February 4, 2015

Airplane Essentials in General

I sometimes share my “Airplane Essentials” on Instagram right before I travel places, and I haven’t done one in a while! Here on the blog is a perfect place to go deeper into what the items are, what I always bring and what I really can’t travel without. Of course it’s absolutely possible to just hop on a plane without anything but your passport in your hand luggage, but I am a seasoned traveler and have found there are some things that just make traveling so much easier and more enjoyable. Last year I had 40 travel weeks so I know what I’m talking about!

I took the picture below at Aruba Airport right before I boarded the plane to Amsterdam (a 10-hour flight). Here is the full list!

• Thick, knitted socks – this is an absolute lifesaver! I always get super chilly on long flights and these socks keep me warm throughout.
• Water bottle – I always bring a huge portable water bottle, and at the beginning of the flight I ask the stewardess to fill it all the way up. That way I don’t have to waste plastic cups (on average a regular 3-4 hour flight wastes 350 plastic cups. And that’s just one flight!), there is no risk of spilling and I know I can stay hydrated throughout the flight.
• Books – If I’m not reading anything particular, I always buy a new book at the airport before departure. I love diving into a new book knowing I have nothing but time! This one, “The Rosie Project”, I actually didn’t even start yet (even though I just took three flights of 6-10 hours each). I was so busy editing the US version of my book I didn’t have time to open it yet… But I hear it’s good!
• Hand cream – this might not be an essential for everyone, but my hands tend to get dry when I fly. This is an organic, lavender scented hand butter…