Five Days In… Travel Hacks I’ve Learned So Far
Five days in New Zealand, and here’s what I’ve learned from a flight & travel perspective…
You will never sit on an airplane in Business Class or First-Class seats and say to yourself, “I wish I was in Economy.”
If you are traveling on a 14-hour red-eye flight from the USA to New Zealand, you will always, and I repeat, ALWAYS, say to yourself, “I wish I was in Business Class or First-Class.”
My hips ached for two days after flying in Economy. Between being jostled by my children, which made it impossible to sleep, and spending hours sandwiched between two grown men, the experience was far from pleasant. And hearing the sound of actual silverware clink onto actual ceramic plates in Business Class while they ate their meals, as I sat idly by, waiting for my plastic bag of food was a reminder of my cheap ass decision to fly across the world on a budget.
So do yourself a favor and spring for the more expensive sleep, food, experience….and stay out of Economy.
2. Do not underestimate the value of a rolling carry-on bag.
I have always secretly sneered at people who bring luggage with wheels onto planes. I have no reason for such hostility. The roller bag never caused me any discomfort or displacement, but I’ve always viewed it as excessive, I guess. However, traveling as a family of four internationally exclusively with backpacks has made me second-guess this whole situation. By the time we ventured past security at the airport, Cameron’s bag was too heavy for him to carry, and Bert and I wound up lugging it around for him. In addition to our belongings, we had his, too. Needless to say, once we arrived in New Zealand, we found a backpack with wheels so we can have the best of both worlds. And because I clearly am not ready to be “one of those people” with a roller carry-on bag.
3. You will never have enough toiletries in your purse.
In terms of packing, I thought I was Einstein by packing toothbrushes in our carry-on bags. What I did not pack, and wish I had, was deodorant, face wipes, and breath mints. For obvious reasons, after a 14-hour flight in Economy (yes, I’m still bitter), these items would have made a girl feel brand new.
4. Choose your clothing wisely.
Baggy clothes made a lot of sense in terms of comfortability for the flight. This was also a mistake. I found myself shifting in my seat, getting stuck on my baggy pants. Without a ton of arm space to free myself from sitting on my loose silky blue pants, I found myself doing a weird sideways shuffle to pry my legs off my pants in order to get comfortable. I also had a very long sweater for warmth, which I also found myself getting wrapped up in, struggling to find the arm holes. Ultimately, I put it on backwards and draped it over me like a blanket. And lets not talk about baggy clothes in the tiny bathroom. (I bet the bathrooms in Business Class are more spacious.)
Next go-round, I’m wearing leggings and a more practical top in hopes that it feels less like fighting an anaconda when I’m shifting in my seat.