womantraveler

Bags Here Today, Gone Today

It only takes one lost luggage experience on the way to the first meeting with a new client to change the system for packing. Showing up in jeans and a day-old shirt clearly won't deliver impressions of professionalism and confidence to the president or CEO. So when my flight from California to Philadelphia got canceled in Chicago, and I quickly snagged the last seat on a flight to Newark, NJ, silly me...I had happily managed to actually get to the East Coast -- and to arrive within 90 minutes' drive from my final destination -- and I expected to rendezvous with my bags at Newark baggage claim.

Having to figure out an alternative at 11:30 pm on a Sunday night does not provide a lot of options for the 9 am meeting the next morning. The lessons:

• Always carry on a small bag with a change of clothing, or wear something that can be washed overnight. Business travelers customarily carry on a suitcase for this reason, but carrying on can be a real hassle -- when traveling for a week or in winter and needing multiple outfits, when flying on small commuter jets with little or no storage, when toting a roller bag computer case that is chock full of business papers and when trying not to injure neck, shoulders and back with lots of schlepping. The one solution -- my default travel outfit: Chico's "Travelers Series." I was an early-adopter of this professional-looking wash-and-go line that also has many dress-up options, and the articles can be rolled into tiny spaces relatively wrinkle free. This solution also jives with my "always wear skirts" philosophy for airplane travel.
• Wear comfortable but stylish shoes that can be transformed into business attire the next morning.
• Carry on all make up, a toothbrush, fresh change of underwear, jewelry and other accessories. This is a good idea for a day trip because travel delays can wreak all kinds of havoc on one's appearance -- let alone well-planned calendars. Hotels usually carry some cosmetic items -- and have irons -- but don't expect eyeliner or fresh nylons.
• Remember that hotel shampoos and hair dryers come in very handy if you have to wash out clothing in a rush. To speed up drying, first wrap the item in a towel, twist the towel to squeeze out excess (or stomp on it) and then apply the hair dryer action.
• Always pack a pashmina -- the rayon versions found at most airports for under $20 are indispensable. If nothing else, you can wrap up and hide under a colorful pashmina and look quite professional and stylish.
• Check out 24-hour emergency bag delivery services provided by some airlines at some airports. This isn't always a sure thing. While the helpful United Airlines baggage customer service telephone operators were on the job all night, the local company delivering the bags from the Philly airport had closed down before I got to Newark and did not open again until 6 am the next morning. But I was able to talk to a resourceful and sympathetic sympathetic baggage service operator who put a rush on delivery the next morning.
• Put a copy of your itinerary in your luggage -- in case someone in baggage service has to open it to locate you as the owner.

The gods sorted things out so I could be a little late to the first meeting, but that isn't always something you can count on. Oh, yes, and the carry-on options are only going to get worse with all the airline cutbacks. So, stay tuned...

The Most Annoying Airplane Moments

While I love my Mobal world phone ($49 to own it plus competitive call charges per country), I also get a hoot out of the Mobal world phone users blog. Here's an unforgettable series of reflections about the most annoying things people do on airplanes.

Beware of Wi-Fi Hackers

Wi-Fi's spread and convenience bring threats, so be prepared. A helpful article in today's Wall Street Journal offers these tips to minimize the dangerous machinations of hackers. It's good info for general Wi-Fi use in your hotel room, home or office, and especially for Wi-Fi hotspots. The person nearby in the hotel lobby or airport waiting area may be a hacker lurking to steal information from your laptop -- or even take it over:

• Keep all computer software and computer protection software current.
• Name your Wi-Fi network.
• Conduct all financial transactions -- such as banking, stock market trades and purchases requiring a credit card -- at home over a wired connection or wireless firewall.
• Close down your computer when you're not using the Internet.
• Use a wired connection wherever possible.

Comfortable In-flight Gear? Suit Yourself!

In this do-it-yourself era of stripped-down in-flight services, you have to make your own comfort. How to do that without wearing your PJs (or looking like it) and without schlepping too much gear? Remember, these days you're likely to be on a small commuter flight with very little carry-on space.

Here's the list I check off before every trip for, especially as a woman business traveler:

Best luggage:

• Briggs & Riley -- lighter weight than anything else I've tried, lifetime guarantee -- even if damaged by the airlines! -- and discreetly stylish colors that mix well with other black pieces in my collection.

Best shoes:

• Slide-ons, whether flat or well-supported low heels, for passing through security easily, and easy to change or stow under the seat in front of you once you're onboard.

Best gear to keep warm:

• Socks -- tuck in your pocket book or carry-on, then slip on once you're in your seat.
• Lightweight rayon pashmina -- to pack flat or folded in a computer case or carry-on personal bag whether you can find a blanket or not. Available for $10-20 in many colors in most airports.
• Sleeveless vest -- especially quilted or lightweight fleece versions that pack flat and are warm, but non-confining, for layering. (I keep a black cotton quited vest with me and it works at my destinations with most anything I wear, including business attire.)

Best overall clothing:

• Skirts -- always wear them! Mid-calf or longer, they keep your legs warm and they certainly are easier to navigate in tiny bathrooms.

Best back support:

• After trying many, Pocket Pillow, which packs flat, inflates and was recommended by my chiropractor, is the winner. It moves with you, as opposed to the too-firm varieties. Just let the air out when you're landing and repack.

Airplane Carry-on Updates

Unsure of the latest airport security measures? Bookmark this FAQ for what to carry-on, especially if you're a woman business traveler, and check regularly for updates. Airlines are posting info boldly on their websites or, like Southwest, emailing frequent flyers with updated info. United is one of many loosening checked baggage maximum weight restrictions temporarily and reminding frequent flyers of special flight-delay notification services by cell phone, fax, etc.

Since the cardinal rule of business travel is always carry on, we'll see if the new restrictions motivate airports to beef up checked baggage handling services, which are woefully slow and inefficient at many locations. Philadelphia International Airport is legendary -- instead of cosmetics onboard, take an extra book to read while waiting what typically is an hour for checked luggage there (and that was pre-Aug. 10). To be safe, women business travelers should consider overnighting clothing and other essential items via FedEx, DHL, UPS and similar shipping services from home or hotel.

Already hotels are responding to the carry-on challenge, too. Omni Hotels have announced that effective immediately they'll offer the following complimentary items -- facial skin care products, women's cosmetics, hair care products, sunscreen, toothpaste, contact lens solution and nail polish and remover. Plus, they'll provide a list of nearby pharmacies with their telephone numbers and hours of operations. Watch other hotels to follow suit.

Women Traveling Safely

The Turkey blogs raised some interesting questions about women traveling solo safely. We found this an interesting discussion, along with the comments to our Turkey travel series.

The Terminal Redux

Feeling a bit like Tom Hanks after spending half a day at San Francisco International Airport due to flight delays back East. Fortunately the award-winning SFO is one of the best airports to get stuck in, remodeled with style during the dot-com boom. Here in Terminal 3 where United and American airlines dominate, like the other terminals at SFO, there’s excellent food, decent shopping, and museum-quality exhibits.

Especially good for us womentravelers (and everyone else) -- the restaurant choices are popular Bay Area kitchens, not the usual fast-food concessionaires we suffer through at most US terminals. (Why don't other airports get it?? Last week at Philadelphia International Airport the junk food lines were painfully long and greasy pizza smoke set off a fire alarm, and more flight delays...)

The first latte of the day at Peets Coffee and Tea, dropped in for yogurt and juice at United Airline's members-only Red Carpet Club, lunch at Sankaku noodle and sushi, sandwich to go at Boudin Bakery (sourdough bread) and dinner at renowned Bay Area chef Bradley Ogden’s Yankee Pier. These restaurants are smart publicity moves for their owners – I now frequent the original Yankee Pier, next to the headline-winning Lark Creek Inn (and Ogden’s local signature resto) – in Larkspur in the North Bay. (Hot tip for their Larkspur locations: this month of July their bottles of wine are half price.)

I stop by Marilla Chocolate Co. for bars of Ghiradelli and Scharffen Berger local chocolate for gifts, buy $10 light-weight pashmina shawl to match my outfit (best for cold airplanes), dawdle in Compass Books with its sophistication of an independent bookseller, and keep track of lost time by perusing the latest timepieces at Swatch. I had plenty of time to research my next Treo in the Palm store and cruised through the stunning The Sea exhibit. A sister womantraveler and I chatted away about our Chico's Traveler collections, skirts and pants which have become our airplane uniforms – wrinkle free, loose fitting and easy to clean and pack.

For a day that could have been a total disaster, the experience validated all my travel-smart theories. Arrive early. Be pleasant. Join a Frequent Flyer club. Carry a great bag and a Netflix movie for the laptop. Keep your cell phone charger with you, not in a checked bag. And just be ready. It’ll happen to you sooner or later these days as delays are dependable, not the exception.

Mom's Student Abroad Summer Primer

Sending our college graduates and teenage kids abroad for summer studies or student travel takes a village for even a seasoned womantraveler -- with planning complexities far beyond sports and arts camps. Destinations, flight deals, often last-minute ticketing, safety issues, itineraries, hotels, cell phone and Internet cafe connections -- just for starters. Sure, there are books and guides, but the wired generation have their own resources -- and the Internet is primo. What's an experienced travel mom to do to help tee up the experience, yet stand back and let the kids have the enjoyment -- and challenges -- of making it happen?

The options aren't as simple as "packing my bag and heading off to Europe" to bum around, as we moms did back in the dark ages. though possible, it's not so easy as air travel is more expensive and more crowded. Hostels are so full this year in the popular European cities that students need to book ahead, not to mention plan for the reserved trains that are separate transactions from the various types of Eurailpass, which must be purchased in the US before the trip. And the choices can get even more complicated than that -- a father recently asked for a reference for a Spanish-language self-defense class in his hometown region for his 17-year-old daughter heading to Latin America in the next two weeks. Great question, but not a quick answer. With some digging, they found the best option. We parents have to think on our feet, too.

Having "been there, done that" now for the past two summers, and interviewing my womentraveler friends who have accomplished the same, there are several ways we can set the right stage for a great travel experience for our newly touring teens and 20-somethings...

Jazz for the Road

No travel experience is complete without a soundtrack and, for me, it's often jazz. Travel to the kitchen, travel along the freeways, travel by airplane and in my hotel room after a long day of work. With the death of so many jazz radio stations over the past couple of decades, I was heartened to learn of this exceptional new PBS series, Legends of Jazz. The 13-week debut season, the first weekly network TV jazz show in 40 years, is airing nationally on public television stations across America. Anchored by Ramsey Lewis, it features intimate conversations with and performances by some of the world's leading musicians, such as Chris Botti, Marcus Miller and Pat Metheny. And best of all for us womentravelers on the road, it's available on CD and DVD. Check local listings.

The Perfect Bags and Totes

Apart from the Longchamp "Le Pliage" fashion bag collection, the search for the perfect computer tote, briefcase, and handbag selection for the professional womantraveler reminds me of the Three Bears story -- not to heavy, not too ugly, and, in fact, just right. But what is "just right" in this context? I could hold a profitable yard sale with my closet full of wrong choices. Thankfully women's travel bags have finally become a focal point of the accessories trade and certainly there is no dearth of choices in colors and fabrics this season. Keep in mind these perennial criteria:

• Necks, shoulders, and backs
• Versatility
• Portability with other carry-on bags
• Style

After much digging through options, here are my hot picks:

• Longchamp's "Le Pliage" bags -- in multicolors, multisizes. I put this ingenious discovery in competition for the Eighth Wonder of the World. As you can see above, they fold small and open large. I carry at least two on all trips -- an extra large tote in a color and a small discreet version (in black) for day-to-evening. To get through airport check-in, I put the small as a pocket book inside the large one as a tote, plus everything else I want to carry on. Purchased in Paris but available in fine handbag stores anywhere or online.
• Computer bags -- Dell offers a terrific range of options in black, red, pink, and more. My favorite is the Liberator Executive in black fabric because I can carry it on one shoulder with my computer/office gear and another microfiber tote from Magellans on the other shoulder as my handbag. The combination of the two, plus detachable smaller bags that come with them is unbelievable. I went to Europe and back, plus several US destinations on business, with everything I needed except my checked luggage in these two bags. Alternatively, I use my Tumi wheeled computer cart/overnighter for trips that require carrying more files and papers.
• Briefcases -- My Lodis briefcase-style shoulder bag has been my number one sidekick for several years for a combination portfolio/handbag, and professional daytime to evening conversion. It's big enough to hold a legal pad, a few files, a magazine, and small accessories, yet slim and sleek. Tumi has also gone all out this year with great bags to satisfy the same need.
• Business totes -- The leathers in Levenger's colorful collection coordinate with the smartest range of organizer materials -- this year in peacock blue, citrus yellow, coral red, black and more. What fun and at the same time impeccably business chic.
• Handbags -- With all of the above options, handbags now are delightful jewelry. So I pack handbags into my luggage for after-hours fun. One can only schlepp so much at once.