PERSONAL STUFF MAKES FOR GREAT PACK LIGHT OPTIONS

I took a break at a highway rest stop today and found these pack-light goodies. PS stands for Personal Stuff and personal stuff they are. It is a great concept having sample size packets of national products like Claritin, Benadryl Allergy, Day Quill and Chap Stick, but I was a little  taken back when I saw Sominex and Tylenol PM. Let's just hope the sleeping aids weren't for any of the drivers, and if they were, that those drivers waited until they got home or to their hotel before they popped them!

VISIT LOCAL FARMS

Spring is here and so are my annual visits to garden centers and nurseries. Maybe its because, just a few generations back, practically all my ancestors were farmers, that this time of year inspires that need to plant and get back to my roots. Regardless, it is always a joy to go out to the garden centers and see all those possibilities for my garden. But what about local farms? If you do a little searching on the internet via the Department of Agriculture for your particular state you can find local farms and events that allow access to the wonderful world of farming. Many are free and all offer the promise of a very interesting adventure for you and your family. So check it out and remember to pack plenty of water and disinfectant wipes or spray.

THOMAS EDISON NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK

Yesterday, I spent time at the Thomas Edison National Historical Park, mesmerized by some of the 1093 inventions by the incredible and talented Thomas Edison. At the West Orange, NJ invention factory complex, one can wander for hours in the three story research building complete with machine shops, experiment labs, the incredible research library with a sleeping corner for the exhausted inventor, the first recording studio (shown above) and out buildings for chemistry, physics and metallurgy experiments. I am truly in awe of Edison's genius and curiosity and wish to thank him for among other things, the incandescent lamp that paved the way for lighting up our planet, for the phonograph, and the introduction of motion pictures. How our world changed because of him. His beautiful home at Glenmont is also available for tours and is just a short car ride away from the research center. 

GOOD NEWS for anyone wishing to visit next weekend, in celebration of National Park Week, all National Parks are observing "Fee Free Days 2011" on April 16th and 17th.

PACKING BUSINESS MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

Today, most business travelers will tell you that their smart phone or laptop is all they really need to travel with. I, however, have found that I often need a few extras. These extras often include stapler, staples, scotch tape, paperclips, folders, etc. A trip to the Dollar Tree and I am in business. The Dollar Tree sells all of these items for the great price of $1.00 each and many of them come in a scaled down size. The smaller sizes are perfect for traveling light and because of their cost I can toss them after I use them if I need the extra space (although they don't take up much of that). They fit perfectly in a quart size freezer bag which makes them easy to locate in my suitcase. 

LADIES, ADD A LITTLE SPLASH TO YOUR TRAVEL WARDROBE

Michaels, the arts and craft mega store sells lots of goodies for the Pack Light traveler. I love the clip-on flowers shown above. They can add that extra splash of color to my black base wardrobe. For only a dollar or two, clip-on flowers are also a bargain. I use them on hats, pocketbooks or on the lapel of a favorite jacket. Other great Michaels finds include velcro strips and dots for quick mending on the go.

SMARTPHONE TRAVEL APPLICATIONS ROCK

I love my iPhone. I especially love it when I travel. Everyday new applications come on the market which make traveling easy and fun. One can also rely on the old favorites. Fodor's has travel guide apps, so does Zagat. If I want to find a restaurant there are apps like LocalEats and Restaurant.com. The AroundMe app will help me find banks/ATM's, hospitals, movie theatres, gas stations, restaurants, supermarkets, taxis and even the local weather. Built into my iPhone is a superb weather app that lets me select cities and towns from around the world for a seven day weather forecast. At the bottom left of that app Yahoo provides specific listings for local news, events, relevant websites, etc., all for the actual town I selected. If I am traveling abroad and need help translating, there are apps for that. Currency Converter makes purchases in foreign countries go smoothly. If I want the news I tap onto my NYTimes app, for hotel prices, I tap on Priceline or Sidestep. If I need to check up on a flight I use FlightTrack Pro. The list goes on and on and makes me wonder how Columbus ever found the new world let alone a good place to eat.

THE IMPORTANCE OF A PACKING LIST

The "Packing List" to the traveler is not unlike the recipe to the chef. It is the guide to the adventure and when used correctly can make the whole process efficient and easy. Start by identifying where, when and why you are going somewhere, remembering the sooner you start the list the better. I often start my list weeks in advance. I don't write it down all at once but add to it as I think of things, keeping the list in the very suitcase I will use on my trip. My packing list might include the following:

1)  Date of trip

2)  Location and climate

3) Length of trip and type (business, vacation, cruise, ski, family, etc.) 

4)  Underwear   

5)  Pants            

6)  Skirts            

7)  Dresses        

8)  Sweaters     

9)  Coats             

10) Shoes         

11) Stockings, socks, belts
12) Medications

13) Makeup       

14) Toiletries, combs, brushes    

15) Bathing suits and coverups
16) Misc.electronics(cords,charging docs,ear plugs)
17) Misc./other 
To make the whole process go even smoother, go to my website: www.mimipackslight.com and answer the "Questions" in the header bar and fill out the "Daily Charts".        

DON'T PACK GERMS!

Packing for a trip can be exciting, but don't let the thrill of travel take it's toll on common sense.

Remember to pack your shoes in separate bags after wiping the soles down with a disinfectant wipe. It is amazing how many germs can be on your shoes and if you think about it, you surely don't want those germs to be transferred to your clothing. As an extra measure take a package of disinfectant wipes with you in your suitcase. Top areas for germs in hotels are on the phone receiver, TV remote control, toilet seat, and all door knobs. Wipe these areas down after you get into your room. Keep disinfectant wipes, spray or gel in your pocketbook or day bag and use them frequently through out your day.

LEAVE IT TO MARY KAY

I have written about makeup kits before and how frustrating it is that they only seem to sell them on cruise ships and around the holidays. They are perfect for the pack-light traveler since they usually contain foundation powder, blush, mascara, eye shadow and lipstick. Well Mary Kay cosmetics has come up with the perfect solution. They sell a kit box that you fill with your favorite MK products. What could be better then a custom makeup kit that shows off your individual style and can be replenished when needed?

REPOSITIONING CRUISES ARE A GREAT BARGAIN

If you love to cruise but don't have a lot of money, consider a repositioning cruise. In this economy, travel lovers often find it hard to make their travel dollars work. It used to be that if all else failed one could always hop in a car to travel economically. Today, however, with the cost of gasoline going up, up, up, you get more bang for your buck with a cruise. The best deals by ship can usually be found in the spring and fall when cruise lines reposition certain ships to different areas of the world. For example, Caribbean ships take off across the Atlantic for a summer of European adventures, while southern California ships may go to Alaska.

PACKING MEDICATIONS ON A CRUISE

I recently took a cruise on the MSC Poesia and found out that passengers could not buy aspirin or any other over-the-counter medications from the ship store. This was a first for me since all of the other cruise lines I had been on offered aspirin, Imodium or the equivalent, various upset stomach remedies, etc., from their sundry markets. On the Poesia passengers requesting such items had to go to the ship's medical center and see the doctor. When I travel I always pack a few over-the-counter medications including Imodium, Milk of Magnesia tablets, Pepto-Bismol, antibacterial cream and any prescription meds that I happen to be taking. I also carry a weeks supply of antibiotics and a paper prescription for refills. In a small snack bag I pack various bandages and alcohol wipe packets. These items help to make do until I can get to a pharmacy. The best policy for any cruise traveler is to check with the cruise company in advance to see what their policies are.

TRAVELPRO CREW 8 ROLLING BUSINESS TOTE

Spirit airlines is not going to get me down after yesterday's disaster with my Solo carry-on under the seat bag. I will be using the Travelpro Crew 8 Rolling Business Tote for my May transatlantic cruise. The dimensions come in at 13"x16"x8". Spirit requires 16"x14"x12". The tote also complies with Icelandair (the airline I will use on my return flight from London) carry-on requirements that are not to exceed 45 inches for (L+H+W). The bag is a little smaller then the Solo bag which I used for the one week cruise in January so the challenge to get the 36 unique outfits into that tiny space shall be greater. This quest shall be interesting to say the least!