Tips & Tricks

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Friday 10: Carry-ons for the flight and beyond

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Carry-on luggage has been something of a hot button issue lately. American, Delta, and United reduced their carry-on size limits over the summer to 22" l l x 14" w x 9" h. 

Fees for checked baggage are the norm now, too. Two Canadian airlines, West Jet and Air Canada, recently started charging $25 for checked bags under the guise of making it cheaper for those who only travel with carry-ons. 

So what's a traveler to do? Fork over the fees or try to pack everything in an ever-shrinking carry-on? 

I fork over the fee! Unless I'm going on a short trip, I don't like to fit my whole trip into a carry-on. And as much as I like to pack light, I hate trying fight for overhead bin space.

Instead, I pack a small carry-on of my on-board essentials and a change of clothes. That's it. It's easy to travel with. No need to worry about checking anything at the gate. No fighting for space. 

So what does my ideal carry-on look like? Small, stylish, simple, zips/closes completely, and, ideally, is reusable on the trip. Today's Friday 10 is a list of some that fit the bill for me. 

#1 The Scout by Bradley Mountain

A beautiful, simple day pack made of waterproof Martexin Duck Canvas and leather. Not only is this easy to wear in the airport, but it would be a perfect day pack. I'm picturing going to a market, packing it full of goodies, and going on a hike. Entirely sourced and made in the USA. Also comes in Olive. 

#2 Rain Zip Tote by Bookhou

I love the pattern on this tote! It's eye-catching without being too loud. The bottom is a medium weight charcoal grey waxed canvas that gives the bag extra durability. The interior has a couple of roomy pockets. It zips fully, which can be difficult to find in a nice tote, and comes with a detachable leather cross body strap. Bonus: It's made in Toronto! Bookhou also makes some different sized totes in other cool patterns and solids. 

#3 Dry Bag by Winter Session

Yes, another waxed canvas bag because I love waxed canvas. It's durable, classic, and it only gets better with age. Winter Session makes this functional, handsome dry bag with some nicely placed exterior and interior pockets--including a phone and laptop sleeve.  Also comes in Olive.

#4 Twill Snap Backpack by Everlane

Another take on the classic backpack, this time by Everlane. Simple, versatile, easy to wear and use. Includes a padded laptop sleeve that will fit a 15" Macbook. The price is also pretty fantastic for something that will be in style for a long time. I love the leather details against dark navy color, but it's also available in a variety of other beautiful colors. 

#5 Filson Rolling Carry-On

The only rolling carry-on on my list. It's a splurge, but this Filson looks great and is built to stand the test of time. It's got business and leisure covered and fits the new carry-on size restrictions perfectly (for now, at least). Currently available in Tan and Otter Green.

#6 Westmore Collection Laptop Duffel by Hex

Something a little different from your usual laptop bag or briefcase. The pattern is subtle but warm and the leather details look beautiful while still being functional. This duffel also has padded, fleece lined compartments for your important devices, including an exterior phone pocket and interior laptop pocket. The laptop pocket is designed to fit a 15" Macbook Pro. The exterior is water resistant. More colors and patterns available from Hex here. 

#7 Courior Bag by Heritage Leather + Apolis

Heritage Leather and Apolis teamed up to make this bag and it doesn't get much more classically beautiful than this, in my opinion. American leather and 10 oz water repellant army duck. Adjustable shoulder strap. Holds a 17" laptop. Also available in navy, army, and earth. 

#8 The O.G. (Overnight & Gym) by Lo & Sons

Lo & Sons | The O.G. | $295 USD

Lo & Sons | The O.G. | $295 USD

My current carry-on is very similar to this, but it doesn't have all of the extras that make this one just about perfect. There's a padded laptop pouch! A padded tablet pouch! A separate compartment for shoes! I love me some compartments. Head over to the Lo & Sons website for a video of the bag in action. My only gripe is that they don't ship internationally. Shown in army green, but also available in black, navy, and espresso. 

#9 Overnight Bag by The Little Market

The Little Market's overnight bags come in a variety of happy, bright, beautiful patterns made from fabric that's handwoven by Guatemalan artisans. Maybe $240 seems a bit steep for this tote, but what I love about The Little Market is that they are committed paying artisans living wages for their unique, handmade pieces. Read more about their values here and check out what else they have to offer. (I'm a little bit in love with this striped seafoam towel)

#10 Le Pliage by Longchamp

Longchamp | Le Pliage | $145 USD

Longchamp | Le Pliage | $145 USD

I tried not to like Longchamp's Le Pliage for a long time. Who wants to pay $145 for a simple nylon bag? But somehow it's grown on my over the years because it's simple, iconic, and functional while still being stylish. It fits a ton of stuff and then folds down into a neat little pouch. After the flight you can toss it in your purse and take it with you or use it as a purse.  I admit, I'd happily wear and use one now! Available in 12 colors. 

Do you have any favorite carry-ons? Would your rather pack a big carry-on than pay a checked bag fee? Let me know in the comments. 

Hope you have a beautiful weekend!

P.S.: You might want to check out my post on 10 weekender bags, too!

Vacation rentals and trusting your gut

It's no secret that I love vacation rentals and slow travel. 

The thing about vacation rentals, though, is that you take on more responsibility in finding the right place for you. Part of the fun is looking through options, but it can also be tedious and frustrating. Sometimes it feels risky. Will it be like the pictures? What if something goes wrong? How will I know it's the right place? 

Rousillon Clock Provence

My best advice is to listen to your gut. Even if your gut is a scaredy cat. Start early because you might need time to find a rental that not only looks great, but feels right for you. If if seems too good to be true, it probably is. If the manager or owners don't seem attentive or interested in your experience, they might not be. If you're not comfortable with the payment system, go elsewhere. Read reviews carefully. Look at the photos carefully. Ask questions. Be picky!

You're in control of your trip and you choose who gets your money. There are always going to be other options, including hotels. Wait to find something that suits your needs and comfort level. It's simple, but it bears repeating. 

We are in the middle of honeymoon planning and have had some disappointing experiences in the past few weeks. I thought it would be a good time to pull back the curtain a little bit to show you that booking a rental isn't the same as booking a hotel. It isn't always quick and easy, even for someone who has experience. 

A few weeks ago, we found a place we liked. It was lovely. The view was amazing. The reviews were great. It was everything we needed. But they only accepted bank transfers and had no cancellation policy. I wouldn't even consider it. Some people are comfortable with those terms, but I'm not. 

We sat on the honeymoon plans for awhile and finally found another beautiful place this weekend. The apartment was on Homeaway, which has a nice "Book Now" system. You can see the rate, the total charges, enter your payment information, and off you go! I love that I'm not sending off a bank or money transfer and there's the protection of using a credit card. Bonus: the cancellation policy was great! Success!

S and I celebrated and started daydreaming about how wonderful our honeymoon will be. . .until I got an email the next day. The owners decided they only want to book weekly rentals for certain months, which doesn't work for us. They changed their policy overnight. And just like that, we're back at square one. 

Who knows? Both of those rentals might be wonderful. I even considered asking the second one to honor the original rate, but my gut says to move on. So we're moving on. Because the other thing about vacation rentals is that taking your time and finding the right fit usually pays off. 

August 27, 2014 Update

I decided to email Homeaway and see what their stance on changing rates was:

“I understand that rates are subject to change, but I was a bit surprised that the advertised rates could be rescinded like that. So my question is, what is Homeaway’s general stance on honoring rates, especially when there is a “Book Now” button versus a “Get Quote” button? We are no longer interested in booking the property after this, but I would like to know for future reference.
”

Homeaway sent me this back:

“Thank you for contacting HomeAway Customer Support.

I’m sorry to hear that you found inaccurate content or pricing on a listing. Each property listed on the site is either individually owned and managed by the homeowner or managed by a property manager on behalf of the owner.

We encourage owners to maintain a fair business practice with travelers. It is the responsibility of the owner or property manager to make sure the content on their listing is accurate and up-to-date. If you do not feel comfortable arranging a booking with this owner, my best advice is that you explore other listings on the site that meet your needs.
”

I'm not surprised by the email, but it's disappointing. My specific question wasn't answered and it reads like a canned response to every generic pricing question. The email also included a link to a complaint form, but I'm not interested in filing a complaint.

What I gather is that the owners can change the rates whenever they want to and the "Book It Now" button should be called "Put It On Hold." It fast tracks your booking and makes payment easy if the owner/manager accepts your reservation. The owner/manager has 24 hours to either accept or refuse the reservation. If they don't respond, it expires and you aren't charged anything. This is similar to Airbnb's "Request to Book" button, whereas Airbnb's "Instant Book" is a true "book it now" feature that doesn't require host approval. 

All-in-all, the moral of the story remains the same: trust your gut, do your research, read the fine print, and look elsewhere if something doesn't seem right. 

Friday 10: Long flight essentials

Long-haul flights can be as daunting as they are exciting. No one likes to sit crammed into too-small seats with nowhere to go for hours on end. But over the years, I've been able to pack my little carry-on with just enough to keep me happy and comfy for these marathon flights. 

Today's Friday 10 is all about the essentials that get me to my destination with my sanity intact. 

A Great Carry On

While I believe in traveling light, I don't like trying to cram my whole trip into one large carry-on. I keep my carry-ons small and pack them only with what I will need on the flight (and a little something for after). I think it saves space and hassle in the long run. Mine is very similar to the great Kate Spade Saturday one above, which I might have to buy once mine kicks the bucket. 

Tart cherries are naturally high in melatonin and they make a nice pre-flight snack. These are from Bob's Red Mill ($9.39/0.5 lb), but I've seen many different brands. 

Tart cherries are naturally high in melatonin and they make a nice pre-flight snack. These are from Bob's Red Mill ($9.39/0.5 lb), but I've seen many different brands. 

Melatonin or dried tart cherries

I started using melatonin for eastward trips a few years ago and I don't think I'll ever look back. It reduces jet lag and helps me adapt to a new time zone quickly. Sour cherries are also naturally rich in melatonin, so if you want something natural that doubles as a great snack they might be a option.

One of the first things I do when we board the plane is change my watch to our destination time. If we're flying to Paris and its midnight there, I'll take half of a melatonin (more is not better with melatonin) to try and get my internal clock aligned with Paris time. It also helps me sleep on the plane without any side effects or grogginess. 

After we arrive, I'll continue to take a little melatonin around bedtime for the first 3 days. Your milage may vary and I'm no doctor, so I recommend you do your own research and ask your doctor about what is safe and best for you.

Water

Staying well-hydrated on the plane is really hard. I find there is never enough water, even when flight attendants make the rounds throughout the flights. I always buy a liter of my own before we take-off. I've also used collapsible water bottles like the BPA-free Vapur one pictured above and filled it at a water fountain in the airport. I love that it's so light and small, it just makes it so easy to reuse it throughout the trip.

Entertainment

I'll watch movies for a bit if something good is available, but after that I like to listen to podcasts or I read. 

I take a Kindle to save space and I like to grab a guilty-pleasure magazine in the airport. That way I have something to look at during takeoff and landing if devices have to be off.  

Downcast ($2.99) is my favorite podcast app. It's easy to use, organizes everything well, has a playlist function, and a sleep timer. I download some of my favorites (I'll do a Friday 10 on this!) before we go and have hours of listening material to keep me entertained if I need it.

I've also used white noise and relaxation/guided meditation apps but they never seem to stick for me.  

Just make sure to put your phone in Airplane mode as soon as you get on the plane, and sure you can either charge your phone or have enough of a charge. 

Beauty Essentials

The next thing I always carry is a plastic bag of beauty essentials to use on the plane or in case my luggage gets lost. As a bonus, I keep the bag in my purse for the trip so everything is always handy. Here's what is in mine:

A change of clothes

I always, always include a change of clothes in my carry-on. I will never forget when our luggage was lost on a trip to Austria. My mom and I spent the first day of our vacation scrambling to find underwear in a new city. It was not fun.  It also ended up being expensive because we could only find a high-end shop. 

Now I try to carry a whole outfit and some pjs if I can. A light dress is great because it can take you from day to night. It also doesn't take up that much space!

At the very least throw an extra set of undies in there. You will be so thankful you did one day!

I love the colors of these Loomed NOLA Serendipity Scarves ($40). They're handwoven from organic Turkish cotton. 

I love the colors of these Loomed NOLA Serendipity Scarves ($40). They're handwoven from organic Turkish cotton. 

A cozy wrap

Airplane blankets are gross. I don't want them anywhere near my face. But I also want to be cozy and comfortable and a wrap or pashmina does the trick. Bonus: it doubles as a scarf and folds up nice and small.  

Layers

I always try to layer because I never know what kind of crazy temperature it will be on the plane. Half of the time I end up boiling hot, the other half of the time I'm freezing. Dressing in comfortable layers keeps me happy. I like wearing jeans, a tee, a cardigan or blazer, and shoes that are easy to put on and take off. Simple and stylish. No yoga pants needed here!

Always classic, the Roots Park Sock (2 for $18.50 CAD)

Always classic, the Roots Park Sock (2 for $18.50 CAD)

Cozy socks

I like to take my shoes off and wear a pair of ridiculous comfy socks. Some people say you should never take your shoes off on the plane because your feet will swell. I don't have this problem (at least not yet) and I see cozy socks as one of the few things I can use to make the trip more relaxed. Just make sure to wear shoes that are easy to get on and off for those bathroom trips. 

Snacks

Because airplane food is, more often than not, awful. I can't remember the last time I had an edible "breakfast" on a flight. I always take something with just enough calories to get me through to a real breakfast/meal at our destination. A little protein, fat, and carbs go a long way. Clif bars used to be my go-to, but I'm always on the hunt for something healthy and tasty. I've been digging nakd bars and Larabars lately thanks to the Whole30, but I'd like to find something with more protein. 

What's in your carry-on?

I'd love to hear what essentials you put in your carry-on. Have any great snack suggests? Let me know!