April 29, 2011
One of the many challenges of travel is to figure out how things work in different environments. In a hotel room, we need to figure out how to turn on and off the lights, how to change the temperature, how to work the coffee pot, turn on the television and turn on the shower. Sometimes even figuring out how to flush the toilet can be interesting.
I am definitely challenged my hotel room this week, which happens to be in Oslo, Norway:
How to turn off the bedside lamps? Ah, reach behind the table and pull up a switch.
How to change Read more of this article »
Posted by Carol Margolis under Hotel Living, Travel |
April 28, 2011
Eating healthy and Travel – Do they go together? They sure can! Take a look at these easy to pack foods that give you healthy options for snacking in-flight, morning breakfast and hunger attacks.
And if you think a ultra-heavy suitcase is needed to pack all of this, think again! Take a peek into my actual packed luggage here.
To receive a free copy of our ebook, 70 Secrets to Safe Travel — Because Your Life Can Change in a Heartbeat, and for more travel savvy info to help you travel smarter, safer and with more enjoyment, visit SmartWomenTravelers.com and PearlsofTravelWisdom.com.
Posted by Carol Margolis under Food and Drink, Health |
April 27, 2011
Free Passport Reminder Service: ItsEasy.com offers a free passport renewal reminder, which can help travelers avoid showing up at the airport or border with an expired or soon to expire passport. Register on their website and receive a renewal reminder via email nine months prior to your passport expiration date. This service is especially useful for families with children, since kids’ passports expire every five years (as opposed to 10 years for adults).They also provide expedited passport processing.
Posted by Carol Margolis under New Travelers, Travel |
April 25, 2011
When I have two or more hours in an airport, I want to be somewhere quiet. Airline lounges are usually my first stop, though they seem to be getting busier and noisier. Getting a seat in the corner of a restaurant is my second choice. With all the hustle and bustle in an airport, being away from the crowds helps to keep my travel stress level down.
Read more of this article »
Posted by Carol Margolis under Places to See; Things to Do, Travel |
April 20, 2011
I have a renewed perspective on my busy travel life after this encounter.
I was at my bank the other day opening an account. The financial services advisor I was working with was asking about my business. She asked about the t-shirt I was wearing. “Is that your business?” she asked, pointing to the logo on my shirt. “Yes,” I replied, “Smart Women Travelers is one of my businesses.”
Then came the barrage of questions: What do you do, where do you travel, and what’s your favorite place?
As I kept answering her questions: I help travelers travel smarter, safer and with more enjoyment; I travel all over the world; the Greek Islands are my favorite place, I could see that my new account was going to take longer than I hoped to get set up.
Then she said the words you may also have heard before: “Wow, you really have the dream job!”
My initial thought was “Are you kidding? – I traveled all or part of 50 weeks last year!”
But I didn’t react out loud. I thought about it while she was busy filling out the endless bank forms.
The downsides can be many. I miss:
Read more of this article »
Posted by Carol Margolis under Favorite Cities and Towns, New Travelers, Random Thoughts, Travel |
April 14, 2011
Traveling for business this week? You may think you don’t have time to volunteer, or that volunteering is something you do when you’re at home. I used to think that. But there are thousands of organizations who would greatly appreciate even a few hours of your time.
Volunteering helps put perspective on all the hours spent traveling and doing business in other cities. Instead of groaning at the next flight delay, instead you’re grateful for the opportunity you have to travel at all.
For ideas on volunteering, even when away for business, read Enhance Your Travels: Volunteer at my companion site smartwomentravelers.com. The ideas are gender neutral!
And I’ll be meeting with a Make-A-Wish child this week – for what may be his last trip.
Posted by Carol Margolis under Current Affairs, Giving Back |
April 14, 2011
Wearing jewelry is a great way to have a different look each day during your travels. When interchanging outfits to create a different look from clothes worn earlier on your trip, adding a colorful necklace or dangly earrings can make you look and feel like the outfit is all brand new.
But isn’t it maddening to open your jewelry pouch and find the necklaces have become a tangled mess in transit? Even worse, after untangling them once, they get all tangled again on the return trip home. The necklaces might still be sitting on top of your dresser right now waiting to be unraveled. Then you can finally put them away in their proper place.
Here are a few suggestions to keep your jewelry tangle-free, so you can wear it without frustration as well as keep it in place both away and when heading back home:
Read more of this article »
Posted by Carol Margolis under Pearls of Travel Fun, Shopping!, Travel |
April 12, 2011
Want to lessen your packing time? Here’s a smart way to arrange your closet that will significantly cut down on the time spent selecting which clothes and jewelry to bring along. Add your tips for smart packing advice in the comment section below.
To receive a free copy of our ebook, 70 Secrets to Safe Travel — Because Your Life Can Change in a Heartbeat, and for more travel savvy info to help you travel smarter, safer and with more enjoyment, visit SmartWomenTravelers.com and PearlsofTravelWisdom.com.
Posted by Carol Margolis under New Travelers, Travel |
April 9, 2011
Hey all you kings and queens of the road – would you like to share one or two of your funniest travel stories with business travelers around the globe? If so, I need your story now! My upcoming book, where I share tips and tricks learned over 25 years of business travel, is heading to an editor at the end of April. Some of the best tips are those learned from the funny things that happen along our journeys.
Details are at http://bit.ly/dq1NQe.
If your story is included, I’ll send you a free copy of the book when it’s out later this year.
Posted by Carol Margolis under Pearls of Travel Fun, Travel |
April 8, 2011
I was recently asked by Matador Network on my must-have items that are always with me when I travel. Matador Network is the most read independent travel magazine on the Web. Whether I’m carrying a backpack or a tote bag with my laptop and gear, I always bring the items in this post: What’s In Your Backpack Carol Margolis?
What are your never-leave-home-without items when you’re traveling?
To receive a free copy of our ebook, 70 Secrets to Safe Travel — Because Your Life Can Change in a Heartbeat, and for more travel savvy info to help you travel smarter, safer and with more enjoyment, visit SmartWomenTravelers.com and PearlsofTravelWisdom.com.
Posted by Carol Margolis under Pearls of Travel Fun, Travel |
April 7, 2011
I’ve seen one bag, two bags, red bags, blue bags.
Old bags, new bags, black bags, black bags
(and black bags, and black bags).
Some are thin and some are fat.
Some are crammed in the overhead bin – take that!
But I’ve never seen bags like this!
Read more of this article »
Posted by Carol Margolis under Pearls of Travel Fun, Travel |
