More Than WE Know

When I get back from a trip, it’s hard for me to pick right back up where I left off.  I tend to get post-trip amnesia from a combination of jet lag, sleep deprivation and culture shock. I can remember big things  like where I live, what I do for a living and who I’m related to, but little things disorient and derail me.  It’s easy for me to wander around wondering:

• Where did I leave my keys? 
• Do I have clothes at the dry cleaners?
• What is there to eat for dinner?
• What meetings or social engagements do I have?

So, before I leave, while I am still caught up in all the day to day challenges of my life, I take a few moments to prepare an easier re-entry for my future self. It doesn’t take that much more preparation time and it definitely saves time, energy and missed appointments when I return.

1) I straighten up before I leave.  Nothing depresses me more than coming home to a mess. The normal stuff you live with when rushing out the door - unmade beds, dishes in the sink, clutter on the coffee table can be defeating when you come home to it after a long flight.  It’s better to take a few moments before you leave to pick up the mess than to face it when you return.

2) I collect my car keys, IDs, credit cards, cash or any other important items I’m going to need in a prominent place. I travel with as little as possible - one or two credit cards, a drivers license and passport if necessary, and only the keys I need to get back into the house.  The less I take, the less I have to keep track of.

3) I make a list of any urgent deadlines or items that need to be taken care of as soon as I return. It could be phone calls, emails, bills, drycleaning slips, meetings or other deadlines.  Whatever it is I put all the info I need in one spot so I’ll have it handy when I get back.

4) I inspect the refrigerator, the bathroom and the laundry room. I know when I get back the last thing I will feel like doing is going out to the store.  So I make sure I have all the essentials - coffee, non-perishable food, toiletries and laundry supplies so that I can recover from the trip and get ready to face the world again - without having to run any errands.

5) I leave myself a treat - nothing big - a magazine or book, a candy bar, a face mask, a movie, etc. Just someting that I can look forward to enjoying when I finally get home.

And there you have my recipe for a successful homecoming - the peace of a clean, well-stocked house, the serenity of an organized to-do list, and the thrill of a small self-indulgence. 

Almost makes it worth the trip!!

What about you - do you prepare for a successful return before you leave? Or do you come home to chaos?

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I know. I know. You’re traveling. You’re busy. There’s a maid.  Why should you have to pick up after yourself? 

Well, I’ll tell you why - you’re less likely to leave something behind.

Take a look at your room -

See the jumble of bedcovers?  Underneath is the novel you were reading before falling asleep last night.

See the towels on the counter in the bathroom? Underneath is your favorite tube of lipstick.

See the newspapers scattered on the coffee table? Underneath is the powercord to your cell phone.

So, before you check out, do yourself (and the maid) a favor.  Straighten the bed, pick up the towels, throw out the newspaper, and pick up any other clutter you see.

You’ll be amazed at what you almost left behind.

I’m actually pretty good at this one considering I’m in a hotel two or three weeks a month - but last December I left a bottle of prescription anti-inflammatory medicine at a hotel in New York. What about you? Have you ever left something in a hotel room??

photo credit: markresch

I already mentioned yesterday to look behind you when you are heading out on a walk so as to recognize landmarks from the other direction.

But it is also important to look behind you as you get out of a plane, train, automobile or restaurant.  In the rush to gather up your belongings and hurry out of the vehicle or booth, it is easy to leave something behind in or under your seat.  So, once you are standing, turn around and scope out the seat and the surroundings to see if you have left anything.

I have to admit that even though I know this tip, I have had to learn it the hard way - several times over.

I have variously left:

• a handwoven cloth bag at a sidewalk cafe in California
• a paperback novel in a taxi in New York City
• a cellphone in a department store in Phoenix
• a blackberry on a train in New York
• a fanny pack (with my passport!) on a plane in Thailand

Amazingly, I got my cell phone,  fannypack and my blackberry back….the novel and bag went on to delight new owners…

So, in this instance, do as I say, as opposed to what I have done - before you leave - turn and look behind you!!

What’s the most important thing you’ve ever lost? Did you get it back?

You all know the story of Hanzel and Gretel - they scattered breadcrumbs behind them in the forest so they’d be able to find their way back home again.

Of course, I don’t recommend literal breadcrumbs (they didn’t work out too well for H&G either). But I do recommend that you always know how to get back to where you are going when you’re in a strange city. 

While you probably know the name of your hotel, you may not know the address or the phone#.  If you get in a cab with a driver who isn’t familiar with that hotel, or there is more than one of that chain in the city, you will have a hard time getting back. 

The simplest method is to pick up a brochure when you check in.  It can be anything with the hotel’s address on it - a brochure, stationary, a pen, a matchbook, etc.  As long as it has the address, you can be assured you’ll be able to find it again.

Special considerations for walking:

If you’d like to get out of the hotel for a walk be sure to turn around and look back at the hotel when you leave. Get a picture in your mind as to what it looks like from that perspective.  That way you’ll be more likely to recognize it when you come back.  And be sure to take a look at the nearest major cross-streets.  You’ll have an easier time asking for directions back to the intersection than back to the hotel.

Also, the concierge will most likely have a map of the neighborhood which can help you to navigate you way around.

And of course, all of these tips are even more important if you are traveling in a country in which you don’t speak the local language!!

So, tell me - what do you do to keep from getting lost when you’re in a strange city? Have you ever gotten lost?  

photo credit: duoloz cats

I’m traveling out of the country this week.  Whenever I  travel I’m amazed at the amount of luggage some women bring on business trips.  I see some struggling with unwieldy suitcases that limit their ability to get around the airport, catch a cab, etc.  When I am traveling, one of my goals is to travel as lightly as possible.  

So, I thought I’d share the contents of my suitcase.  And you can let me know, could I have gotten by with even less? Or was there something essential you would have brought that I missed?

First the climate, I’m in Phoenix right now and am traveling to the UK.  The weather will be a bit cooler and damper than I’m recently used to.

So, I’m taking a raincoat and a red wool cape (doubles as a great blanket on the plane - I don’t like to use the ones from the airlines…)

I’ll bring an umbrella if I can find one…

I’ll be in business meetings all day so my wardrobe:

• 1 Black suit (2 sets of slacks) 
• 1 red jacket
• 1 black/white sweater
• 2 black shells (can be handwashed/air dryed in hotel)
• 1 black tunic top
• 2 red/black/gold scarves
• 1 black pair of shoes
• lingerie, nightgown, slippers and pantyhose
• toiletries

 All the clothes above color-coordinate with each other and can be mixed/matched for various outfits.  

 I also color coordinate with the clothes I am wearing on the plane - in this case black jeans and a red/beige/black striped button down shirt.  When I go out in the evening any of the tops I am bringing will also go with jeans.

The only thing I’m not bringing this week is some workout clothes - the hotel doesn’t have a gym so I’ll get some exercise walking on the beach in Brighton.

I’m only going for a week but if I were going longer, I wouldn’t pack any more. I’d simply make use of the hotel’s cleaning service.

As for electronics, I’m bringing:

• laptop, powercord
• blackberry, powercord
• electrical converter (traveling internationally)

On the plane, I’ll carry the laptop, blackberry, a notebook, a few pens and a paperback and of course - my passport, driver’s license, credit cards and a bit of cash/travelers cheques.

So, what do you think - could you do it with less? did I miss something I need?

photo credit: squeakymarmot