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Welcome to this weeks TravelTalkMEDIA newsletter. |
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Happy New Year to you all and we hope and pray this year if filled with peace, health and success for you all. Tomorrow's show will highlight many of the experts who have given much of their time to TravelTalkRADIO in making our program second to none in broadcasting timely and relevant travel information. Thank you all for tuning in and we look forward to great year as we continue to expand our coverage. |
Dave Davidson and
Sandy take their audiences on a first class flight with all the comforts of home.
Check out the footage on
KUSI Channel 9 this past week -
CLICK
HERE
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This is a time that many people are on the road and I have put together a few of my personal favorite travel tips to make your journey seem more like a first class ticket rather than economy or coach.
I have put over 250,000 miles on this past year and if there is any wisdom I have gathered from spending hundreds of hours enroute is that comfort and relaxation contribute more than you think to escaping the wrath of jetlag. These tips are based on traveling more than 1 hour in the air. These simple tips can be followed to insure a restful journey and a glorious arrival at your destination.
First create peace of mind:
Start out on time! Get to the airport early. Do not bend or break this first suggestion as it will make a great deal of a difference on the outcome of the rest of the trip. I have been there and it is not a pretty picture; pleading and perspiration do not mix well at security checks. Plus, I know personally that humans become non-effective communicators when frustrated and frantic and airline and airport employees have only so much patience with folks who are disrespectful and in a rush. Of course, there is always someone who has a good reason for being late to the airport, if that is the case, go to an airport or airline employee immediately and explain your situation. You will be amazed how helpful these people are when approached with polite regard. I know I mentioned that airline and airport employees only have so much patience, but more than anything, they are angels that listen to a lot of malarkey every day. So be respectful and courteous.
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Remember what Plato said: Treat everyone well, because we all carry a heavy load. |
More peace of mind
Bring the originals and a copy of your ID and passport. Keep the originals handy like in a chest pouch and put the copies somewhere deep (but dont forget about where!).
From mind to stomach
Food: On flights where meals will be served (usually international legs), order food in advance whenever possible.
If your airline is going to serve you meals, always order a special meal. Whether it is vegetarian, no salt, kosher or low-fat, it doesnt make a difference, but two things will happen. You will be served first and there is more of likelihood that the food will be fresher and tastier.
If your carrier is not serving or selling food in flight, the best bet, hands down, is to pack it yourself. No liquids please, always wait to purchase those until you have cleared the security screening. For light snacks, I am old fashioned, I love Tiger Bars, one of the earliest health bars on the market. They are small, inexpensive and they fill you up in a pinch. Or if you emptied the fridge before you left, buy a fresh sandwich in the terminal where you can choose the ingredients. For some reason, high calorie foods and airports seem to be synonymous. So choose wisely. We welcomed Charles Stuart Platkin, JD, MPH, Nutrition and Public Health Advocate, Author of The Diet Detective to TravelTalkRADIO this past week. Check out Charles' Interview to find out what airlines are serving. Charles gives us the scorecard for the airlines with the healthiest foods all the way down to the darn right nasty meals and trans-fat laden snacks that are passed out in-flight. http://www.traveltalkradio.com/archives_dec17_06.html#1005 . One thing you will find, even the high scorers like American and United still welcome outside food to be brought onboard their flights.
Drinking
If you want to have a real chance of avoiding jetlag, your chances of success are much higher when you do not consume alcohol. Water is the magic liquid here and lots of it. The low humidity of an aircraft at altitude will dry out your skin and your organs and you need to stay hydrated. Drink lots of water and avoid alcohol.
Now for the comforts of home
If I am comfortable, I can ride for days in a plane, seriously! But if I am cold, tired and hungry, its a different story altogether. For good measure, I am listing the accessories I carry with me in my travels on long flights. I use them all and I must look pretty interesting all geared up, but do I care? Nope, not as long as I arrive ready to hit the road running!
If you are a road warrior and your work involves travel, you will identify with this list.
If you have any added suggestions, I would love to hear from you.
· Eye covers for sleeping
· A pillow that is soft and pliable
· Blanket
· Noise cancellation head sets
· No-Jet-Lag brand herbal chewables from Sweden
· Wipes to freshen and to eliminate bacteria
· Head rest cover
· Socks take off those shoes and relax your toes!
(Always put your shoes back on when using the restroom!)
· Flashlight perhaps to go with a good book.
· Mp3 player
Versatile, reliable luggage also means peace of mind. Non load-bearing and ease of operation are critical, maneuverability is another key element and it must be lightweight but built so I can stack it or even sit on it when there are no seats available in the terminal or on tour. That is why I only travel with TUTTO brand luggage. I discovered a TUTTO carry-on bag at a travel expo in San Francisco several years ago. I immediately bought the piece and TUTTO has become the official luggage of the TravelTalkMEDIA team. I now have a complete set of TUTTO and its the only way to go. Check it out!
Happy and safe travels in 2007!
Sandy Dhuyvetter,
Executive Producer and Host of TravelTalkMEDIA
www.TravelTalkMEDIA.com
