Luggage and Packing
Intern Life
Jun 28th
As Global Traveler‘s intern, I have had the unique opportunity of experiencing firsthand the world of publishing. Today, as I start my fourth week with the company, it seems like the perfect opportunity to reflect on my time here thus far. As some of you might know, we moved global headquarters yesterday. As the intern, I packed all the boxes and organized all the old issues of the magazines. Needless to say, my arms are looking very toned.
In addition to getting ready for the move, I have been able to interact with many of the important people who help Global Traveler run smoothly. Every one of them has embraced me with open arms and made my time at GT a pleasure. As the new and inexperienced intern, their kindness and willingness to help have made my first few weeks here memorable and pain free.
Besides all of my intern tasks and handling advertising orders, I sometimes sneak upstairs and compare my travels with the articles from the archives. Last semester, I studied abroad in Rome and traveled all around Europe. When my travels match those deemed worthy by GT, you can only imagine the pride I feel. Perhaps I am destined to be a global traveler?
The truly comedic part of my internship came yesterday. There is nothing quite as funny as having people of varying ages and physical abilities working together to move an office. Numerous times throughout the day, I nearly dropped the boxes I was carrying because Kim made me laugh. In order to move the boxes as productively as possible, we created an assembly line. The people in the front would “weigh” the boxes with their imagination and give us an update on how heavy the boxes were. Generally, they were completely off, but at least we had some sort of gauge of the strength needed, and it provided some humor. To help with the move, Fran hired a few very strong local guys. As I struggled with two boxes, one of the guys walked by me carrying a file cabinet. Then the other two walked by with a huge wooden desk. I guess there is something to be said for picking your own battles.
Now today, as I work from Kim’s desk (my new desk has not yet arrived), I reflect on the bruises on my legs and the soreness in my arms. All around me are boxes that need to be unpacked and things that need to be organized. To some, this might be intimidating, but to me . . . it’s just another day in the life of the Global Traveler intern.
– Mary Carpenter, intern
What’s Your Tip?
Jun 25th
Over the past several weeks, the GT staff has used the blogs to share some of our favorite travel tips with you. And we will keep giving you our tips of the trade. However, I was reading an article a few days ago, where travelers were sharing their travel beauty tips –Â which product to use on their skin, essentials they never hit the road without, etc. And it got me thinking — each of you is an expert traveler, so what’s your travel tip? We could all learn a thing or two from you, so please share them with us by leaving a comment below.
While I don’t necessarily travel with a travel-specific beauty regime, I do make sure my contact lenses case, solution and glasses are handy whenever I board a flight. The first few times I traveled long-haul, it slipped my mind to ensure I could easily access those three items, and my eyes were angry at me later. Not only did the air dry my eyes out, but sleeping in my lenses was uncomfortable. By the time I got off the flight ready to start my day, my eyes were heavy and needed a break. Not very efficient when you want to hit the ground running! So, along with my passport, those are some items I am sure to keep nearby.
Most of my travel habits were acquired in a similar fashion –Â learning from my other rookie mistakes and adjusting accordingly. Like the first time I lost my luggage in which I had packed my prescription. I was stuck without a change of clothes and without my medication for a day and a half. Now if I have to check my luggage, my prescriptions are always in my carry-on, alongside a change of clothes!
I’m always open to suggestions on how to make my travels more hassle-free, and I’m eager to hear what you have to share!
– Kim Krol, eFlyer editor, circulation and public relations executive
SIM Card Tip
May 11th
Before traveling internationally, I always have two items on my packing checklist, my BlackBerry and my old-fashioned Nokia tri-band phone. Why? Those of you who check the phone bill after a long-haul flight know why. The roaming charges are through the roof! My small, non-smart phone is smarter than it looks and it saves me a bundle of money.
The first thing I usually do after landing internationally — even before leaving the airport, if possible — is buy a local SIM card. It never costs more than $10-15 and, depending on the length of my stay, the card lasts the entire trip. If it does not, I usually only require one more $10 refill. The SIM card is a small chip under the phone battery that stores and registers phone numbers and calls being made. Refills can usually be done at any newsstand in the country. By using the card, I save $200-300 on my phone bill, as I often call home or to the office. With the amount of time I spend overseas, you can imagine the savings.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I absolutely love my BlackBerry, and I chose to have one because it does work internationally — everywhere but Japan! However, depending on the country and the continent, calls can cost me $1.25-2.00 per minute. I will still use it to make urgent calls, and it has kept me out of a bind numerous times, but when traveling outside the country, I recommend travelers bring a phone without a contract to make sure they can swap in the local SIM and make quick, inexpensive calls.
– Alex Young, vice president and associate publisher
Keep It Simple
May 7th
In my opinion, traveling became a heck of a lot easier once I found the perfect “travel” outfit. This may seem like a weird travel tip, but I often watch people in line for security and feel a sense of dread. I know just by looking at their outfits that I’m going to be standing in line for awhile.
Last time I was at the airport, I watched as a girl ahead of me struggled to remove her over-the-knee boots. If you know you need to take off your shoes as you go through security, why would you wear the most difficult to remove (and put on) shoes in your closet? I always opt for slip-on flats.
Multiple layers do not make for easy traveling, either. All outerwear must come off, so it’s probably not a good idea to wear three shirts, a sweater, a jacket, etc. Yes, layers are necessary as the temperature on the planes can vary. I have settled on leggings, a cotton three-quarter sleeved dress, a cardigan and a scarf. Sounds like a lot of layers, but it only requires me to remove two items through security, which I can do rather quickly. Should I be too warm, the leggings can be removed. If I’m cold, the scarf can double as a blanket.
Now, to accessories. I opt for an outfit that does not require a belt. I wear stud earrings that I don’t need to take out. My watch pops off and I’m set. I’ve watched travelers with belts, necklaces, rings and myriad other accessories sit and remove everything for 10 minutes before heading through the metal detector.
So, my tip to you:Â Â Think about what you are wearing before heading to the airport. Keeping things to a minimum will make the security process a lot easier for you and other travelers. The dressing/undressing required at security nowadays can be a hassle, and by choosing a simple outfit you can make the experience as hassle-free as possible for yourself.
– Kim Krol, eFlyer editor, circulation and public relations executive
