I spent a few days at the end of March in Köln, Germany. I was there for h+h cologne, an international trade fair for creative handicraft & hobby supplies. Early each morning I loved to sit for a bit with a cup of coffee, my knitting, and people watch.
How do you like to recharge while traveling?
Last weekend E and I explored Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. I urge you to visit, and to be smart and mindful of your time in this beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Site (leave no trace).
I am still processing both what we experienced and the photos from our brief time in this gorgeous region. We only had a few short days to spend there and hope to return. If you would like to help celebrate Canada 150, the free 2017 Discovery Pass provides unlimited opportunities to enjoy national parks, national marine conservation areas, and national historic sites across Canada!
After spending some time in Banff and visiting Lake Louise, we explored a few kilometers of the Icefields Parkway:
photo of Lake Louise, June 2017
Photo of Lake Herbert, June 2017
Photo of Bow Lake, June 2017
Photo of Peyto Lake, June 2017
For today, I decided to gather together my three most favourite travel tips. This weekend is the opening of travel season here in the States. While I don’t travel as much as I used to, this June I am again heading to Columbus, Ohio. Why? It’s the summer trade show for The National NeedleArts Association .
After this trip, I will write up my thoughts about the Tom Bihn Aeronaut 30 bag.
Can’t wait to hear what I think? Here’s a preview: it’s the perfect travel bag for me and I love it.
Add safety pins and binder clips in a few different sizes to your carryon.
They are versatile multi-functional tools. My safety pin of choice is the coil-less type, they are my default stitch marker for crochet and knitting. I like to bring a few different sized binder clips with me, while the largest ones stay at home on my office chair, the smaller sizes find service.
A large shawl (I have a $5 acrylic one I love) and/or a sweater will likely be used no matter the season. I prefer black as it’s a colour that stands up to most travel stains and can still attend most events. You can plan and pack for expected weather, however, one thing I’ve learned about travel, unexpected happens! I find them helpful on a freezing airplane and I can roll up a sweater and turn it pillow (with a nice looking pillowcase). E thought I was nuts last summer for packing a sweater, but we spent a few hours at the Pálvölgyi cave and it was very nice to have.
Plan, but please, don’t over schedule. If you are sight seeing in a place you’ve never visited before, leave time for the unexpected. Even if it’s a once-in-a-lifetime trip and you don’t know if you’ll ever see x,y,z enjoy where you are. Don’t view it all through your phone lens.
I also wrote up a bit about notebooks and travel at little acorn creations. Next week at PennyWise Consulting I hope to write up some thoughts on traveling and technology.
I’m home from a few adventures big and small with many things to write about, and lists of work to catch up on.
A preview of things to come, with a huge thank you to the amazing generosity of Tom Bihn.
Tom Bihn‘s Little Swift & Aeronaut 30 fit beautifully under the seat of a regional jet between Budapest and Munich.
Last Thursday I flew to San Diego to attend TNNA‘s Winter Trade Show. Over the years I’ve refined how I pack and travel. I like to keep things simple, light, modular, and packed so that I can move easily in a variety of settings.
How do I fit six days of travel into a carry-on sized backpack and a Tom Bihn Little Swift?
By planning.
Did that surprise you?
I write out what I’m wearing each day and have a backup plan if something causes that outfit to be unwearable– unexpected weather, coffee spills–these things happen.
By and large my clothing is mix and match, while I tend to a black base (I’ve spent a large portion of my life in NYC, black is easy to dress up and keep casual) this trip saw me wearing my finished Stria cardigan, so I opted for a brown base to my outfit choices. It worked out well. Stria is definitely the perfect travel garment! I pack 2 bottoms, wear the third and if I’m working enough tops to cover the number of days. Yes I could limit the tops and wash them, but I’m rarely gone for more than a handful of days. The space one shirt takes isn’t significant. I then accessorize with shawls or cardigans to mix and match and create multiple outfits. I wear my heaviest shoes and pack my lightest running sneakers (don’t worry they’re clean now). I wear pretty much the same thing year-round, for a trip in winter I’d probably switch the cardigans for cashmere turtlenecks and the shells would be longer sleeved.
I pack (by rolling most things) in a modular system with fabric packing cubes, and various sized normal plastic zip top bags. Before acquiring the cubes I used the plastic zip top bags that compress, but they were always more trouble than the space they saved. I try to group outfits together so I don’t have to think about them when getting dressed in the morning.
I like to use a backpack because I find pulling a rolling suitcase behind me uncomfortable. Yes, I know there are ones that can be pushed or rolled in any direction, but it’s nice to be able to put my bag on my back and run to catch a connection.
I try to avoid checking a bag if at all possible. Returning from TNNA I always have extra yarn and this trip was no exception. So I packed a box with my dirty laundry and took it to the post office. The cost isn’t that far off what a checked bag would cost, but the benefit is I don’t need to wait for my bags, I walk off the plane, hop in the car, and start home. Plus then I have an excuse for not doing laundry right away! :)
It is amazing what you can pack in a carry-on if you try, remember last June I made it home with a 15″ Cricket Loom in my bag!
The box arrived today and the cats checked to make sure all was ok.
Do you have a favourite planning tip for travel?