Travel Essentials

In less than a week I am once again travelling to Slovakia. The flight is over 9 hours so I am preparing well in advance to make my journey more comfortable. I have travelled so much over the years so I have my go to essentials that I take every time I fly, but I also like to include some "new" discoveries, especially when it comes to beauty products.

1. Obviously you need something to put everything in, so a travel bag is essential. I like this Longchamp one its practical and light!

2. Transatlantic flights can be long and boring, so I usually take at least two books(one for "leisure reading and one for "technical" or "theoretical" reading), just in case I get bored of one or the other.

3. I also take a couple magazines along to flip through during take off or before meals, or when I don't feel like readin a book anymore. 

4. There is always something interesting that I need to jot down so I never forget to bring a notebook and  some pens with me.

5. Music is essential to help you relax and make the journey a little more exciting, so I always bring along a CHARGED ipod. Big headphones are really good at drowning out noise like these ones from WESC.

6. Comfort is so important when it comes to flying, so a neck pillow and a blanket is essential. (note: I usually use the one they provide in the plane as a back pillow, to fill the gap between my back and the seat at the bottom of the backrest.) Some airlines do not provide the customer with a blanket so it's always good to have one with you, just in case. I love this blanket by The Hudson's Bay Company.

7. I don't care what you say, it gets cold up there, so furry socks and a furry hoodie are a must. They keep you warm, and it doesn't matter if they're ugly because no one is going to see them under that blanket, plus you can get the hoodie dirty without worries because at the end of the flight you're going to take it off anyways.

8. A toothbrush and a toothpaste or mouthwash because we all have to brush our teeth.

9. Sometimes it's hard to fall asleep on a flight especially if it's during the day, sleeping pills do help. Sitting for 9 hours or more is no cookie, to help soothe that stomach of yours, bring digestive aid. 

To be continued....

Flight Comfort

For the past couple of hours I have been doing some research about being comfortable on a long haul flight. There were a million sites trying to sell me somethings that are quite frankly pretty useless. For example a seat organizer which basically is a replacement of the tray table and the seat pocket. Basically I didn't really find anything that I did not already know. I have spent countless hours in planes so I have my essentials but I was craving a helping of something new.Here are some things that I am taking along on my flight to help me cope with the discomfort.

1. A neck pillow (the majority of people say that the inflatable kind are worse than the cushy soft kind but I prefer the inflatable ones because they give you more support for the neck)and a normal little pillow
2. A long and wide scarf
3. A hoodie or a warm sweater
4. A few books (this time I am taking Anna Karenina- because it is a pretty thick book so it should keep me entertained for quite some time)
5.Magazines
6. Ipod (charged!) and head-phones
7. Notebook and some pens to jot down some thoughts and interesting sights I might spot
8. Socks
9. Gum and some candy for when I get hungry
10. Toiletries - tooth-brush, tooth-paste, some lotion, chap-stick, anti-bacterial towelettes, rose water
11. Sunglasses
12. Blanket

Note: Make sure to layer your clothing and to wear clothing that is comfortable. When you're sitting for a long time your body swells up which will make tight clothing uncomfortable....and then there is the bloating, which I don't need to go into great detail about.

Image by George Steinmetz