Tag: how to

Ten tips for packing for a business trip

Ten tips for packing for a business trip

I am currently in Kansas City for a week. The reason: work.  Now, packing for business travel is very different than packing for a personal trip. In general, it requires more clothes. Luckily, I work for a very casual company and the dress code is 

How to do Disney World as an adult

How to do Disney World as an adult

If you read that title and are asking yourself, “Why would I do Disney World as an adult?”, I want you to know that you are asking a fair question. Disney is not for everyone and if the idea of visiting the ‘happiest place on 

Summer Music Festival Preparation

Summer Music Festival Preparation

Tips and tricks for a strong summer music festival preparation.

The weather is getting hot, the flowers are in full bloom and if you are really lucky, you are listening to a sweet riff on an electric guitar. Summer is upon us, which means (in B’s and my world) the season of summer music festivals has begun. The reasons for attending music festivals are many: all your favorite artists in one place, you get to mix the outdoors with groovy tunes, you get an excellent bang for your buck for a ticket when compared to seeing all of the artists individually. All in all, music festivals are a lot of fun.

Braun Brothers Reunion in Challis, Idaho summer music festival preparation
Braun Brothers Reunion in Challis, Idaho

Variety is the Spice…

They seem to be available in most genres. In our neck of the woods, we have the Boise Music Festival (pop), Mountain Home Music Festival (country), Gene Harris Festival (jazz), Huckleberry Jam (indie) and the Weiser Fiddler Festival (bluegrass), just to name a few. You might have to travel to get to a festival with your style of music, but I think if you look for it, you’ll find one that suits your tastes. Okay, now that I’ve convinced you to go to a summer music festival, we need to discuss what to bring. B and I are veterans of this type of event, and the list below includes our recommendations for important things to have that we have learned through lots of experience.

Seating options

Summer music festival preparation seating options
A variety of seating options.

Most festivals are located in wide open spaces, like parks or fields, so you rarely have assigned seats and instead need to bring one. You can go with a few different options here; all have pros and cons.

Tall lawn chairs

Pro:

  • Most comfortable, especially if you have a fancy one that reclines.
  • Height advantage, these are taller so you can see the performance over the lower seat options.

Con:

  • Heavy and cumbersome, if you have to walk far from the car to your spot this is going to be a real drag.
  • Seating restrictions. Some places have levels, so if you are sitting on a blanket you get to sit in front of the chairs…can we just take a moment to state that even if the venue doesn’t restrict this you still shouldn’t set up shop in front of people if you have taller chairs? That’s just rude.

Lower lawn chairs

Pro:

  • Medium comfort level, because you will have back support.
  • Easy to carry since they are compact in size.

Con:

  • Not as comfortable as a taller chair.
  • If jerks sit in front of you, you won’t be able to see.

Blankets

Pro:

  • Defined space, a blanket on the ground is a line in the sand. If you don’t want people crowding you, most times the blanket will keep them away….unless they are feeling really friendly.
  • Lightweight.
  • Spread out anywhere.
  • Can be used to keep warm if necessary.

Con:

  • You might get tired of sitting upright without back support.
  • You really won’t be able to see if people sit/stand in front of you.

Recommendation: if you know you are going to sit most of the time, bring the comfy tall chair. If you will be up in front of the stage for most of the show, opt for a low chair. And just always bring a blanket, you never know when/how you will need to use it.

Health/safety items

Attending summer music festivals can be dangerous for your health. Well, not really, but you are going to be a lot more comfortable and your body will thank you the next day if you bring the following items.

Sun protection

Bring sunblock and apply it frequently. It is always a good idea to lather up when you do anything outdoors in the summer, so sitting in the sun for 12 hours while you listen to music definitely requires sunblock applications. Day 2 would be a real bummer if you fry on Day 1. Very un-rock and roll. Also important is to bring a chapstick or lipstick that has sunscreen in it. Your concert boyfriend/girlfriend will thank you. One final mention on the sunblock front: there’s a product out there that allows you to dab sunscreen into your hair part without getting your hair all greasy. B saw some girls using it one year and made sure to add it to her repertoire for the next season.

Earplugs

B and I go to a lot of concerts and one thing they all have in common is they are really loud. Did you know that listening to loud music for long periods of time can cause permanent hearing loss? I love live music, but the thought of ringing in my ears for the next 60 years is very unsettling. Ear plugs are the answer for enjoying music and not saying, ‘eh?’ whenever someone talks to you. Sure, they might not look terribly cool, but you can purchase flesh colored ones and wear your hair down to disguise your practicality. If you are concerned about sound quality, you can purchase earplugs that are made to allow some sound in while blocking the rest. Basically, these are cheap versions of what the musicians wear. I purchased a set of DownBeats on Amazon and tried them out last week at the Highway 30 Music Festival and was pleasantly surprised by how good the music sounded.

Downbeats earplugs summer music festival preparation
Downbeats earplugs. A concert goer’s friends.

Healthy snacks

Most festivals come with food vendors selling delicious, albeit very unhealthy food. For one day, that is fine. The second day you might waver a little, but definitely by the third day you’ll probably end up craving anything not fried. If you bring some healthy food options you can replace a meal or two and you won’t feel so gross. Easy go to’s are nuts and protein bars.

Attire

We’ve stated many times that B and I are not fashionistas. It would be silly for us to tell you what to wear, except to say that you should choose materials carefully. Summer festivals can be h-o-t. Wearing wicking fabric and a flowy skirt that allows a breeze in your nether regions will help keep you cooler.

Hat

This could go in the sun prevention category because it will help you not get burned, but my favorite thing about a hat is that it hides all sorts of hair sins. At the Braun Brother’s Reunion Festival we go to, we are camping in a tent. My hair is hard to tame and a hat on Day 3 really makes things easier. Bonus: lots of bands have merch booths and you can support your new favorite band and look cute all at the same time.

Sunglasses

The sun is bright, so make sure to remember your shades. Bonus: you can blatantly stare at all the weirdos hippy dancing if your lenses are dark enough and they’ll never know.

Sunglasses and a hat summer music festival preparation
Don’t forget your shades or hat.

Sweater/jacket

You will probably be dying of heat during the day, but when the sun goes down it can get chilly in some parts (read: Idaho). Throw a hoodie in the bottom of your bag and it will make sure you stay warm enough to last until the last band’s last song.

Other miscellaneous items

Beverage accessories

I’m pretty sure most festivals we go to are funded by the outrageous amount of beer they sell at exorbitant prices. Whether you are drinking beer or water, it’s important to make sure you stay hydrated. Here are some things that will help with this:

Koozie

A koozie is a neoprene sleeve that fits around your beverage and helps keep it cool longer. You can most likely purchase these at merch booths, but try to remember to bring one with you, otherwise you’ll end up with quite the collection.

band koozies summer music festival preparation
Band Koozies. A practical souvenir.

Water bottle

We drink a lot of water at festivals (it’s good for you and keeps you cool, afterall) and the plastic water bottles really can add up. If you are environmentally conscious, bring a water bottle and refill when you can. Good karma will come your way.

Insulated cup

This is a new thing we just saw at the Highway 30 Festival. They were selling insulated cups, which if you purchased it, you were entitled to a discount on your beer. Pretty genius. I have no doubt I’ll see this at many more festivals in the future.

Tarp

The weather in the Idaho mountains can be pretty extreme. In the dead of summer, we’ve experienced hail, wind, downpour rain, and lightning while at festivals. It pays to be prepared for inclement weather. One year at BBR it looked like rain, so we brought the tarp in and set up our blanket on top of it. When the skies opened up we just pulled our tarp over our heads and while everyone else was getting soaked we were snug as a bug in a rug.

Having fun during a rain storm
Shenanigans while we wait for the rain to stop.

Schedule of events

A few years ago, B printed up the band schedule for a festival. This was a handy piece of paper to have around, we could slide it into the holders of our phones and easily see when our favorite band was coming up next or when we could make a trip to the food booth and miss an act that wasn’t very good. Another option is to snag a screenshot of the schedule on your phone and pull up the photo to keep on track.

Conclusion

One of the best things about summer is listening to great music underneath a star-filled sky. If you have been to music festivals, you know what I’m talking about. If you haven’t, look one up and try it out. The summer music festival preparation tips above will help make sure you have a good time.

Work-Life Balance with a Focus on Travel

Work-Life Balance with a Focus on Travel

Recently, I was asked to be on a panel at work to discuss work-life balance. Apparently, the organizers felt my tendency to travel whenever possible qualified me for the position. I was skeptical and not anxious to participate. However, I did not want to be 

How To Decide Where to Live

How To Decide Where to Live

A few weeks ago we had some out-of-towners come into the office for a business meeting. To get the introductions rolling, we each told our guests our favorite thing about living in Idaho. Most of the responses revolved around the outdoors (not surprisingly), but this 

How to Travel with Your Parents

How to Travel with Your Parents

Travel with parents, grandparents, first-timers and other novices is a different experience and requires a little different preparation. A couple of weeks ago, I traveled to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, with my parents. My dad has Lyme disease and we were told a specialist there might be able to help him. Now, my dad will always know more about cars than me and my sewing skills will never compare to my mothers. But travel, that is my game.

As my mom began making plans for a trip north, she asked me for some travel advice. It did not take long before I realized a trip, even one as small as this, was going to be challenge for them given their limited travel experience. So I offered to come along and try to help make things a little less stressful for them. I wanted my dad to focus on his treatments and not be distracted by anything else.

Travel with Parents

Perhaps your parents are old hats are getting around an airport and renting cars. Mine are not. Below are some suggestions for how to travel with one’s parents. In addition, R also wrote a post on how to travel with your family.

Note: some of the things I learned could also be applied to anyone traveling with first-time or novice travelers.

Provide instruction beforehand

When you are traveling with someone who is new to flying or who has not flown for many years, do not assume they are up-to-date on the latest rules and regulations. For example, my mom was under the impression that she could not take any food on the plane. She also did not know that toothpaste is considered a liquid and needs to be packed separately if you are carrying it on the plane. Given the constantly changing rules and the media’s inability to accurately report on anything, it is not surprising she was a bit confused. So the more instruction and clarity you can provide beforehand, the easier the experience will be for everyone when you are going through security.

I opted to visit my folks the weekend before we left so I could answer questions, help my mom with her packing list, make sure their luggage was the right size, etc. A little prep work with them beforehand definitely contributed to smoother experience in the airport.

travel with parents, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, dad, boat
My pops, enjoying the sun and blue skies in Coeur d’Alene.

Get ready to answer questions

When you travel regularly, you tend to forget how strange and different that world really is. R and I hop on plane, pop in our headphones and pull out our books. But with someone new, that is actually kind of rude. I found myself experiencing a flight through my parents’ eyes and it made me look at everything a bit differently. I answered questions about things I have not thought about in a long time. My mom was delighted to find out she can play Candy Crush on her phone as long as it is in airplane mode. Being ready and willing to answer questions will assist both you and your folks through the experience.

Note: be sure to explain the flight attendant call button to your dad BEFORE he accidentally pushes it.

Keep everything under one reservation

If possible, keep everything under one reservation. I discussed logistics with mom, but then I went ahead and booked the flights, car and VRBO for all of us. The main reason I did this was to keep things simple. I was the only one who needed to keep track of our reservations and check in for our flights. It was me who dealt with the rental car agent. I was the single point of contact for our VRBO. Trust me, booking, coordinating and tracking is easier if one person takes the lead—preferably the person with the most travel experience.

Also, having one reservation resulted in a couple of bonuses:

  • Bonus #1: more rewards for me. My parents do not belong to any reward programs so there was no advantage to them paying for their own trip. I, on the other hand, do track and earn rewards for travel. Booking everything at once meant triple the rewards for me.
  • Bonus #2: TSA PreCheck for all. Although there was no guarantee, my folks did end up with TSA PreCheck because they were connected to me. The airports we traveled to and from were small and lines were short. But TSAPreCheck meant my dad did not have to take off his shoes, which is difficult for him. When R and her mom flew to Seattle last week, her mom also got TSA PreCheck. (R booked both flights using her Delta SkyMiles.)

Be ready for new experiences

After checking our bags, retrieving our boarding passes and making our way through security, my dad realized he did not have his pain pills. He was due to take one in about an hour and by the time our flight landed, he would be in a lot of pain (if he doesn’t stay on top of his pain management, it can get pretty bad). We all talked about it and made a valiant effort to convince ourselves that dad would be fine. However, I could tell my mom was upset because she forgot to take them out of his checked bag (or remind him to do so) and I could see my dad getting more and more anxious.

Finally, I went and talked to the gate agent about retrieving a checked bag. Apparently, it is possible to retrieve and recheck a checked bag. It was a brand-new experience for me. Honestly, the only reason I felt it worked was because the airport is small, it was a slow night and our flight was delayed. Thankfully, everything worked out and we all learned a couple of valuable lessons in the process.

Rethink how you use technology

Smartphone and apps have changed the way we travel. I can hardly remember what it was like to travel without my iPhone (or even get through my day, sadly). But my dad does not have a smartphone and my mom does not have any travel apps. So I needed to rethink how I use my phone for travel and adjust according to my parents’ needs.

First off, there would be no electronic boarding passes. We went old school and printed them off at the airport. I still kept track of all our reservations in Google Trips, but I was not able to share that information with my mom. I ended up emailing her our itinerary instead. On the other hand, Google Maps was a lifesaver. As we navigated an unfamiliar town, trying to find our lodging, the doctor’s office, places to eat, etc., the voice in my phone directed us on where to go. Even my dad, who claims to hate modern technology, stated how grateful he was for the convenience Google Maps provided. I had to give some thought to which technologies would work best on a trip with my parents. But in the end, I think we struck a nice balance.

Selfie in front of a hydroelectric plant in northern Idaho travel with parents dad
Selfies are still new to my dad.

Bring something to do…for your parents

R and I always board a plane with something to pass the time. (We had a situation on a flight to Hawaii that reinforced our need to do so.) Thankfully, I told my mom ahead of time that she should bring some reading material for my dad. He subscribes to a couple of magazines and she would not let him read the latest issues until we were in the airport. Having something new to read gave him a way to pass the time and thinking ahead meant they were not spending airport prices on reading material.

Do your research

Of course, I did my usual research when it comes to travel and made a list of all the places I wanted to see and all the things I wanted to do. For the better part of two days, I was on my own and able to explore to my heart’s content. Belatedly though, I realized my list did not include too many dad-friendly activities. During the time I spent with my folks, I struggled with finding ways to entertain my dad. He cannot walk far so exploring on foot was not an option. And his hip gets stiff if he sits in a car for too long.

We ended up going on several mini road trips with stops along the way for him to get out and stretch. This was a great way to explore, but I wish I had done a little bit better of a job researching the area beforehand. And I really wish I had packed my Idaho for the Curious: A Guide by Cort Conley. We could have rolled along while mom read to us the history of the area. My Idaho atlas would not have been remiss either. Lesson learned on that one on how to travel with parents.

Walking around the boardwalk in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho travel with parents
Once around the boardwalk was about all my dad’s poor feet could handle.

Set realistic expectations

R and I are not foodies, but we do enjoy sampling the local fare and searching out the places and dishes unique to an area. I actually did quite a bit of research on places to eat since that is something I figured my dad would enjoy. The places I suggested were not exotic, but he still preferred to eat at a name he recognized. We did manage to go to a couple of local places and I got to one on my own. But overall, my experience eating in Coeur d’Alene was not what I expected and I could have done a better job managing those expectations. Plus, I could have saved myself some time researching.

Don’t forget to pack your patience

In general, when it comes to travel with parents, patience is key. There is a lot of waiting around and things are bound to go wrong. When traveling with family, patience is doubly important. After all, nothing tries your patience like family. For whatever reason, when nerves are frayed and tempers are short, we tend to take it out on those we love. Overall, our trip went very smoothly and I rarely needed to remind myself to be patient. But who knows what might happen on future trips and patience is always a good thing to keep in mind.

Find joy in the little things

My dad loves to fly. He turns into a little kid when he climbs on an airplane. In fact, he insisted on the window seat and after we sat, he pouted and said, “I got the wing.” Luckily, we were able to move so he could look out the window and enjoy the scenery below. He has an enthusiasm I lost a long time ago. But I found his excitement contagious and it made me enjoy a take off again.

Other little things I enjoyed include teaching my mom how to use Google Maps, introducing my dad to hummus and watching my folks take their first Uber ride. Travel with parents brings with it challenges and obstacles. But it also brings with it fun and adventure and I thank my parents for highlighting some of the more fun parts of travel.

Lunch next to Lake Coeur d'Alene, Idaho travel with parents
My parents enjoying lunch on the lake.

Conclusion

Travel with parents and grandparents is very different from travel with your best friend. It brings with it challenges; however, if you take certain steps, it can be a lot of fun. I enjoyed my time in Coeur d’Alene with my parents very much. I also enjoyed sharing my love of travel with them. Best of all, when they fly back in September for a follow-up appointment, they feel confident they can do it on their own. Passing on that knowledge is very rewarding.

Being Pampered in Foreign Lands

Being Pampered in Foreign Lands

Have you ever got back from your vacation and thought, “Man, I need a vacation?” B and I like to pack as much into our travels as possible, but it’s important to remember that a key part of a vacation is relaxation. One way to 

Foreign Food Advice

Foreign Food Advice

One of the main things people ask when B or I return from a foreign country is ‘how was the food?’ Food is something everyone can relate to because no matter where you go and what you see, you still gotta eat. This post offers 

Planning out Your Trip: a How to Guide

Planning out Your Trip: a How to Guide

On Jane Sees the World we’ve casually mentioned planning a trip in pretty much every post. Then again, it is a travel blog, so this probably makes sense. Both B and I have been asked many times over the years how we pick where to go and decide what we want to do. I know when I am wondering about something, it helps to have a step-by-step guide. So this post is going to be a instructional guide for how to plan a trip my aunt took a while back. You will be able to see the process and follow suit when you are planning your next trip.

Note: if you prefer more spontaneous travel, then feel free to skip to step 5. But as previously mentioned, we enjoy a good plan here at Jane Sees the World.

How to plan a trip step 1: pick your country

Aunt P was scheduled to visit England with some of her gal pals. She and one of her friends decided they wanted to throw in a quick jaunt to Scotland since they were going to be close. She enlisted me to plan out their schedule. Since I wasn’t given any particular instructions on how to plan a trip for her, I planned her time the way I would have if it were my trip.

We’ve covered some tips on choosing your next travel destination before.

how to plan a trip to the Scottish countryside
Scottish Scenery

How to plan a trip step 2: decide on your must-sees

One of the hardest things about travel is trying to fit in all that you want to see and do. This is actually impossible–you can never fit in everything you want. Instead, you have to pick some highlights, using what is important to you as your criteria.

Instinctive

There are some things you just know you need to see, you know? For B in Australia, this was Snowy River. For me in Scotland, it was Glasgow. Just because I enjoy the song Super Trouper by Abba. “I was sick and tired of everything, when I called you last night from Glasgow.” It’s funny how when you grow up with something, it becomes a part of you. Also on the Scotland must-do list was the lochs, preferably Loch Ness. Who doesn’t want to catch of view of Nessie? Your photos could recoup all the cost of the trip when you sell them to the Enquirer.

Research

The easiest way to find out the must-sees in a country is to look it up. You can do this from a guidebook or on the interwebs. Typically, guidebooks list the top 20ish places to see at the beginning of the book. You probably won’t be able to cover all of these, depending on your timeframe, but you will be able to select one or two that you gotta see. You can also rely on other travelers to tell you what you need to know and search that destination on wikitravel or tripadvisor.

A really sneaky way to learn how to plan a trip is to find out what everyone else is doing is to look at what the tour groups are doing in that area. Since the tour companies are nice enough to put together an entire schedule with top destinations for you, you will easily be able to see what the most famous sites are (and possibly which areas to avoid). When I was researching the Scotland trip, I re-learned that Hadrian’s Wall was in southern Scotland. Everyone has heard about Hadrian’s Wall, but if you were like me you were a little fuzzy on its exact location. When I got a history refresher, it was solidly on my list of must sees.

Word of mouth

It’s great when you are able to ask a local for travel advice. They know the ins and outs and can help you get off the beaten path. Social media has become increasingly useful to discover these insider’s gems, so even if you don’t directly know the person who has knowledge of a place you can find some good info tangentially by their associations.

  • If your friend on FB just ‘loved’ a picture her friend took in an exotic place, you can get some ideas about where you want to go from that kind-of friend/stranger.
  • B gushes about how much she loves the city of Edinburgh; it tops her list of favorite worldwide cities. I knew I’d have to make some time for this capital city in my Aunt’s itinerary.  
Hadrian’s Wall

How to plan a trip step 3: map our your route

Prioritize

This step can be a little sad because you will inevitably have to cross off some of the must sees that you’ve spent so much time compiling. Thems the breaks, though, so you’ll need to prioritize your needs from your wants. Aunt P had about three days to get a taste of Scotland, so we had to make some decisions. When you only have a few days to be somewhere your days will fill up quickly.

Day 1

For Scotland, Aunt P was going to travel up from London. The best options were to take a train or plane; trains take about six hours and planes take about one and a half. If you are B, you will pretty much always take the train if it is available. But if you only have three days in a place, the train ride is going to have to be one of your must sees if you are going to dedicate one sixth of your total trip to it. For Aunt P, I decided to split the difference; one way would be by train, the other would be by air.

If you look at a map of Great Britain, you’ll see Hadrian’s Wall is on the way from London to Edinburgh. As such, Aunt P could take the early train from London to Carlisle, explore the Wall for a few hours and take a late afternoon train the rest of the way to Edinburgh. This would leave the remainder of the evening to take in the sights of Edinburgh at night time.

Day 2

Day 2 was the only full day Aunt P had in Scotland and as such would be her day for a full tour of the Lochs. It is doable to rent a car and explore the area on your own, but for Aunt P, it was well worth 40 pounds to have a guide and chauffeur. We’ve talked about the pros and cons of tour groups before. In some cases, it is just worth the money to let someone else take care of you. If she was going to do this trip on her own, I would have looked at several tour companies’ routes and mapped one similar to where they all go. The Loch trips are technically day trips, but they are loooong day trips. After they returned to Edinburgh, there was no time (and it would not have been much fun to try) to cram something else in on Day 2. Instead, Aunt P could enjoy her last night in Scotland at her leisure.

Lots of Lochs

Day 3

Day 3 was a travel day back to London. Since we went with a flight, it gave Aunt P time to see what daytime Edinburgh was like. Choosing where to go was a repeat of Steps 2 and 3, but the highlights I recommended for Aunt P was the Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile. Throw in some souvenir shopping and this took up pretty much the whole day before heading to the airport.

I find the best way to map a route is by taking some pencil and paper and map times out. It is a little tedious, but the best way to lay out where you want to go. And give you a reality check that you can’t do everything you want to.

How to plan a trip step 4: book it, baby

If you have a compressed amount of time, it’s best to book early and not try to snag a deal. It would be such a bummer if you allotted a whole day to visiting Nessie and then found out you couldn’t catch a glimpse because no one would take you. (I don’t really think this would happen, but you get the idea.) There was no reason for Aunt P not to buy train, plane, and tour tickets as soon as possible.

How to plan a trip step 5: day dream and anxiously await your trip

When all of your planning is done, all you need to do is wait. Tom says the waiting is the hardest part, and in the case of travel, I believe he is spot on. But be patient and the trip will come around soon enough.

Downtown Edinburgh

Conclusion

Well that’s it. It’s not rocket science to plan a trip, but it definitely is time consuming. For B and me, planning is half the fun of travel, so we are willing to do the legwork for others. I still haven’t been to Scotland myself, but I will have a leg up on what I want to do when the opportunity arises. I’m looking at you, Glasgow. Let us know if you need some help planning your next adventure. As full fledged travel junkies, we will gladly assist.

Five things to think about when buying a new backpack for travel

Five things to think about when buying a new backpack for travel

When choosing a backpack to travel the world with, there are many things to think about and take into consideration. My first backpack was a lesson in what not to buy. We went on a couple of good trips together, but I learned some important