Summer is in full swing and it's our time to share travel updates to help you navigate busy airports and also share our recent travel adventures to help you prepare for your own future travel. In this edition of "Tips for Travelers" we share travel experiences of our own and those of friends: Susan goes to Italy, Leslie takes us on a cruise to the Mexican Riviera, and our friend Carol takes a horticultural tour of Cuba. We also provide tips on how to beat the busy airport security lines, pack lighter for business travel, and what and how to pack for a wedding weekend.
Our Big Announcement:
"Tips for Travelers" is moving! From its home at
smartpacking.com for 15 years, the Smart Packing e-newsletter will now be found on
SmartWomenOnTheGo.com. Susan, author of the bestselling book
Smart Packing for Today's Traveler (no longer in print), created this newsletter to provide timely packing and travel information to her readers. Several years later, Leslie, founder of Smart Women On The Go, joined Susan to expand the newsletter to include travel diaries and destination-specific packing lists. Susan is retiring but will continue to share travel tips, and Leslie is hosting "Tips for Travelers" on her website.
Together we are committed to providing you with ongoing packing light information, airline baggage rules, and airport security updates - information you can use, presented in a straightforward manner. Our goal is to help you pack smart and be savvier than many other travelers, no matter how, where or when you are traveling. We only write about places and resources we - or our readers - have personally visited or used, and we accept no compensation or favors for our comments.
We look forward to keeping you informed!
Susan & Leslie
Included in this newsletter:
Summer Travel & Long Security Checkpoint Lines
The busy summer air travel season has arrived and in spite of the efforts to increase TSA staff, long waits still exist in major airports. Having to arrive at the airport two hours before a domestic flight makes us cringe!
We’ve suggested it more than once: enroll in
TSA PreCheck Status, which admits you into a priority lane where you don’t have to remove your shoes, liquids or laptops.
Research by the U.S. Travel Association indicates that the $85 price is a stumbling block for some people. But just two flights a year - 10 over the five years provided by TSA Pre-Check – makes the cost per flight only $8.50!
Note: For just $15 more ($100 for 5 years) consider applying for
Global Entry status, which lets you skip the long customs line on your way back into the U.S. from an international trip and automatically gives you TSA PreCheck.
If you still do not have TSA PreCheck status, we offer these tips on how to avoid the long security lines:
● Buy tickets for non-peak travel times. For example, avoid Friday late afternoon and early evening when business travelers hit the airport at the same time as vacation travelers. For a long weekend trip, consider leaving on a Saturday morning and returning Tuesday.
● Download one of the free apps available to help you navigate security line traffic. On a recent segment of NBC’s TODAY show, reporter Jeff Rossen tested each app:
-
MiFlight provides crowd-sourced information – travelers type in how long they’ve been waiting in a specific security line. Rossen used this information successfully to navigate to the fastest line.
-
Fleet not only tells you how busy airport lines are but also identifies the nearest food and shopping venues. A winner with Rossen!
-
My TSA - TSA's own app did not pass muster – the information it provided had not been updated in 3 hours! However, they are working to revamp the app this summer to provide better, real-time data.
Click here to see the full Rossen Report.
Cuba, Garden Style
After relations between the U.S. and Cuba were restored in December 2014, Americans are able to travel to Cuba under
12 categories of authorized trips. The Obama administration
recently loosened sanctions, allowing Americans to travel to the country independently as long as they complete a form declaring the visit an educational journey.
Just prior to President Obama’s historic visit to Havana in March 2016, our friend Carol C. of San Francisco was in Cuba on one of the many available organized educational tours. An avid gardener, Carol booked a
10-day group tour with a botanical slant that took her from Havana (photo above) to the plains, mountains and coastal wetlands around the island. She and her tour companions visited Zapata National Park, the Escambray Mountains, and the Spanish colonial cities of Cienfuegos and Trinidad. This horticultural tour enabled them to meet a unique group of Cubans - botanists, environmentalists and scientists - and learn about their lives while observing their work and culture.
Note: With the influx of visitors, accommodations in Havana are tight, making a pre-booked tour attractive. However, smart travelers should always expect the unexpected. The timing of Carol’s trip coincided with that of the “advance team” preparing for President Obama’s visit. Her group was bumped from the hotel originally booked in central Havana to one in the outskirts.
Tour Highlights
Carol was most impressed with the botanical sights that were the main focus of the trip (Havana Botanic Garden; Organopónico Vivero Alamar; Orquideario Soroa by the Sierra Del Rosario Biosphere Reserve; Jardin Botanico Soledad; Parque de Condina.) “With more than 6500 species of native plants, Cuba has one of the highest plant diversities among the world’s islands. More than half of the plants are endemic to the island and found in habitats ranging from coastal wetlands to palm-studded grasslands and pine forest in mountain regions,” Carol explained.
The
Organopónico Vivero Alamar is a growing community project aimed at preserving and preparing organic fruits and vegetables using sustainable farming practices. Its young garden director (in photo below, right) is following in the steps of California’s Alice Waters and other food
luminaries. She and her team are busy educating Cubans about the flavor and nutritional value of adding vegetables to their diet and most vegetables from this garden are sold to hotels in Havana.
Carol also visited
Finca La Vigia - “lookout house” - Ernest Hemingway’s home for 21 years, located 10 miles east of Havana. She noted that old American cars are seen all over the island, not just in Havana, and buses are Chinese-made. Cuban coffee was strong and flavorful. “I had one of the best cappuccinos ever in a thatched roof café in Parque de Condina,” said Carol. “And music was everywhere - musicians sang and played a variety of instruments and tunes with their hearts and souls, while imparting a very lively Cuban beat. I brought home seven CDs, so ‘the beat goes on’!”
Packing Tips
Carol started planning far in advance of her departure. She attended a travel clinic at her local hospital to ensure she had all required vaccinations and adequate protection against mosquitoes while also having the right clothes for Cuba’s sub-tropical climate.
The tour operator provided a comprehensive list of recommended clothing and gear telling travelers to keep versatility and ease for washing and drying in mind. Carol followed the list carefully when planning her wardrobe and special needs:
• 3-4 short-sleeved shirts, blouses, or tees
• 2-3 long-sleeved shirts for cooler weather and insect protection
• 2-3 pair lightweight long pants
• 2-3 pair shorts
• 1 “smart casual” outfit for dinner in Havana
• 3 pair shoes (comfortable walking shoe, leisure shoe, sandal)
• Socks, underwear, sleepwear
• Swimsuit & cover-up; sweater or jacket for cool evenings; umbrella
• Sun hat, sun block, insect repellent containing DEET and after-bite cream
• Tissue for public toilet facilities and hand sanitizer
What about mosquitos? On the suggestion of the Travel Clinic nurse Carol sprayed several of her clothing items with
Permethrin for mosquito protection, and wore only closed-toe shoes when touring. Following additional advice found online, her wardrobe was mostly neutral in color so as not to attract bugs. To her delight, she didn’t see a single mosquito during her trip!
Smart Packing tip: Although you may not see a mosquito, it’s important to be prepared when traveling to mosquito-prone areas. Travel writer Wendy Perrin has excellent advice in this recent
video.
Wardrobe Specifics:
Rather than share her full packing list, we asked Carol what purchases she made just for this trip, as well as specifics on shoes:
• Insect-repellent shirt by
L.L. Bean
• Linen pants for the warm to hot weather; she purchased and packed two pair:
a full-length with a drawstring waist and a similar pair in calf length.
•
Skirt – mid-length with an adjustable waistline, in a rayon/cotton blend – ideal for evenings.
• Shoes – 2 pair to interchange for walking on cobbled streets and in the countryside (Earth Origins by Earth, broken-in Skechers)
; a
flat by Puma for day; and a flat for evening from
Chocolat Blu. She also packed flip-flops to wear as slippers and around the hotel pool.
Carol packed a bed pillow as she always does when traveling. She also packed washcloths, which were not provided by any of the hotels. She planned to do all laundry by hand and was
pleasantly surprised when one of the hotels outside of Havana provided laundry service.
She packed a 25” suitcase (and also had a daypack as carry-on), closely watching the weight limit of 44 pounds for checked luggage, leaving room and weight to pack purchases for her return trip.
Did all of Carol's diligent planning pay off? "Absolutely!" she said.
Business Travel Tips From Our Readers
●
Ann A. has mastered the
capsule wardrobe for business travel to keep her luggage light and dressing easy. For a 2-day trip of business meetings she packs one jacket with a matching pant, 2 tops in different colors, and two sets of accessories. The tops and accessories change the look of the suit.
●
Joe Q. packs a navy blue suit for business plus a pair of trousers in grey or tan and wears the suit jacket as a sport coat with the second trouser.
●
Carol W. writes, “I’m a proponent of the ‘ready-to-go’ travel bag. It includes all my device chargers, hair ‘stuff’, makeup, and Starbucks Via coffee packets. It’s so easy and a no-brainer. All I have to do is pack my clothes.”
●
Janis M. travels extensively worldwide for business and frequently needs to switch flights at the last minute to make a better connection so as not to miss a meeting. To stay flexible she must carry on her bag, and it must be light. She uses a 20”
Brookstone bag that is polycarbonate with 360° wheels, a comfortable handle and is expandable. Having traveled in the past with costly and heavier Tumi bags, Janis says this $99 bag serves her well!
Planning a Reunion? Consider a Cruise!
The idea of a reunion cruise came up last year when I was visiting former business colleagues I’ve known for years (we were all with the Simplicity Pattern Co. in the 70’s and we literally lived on the road). Consider ours to be a special bond among women who traveled for a living long before it was commonplace for women in business to do so. It was time to reconnect over a travel experience and what better than a cruise? And we wanted to include the men in our lives.
Rosemary, who had had a long career as a cruise consultant with Royal Viking cruise line, was given the task of finding the ideal cruise for our reunion. She surveyed the group for cost, duration, embarkation and destination preferences. With the help of her Virtuoso travel advisor, we decided on a
7-day round-trip cruise from Los Angeles to the Mexican Riviera with Norwegian Cruise Line.
Five couples signed up: For one it was their first cruise and visit to the area. For others it was an opportunity to visit ports not seen in 10 to 20 years. For all, it was a chance to reminisce while doing what we love best – traveling. To top it off, we had perfect weather the entire week.
Planning the Onboard Experience
Timing: The best for all was April, not ideal for an adults-only group because it was spring break for children; however, there were many areas of the ship that were designated for adults only and activities catering to kids that we could avoid.
Daytime Activities: We left daytime activities open for everyone to do their own thing. Some booked one of the ship’s excursions each day; others preferred to just walk the ports, shop a little and have lunch – great fun as we marveled at the changes in each port. For those who stayed on board, and for those days at sea, sunbathing near the pool or time in the Spa was well spent.
Dining: We made all dinner reservations before we boarded the ship, booking for both large and smaller groups. Each evening we all met in one of the many lounges, then went off to our respective dinner reservations.
Accommodations: The size of our group enabled us to secure a group booking with a discount on cabins, from a standard outside cabin to a suite.
Note: Cruise lines differ, but purchase of a suite included many extras (specialty dining, beverage packages, internet access) plus concierge and butler services so my husband and I felt that the additional price paid for itself.
Cruise Highlights
Cabo San Lucas – There has been an extraordinary recovery from the 2014 hurricane that had pummeled the popular resort. Less than two years later the harbor appears to be thriving with luxurious hotels, busy restaurants and shopping malls featuring luxury goods retailers. This was my first visit to Cabo and I loved the chic harbor area.
Lucky for me, Rosemary’s mission was to find the gallery of a well-known artist –
Sergio Bustamante, a jeweler and sculptor – that she’d purchased pieces from several years ago. We found his new showroom in an impressive shopping area at the far end of the harbor and made our first purchases of the cruise!
Matzalan – It’s just a short walk from the ship into Matzalan’s Old Town. Along the way we encountered several retired Americans volunteering as guides. They could not have been happier, having escaped cold areas like Minnesota and Wisconsin. And as we’d been Mazatlan before but resort-bound, the center of Old Town was new to us all.
Puerta Vallarta, Mexico – It was just another “rotten day in Paradise” as the age-old saying goes! After reading Lynn Raasch’s tips on her
month-long stays here I was anxious to see PV again.
We took a bumpy van ride to the north end of the Malecon – the long, wide concrete walkway along the sea. Eye-catching works of Mexican artists, including some by Bustamante, adorn the
walkway; at the south end is the beautiful cathedral. Afterwards we had a wonderful lunch at La Paloma, the restaurant recommended by many friends.
Down Memory Lane – We had two days at sea at the end of the cruise, perfect time for a ladies' lunch and the Spa. Evening was spent sharing stories and photos from our days with Simplicity. We topped it off by engaging the ship’s photographer to take a photo of us all dressed to celebrate! (See photo below.)
Packing Tips
The good thing about taking a cruise: unpack once and there are no limits to luggage on board. But if you fly to your port, airline limits apply. My husband and I each packed a 22” rolling bag that we checked for our flight, plus a small carryon. Another couple flying in packed into one 25” checked bag (smart – lower baggage fees) and one small carryon each. Couples driving to the port also packed into one 25” bag for clothes, plus one 22” rolling bag (for shoes, electronics, and space for purchases).
Wardrobe Tips — The weather forecast for all ports was hot and humid for daytime. However, aboard the ship we had to be prepared for cool air conditioning.
● I put the
capsule wardrobe concept to work, packing a pair of white dress pants for evening and wearing them 5 out of 7 evenings with different tops. Trylla, who lives in Tucson, had a ready-made wardrobe for the heat of Mexico that took her from day to evening.
● Mary, who lives in Palm Desert, CA, wore black and white combinations throughout the week in 2 pants and 4 tops that could mix and match. Her favorite local clothing resource,
Oh My Gauze, carried the perfect 100% cotton, comfortable, stylish pieces for a tropical weather cruise.
● Rosemary built her wardrobe on classic neutral basics (black, beige, white pants) and matching and colorful tops to mix and match, packing by the principals she has taught us all. (See
“Packing for a Cruise – An Expert Speaks “ in a previous issue of "Tips for Travelers".)
● Kathy was on her first cruise and admits to not needing one of the evening outfits she had packed. Taking our cue, she'll pack less on her next cruise.
(See our reunion photo: left to right are Mary, Kathy, Trylla, Leslie & Rosemary. Most of our tops and pants were all worn for another occasion with different pieces. Note the beautiful orange silk pantsuit Kathy is wearing. Our tip: Used as separates, the jacket and pant could be worn with other pieces to maximize its place in her cruise wardrobe.)
● For the men: Each packed a mix of pants, shorts, shirts, athletic wear for either swimming or working out. They also brought a sport jacket; ties were optional but they all packed them and wore them at least once.
Ours was a casual cruise but getting dressed for dinner is one of many pleasures we all have!
Packing lists
Coming from the East coast, my husband and I scheduled visits with friends and family before and after the cruise. We traveled a total of two weeks and our packing required a little more thought since the weather was cooler on the S. California coast than it was in Mexico.
Leslie:
- Pants: White jeans, white rayon/stretch pant for evening,
black rayon knit pant for travel and evening
- Shorts: White, red – both microfiber golf shorts
- Tops: Yellow ¾ length non-iron shirt, coral ¾ length non-iron shirt (both from Chico’s), crème jersey knit w/gold accents, navy jersey knit (from last year's
Joseph Ribkoff collection), camel/white embroidered cotton tunic, black sleeveless with ruffles, black/white
St. James ¾ sleeve tee, white shirt, red/white stripe ¾ sleeve cotton tee
-
St. James tee-shirt dress
- Shoes: Bronze
ballet flat for travel & evening in L.A.,
beige slip-on for walking,
wedge sandal for evening on the cruise, flip flops to wear at pool and in the cabin, workout shoes
- Workout clothes: leggings, bra, tank, shirt, jacket
- Nightgown
- 4 bras, 6 pair undies
*
Note: Traveled in white big shirt,
black rayon leggings, pashmina, tank top under shirt, ballet flat
Jeffrey:
- 4 pair shorts: white, tan, black, blue (he packed one too many)
- 5 pair pants: crème wool, black linen, beige linen, white cotton, blue cotton (also packed one too many)
- 6 pressed/folded shirts: white, blue oxford (not worn), red/white strip, black linen, beige linen (not worn)
- 4 polo shirts: beige, black, white, rust
- 2 web belts, 1 leather
- Casual loafers, workout shoes
- Workout clothes (2 tees, 1 short – all drip dry)
- 4 pair socks, 7 pair underwear
- Baseball cap
- Binoculars (a cruise essential, some ships provide them but not needing to share is good!)
*
Note: Traveled in navy blue blazer, non-iron white shirt, gray tropical weight pants, loafers
Post-cruise evaluation: Until this trip, my husband and I (above, enjoying specialty dining) had not take a vacation cruise together. We were smitten with the R&R a cruise provides and are anxious to book another.
Smart Packing Videos
“Smart packing” means you travel light, take everything you’re going to need, and make sure you don’t end up with a lot of wrinkled clothing once you get there! Leslie created a series of
“Smart Packing & Travel Tips” videos for eHow. They are quick to view and cover a range of topics, including
How to Pack Light for a Cruise.
Susan’s Italian Adventure
A two-week trip to Italy in mid-May was the result of an impulse purchase last fall during an airfare sale. The unexpected can have its rewards! However, in January when I began to plan our specific itinerary to Rome, Naples, Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast and Capri, I learned that May is a very popular travel time to these destinations and hotel rooms were already scarce. Lots of online searching, plus good tips from friends and professional assistance from my favorite travel agent, finally brought results. Lesson learned: small hotels in small villages in popular resort areas often sell out a year in advance.
We planned to take the train several times during our trip so packing light was essential. We each packed a 22” rolling bag plus a carryon — a backpack for my husband and a small shoulder tote bag for me. One key to packing light and still having everything needed for a trip is to constantly monitor the destination weather forecast. As I watched the temperature go down and the chance of rain go up, my priorities shifted from “cool summer clothing” to “stay dry and warm”. We had sun, clouds, rain, hail, warm and cold weather. The second key to packing light is to pack for anticipated activities. Our plan was to be casual travelers for both touring and dining so dressing for dinner often meant just changing shoes and adding a scarf (see photo below).
We flew to Rome for 5 nights where we visited all of the “must-see” sights; even though we had been there years before it all seemed as amazing as the first time. Our hotel,
47 Hotel, was within easy walking distance to the sights of Ancient Rome; in fact, they surrounded us. We walked only a few blocks to meet our
Walks of Italy small group tour of the Colosseum, Palatine Hill and Roman Forum.
Excellent restaurants were everywhere; we enjoyed walking across the Tiber River to the old residential neighborhood of Trastevere where many authentic and casual tavernas, wine bars and restaurants are located. Cold/rainy weather dictated casual clothing.
Not every day was a downpour, we enjoyed an outdoor lunch on a museum rooftop, with the Vatican’s dome of St. Peter looming in the background.
To get the most out of our visit to the Vatican we used a private guide. Travel agents are able to book private guides in advance all over the world; we took advantage of that service twice, at the Vatican and later for Pompeii. This was more expensive than being part of a group tour, but worth every penny! Group tours and private guides can also be easily booked online for worldwide destinations. Travel forums and a simple search yield results.
On and off rain meant some of the Rome sights were
viewed from under an umbrella as was Trevi Fountain, recently restored by the Italian fashion house Fendi. The Colosseum recently underwent a $27 million dollar cleaning and restoration project underwritten by Tod’s shoe chairman Diego Della Valle. The stonework is light again with the removal of 2,000 years of dirt and grime.
From Rome we took the train two hours south to Naples for two nights to visit the Pompeii and the
Naples Archeological Museum where artifacts from Pompeii are displayed. Pompeii itself has no treasures beyond the incredible ruins; anything unearthed of value was removed centuries ago and is in this museum or in collections around the world. The museum was worth an entire afternoon. Most of the original statues and mosaics from floors and walls in Pompeii were removed and now are on display in protected conditions here, whereas Pompeii itself is an outdoor, open-air “museum” where few roofs remain.
The historic center of Naples (a Unesco World Heritage Site) is both gritty and fascinating, with vertical centuries-old buildings crowding narrow pedestrian (and motorbike!) lanes. Founded by the Greeks in the 8th century BC, old buildings were built on top of older ones creating multiple layers of history. Our convenient hotel,
Palazzo Decumani with a contemporary interior inside an historic shell, was in the heart of this historic district. Naples is also the home of pizza, which of course we enjoyed!
Pompeii is a 30-minute commuter train ride from Naples. Distances here are short so many travelers visit Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast on a long day tour from Rome, but we prefer more leisurely travel. Our private guide at Pompeii gave us in-depth information that we greatly appreciated as we watched the large tour groups be quickly herded from place to place and on to the next location. He generously offered us a ride back to Naples and gave us a bonus of many restaurant recommendations for the rest of our trip. (Photo: Temple of Jupiter with Mt. Vesuvius in the distance.)
The Amalfi Coast is made up of small vertical pedestrian villages established originally from the sea but now linked by a narrow and twisting road. We spent 4 nights in Positano and explored the other areas from our base. These steep hillside towns generally have small beaches of stones, not the wide sandy beaches Americans expect, but the water is beautifully clear and swimmable in warm weather.
Positano is a tourist town, which means many good hotels, fun shopping and excellent restaurants. Italians are the primary summer guests, but many Americans and other international travelers were in town in May. Businesses and hotels (including our charming
Hotel Poseidon, which is still using the first elevator ever installed in Positano) are generally small and family-run, the reason things fill quickly. Many guests return annually and book a year in advance.
Rather than drive ourselves (a frightening thought!) we
hired a car and driver to take us to Amalfi and Ravello down the coast. Our driver was a “foodie” and took us to his
favorite coastal restaurant where we indulged in a leisurely, divine lunch. Amalfi was charming; luckily we were there on a day when no cruise ships disgorged hundreds of passengers onto the shore. Ravello, sited on the top of a steep hill, was breathtakingly beautiful.
From Positano we took a ferry to the Isle of Capri — another vertical village perched up and down the sides of a rocky mountain that juts up from the sea. Our stunning
hotel
Villa Brunella was just one room wide in places as it stair-stepped down the hillside. We spent 3 nights in the lap of luxury, relaxing on Capri at the end our energetic trip, loving every minute. A ferry ride back to Naples and return to Rome and home left us with wonderful memories of Italy.
I must warn our readers that this trip is not for anyone with limited walking ability. Everywhere we went was a hilly walk — from the Seven Hills of Rome, to Naples that climbs uphill from the harbor in the shadow of Mt. Vesuvius, to the hillside pedestrian-only villages of the Amalfi Coast, and the steep lanes and steps of Capri — strong legs and good knees are a necessity. Wheelchair access is almost nonexistent. Even though my husband and I are in good physical condition, we found the constant up and down hills and stairs to be a workout. We needed that rest in Capri at the end of our trip!
I packed:
• 4 bottoms: tan jeans,
black pants,
black cropped pants (worn only twice), *
black leggings
• 11 tops: 6 tee-shirts (gold stripe, red print, black print, white, cream, *black); *print knit big shirt; 3 long-sleeved shirts; black tank top (never worn)
• 2 merino wool cardigan sweaters, *black and red
• knit jacket with matching sleeveless top (worn only once)
• rain coat
•
windbreaker jacket
• 4 pair shoes (I usually pack only 3 pair but this trip required more due to rain): 2 pair walking shoes; walking sandals; *flats
* Worn for plane travel
David packed:
• 4 bottoms: *dark jeans,
khaki pants,
khaki golf pants (quick-drying, wicking),
khaki shorts
• 8 tops: 4 *collared golf shirts (quick-drying, wicking), 2 colored tee-shirts,
2 long-sleeved no-wrinkle dress shirts
• 2 sweaters, beige and *red
• rain jacket
•
windbreaker jacket
• 3 pair shoes: 2 pair *walking shoes, 1 pair casual shoes
* Worn for plane travel
Security Tip for London’s Heathrow Airport
On their return trip home from Italy Susan and David had to change planes at London's Heathrow Airport. In addition to removing laptops from carryon bags, tablets (e.g. iPad) must also be removed from a carryon for screening. This has not been required in other countries they have visited. Know that rules vary by country — for example, when passing through European airport security it is not necessary to remove your shoes as is required in the U.S. — so it is important to observe other savvy travelers and the signage in the security area.
Are You in the Market for New Luggage?
People pack and travel differently so it’s impossible to recommend a one-size-fits-all solution. The luggage industry is huge with many brands vying for our dollars. Joining the field are fashion designers who have put their names on generic bags. (Did you know that Samsonite owns many of the well-known luggage brands?)
In a recent column for bizjournals.com, business travel columnist Joe Brancantelli offered guidelines for refining your choices, covering weight, dimensions, material and wheels. We recommend you
read it here before you go shopping.
Smart Packing Tip: Always take a picture of your suitcases on your phone before you depart so you can easily describe them should bags be delayed. A photo is descriptive in any language.
Is a Weekend Wedding in Your Travel Plans?
Summer is the wedding season and many involved a weekend of events leading up to and following the nuptials. This requires careful wardrobe planning by guests and if you are traveling to the wedding you need to think carefully about packing.
Read Leslie's recent blog post on her Smart Women On The Go website and be the best-dressed, well-packed out-of-town guest:
"Your Style Guide to a Wedding Weekend". For tips on how to pack your dressier clothing to minimize wrinkles watch her video:
"How to Pack Pressed Clothes".
That’s all for this edition of "Tips for Travelers". We hope our ideas help you prepare for your next trip and that you will share your own smart packing tips with us. We love hearing from you…and especially want to know what you would like us to report on in the future.
As always, we invite you to share this newsletter with friends, family and colleagues by forwarding this message or they may sign up for "Tips for Travelers" at smartwomenonthego.com. We personally respond to every question and welcome your e-mails and comments.
Pack smart and travel well!
Susan & Leslie
 |
Susan Foster, Author, Packing Expert, Speaker, Spokesperson
Leslie Willmott, Wardrobe Consultant &
Packing Expert; founder,
Smart Women On The Go |
 |
Smart Packing &
Smart Women On The Go>
Asheville, NC 28804
917.297.9686
www.smartwomenonthego.com
