December 8, 2011
You may think that with all the travel I do, which is just about every week of the year, that I am a fearless traveler who treks dauntlessly throughout the world. That’s not always the case. Not at all.
Sometimes I just want to hibernate in my hotel room because there’s discomfort on the other side of the door. I may feel perfectly safe and at home within the walls of my hotel but don’t want to venture out into the streets where the culture is different; the foods are mysterious and the words are not understood.
Yes, hard to believe that I can have these anxious feelings, but I do. Have you ever felt the same?
What I’m not going to let happen though is for this initial anxiousness to ruin a visit to somewhere that I’m sure must be wonderful, or why would I have traveled there?
My tried-and-true ways to squash the unease are these:
- Head out the hotel door and start walking (ask the hotel front desk or concierge about the safety of their hotel vicinity). Once I walk a few blocks and start to enjoy the store fronts, peak at a few restaurant menus and see friendly-looking faces, I already feel 100% better. On my first walk, I usually keep to one or two streets so that I can be confident that I can make my way back to the hotel.
- Make a pact on where I’m going to eat. I’ll say to myself “I’m going to walk two blocks and then eat at the very first restaurant I see after that point.” This has been a wonderful way to try restaurants and foods that I normally would have passed right on by without making such a definitive pact. Oh, I might have my 2nd thoughts at first, but a pact is a pact and this approach at swallowing my fear ball has never let me down – and I’ve enjoyed really wonderful foods. (A pact may need to be broken if the appointed restaurant only serves scorpions and cicadas, as my friend Pat encountered in Beijing since a fundamental rule of mine is NO BUGS!)
- Take a ride on a hop-on, hop-off bus if the city offers such a service to explore its highlights. At first I’ll plan on riding the full circuit without getting off, just to get the lay of the land. Though with 100% certainly, I always jump off at a stop that just looks too good to pass up, even knowing I could come back later. Hop-on, hop-off boats are also great! Here’s a great place to start to see if there’s such a tour where you’ll be visiting.
By now, my anxiousness has turned into excitement and I’m off and running! My pre-arranged plans, talks with the hotel concierge, chats with Twitter or Facebook friends and TripAdvisor recommendations for Things to Do (here’s my list from Singapore) and now I’ve got too much to do in too little time. Fear ball conquered!
What are your tips for moving from A to B (anxiety to bravery)?
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. Watch for my new book, Business Travel Success – How to Reduce Stress, Be More Productive and Travel with Confidence, being published by Morgan James in early 2012.
Posted by Carol Margolis under Favorite Cities and Towns, New Travelers, Places to See; Things to Do |
June 20, 2011
Like to journal your travels but don’t want the weight of the journal? I like to write in a travel journal to keep track of where I’ve been, who I met, where I stayed and ate and anything else of interest. But I often do not want to carry the travel journal with me due to the added weight. When I leave it at home, I instead buy a few postcards and make my notes on the back of these. I slip these into my journal when I get home.
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, Pearls of Travel Fun, Random Thoughts |
June 15, 2011
One of the greatest pleasures for many travelers is shopping. It’s fun to see the different products that are available in each destination and to compare prices on items that we can also get at home. I also like looking at the names of products. In a store window was “Man’s No Fall More” hair loss prevention product, a name that didn’t translate quite correctly in English.
In Hong Kong, Starbucks coffee was priced much higher than in the U.S., but McDonald’s super value meals were at a really super price compared to home (about $2 US for a Big Mac meal). Cashmere was priced great, while Coach bags were higher. It definitely pays to do the research before buying to see what your visiting country’s specialties are (and have a calculator!).
Some of my Top Travel Shopping Tips are: Read more of this article »
Posted by Carol Margolis under Favorite Cities and Towns, Shopping!, Travel |
February 16, 2010
Research shows that 40-50% of business travelers are women. Many times each year, women dash out their front doors, luggage wheels spinning behind them, waving goodbye to their loved ones as they head out on another business trip.
I am part of this statistic. Last year I traveled 48 weeks of the year. During these 48 weeks, Read more of this article »
Posted by Carol Margolis under Relationships |
January 27, 2010
The most-viewed article on SmartWomenTravelers.com is Top 7 Tips for Packing Your Suitcase, but unpacking my suitcase is actually a bigger chore than packing it! This got me thinking about the different ways that people unpack their suitcases.
Upon returning from a trip, my husband immediately (and I mean immediately!) opens up his luggage, gets his dirty clothes into the washer and totally empties out his bag. I, on the other hand, roll the luggage into our bedroom where it sits next to my nightstand for a day …. or two … or more. I hate unpacking! Read more of this article »
Posted by Carol Margolis under Pearls of Travel Fun, Random Thoughts |
October 1, 2009
I have the opportunity to talk with many women who travel … women who travel for business, conferences and pleasure. When I share what Smart Women Travelers is all about, I get asked many questions on health and beauty while on the road. For this edition of Pearls of Travel Wisdom, I'm sharing these questions and solutions with you:
Q: I really do not want to check a bag. So how do I bring my favorite facial care products with me in 3 oz. sizes or less?
A: Look at all of the facial care products you would like to bring, and find ways to consolidate them into a lesser number of items with a few simple solutions:
Instead of packing a facial scrub, instead bring just your facial cleanser and mix in a package of raw or white sugar to create a facial scrub.
Instead of packing shaving cream or gel, use the hotel-supplied hair conditioner.
Instead of packing a body scrub, use the hotel's body lotion mixed with a packet of raw or white sugar. Rub this all over, then shower. Goodbye dry skin!
Q: I forgot my skin care lotion, and my skin is very dry due to the travel and different climate. The hotel does not offer skin care lotion in my hotel room. Do you have another suggestion?
A: Instead of packing body lotion (or if the hotel does not provide body lotion), ask the hotel restaurant for a small container of olive oil. Massage a small amount of olive oil on extra dry areas such as elbows or heels, as well as legs and arms. Olive oil is also great in the bathtub for a moisturizing soak, but be careful with as the tub may be slippery.
Q: I like certain toothpastes and/or shampoos that are difficult to find in travel-friendly sizes. Do you have a source for these products?
A: I like minimuz.biz for many travel-friendly products. They offer a wide variety of items and offer free shipping for orders in the U.S. over $20.00. I have also found a great selection of travel-sized items, including hair mousse which is not as easy to find in 3 oz. sizes, at Bed Bath and Beyond stores in the U.S.
Q: What do you suggest for getting rid of the dark circles under the eyes that seem to come from too much travel and too little sleep?
A: Hotel supplies to the rescue again! Apply cool tea bags, an ice cube wrapped in soft cloth, or cucumber slices (ask your hotel restaurant) to your eyes daily. The tannin in tea bags has been shown to reduce swelling and discoloration, and cucumber slices have long been used to reduce puffiness and refresh the appearance of skin around the eyes. Lie down, preferably in the morning, and leave fresh cucumber slices or cool, damp caffeinated tea bags (you can keep them cool on ice overnight so they'll be ready) over your eyes for about 10-15 minutes. Keep your eyes closed.
Q. Any suggestions for facial cleansing products that do not need to get in the TSA-approved clear plastic bag?
A: Pack dry face washcloths, such as Olay Daily Facials, for each travel day. These are perfect for travel. They are feather light, contain no liquid and pass the TSA test with flying colors. Dry when they come out of the box, they lather up when moistened. They work as a cleanser, toner and exfoliater, all in one!
Q: How do you stay healthy with so much travel when dealing with different timezones, climates, airplanes and exposure to many people?
A: I eat lots of fruits and vegetables and try to get a minimum of seven hours of sleep on most nights. On travel nights this is not always possible, but it's what I strive for. Sufficient sleep along with healthy eating helps keep my immune system strong. I also mix 1 to 2 packets of Emergen-C Energy Booster Dietary Supplement into bottled water each day. Emergen-C contains 1,000 mg of vitamin C plus lots of minerals and B vitamins. Airborne is another popular choice for warding off a cold.
I also drink lots and lots of water to keep hydrated (watch what pilots ask for on the plane … it's almost always water!)
I hope these simple solutions help you keep your liquids to a minimum when packing your bag and yet give you the comfort of having everything you want with you on your journey.
Posted by Carol Margolis under Hotel Living, Travel |
