A few trips ago, I packed all of my normal stuff for a plane ride: iPhone, Kindle, magazine, snacks, and knitting. It was only once I was on the actual flight that I realized I had forgotten to wind my yarn, and so had a pretty much useless skein. In my early morning purse packing, I had simply grabbed the nearest mass of yarn, not the pretty, ready to use ball I meant to get. (For the non-yarn crazy: Yarn is often shipped in a skein, which is basically a really long strand looped over and over, then twisted and folded.  You can’t knit or crochet when yarn is like that, as it would become a tangled mess. So you have to wind it into a ball. Imagine the scenes you’ve seen in old movies of someone sitting with yarn looped around their hands, and someone else winding it into a ball. That’s what I’m talking about.) Pictured: A lovely example of a skein from the Etsy store ByMelody.

So what is a girl to do? There I sat, mid-row, with plenty of yarn but no way to wind it. I looked around, thinking, can I use my purse? Or my knees? How about my arm rest? After a number of unsuccessful tries, and with mounting frustration, I finally was struck with inspiration. The tray table! I wrapped the yarn around it, then closed and locked it. I slowly started winding the ball around my hands, and it actually worked! It wasn’t perfect, but after about ten minutes I was able to get back to my actual knitting. So if you forget to wind your yarn before your trip, don’t despair! The seat back table in front of you will work in a pinch.

In all of my “long flight comfort” posts, I list compression socks. Wearing them on a long flight can be very beneficial on a lot of levels. Stylish? Not exactly. Super comfortable? Not so much. But worth it? Absolutely.  They are great because they basically help keep your circulation going  in your feet, legs, and ankles. From ClotCare.com:

In your leg veins, blood must flow upward to the heart. Graduated compression stockings apply a certain amount of pressure near your ankle and then apply gradually less and less pressure as they move up the leg. In this way, they help to squeeze or push blood back up the leg from the ankle to the thigh in an effort to counteract pooling of blood in the leg and the resultant swelling.

The two main benefits, related to travel, are that they will:

• Keep you from swelling.Long flights, or a lot of flying in a short amount of time, can make your feet, legs, and ankles swell. This can be uncomfortable, especially if it gets to the point where your shoes are too tight. I have had some pretty severe swelling in the past, but when I flew to Manila with compression socks on my feet and ankles were barely bigger than normal. Even with the 25 hours of travel time.
• Help prevent DVT. Deep Vein Thrombosis can cause blood clots in the legs, which leads to painful, red, and swollen legs, and even possibly death.

It’s not always possible to find cute ones (although LuLu Lemon has some on occasion), but mine are black and go with most long flight clothing options. You can find them at many places, including Amazon and TravelSmith, for less than $20. A good deal for something so helpful!

Thank you so much to everyone who entered the National Emerald Club Executive Elite giveaway. I have really enjoyed reading everyone’s stories!! Our winner is Brian, whose most memorable rental was:

“Rental a Ford Expedition with 7 of my college buddies for a bachelor party. Drove from NYC to Montreal for a weekend of debauchery. Good times.”

This reminds me of the “yada yada” Seinfeld episode. Skimming over the details Brian? I think so. Although with bachelor parties (and often bachelorette parties!) that’s not a bad idea.

Once the temperatures start heating up, it’s hard to wear pants every day. They can just feel so restricting and hot, especially here in the South. I love dresses and skirts, and have several that are incredibly comfortable for travel. But with TSA doing extra touchy feely patdowns, a girl can feel might exposed in a skirt. So what can a lady traveler do when she wants to wear something, anything but pants, but not get too close and personal with a TSA agent?

Bike shorts! I actually have worn bike shorts under my skirts and dresses (on travel days, anyway) for years. And once the new patdown policy came into place, it made even more sense. I have a couple of pairs that I rotate between, although they are technically “yoga shorts” (like these from Gaiam). They have the added benefit of smoothing the line of whatever I’m wearing, but are more comfortable than Spanx. Even if you don’t want to wear bike shorts the whole day, just slip them on before going through security and the slip them off when you’re done. Just takes a few minutes extra, and you don’t have to worry if you get selected for the patdown.

In the last couple of months, I have been getting a lot of questions about miles and points. Now, I love me some miles, and have a credit card where I get miles, sign up for promotions through Hilton and American Airlines, and have been known to go on a rare mileage run. But as much as I believe that business travelers should get all the miles they can, this is not a site devoted to miles. There are so many great miles sites that do an amazing job of helping people get all they can, and there is no reason for me to compete on that front. Since my readers still have questions, I want to post some of my favorite miles sites for those of you who are interested.

FlyerTalk. There is so much information on this site that it can be a bit overwhelming. But if you want knowledge about miles and points, this should be your first stop every time.

Loyalty Traveler. Want to know the latest hotel promotions and how to use them to your best advantage? Ric Garrido will tell you. He talks about all the major rewards programs, and some I’ve never heard of. But it’s all very helpf!

Travel Hacking Cartel. If you don’t want to have to search various sites, and don’t mind paying a little, TravelHacking will do a lot of the work for you. They also guarantee that you will get one plane ticket every three months–that’s four per year. A pretty good deal, if you ask me.

View From The Wing. Gary Leff knows everything. At least, sometimes that’s how it seems. So if you have any questions about, well, anything travel related, get thee to his site.

Anyone have a favorite site that’s not mentioned here?

And don’t forget! Today is the last day to enter the National Emerald Club Executive Elite giveaway.

Adding your boss or coworkers to a business trip can be fraught with issues. Traveling Together is a series on Road Warriorette about avoiding the pitfalls that crop up when traveling with others.

Traveling with coworkers can be tricky, but that can be multiplied if you are traveling with your boss. If you are traveling with your boss, you have to be on your best, and most competent, behavior. You want to come across as low maintenance as possible, and this can extend from your suitcase to your dinner orders (remember When Harry Met Sally? Don’t be Sally!!) to your clothes. Here are a few tips to look calm, collected, and like you know what you’re doing.

• Be competent! This touches everything you do, starting with your suitcase.Know the airline’s guidelines so that if you are carrying on, your bag is within the correct size requirements. Also, make sure you can lift it into the overhead bin without throwing out your back or making weird noises.
• Be productive. While on the plane with your superior, working is never a bad thing. If that’s not an option, look at a magazine that you could show your grandparents: Real Simple, In Style, something in that vein. (Not People or Us Weekly, please! Unless you’re sure that your boss shares your obsession with Brangelina.) Another option is to read a book. You don’t have to try to come across as a pseudo-intellectual, but please don’t read anything that looks like a trashy romance or something called “How to Get Your Boss’s Job”. This is a great excuse to finally get a Kindle! No one knows what you’re reading.
• Know where you’re going. When you arrive, make sure you know where you are going and have a plan for getting there. You don’t necessarily need to do anything above and beyond what you would do when traveling alone. Just make sure, for example, you know the address of the office, what car rental company you are using, and the general location of your hotel. Long ago, I was traveling with a coworker and I couldn’t remember the name of my hotel, I just knew it was some kind of Marriott. I had to call all over the city to find my reservation (because I didn’t have access to my Rewards number or my confirmation code), and then it turned out my hotel was literally on the airport property. Way to look competent!!
• Look professional. During any downtime that you spend with your boss, wear something comfortable but cute and well put together. It’s pretty unlikely you’ll have to wear a suit to dinner (unless of course you’re going straight from the office), so maybe a pair of slacks or dark jeans, a nice top, and cute shoes. Don’t wear anything that would make someone think you are going to a bar: nothing revealing, no too-tall shoes, etc.
• Don’t get drunk! I hope this would go without saying, but just in case. Please, please watch your alcohol intake. Getting drunk and throwing up in a cab with your director looking on makes an impression, just not the one you want. (I saw this happen, and trust me, four years later we still talk about it.)
• For more reading….. Check out the discussion on whether or not to give your boss your upgrade, just in case that situation comes up. Also, all of the tips from last week about traveling with coworkers still stand, and are even more important on trips with your boss.

The goal is to exude confidence and competence at all times. I know it doesn’t seem fair that someone could be judging you during “off” times, but that won’t stop them from subconsciously doing it. If a behavior could even remotely be considered questionable, don’t do it. But this is a time that you can show how skilled you are in areas your boss doesn’t usually get to see–so take advantage!

If you rent from National on a regular basis, you will really appreciate this giveaway. Emerald Club Executive Elites get a ton of benefits, including:

• E-receipt – no need to wait for an agent when returning a rental.
• Emerald Club Executive access – a special aisle of larger or premium cars to choose from.
• Free rental day after five rental credits
• Free days can include any vehicle size or class
• Guaranteed availability with 24 hours notice

Normally, you would have to rent 25 times in a year to qualify for Executive Elite status. Today, all you have to do is write a comment to this post answering the following question: What is your most memorable car rental experience? Best, worst, or most interesting? I will randomly choose the winner Wednesday the 25th. Only one entry per person.

I have two memorable rentals, and incidentally they both involve my trips to Ohio. The first one three years ago, I got lost in the middle of the woods on the Ohio-W. Virginia border on the way to the town where my meeting was being held, and then had to drive through a snowstorm on the way back. The second time, last summer, the car was hit by a hit and run driver in a parking lot while I was enjoying margaritas. Oy.

What’s your story??

In my seemingly never ending quest for summer appropriate work clothes that are good for travel, I may have found a light. Have you heard of Boden? Until recently, I had not. But in the comments of my favorite blog  Corporette, this UK brand was mentioned repeatedly as having true-to-size, quality, affordable, and super cute garments. When I checked them out, I had to agree. Here are my favorite skirts from their summer collection.

Love, love the Swishy Viscose Skirt. It looks comfy, is adorable, and all of the colors are very cute, summery, and fun. My favorite is the Jade Abstract, although the other two are great as well. I would order the “long” so that it’s 22 inches vs. 19, and pair it with a neutral colored top (white, brown, taupe) and bronze flats.

The Laces Linen Pintuck Skirt in Caramel is as interesting as a print but as versatile as a neutral. You could pair it with basically any color blouse or cardi, and any color shoes.

I can’t pick a favorite color in the Carnation Capri Sateen Pencil Skirt. The navy, pink, yellow, and brown are all equally fabulous. I really love the way they have styled these, with different colors than I would have thought of.

When my clothing budget refreshes at the end of this month (spent this one’s on triathlon stuff, which, wow can get expensive) I will be getting all of these skirts, and will report back on how they work.

You guys are amazing! All of your tips for renting a car will certainly help people with that first rental. Below, I have put the tips together in a comprehensive list. But first, the winner! With over 60 responses to the contest on Monday, the winner (chosen using the random number generator at Random.org) is Fran, with the following tip:

….you may not always want the “upgrade.” I got upgraded to an SUV once and was excited until: 1. it took more gas and 2. since it was bigger it was harder to get around, ESPECIALLY in unfamiliar areas. When you are around unfamiliar territory it is much easier in smaller car, I wish I would have kept my compact, lesson learned.

Great tip! On Friday I will be doing another contest, giving one reader Emerald Club Executive Elite Status for a year. Stay tuned for that one!

Readers’ Tips for First Time Car Rental

• If you’re in an unfamiliar area, get a GPS, or written instructions if you’re in the mountains.
• Look for gas stations as you’re leaving the airport, and notice which side of the car has the gas tank.
• Sign up for the club! You’ll get rewards, and it will take way less time to get your car.
• Be familiar with your company policies—gas, insurance, accidents, and anything else. When I rented my first car, I got the insurance. Turns out my company doesn’t reimburse for that, and I had to eat the cost. Lame.
• Examine the car for preexisting damage before you leave. If you find something, show the agent or take a picture with your phone.
• Find out all hidden fees before you give your credit card! Print out your reservation, which will help document everything you should be charged for, as well as make it easier for the person at the counter to find your information.
• Know where the rental facility is—sometimes it’s offsite, which means more time and trickier returns.
• Become familiar with the car before leaving–know how to turn it on, use the a/c and radio, and how to adjust the mirrors.
• Put all of the rental emergency info in your phone, or better yet your email. It doesn’t help you to have all of the info in the car if it is wrecked or stolen.
• Go to the website and get familiar with the car rental company and its processes; also assume it will take you longer than you think at the counter.
• Companies will often put holds on funds when using a debit card, which can lead to issues down the road. Credit cards are easier to use, and often have benefits such as insurance coverage.
• When dealing with smaller locations, call and confirm that everything is as it should be. They are not always as technologically connected as we may want.
• Find out ahead of time the policy for toll roads–some rental companies make you pay them, some have automatic payment boxes. Don’t double pay!

Thanks for all of the entries, and all of the great tips!

Adding your boss or coworkers to a business trip can be fraught with issues. Traveling Together is a series on Road Warriorette about avoiding the pitfalls that crop up when traveling with others.

Sometimes traveling with a coworker can make an otherwise monotonous trip fun. Or it can make an otherwise productive trip really, really awful. These are all issues that I have personally experienced, but there are many other potential problems. A few tips for minimizing the things that could go wrong:

• Don’t overindulge. Winding down at the end of a long day with a glass (or two, or three…) of wine can be fun. But don’t get sloppy. It doesn’t look good, and can lead to a multitude of problems and make the next day really painful. Plus you will be more likely to share too much personal information if you drink too much. Which leads us to…..
• Avoid oversharing. Traveling with someone creates a sense of intimacy. Working together, flying together, and eating meals together can foster a sense of closeness that may not hold up once you’re back in the office. Remember, the person you are traveling with is still a co-worker, and just because you are with them for three days solid doesn’t mean they need to know that you and your spouse are trying to have a baby, or that your husband cheated on you, or that you’re looking for another job.
• Maintain boundaries. During a trip this year, my coworker got a little drunk and told me long stories about marital troubles, going on in detail for a while. It was kind of awkward for me, to say the least. When you are the recipient of oversharing, exiting gracefully can be a challenge.  If it seems like things may be getting too personal, try to steer the conversation back to neutral territory, and wrap up as quickly as you can.
• Get your work done. Just because someone is traveling with you doesn’t mean your working obligations just go away. You will still need to check email, finish documents, and prepare for the next day. Make sure you’re not sacrificing work or sleep for socializing.

Readers, what issues have you encountered when traveling with coworkers?