2012 Reflections

As 2012 is coming to an end a lot of us are looking back on our year and thinking about what we are going to achieve or do different in 2013.

My 2012 has been a fantastic year.  It has been full of laughter, hard work, heartbreak, and happiness.  By far it has been the most exciting travel year of my life.

• January - Listening to a lecture about the RMS Atlantic - largest civilian Maritime disaster in history (bigger than Titanic) 
• February - Seeing the amazing Sutton Foster in "Anything Goes" on Broadway in NYC
• March - Jeep riding in Sedona, AZ with great friends
• April - 2 weeks in England
• May - 3weeks (combined) Switzerland, Italy, Istanbul, Canada
• June - Work and family in Texas
• July - Making new friends and seeing old friends in California
• August - Family, Friends, BBQ, and Jetski on Lake Erie; Two weeks falling in love with the mountains (and steak) of Montana
• September - Learning there is nothing good to eat in Columbus, GA but there are some great places to run
• October - Baltimore Relay with the LM Lunch Run Crew;  Halloween at The Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood
• November - Ragnar Relay in Las Vegas; Thanksgiving with fantastic friends in Chicago
• December - My brother graduating from his Masters program; A festive Christmas celebration like I've never experienced before.

More than travel and what I've seen, its what 2012 has taught me

• The value of sleeping in my own bed is better than a free week  in a 5 star luxury hotel.  Don't get me wrong I love a nicely appointed hotel room as much as the next person, but when you've been on the road for weeks at a time, being able to be home, if only for one night, can recharge you.

• Having my dog greet me at the door can bring a weary traveler to happy tears.  There is nothing that says "Welcome Home" than a happy dog, with a waggly tail to greet you at the door.

• I miss my life.  This didn't actually hit me until mid-December.  I've been working from home on internal corporate projects and it was during this time home it hit me "I don't live here anymore".  Sure I pay mortgage, have a bed, roommate, pets, etc, but I don't have a life anymore.  I realized, I missed a lot of mid-week birthday celebrations, dinners with friends, and races because 36 hours on a weekend home is enough time to catch up on laundry, buy dog/cat food, and re-pack for the next trip, but not much of anything else.

• Living out of a suitcase taught me what I REALLY need.  Living for weeks out of a suitcase makes it so made it so much easier to declutter my house.  Cleaning out closets and drawers is not the chore it used to be because I've learned what I really need and what is just taking up space.

Still, 2012 has been one of those years that I will look back on with a smile.  So many great memories have been made.  I'm not sure what 2013 will bring but I'm ready, so bring it on!!

Boarding Zone

Boarding Zone 1 by carryonstyle featuring summer tops

Dorothy Perkins cotton dress, $69
Monki summer top, €30
Damsel in a Dress jacket, £104
Vera Wang Lavender Label leather flat, $175
Carvela stiletto pumps, £75
Shoulder bag, 60 AUD
Cotton scarve, £50

Client Meeting: This bold dress can be a little too bold for meeting with the clients, the colors and stripes are beautiful but may be a little over powering for meetings, especially for a first client meeting.  I would pair it with a black blazer and a pair of sleek black pumps.

As for accessories, because the dress has a lot going on, I would keep those to a minimum. For jewelry I would wear simple earrings and a bracelet, but for a tote, I love this bag to carry my laptop or iPad.

For the hair, I would wear it half up and half down, with some light waves.

Flight Home: For the flight home, comfort is key, so when I get to the airport I'm going to try to get as comfortable as possible without a complete wardrobe change.  I love cardigans because they pack easily and provide a bit of warmth on the cold flight.

This cream and coral scarf is a staple for me, it coordinates with a lot of outfits, has a kick of color.

While I love heels as much as the next woman, I will slip into some flats as I'm making my way though TSA.  These beige little flats are perfect for travel. They pack easily, are neutral in color, and comfy! 

For the hair, I would probably take my hair all the way down, so I can be a little more comfortable as I make my way home.

Surviving a Long Flight

This spring, I will be going Europe for about a month.  It will be a half business/half vacation trip.  I don't want to think about packing yet, but I've started to think about being comfortable on a long flight.  Flying from East Coast to West Coast to East Coast a LOT has given me time to refine what makes me comfortable on a long flight.

Layers, Layers, Layers. To me dressing comfortably is the most important thing.  I'm not one to wear sweats or yoga pants, so I will often wear leggings/tights, dress, cardigan, and a scarf (think cashmere).  If I'm going straight to my hotel I might wear a tunic instead of a dress.  I'll wear whatever shoes look good with the outfit, because I always take them off and put on chenille socks for warmth and comfort.  As with all long flights DVT is a risk, so sometimes I will wear compression socks under my leggings.

Fun Sleep Mask

Overnight flight? Think SLEEP!  I am lucky, I am one of those annoying persons who can sleep just about anywhere.  Even though I can sleep anywhere doesn't mean I don't want to be comfortable, so I always carry a sleep mask and ear plugs in my carryon bag.  If I know I'm going on an overnight flight, I will bring an easily-packable travel blanket.  It took me a while to find the perfect blanket and I actually found it at a sporting goods store.  Travel pillows....I don't carry one because I've never been able to use it comfortably, but I know people who SWEAR by them, so try it out, see if its good for you.  

Always in my carry on

Beauty. There is nothing like an airplane to dry out your skin!  So, I recommend taking along a few must have beauty essentials.  First on my list is a good moisturizer.  If I'm going to be on a long flight I will actually wash off all my makeup (in the airplane lavatory), then slather on my nighttime moisturizer, put on a hydrating lip balm, then go to sleep.  When I wake up, I will use (in the lavatory) a hydrating mist (like Evian Brumisateur or my normal skincare toner), apply my daytime moisturizer, Colgate Wisp Mini Tooth Brushes (I carry them with me all the time and love them!), quickly reapply my makeup and then deplane. 

Entertainment. You're probably not going to go to sleep right upon takeoff , so make sure you have enough to read, do a crossword puzzle, watch a video, or listen to music.  Also make sure you have headphones and enough batteries/battery life to get you though. I like to crochet, and there is no better place to work on a project than at 30, 000 ft.  If you're traveling with kids, there is no such thing as bringing too many activities.

Snacks, snacks, snacks. You want to stay hydrated on a plane, so buy a bottle of water at the airport.  Also if you have a favorite snack, like nuts, granola bars, trail mix, beef jerkey (good protein) bring double what you think you might need.  In my experience with airplane maintenance and weather delays, a traveler cannot have too many snacks in their carry on.


- Cindy