Travel

[DCJenn]

As most of you know, I travel every week. I ususally leave on Sunday or Monday and return two-four days later.

I have turned into a complete travel snob. It's horrible. I belong to both United and American's Travel Clubs, so I can sit in the nice cool, calm and quiet lounges rather than shove my stuff around with everyone else. I travel first class whenever I can, I travel so often I get complimentary upgrades or I can use my accumulated upgrades. I NEVER fly on Southwest now, whereas before, it was one of my favorite carriers. The thought of the cattlecall for seats just sends me over the edge.

I have packing down to a science. I have three packs that are never out of a suitcase- I have my make-up bag, my soap/shampoo bag and my exercise bands. Plus I have travel running shoes. I can pack for a week of travel in about 15 minutes. I can also get through Security in nano-seconds. I know which shoes, bras, and clothes have metal and make sure NOT to wear those!

How bizarre this is? Anyone else travel for a living? (or to make their living?) The good news is that I keep being sent to the West Coast- which is great, it's more miles to get us to Russia for free. Plus, if I have to spend an entire day travelling, I might as well be in First Class for five hours, rather than two smaller trips in coach.

So, if there are any Road Warriers out there, let's chat!

Jenn

[Meenah]

I only travel 15 minutes to the hospital several days a week!!!! I hope you can travel to Seattle in October (see above thread).
Luanne

[mommax3]

Jenn,

As you know, I rarely travel and only fly once in a blue moon, but my mother-in-law travels all the time with my FIL.....he is a vet school Dean. I remember when she was putting together a second make-up bag so she could quit packing/unpacking all that stuff. She is seriously into Mary Kay, so she spent some bucks getting duplicates of everything, but she is so pleased now, and her packing takes a lot less time.

Since we are getting ready to take a two week trip, (leaving this coming Saturday) packing has been on my mind lately. However, the only packing tip I have involves packing for kids. (surprise, surprise.... ) When I am packing a suitcase for them, I have trouble keeping track of what I have packed already because I am usually doing a million other things (and laundry!) at the same time. So I fill gallon-sized ziplock bags with an outfit each, and then if I lose track, all I have to do is count the bags instead of digging through a bunch of folded clothes. It also helps Dads, grandmas, and little ones to know which clothes "go" together.....my MIL, especially, was known for coming up with some pretty shocking combos before I started packing this way! My oldest has gotten big enough that his clothes won't fit into baggies anymore, but it still works for the other two.

Sally

[DCJenn]

I bought those "packing cases" and they are well worth the investment. I put the workout clothes in one, t-shirts, PJs, etc. in another one, then the outfits for work. I like knowing that everything is put away so when they go through my luggage I won't have some TSA agent pawing through my stuff. It's also much easier to see IF someone has ben pawing through my stuff.

I like the baggies idea- I'll file that away!

Jenn

[Auspicious]

I have "airport shoes" that I always wear because I know they won't set off the metal detector. For some reason the underwire bra is never a problem.

My travel makeup is any makeup that's almost used up. When it gets down to the point where you really have to dig it out of the corners with the applicator, then it goes in the travel bag, and if I use it up and throw it away while on a trip, that's one less thing to have to bring home.

I think that started because my grandmother was famous for having a theory in which she would talk all her very oldest, holiest underwear on vacation and throw them away each day when she took them off, so it was that much less dirty laundry to bring home.

The thing I wish everyone would do (because it would make the line move faster) is while while I'm waiting in line for the metal detector I take off all my metal and put it in the pocket of my carry-on, so I don't have to futz around with putting everything in one of those trays when it's my turn to go through, and I don't have to worry about anyone lifting my jewelry out of the tray if the tray gets through the machine before I do. Every time I see someone struggling to get their watch off while everyone waits behind them at the machine I think "Tsk, tsk, don't fly much, do ya?"

I've never flown first class! Dare to dream . . .

[houseelf]

I don't travel for a living but I do travel more than the average bear. (My four year old has a Northwest frequent flyer account with 18,000 miles and DH and I have accumulated enough miles on US air and NW to get some free tickets for upcoming fellowship interviews.)

I always wear tennis shoes, request a seat by the motor to lull my kid to sleep, and live for the direct flight. Seriously, I am all about the direct flight. I will not pay for perks like event parking or taxi cabs, but I will pay a significant amount of more money for a direct flight. With as crappy as the "service" of the airline industry is, I want to minimize their ability to screw up my day as much as possible.

Hats off to those of you who have to deal with this frustration. BTW, my absolute least favorite air port in the entire world is Chicago O'Hare. They are always delayed and otherwise screwed up. It is unbelieveable.

Kelly

[fluffhead]

Back in the late 80's through 91 I used to work for a Very Large Corporation and would fly nearly every week. I'm still using the miles from that, and used to give away flight certificates to friends and family all the time.
At one point I had an apartment down in Atlanta and used to bring my laundry down there, cause I had a washer dryer in the apt and not at home.

I had a colleague back then who was able to use her miles to fly her entire wedding party to Hawaii for her wedding (she and her fiancee flew first class with miles). This was all back in the days of triple mileage.

There was an early morning Eastern flight I used to take, where even if I could upgrade to first class I wouldn't, cause in coach I could stretch out on three seats and sleep - in first class you can't raise the armrests (and the seats are usually taken anyway). And who wants free drinks at 7 am?

When you get to know the flight attendants and check-in folks, you know it's time to stop.

[SueC]

I'm one of those idiots that bumbles along through the check in line not knowing what to do (surprise, surprise ). I don't travel often anymore and haven't flown enough post 9-11 to get through the security checks without feeling flustered. (I'm usually bringing along my clunky laptop which doesn't help matters, though I try to dress in tennis shoes and only carry one small bag to simplify things.
I've never flown first class but I swear if I ever travel overseas again I'm splurging. My sister on the other hand flies all the time and has packing and traveling down to a science.