Whether you’re planning to travel over the holidays, know someone who’s preparing to, or are just getting a head start on travel plans for the new year, today’s Five for Friday is for you. There’s nothing more stressful than leaving the comforts of home, as far as I’m concerned, so the links below are designed to help you minimize your stress and enjoy the ride as much as possible.
1. Traveling by car? Download the Waze app (available for both Android and iPhone) before you hit the road.Waze collects real-time information about road conditions and is updated by actual users, not by state departments of transportation–which means you’ll not only get up-to-date information about accidents causing major backups along your planned route, but also tips on where to buy gas for the best price in a particular area and other useful information.
2. If you still have time to make a decision about how to travel, then Travelmath is where you’ll want to go. This website helps you figure out the difference between various modes of transportation, not only in terms of cost but also in terms of travel time. If you’ve ever asked yourself “Would it really be cheaper to drive?”, Travelmath will help you answer that question.
3. Sometimes, when you’re making a long journey, it actually is cheaper to fly. And if you’re taking a long flight, then this Aeris Airplane Pillow is a must. There are cheaper travel pillows out there, but the inflatable variety always make me sweaty (because they’re made of plastic) and crinkle annoying whenever I move. This pillow has a plush cover that can be removed for machine washing, and because it’s made of memory foam, it squishes down to nothing in your carry-on bag. My pillow has made two trips to London, as well as a trip to Bangladesh, and it looks no worse for wear.
4. And speaking of that carry-on bag–I hate lugging a big purse through the airport when I’m also trying to wrangle a carry-on, and that’s why I love this Travex Connect 3-Zip Travel Bag from Eddie Bauer. (Mine is black, so it goes with pretty much everything I own.) If you’re traveling internationally, this bag provides easy access to your passport and travel documents. But even if you aren’t, it’s the perfect size for helping you keep track of money, boarding passes, and the other items you’ll need to have at the ready in the airport, while you’re getting from here to there. Put the big stuff in your carry-on and let this bag separate out the essentials. As a bonus, it’s made of durable polyester fabric that you can wipe clean. I love this bag for bopping-around-town days when I’m traveling, too. The strap is long enough to go across your body, which makes it secure, and you can wear it with the zippers facing your body for an extra measure of security, if necessary. It’s even flat enough to fit beneath a jacket or sweater.
5. And finally–no matter how you travel, you have to pack. And if you haven’t yet purchased a set of packing cubes, you need to. Trust me, they’ll change your life. Travel cubes let you organize your clothes by type (pants, tops, etc) so you aren’t digging through your entire suitcase to find the one item you need. They also let you pack your clothes more tightly, which means you can make better use of the available space inside your suitcase. They keep the dirty soles of your shoes away from your clean clothes. I could go on and on about the virtues of packing cubes, but I think you get the point. This set of Shacke Pak Travel Cubes has excellent reviews, and it comes with a laundry bag to help you separate dirty and clean clothes during your trip.
I love to explore new places, but I’ll confess: the process of traveling is not my favorite thing. If you have suggestions for making travel a more pleasant experience, share them in the comments!
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