STRESS-FREE SHOES AT THE AIRPORT

I DID IT AGAIN, I WORE SNEAKERS WITH LACES AS I WENT THROUGH AIRPORT SECURITY. SOMETIMES I JUST CAN'T HELP MYSELF BUT YOU CAN WITH A LITTLE ADVANCE PREPARATION. SINCE MOST AIRPORTS REQUIRE THE SHOES TO BE OFF WHEN AT THE SECURITY SCREEN AREA IT IS BEST TO WEAR (IF POSSIBLE) SLIP ON SHOES LIKE LOAFERS OR FLATS. SANDALS WORK WELL TOO IF WEATHER AND CLIMATE COMPLY. VELCRO SNEAKERS ARE GREAT IF YOU CAN FIND THEM. IT JUST WASN'T PRETTY AS I TRIPPED ON MY LACES AND LATER HAD TO SEARCH FRANTICALLY FOR A SAFE PLACE TO PUT MY SNEAKERS BACK ON.

DEDICATE SPACE IN YOUR CLOSET FOR TRAVEL CLOTHES

DEDICATE SPACE IN YOUR CLOSET FOR LIGHT WEIGHT AND WRINKLE FREE TRAVEL CLOTHES. IF YOU ARE FOLLOWING A BASE THEME LIKE MOST SEASONED TRAVELERS, THEN PUT ITEMS ASIDE THAT COORDINATE WITH YOUR BASE COLOR. I USE BLACK AS MY BASE SO I ALWAYS KEEP A PAIR OF BLACK SLACKS AND A SIMPLE BLACK COCKTAIL LENGTH DRESS AT THE READY. NEXT TO THESE I PLACE TOPS, SCARFS AND LIGHT WEIGHT WRAPS THAT I LIKE. ALMOST EVERYTHING COORDINATES WITH BLACK AND SINCE MOST FABRICS TODAY ARE GOOD DURING ANY SEASON OR CLIMATE IT IS EASY TO STAY WARM OR COOL BY LAYERING. I KEEP A SMALL TOILETRY BAG READY FOR A LAST MINUTE TRIP TOO. I TAKE INVENTORY AFTER EACH TRIP AND REPLACE THE ITEMS THAT I HAVE USED.

I'M LOVING MY NEW CRUISE FINDER APP!

IF I'M NOT ON A CRUISE, CHANCES ARE I'M SPENDING AT LEAST A FEW MINUTES OF MY DAY THINKING ABOUT MY NEXT ONE. MY NEW "CRUISE FINDER" APP SPONSORED BY iCruise.com MAKES THAT FANTASY TIME EVEN MORE ENJOYABLE. THE APP RECEIVED THE PRESTIGIOUS 2011 TRAVEL WEEKLY MAGELLAN AWARD. IT IS A MUST HAVE FOR ANYONE EVEN CONTEMPLATING A CRUISE. IT LISTS ALL THE LINES, SHIPS, SAIL DATES, AS WELL AS NEARLY ANY DETAIL YOU COULD THINK OF. BEST OF ALL, IT'S FREE!

ALWAYS PACK A WATCH

SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO LEARN THE HARD WAY. ON A RECENT TRIP OUTSIDE OF THE US, I FORGOT TO PACK A WATCH. I THOUGHT MY IPHONE WOULD BE RELIABLE AS THE TIME ZONES CHANGED BUT I WAS WRONG. IT WASN'T OFF BY AN HOUR EITHER. IT WAS OFF BY MANY AND THE MINUTES WERE OFF TOO. A SIMPLE $20.00 WATCH WOULD HAVE DONE THE TRICK AND THEN I WOULDN'T HAVE MISSED A VERY IMPORTANT DINNER.

VELCRO DOTS AND TAPE

I JUST RETURNED FROM A WONDERFUL EASTERN CARIBBEAN CRUISE ABOARD THE CELEBRITY ECLIPSE. THE SHIP NOT ONLY BOASTED AN ACTUAL GRASS LAWN (VERY GREEN) FOR CROQUET AND BOCCE BALL BUT, IT HAD A GLASS BLOWING STUDIO AS WELL! PACKING FOR THE SEVEN NIGHT TRIP, WITH TWO FORMAL EVENINGS, WAS STILL VERY DOABLE WITH AN UNDER THE SEAT BAG. VELCRO DOTS AND STRIPS CAME IN QUITE HANDY. I USED THE DOTS FOR A QUICK HEM REPAIR AND THE VELCRO TAPE FOR WHITE STRAP TOPS FOR MY LINDSAY PHILLIPS SHOES. A LITTLE VELCRO GOES A LONG WAY IN EXPANDING A PACKLIGHTER'S WARDROBE. FROM BASIC REPAIRS TO A CLEVERLY ADDED SILK FLOWER TO A BELT OR HAT, VELCRO IS A STAPLE IN MY TRAVEL BAG.