Travel is like money, or beauty. If you judge yourself based on others, you
often fail.
Just when I am
feeling like a hot shit for, say, driving New England on my own - or carrying out
my arbitrary goal of “leaving the state once per month” - I meet someone who has been to Dubai, Reykjavik and/or Costa Rica….recently! While it’s true, sticking to domestic
destinations is a conscious choice right now for me, I admit to some “travel
envy” and a feeling of competitiveness.
Muttering the proverbial “I’ll get there next year.” In the meantime, I pick their brains for
ideas.
It is in
that context that I offer you, in no particular order, my top tips for
comfortable travel. Not sure they are
revolutionary, but they are personally tried and true. I hope you find something here that makes
your next trip just a bit more comfortable.
- Peppermint Oil. While some inconvenience and discomfort are
integral to travel, airplane odors sometimes get to me – even jet fuel smell is
a bit nauseating. Putting peppermint oil
under your nose, behind your ears, etc can really help. Don’t worry about the person next to you complaining. It seems to be universally appealing, and
does not hang in the air. It is also
excellent for keeping cool in hot climates.
Just apply liberally at the back of your neck before heading out for the
day. Here is a good quality one on Amazon:
-Conditioner. It’s not just
for your hair. Whether you pack yours,
or use what the hotel gives, conditioner
has lots of uses. One of my favorite is
in place of shaving cream. Please stop
buying that ridiculous metal dispenser full of fluffy cream. Men’s beards and women’s leg/underarm hair can
be softened with ordinary hair conditioner.
Then, after shower, many of them are formulated to not feel sticky or
greasy when used on feet and hands as lotion.
Or banish static cling by rubbing a tiny bit on your hands and separating
yourself from your garments.
-Forgot your phone charger?
Most hotels have a huge lost and found box full of them. Even if you are not near your own hotel, the
nearest one will likely be happy to rummage through and find one that will
work. Take a break in the lobby, and
juice up for the day.
-Germ freaks unite! Before leaving for the airport, I have
adopted the custom of liberally coating my nasal passages with Vaseline or
other heavy lotion. The nose is a major
pathway of entry for all of those mysterious coughs you hear. The eyes too. Consider leaving out your contacts and wearing
glasses during transit as yet another buffer.
Yes, I am serious.
And now for
some Chicago specific ideas…..
-Try the L Train from either airport. Don’t make your friends and family have the distinct
displeasure of circling the airport to pick you up – especially at heavy
traffic times. You could take a Lyft or
Cab (I do recommend Lyft over Uber, by far), but the blue line from O’Hare, and
the orange line from Midway straight into the loop works great. Even if your destination is too far from the
loop stop, a cab from there will be much cheaper. Don’t believe the crime hype you read. Use the trains.
-Regarding site seeing, bigger isn’t always better.
Okay, this is purely opinion. But
the obvious places don’t always yield the best experience. For example, everyone sees the Art
Institute. It is beautiful, world class,
and right in the middle of everything.
But go a bit north, and see the Contemporary Art Museum instead. Less exhausting, more intimate, and the gift
shop has lots of unique items.
or this one in a gorgeous neighborhood historic mansion if you are into
science….
I could go on and on. But, that’s
plenty from me. Please feel free to
comment with YOUR best travel tips. Tell
us what you’ve learned from experience.
As always, wishing you safe journeys.
Xoxo
jean