Luggage

(My favorite travel companion)

This weekend Flannel Man and I are off on a new adventure. We have a blast traveling over the past decade and always try to make it to some new place each year. Whether we're road tripping or flying about, one of the most important aspects of the trip is the luggage we take. It has the power to be an unobtrusive element or a stress-inducing hazard.

I've backpacked through Europe a few times and I've made some huge luggage mistakes. The first time I ever went I had a romantic notion that taking my Grandma's old leather suitcase that I had recently inherited would be sweet. I could not have been more wrong. Though the suitcase was small, it had no wheels and when you're sprinting through JFK airport to catch a connecting flight, there's nothing more awkward than trying to carry a leather suitcase.

(My bag with the front backpack removed)

Since then I've tried a dozen wheeled bags or backpacks, but it wasn't until Flannel Man let me pick my dream bag for Christmas one year that I found the perfect one. I got the Victorinox E-Motion 360 Degree 26" Trek Pack Plus™ Wheeled Backpack with Docking Daypack and it has been the perfect bag. It's been through a dozen countries and various states with me and has stood up to just about anything. It easily converts into a backpack, but also has an extendable handle and wheels.

No matter what kind of bag you get make sure you do your research and pick something that fulfills your travel needs. It should have good zippers and be made of a durable material. Read reviews of the products and pay attention to the sizes listed.

Happy travels!

Photos by moi.

Mapping Your Memories

Flannel Man and I recently decided to get a big map of the U.S.A. to decorate the Man Room. It was $5 on Amazon and I once again used my swagbucks to get it. We got it laminated, hung it up with pushpins and then the fun began.

The big map takes up half of one wall in the room. We purchased colorful push pins and began popping them into the cities that we've traveled to. We put in different colored pins for places we've been together and separately. It was a great way to look back on all the great trips we've taken throughout the states. It's a fun way to use personal experience to decorate and it's much more interesting than a generic print from a super store.

Photos by moi.

Souvenirs

As an avid traveler, who usually travels on a tight budget for chunks of time with all my possessions shoved in a backpack; I've found that buying great souvenirs can be tricky. But over the years I've found a few items that make perfect gifts for others or gems to hang on to, without weighing myself down or spending a fortune.

My favorite souvenirs are Christmas ornaments, jewelry, scarves, postcards, books and bookmarks. Most of those items are very small and can be nestled into a bag and carried with you. Christmas ornaments are fun because you forget about them and then get to rediscover them each year. Your tree becomes a scrapbook of your favorite travel memories.

I love finding pieces of jewelry that have a stone the area is well known for. These are a few of my finds over the years, wood beads from Budapest, a blue glass pendant from Murano, vintage pearls from the Portobello Road markets in London, etc. Each piece reminds me of the trips I found them on every time I wear them.

Scarves are great because you can use them on your trip to dress up an outfit, keep warm on a chilly night, wad up into a pillow or blanket on a train ride, etc. I have a rainbow of colors from different trips and I remember where I got each one. My favorite is the striped blue one I bought in Paris.

Bookmarks are great because it's obvious where I got each one and I just slide them into a book in my bag and they take up almost no room. I love buying books written by authors who were from the place I've traveled to. I bought Kundera and Kafka in Prague and Alice in Wonderland in Oxford. Though they are heavier, they are my favorite things to carry home with me and I can read them while I'm there.

I love sending postcards to myself (in addition to my friends). Then when I get home I have a beautiful card waiting for me and it has unique stamps from that country. It's also fun to read a quick line about what I was doing the day I sent the card. I stick the cards on my fridge or in a book and it's always a treat to find them later.

One of the most important things to remember is to buy something that reminds you of your trip, but that you actually love. People tend to buy things just because the area is known for that. A trip to Russia may make them decide to buy those nesting dolls, but if you don't like them to begin with, why shell out the cash?

Also, buy items that represent your lifestyle. If you have 3 teenage sons, don't buy an expensive glass vase. If you have a tiny apartment, don't buy a complete set of fancy China. There are lots of free souvenirs you can take home with you too, like subway maps, cardboard pub coasters and matchbooks from hotels.

What are your favorite souvenirs?

Photos by moi.