Simple Travel
What a beautiful view! Can you guess where this is?
A couple of months ago, I wrote about my longing for travel. I had not been on an airplane, or outside of the State of Michigan, in almost three years. Recently, our family arranged a dog sitter, packed our bags, got tested for COVID-19 and traveled overseas again for the first time in two years and 10 months. It was wonderful and just what my soul needed.
There was so much anxious anticipation leading up to this trip. Would all four of us test negative and be able to go? Would the AirBnB be as nice as in the photos that we had looked at for over two years? Would we get sick while traveling and not be able to come home? Would the airports be a complete nightmare? The answers to those questions are yes, yes, no and no.
Our first travel anywhere in almost three years went smoothly thanks to simple travel, which is no easy feat these days. Perhaps you can use some of my tips for your next trip. Please take what you like and leave the rest.
Travel Safe
First of all, I want to note that we traveled as safely as possible in the times of COVID. My family is vaccinated and boosted. In addition, we continue to wear our masks indoors and anyplace that is slightly crowded. This may be overkill AND I don't want to be sick, especially whilst traveling. The country we traveled to required both vaccination and a negative test. To be on the safe side, I printed our vaccination records with QR codes from our healthcare provider, along with the results from our COVID tests. If you need to be tested in Southeast Michigan, we had a positive experience using RapidBio. These documents were placed in a presentation booklet to share with the authorities at our destination, who were pleased with the ease in which they could check our documents. We also had our original vaccination cards in a separate plastic pouch along with our passports, just in case.
Minimize
Simple travel is all about minimizing hassle and stress. When planning a trip, think about the "hassle factor". Also, think about what will bring you ease and joy on vacation.
These days, air travel is not easy, especially with a lot of connecting flights. When planning travel, minimize connecting flights if possible and carefully consider connecting airports. This is easier if you live near or are traveling to a hub airport. For our recent travels, there was no direct flight from our "home airport" of Detroit (DTW). We opted to book a connecting flight within the United States to avoid having to comply with COVID restrictions in a third country. In the Before Times we probably would not have considered this and flown through a hub airport that has been a real mess this summer.
It is also important to minimize plans or activities once you arrive at your destination. Because a lot of us haven't traveled for at least a couple of years, it is really tempting to pack in a lot of activity. BC (before children) this is how I traveled and always drove myself to a point of exhaustion. Older and wiser now, and with a sensible husband, we minimize our sightseeing activity, giving everyone a chance to explore their interests. While we see fewer sights, I believe this "less is more" approach is better for our family's enjoyment.
Go Carry-On Only
Since the summer of 2018, our family has traveled carry-on only. It is so freeing. The kids and I have 20 inch hard sided spinner suitcases, which are slightly smaller than the US standard 22 inch carry on. My husband prefers to use a soft side shoulder bag that can be carried on or checked, depending upon how full it is. We each also carry a backpack or crossbody bag as our personal item. It's alway good to be hands free.
I usually pack between 3 and 4 outfits for trips of any length, including my travel day outfit. At our destination, I just do laundry, which usually isn't a big deal. Laundry while traveling is easiest if we stay in one place (more on that below) and choose accomodations with laundry facilities, although we have had to seek out laundromats in the past. When traveling outside of the US, count on air drying your clothing. I usually pack a travel clothesline, foldable hangers and a mini lint brush to compensate for the lack of a dryer.
Traveling carry-on only saves us stress and time. We no longer have to wait at baggage carousels, or at a lost baggage counter. We can move through public transportation with relative ease (hello, Tokyo train station) and no longer worry if our bags will fit into a small rental car. It's also a lot easier to manage one's possessions. I remember many trips, especially when the kids were young, where I spent so much time every day digging through our huge suitcase trying to find something or put together an outfit. In addition, limiting ourselves with carry-on only, restricts us from purchasing unneccessary souveniers while traveling. Instead of shopping as a primary form of entertainment, we spend time in the outdoors, visit museums and enjoy local food. Our purchases are limited to a few small, very intentional items. This saves money and clutter.
Stay in One Place
When travel planning it can seem like a good idea to move around a lot in order to see as much as possible. We have taken trips where we are changing accomodations frequently and trips where we stay in one place the whole time. The later inevitably leads to a more relaxing vacation. This, of course, is more difficult in places like the western United States, where sites are spread out by vast miles of wilderness. In those cases, we like to stay each place a minimum of two nights.
When possible, our family prefers to rent an apartment or home that has a kitchen, at least two bedrooms and a washing machine. In order to save money, we have rented one bedroom places where the kids stay on sofa beds in the living room. As the kids get older, this is less feasible. Instead, we stay in cheaper short term rentals a little further out from city centers in quiet residential areas or the countryside. The extra travel time is worth it for a peaceful night's sleep.
In addition to being more comfortable, renting an apartment or home saves us money, as we can cook some or all of our own meals along with avoiding an extra hotel room, coin laundry or expensive parking if traveling with a car. I particularly enjoy visiting grocery stores abroad to see how the locals live and try different kinds of food we cannot find at home.
Establish a Routine
A basic routine can ground us in an unfamiliar place. Find a rhythm that works for you and those you are traveling with. This will vary based on your sleep patterns, number and ages of people you are with.
On our most recent trip, we established a daily routine of breakfast at the AirBnB, lunch out and dinner back at the AirBnB. We would typically do some sightseeing or go to a beach in the morning, followed by lunch out and head back to our rental home in the afternoon, picking up some groceries on the way. In the afternoons, the kids would swim in the pool, my husband would prepare dinner and I would do the laundry, along with a bit of journaling about the days activities. In the evenings we would wander outside or watch some television. This simple routine allowed time for rest and relaxation, something that I do not have a lot of in my day to day life.
Pack Patience, an Open Mind and Snacks
Finally, it's always been good practice to pack patience. These days that's even more important. Our trip went smoothly with flight delays and long lines. It's important to expect some level of hassle with traveling and try to keep an open mind. This can be difficult, especially after long days of travel, which is where the snacks come in. In recent years, we started packing a few sandwiches to take to the airport. This allows us to skip the expensive (and, dare I say, bad) airport food. I keep a few snacks for outings as well. On this summer's trip, we visited a popular site with limited lunch options. Thanks to the snacks in my day pack, we were able to wait for a nicer and less crowded place for lunch.
If we are hangry or tired, creature comforts come in handy. In addition to snacks, I like to have a water bottle, some reading material, my journaling kit (please let me know if you are interested in this), a calming essential oil roller and of course, my phone. These are little things that bring me joy.
If you are curious as to where I traveled, head on over to Instagram where I will be posting a few photos from our trip. I hope you find these tips useful!
All my best,
Carolyn
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