BC Cook
SINCE I spend a lot of time traveling for work, many people ask for advice on smooth, efficient travel. I put together a few things I learned along the way and hope you benefit from some of them.
When packing, less is more. One of the most common mistakes made by those who are new to travel is the urge to bring everything you think you might need. Resist the urge. The “just in case” mentality is terrible for travel, especially in an age when airlines charge for every bag. A good rule is: If you cannot carry it yourself, do not bring it. Then get rid of half of what is left. I know a woman who packed a blanket and pillow for a trip to England in case they did not have them there. Trust me, the English have pillows.
When packing, roll don’t fold. There are some great YouTube videos that teach the rolling technique for packing clothes in a bag. It works and you can reduce the space by nearly half. Just watch the weight limits.
Bring snacks. Travel inevitably leads to hunger, and do not rely on airlines for hearty meals or satisfying snacks. Even if you are traveling by car, there may not be places to stop when you want them so bring your own. I typically pack granola, sunflower seeds or similar snacks, and take sandwiches for longer treks. Remember that chewy works better than crunchy. I once opened a bag of chips on a flight and was rewarded with a giant pile of crumbs. Plus, your neighbors will not appreciate you chomping away while they are trying to sleep.
Dress in layers of dark colors. The layers are so you can adjust to the temperature in the plane or at your layover. The dark colors are in case you spill something on yourself and still have 500 miles to go. I once flew in a white shirt and spilled coffee on myself at the beginning of the flight. Twelve hours and two stopovers later, half the western hemisphere knew what I had done.
Dress for comfort, not fashion. In the old days, people dressed up to fly. Now, comfort is more important than looks. Ask yourself when dressing, how will these pants feel by the end of the day? How about the shoes? Because you must never break the number one rule of travel: Do not take your shoes off. Ever. For any reason.
Locate your gate quickly to verify it has not changed. Airports sometimes change gate assignments, so get to your gate, verify that your flight is still taking off from there, then go explore.
Bring a refillable water bottle and stay hydrated. Have you ever gotten to your destination and suffered from a terrible headache? Dehydration is one of the most common problems associated with travel. Drink early and often. I like to bring my own bottle and refill it at the many water stations in any modern airport.
Now you have arrived and are ready for your flight. Let’s review some more travel tips next time.
Dr. BC Cook taught history for thirty years and is a director and Pacific historian at Sealark Exploration (sealarkexploration.org). He currently lives in Hawaii.
