I used to be a rookie – I hadn’t taken a flight or ridden a train in over 5 years. Then BAM, my job took over and all I do (it seems like) is travel from place to place. The good news is that now I know which airports have the most obnoxious customs, the best food, the most exasperating layouts, the most inexpensive souvenirs...
Atlanta’s International Airport DOES suck, Munich (MUC) has great beer and crepes, and Milan’s train station is huge, like an airport and the likelihood of a pigeon crapping on your head is 60/40 them (see the dirty rascal above).
1) When flights say that you need to be in the boarding area 30 min before departure for domestic flights and 1 hour before departure for international, they are not joking. Even if you are about to piss your pants or are starving, find your gate first and verify that it is correct and when boarding begins. It has happened to me one too many times that I thought I was in the clear and went to pee or have a quick drink only to find out that a) they had been calling my name over the loud speaker - I of course didn’t hear a thing and they were pissed b) the gate was actually way father than anticipated and instead of a two min walk it was more like a trek c) I actually missed the flight, but wouldn’t have missed it had I not stopped to tie my shoe.
- You can save a lot of time and hassle by just having a carry on. Beware: if the flight is too full they may check your bag anyways, but the good news is that you will not be charged.
- Save time by printing out your boarding pass and checking in online. If you have a smart phone, you can get the rewards or points card/ barcode your flights on there and simply scan it at the airport. If you already went on the flight (even if it is international partner) you can either fax in your ticket to get the miles applied or mail it in. Contact customer service to see what you can get because a lot of airlines are have merged and are partners and you may not even be aware of it.
- Speaking of international travel, you should think about applying for a credit card such as Capital One Venture card, which has no international fees. International fees can really add up, so this is a huge help and there is no fee to have the credit card for your first year + you earn rewards - I love rewards!
-Do not get water or fill up your water bottle until AFTER the security point – duh. I see people chugging water and it holds up the line. Why do people insist on wearing their watch, belt, shoes with lots of laces, coins, etc. you are going through security – is this baby’s first time or what?
-Wear slip-ons, sneakers, etc. but wear shoes! They make you take sandals off and it’s just gross to have to be barefoot in the airport. No wine openers – I have been a victim of losing a few, because for some reason I carry one around with me.
- Wear layers. Running around in the airport makes you extremely hot then mid-flight it’s arctic. I recommend wearing comfortable clothes with a cardigan or sweater and a scarf. The scarf can also double as a travel pillow on the flight.
- For long flights I recommend a moist toilet to relieve you of the “dirty” feeling on the flight and a small bottle of lotion because flying makes you extremely dry. Drinking plenty of water also helps.
- Lines at the train station for information and tickets are always a 30 min wait so it’s a good idea to research online and look at train times before you get to the ticket office. Do not assume they will speak English, so be ready to give them train numbers, destinations, and be ready to make train connections/ switches on your own.
- When you have to leave your car at the airport and you use services such as “park N go” or “park N fly” check online for coupons. They also have reward programs, such as, pay for 10 nights get one free.
- Most nice hotels will have outlet adapters in case you forget yours.
I am sure I will have more advice soon, as I am set to go back to Italy June and July. Picture of me enjoying a nice meal from my last trip below:
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| Diner and vino on my last work project =) |
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