amenable to frequent water/walk stops?

There are hotels and motels that are pet friendly. However, definitely call in advance to check policies and book - some have restrictions on number of pets at one time, so if someone gets there before you, you'd be screwed.

Some of the restrictions in my experience - pet deposits (from like $25-$100), only X size/weight/breed, need to have a crate, allowable time left alone (from none at all to like a few minutes to ok if crated, but mostly the first two - they don't want to have a situation with barking dogs and people not there to do anything, or a maid wanting to enter a room with a dog in it), no pets on the furniture.

With four full-size people and a dog you also might run into occupancy issues and have to do two rooms. I dunno, obviously, totally depends on the place.

I_love_coffee · May 5, 2016

my dog loves car rides, we just seatbelt him in.

we would not stay at a hotel with him. Thinking more along the lines of renting a beach house for a week. Definitely need to look into it more.

juniper · May 5, 2016

My husband and I signed up for TSA pre-check a month ago. Pre-check lets you go into a special security line and skip most of the hassle of the regular line. We started getting put into the pre-check a few years ago - not sure why we were given that but it was a huge bonus and we've gotten it ever since. The pre-check lines have been much shorter and quicker than the other. Don't have to take off shoes, or separate out toiletries, don't have to go through the extra scanner stuff, and a few other niceties.

Now, though, you have to actually sign up for it and be approved through a background check. Costs $85 for five years of pre-check status. It's an online application and then go get fingerprinted. My fingerprints are crappy - I had to get them done a few years ago for a medical certification, and it was a problem then too. My husband's approval came through in just a few days, but mine is still on hold a month later. They said my fingerprints can't be used so they're doing a background check through name and social security number. Takes extra time. I've a flight the end of May so I hope I have the approval by then.

The TSA pre-check is only valid for USA flights, and my brother says the pre-check line isn't that much quicker in Atlanta, because a lot of people there have signed up for it. Atlanta is a major travel hub. Here's the website if you're interested. https://www.tsa.gov/tsa-precheck

Pyekett · May 6, 2016

I_love_coffee said:
Has anybody traveled with their pets? . . .

So, thinking of a driving trip within 8 hours of where we live ( NJ), and need to find somewhere to stay that is dog friendly. Anyone have any ideas?

I did a lot of car travel with a dog in the US and Canada, and Super8 was my go-to hotel. They were reasonably priced, pet-friendly without a fee, had wireless, and had at least a minimal complimentary breakfast. I usually had make-your-own waffles and a hardboiled egg with coffee.

I liked having a pet-friendly chain for loyalty points and free upgrades. Not that any room in a Super8 is great shakes, but I would get extra-early check ins and late checkouts. That's gold if you're exhausted from the road.

Albedo · May 6, 2016

It's almost always cheaper to buy new underwear as you travel, rather than wash your dirty pairs in hotel laundries. (Note: this strategy nearly ended in disaster in Japan, where it was almost impossible to get my size.

)

jjdebenedictis · May 6, 2016

Albedo said:
It's almost always cheaper to buy new underwear as you travel, rather than wash your dirty pairs in hotel laundries. (Note: this strategy nearly ended in disaster in Japan, where it was almost impossible to get my size. )

My spouse got those travel underwear that you can wash in the sink and they'll be dry, humidity permitting, by the next morning.

They cost $18 a pair, but they helped him do a 3-week trip to India with nothing but carry-on luggage.

Travel tips? - packing, delays, good deals, etc

juniper

Always curious.

darkprincealain

CassandraW

c.e.lawson

CassandraW

c.e.lawson

CassandraW

AW Admin

cornflake

practical experience, FTW

CassandraW

Lavern08

Sit Down, and Shut Up!

cornflake

practical experience, FTW

CassandraW

cornflake

practical experience, FTW

c.e.lawson

MaryMumsy

the original blond bombshell

CassandraW

jjdebenedictis

is watching you via her avatar

I_love_coffee

that's what it's all about....

cornflake

practical experience, FTW

I_love_coffee

that's what it's all about....

juniper

Always curious.

Pyekett

I need no hot / Words.

Albedo

Alex

jjdebenedictis

is watching you via her avatar