Wow, July just flew by. Can’t believe it will be August next week! Looking back at posts from a year ago, it’s pretty obvious what was on my mind…..food, etiquette, and clothes!

I was in the middle of my healthy eating “life change” and struggling to figure out how to eat well while traveling. Even though it’s been a year, I’m still working on this…..guess that’s why it’s a “life change”…..

One of my most popular and controversial posts ever asked “Is It Rude to Recline Your Seat While Flying?”

There were a few posts about shoes, clothes, makeup, and bags, including a teeny tiny rant about TSA and how many bags you can take through security.

And from two years ago……

A very important post about travel safety.

My first packing list! Ah, memories……

Yesterday I told you about all of the awesome things about my vacation last week. Puerto Rico is great, and everyone should go. Oh and eat some plantains, especially the yellow ones. They are super tasty. Anyway. My trip was great. Here is the less great part.

We got a phone call on Thursday morning at 2AM. It was a recording from American Airlines, saying that our flight home had been canceled and they rerouted us. Okay, what? First of all, 2AM is not my best time so it took a minute for the message to sink in. My half asleep thought process: what the heck, our flight’s been canceled? Why?? Are we stuck in Puerto Rico? Hey, that wouldn’t be so terrible…. And on that thought I fell back asleep.

Friday morning, I called into Aadvantage Customer Care to find out what’s going on. The deal was, our original flight from San Juan to DFW had been canceled because the “plane was being taken out of service.” Of course, my cynical mind wonders if that is code for “the flight wasn’t full so we canceled it.” But whatever. So they had rerouted us to….are you ready for it? JFK. So instead of our five hour flight to DFW and then our one hour flight home, with a total travel time of around seven hours, we were flying four hours to New York, waiting for four hours, then having another four hour flight home. For a total flying time of thirteen hours.

I know that this is way better than it could have been; we could have been stuck in San Juan longer, or had an overnight layover somewhere, or something. But seriously! Not the best way to end a vacation. The routing just confused me! New York is pretty much as far out of the way as you can get from Texas. Miami would have made more sense, or putting  us on the later flight to Dallas. We thought we would be home by 2pm, and instead got home at 8pm. Lame.

But what can you do? I just kept focusing on those extra miles I was getting, and ignored how tired I was. Because even for me, that was a long flying day. And my poor husband is not used to such intense travel days, and he ended up getting sick. So even though we had a great vacation, we had a less great final day. Oh well.

Puerto Rico is wonderful, and we had an amazing vacation. Here are the highlights.

La Concha. We stayed in San Juan, in the Condado neighborhood, at La Concha. It’s a Renaissance hotel, which is a Marriott brand. There were so many good things about this place. First of all, it is very cool looking, sort of art deco meets modern minimalist meets beach resort.  We were upgraded to a junior suite in the original tower, which was very spacious. The bed was comfy, there was a big TV, and a couple of small couches. We had a fantastic ocean view, and I really enjoyed that. However, the “kitchenette” was actually just a mini-fridge and coffee maker. And the “balcony” was approximately one foot deep, so there was only room for standing. But we opened the balcony door and sat in the chaise lounge right next to it, and that was very pleasant. Although, honestly, I would have liked a real balcony. Oh well.

The beach outside was fantastic. Gorgeous water, sandy, no rocks to step on. The hotel provided umbrellas and chairs free of charge to guests, which was also very nice. The waves are very strong on this part of the beach, with an equally strong undertow. I actually got knocked down by a wave, and then lost my sunglasses to the ocean. I was also constantly worried about losing my top. So the next day, I put on a more secure bathing suit, left my sunglasses on the beach chair, and had a great time playing the waves with Home Warrior. It wasn’t necessarily relaxing, but it was tons of fun.

We ate at two of the restaurants, and the food at both was very good. The service in general at the hotel was also very good. I would definitely recommend this hotel.

Oh and the pina coladas were super at La Concha. Not too sweet, with lots of rum. Another bonus–their toiletries are from Aveda.

Old San Juan. One of the reasons we wanted to come to Puerto Rico was for the history. It was first colonized by the Spanish in the early 1500s, so the history stretches way back. We stayed at the El Morro fort for like two hours–it was so cool. One of the towers is original from the 1500s, and it’s pretty impressive to stand somewhere with that kind of longevity. The streets of Old San Juan are paved with blue-toned cobblestones, are super narrow, and have gorgeous buildings. I could have stayed there, just wandering around looking at things, for days.

Flavors of San Juan. These guys offer a  walking food tour, and it was amazing. We went to four restaurants, had a variety of traditional dishes, and I loved every single one. Some of the places we went were normal sized, and some were so tiny I would never have found them on my own. Our tour guide was incredibly knowledgeable and shared a lot of history that we would not have gotten otherwise. If you go to San Juan, I highly highly recommend taking this tour.

The Bio Bay. Oh man, the bio bay. It was just as cool as I hoped it would be, and more amazing to experience than I could have imagined. We did the kayak tour. Now, Home Warrior and I had never actually kayaked before, so this was definitely a learning experience in working together. (BTW kayaking is way harder than I thought it would be.) Let’s just say that we ran into a lot of trees. Anyway. The bio bay is SO COOL. There are tiny little bio luminescent creatures, and when you put your hand or paddle into the water they glow. I wish we could have gotten out and gone swimming with them. Honestly, I want to go back to PR just to experience the Bio Bay again. Highly recommend!

We were sad to come home, but had a great time while we were there. We will definitely be returning, since there are way too many things to cover in one trip. Plus it’s only a five hour flight from Dallas. If you are looking for a place to go for vacation, Puerto Rico has a great combination of beautiful beaches, fascinating natural wonders, cultural history, and fantastic food. A great place to go!

Yesterday while flying home from Nashville I sat next to a very interesting man, who works in baggage at an airline. He said that when multiple flights are delayed due to weather or something else, it’s really surprising how many people start asking for their medications. And when multiple flights are delayed for hours, it can get really chaotic in the baggage storing area.

Now, as you may know, I almost never check my bags. I will check them on long vacations, like last week’s to Puerto Rico, because we bring wine with us. But it never occurred to me that people would put medication they may desperately need in a bag that could get misplaced, much less that they wouldn’t have quick and easy access to. TSA has guidelines on carrying on medical supplies, for medications in general and for more specific issues, like diabetes. It sounds like if you have anything liquid or injection related, let the TSO know so they can screen it.

So please, don’t put medications that you may need in a checked bag. It can be incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to find your bag in an emergency. Plan ahead and carry them with you!

Darn it. I was walking in my living room on Sunday night, and stubbed my toe on a chair leg. Although it was a little sore yesterday, it didn’t hurt when I walked so I figured it was okay. This morning, as I was getting ready to go to the airport I put on my shoes (brown closed-toe flats). It hurt. I mean, it hurt so much I immediately had to take them off. And then my toe was fine. So I put my shoes in my purse, put on flip-flops, and went to the airport. I’m going to try to put on my regular shoes for my meetings today (because as comfy as they are, my Reefs are not the most professional-looking shoes), but I’m not positive I’ll be able to handle it as the office here is really big.

I broke my foot a couple of years ago (I have bad luck I guess) but had crutches and couldn’t walk. Even though it was difficult, it wasn’t like I had a lot of options–I had to be in a wheelchair whenever I was at the airport. Has anyone broken just a toe before? It’s my pinky toe, if that makes a difference. How did you manage to travel with it? Any advice?

Yes, that is a fan

Home Warrior and I are back from an amazing week in Puerto Rico! We had a fabulous time, enjoying architecture, food, and natural wonders.  I will write all about it and share some of the best pictures we took later this week.

One thing that was re-confirmed to me this week: Even though I write daily about travel, and packing light is one of my cornerstones, I am married to a compulsive overpacker.  It’s kind of ironic because friends who travel with me feel anxious about what they bring and spend hours packing and re-packing, yet my husband, who LIVES with me, steadfastly refuses to streamline his suitcases.

Case in point: on this particular trip, Home Warrior brought a soccer ball (we might want to play with it on the beach!), a fan (you know it helps me sleep!), and two umbrellas, in addition to three iPhone chargers. As we unpacked in our lovely hotel room, I rolled my eyes at the ridiculous amount of stuff coming out of his bags. However, almost all of the items I would have considered extraneous, or would not even have thought about bringing, actually came in handy.

First, the fan. Normally I would never even considered bringing a fan. It takes up so much room in a suitcase! But the fact that we had it made it possible for us to leave the balcony door open almost constantly. The AC automatically turns off when that door is open (which makes sense) but having the fan going made the room pleasant without it.

Second, the two umbrellas. One would think that, should we need to be out in the rain, we could share an umbrella, right? I mean, we are married, so we can handle being that close to each other. However, the streets and sidewalks in Old San Juan are very narrow, and there actually was not room for us to walk side by side on a lot of streets. So the fact that we had two umbrellas was surprisingly helpful.

Finally, bonus round. On the flight home, I was in the middle of a fascinating book by Steve Berry when I realized that my Kindle battery was about to die. I mentioned it to the Home Warrior, complaining a bit, and he said, “Well, I found this charger in the bedroom and brought it just in case. Is it for your Kindle?” And pulled my Kindle charger out of his bag. I was super excited, and looked forward to charging my Kindle in the JFK airport. Then he said, “And I brought the car charger adapter just in case,” and pulled it out of the bag too. So I was able to charge my Kindle on the plane, and finish my book. What a guy.

The moral of the story? Honestly, I will probably never bring a fan on a trip. Ever. But if you’ve got room for something you think you might need, and you don’t mind carrying it, then by all means bring it along. It may just be exactly what you need to have.

My new favorite trick for eating healthy on the road is Laughing Cow cheese. Yes, the name is strange and the commercials are a little silly. But there are so many things to love about this stuff! The best part is that it doesn’t have to be refrigerated. You can throw it in your suitcase and have a snack waiting for you at your destination, as I did in Manila. Or keep it in your carry-on and have a tasty, healthy snack on the plane. It is low carb, low calorie, and vegetarian (although, of course, not vegan), plus it has protein. And it comes in several delicious flavors (although be careful with the onion flavor—make sure you have some gum for after!). I take low-carb crackers to spread it on, but it is also good with regular crackers and veggies such as celery and bell pepper. Bring along some almonds and Dove Darks, and you’ve got some good snacking ahead of you.

Last month, I was able to cross something off my bucket list: a triathlon. Honestly, I am not an athletic person, so this is quite a feat. It was a sprint tri, which means a half mile swim,  12 mile bike ride, and 3.1 mile run. I had to start training basically from scratch, which is not easy in three months under normal circumstances. Add repeated business trips, and regular training became incredibly difficult. But I did it, and you can too! If you travel for work and want to train for an athletic event, whether a triathlon, a marathon, a bike ride, or anything else, it is definitely possible. It just takes work and a little planning. Here are my tips.

• Pick hotels that allow you to train. If you are training for a triathlon, it’s really important for a hotel to have a usable swimming pool. In the winter an outdoor pool doesn’t do a lot of good—make sure it’s indoor. A gym or nearby running trail are also important. If you are going to be on location for a week or more, check into bike rentals in the area. You can call the hotel to make sure there are safe areas for training nearby.
• Plan your schedule ahead of time. It is difficult to train for a bike race on a stationary bike, so I planned my bike training for home. As much as I could, I planned the bulk of my training for while I was home. Of course that’s not always possible. For example, if I knew that in a certain week I would need to swim, bike, and run twice each, for a Monday-Thursday trip I would do the following schedule:

Doubling up for Friday (swim and bike) means there is less pressure to get all my training in while on a trip. And if something came up and I couldn’t swim twice, I can add another swim day once I’m home.

• Be flexible. Meetings run long, planes are delayed, and sometimes your perfectly crafted training plan won’t work out. Be flexible, move stuff around as you’re able, and do your best.
• Be realistic. Business travel can be stressful and hard, with long hours and lots of work. You may not be able to do your full 3 mile run or half-mile swim every time. That’s okay! Just do as much as you can on the road and then amp it up when you get home.
• Pack the essentials (but not too much). Just like everything else, don’t over pack. You will definitely need your swimsuit, goggles, and running shoes and clothes. Maybe you will need two running shirts. Much more than that and you’re adding too much weight to your suitcase. And remember! Try to pack only three pairs of shoes total—this includes your running shoes.
• Set reminders. Make a meeting for yourself on your Outlook calendar, or set an alarm on your phone when it’s time to work out. It’s so easy to get lost in work that you forget the time, and suddenly it’s time for bed and you haven’t trained yet.

Don’t forget to keep the goal in mind! It helped me to have a picture of the race site on my computer desktop, because it reminded me of what I was working for. Next time (and there will definitely be a next time!) I will keep the picture of me at the finish line up at all times. The feeling of accomplishment as I crossed that line was unreal—I had no idea I could feel that powerful. Training while traveling for work is tricky, and requires planning, but it is completely doable! You can do it!!

Note: I found the information and training plans at BeginnerTriathlete.com and TriNewbies.com incredibly helpful throughout the entire process.

Another indulgence I sampled while in Boston…..the ShotCake. It is a cupcake with ice cream in the middle and fudge on top. Sounds great, and looks great, in theory. Unfortunately my cupcake was a bit dry, so I mostly just enjoyed the ice cream part. My friend got the ShotCake cookie, and that was FREAKING GREAT. I need to bring that to Texas, immediately.

After I left several things at home during a recent trip because I didn’t make a list, I decided it would be a good idea to put together a comprehensive list for travel. Everything I need to pack, possible extra items depending on time of year or weather, and my pre-trip to do list. Although this list seems pretty comprehensive, I will continue to refine as necessary. From now on, before every trip, I’m going to just glance at it. This way, regardless of how busy I am or any personal crises, I will hopefully remember everything I need for my next trip!

On every trip:

• Skirt or pants for every two days
• Top for every day
• Flip flops/sneakers (depending on time of year)
• Two pairs of work shoes
• Sleep clothes
• Workout clothes
• Jewelry
• Socks (if needed)
• Toiletries
• Curling Iron
• Makeup

In purse:

• Chargers
• Laptop
• Books/Magazines/Kindle
• Knitting
• Purse stuff: wallet, keys, phone, lipstick
• Any necessary itinerary papers (especially for international travel)
• Pashmina

Possible extras:

• Coat/jacket
• Swimsuit
• Jeans
• Umbrella

Toiletries:

• Shampoo and conditioner
• Body wash
• Razor
• Face wash
• Hydrating mist
• Eye cream (spare contacts case)
• Moisturizer (spare contacts case)
• Toothpaste and toothbrush
• Contact case and solution
• Hair cream (spare contacts case)
• Deodorant
• Lotion

To do before a trip:

• Check weather at destination
• Pick seats on plane
• Print boarding pass
• Apply for upgrade
• Check toiletry levels
• Pack
• Pack travel purse
• Set Out of Office message
• Confirm hotel and car reservations

Readers, anything  on your list that I missed?