Gent: Home Sweet Home

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The first time I visited Gent was November 2009. I just started my new job in Nashville and took my first trip to Europe and to this place. This was the first picture I took of Gent and it is the view that would end up changing my life forever. I fell in love with Gent; I fell in love with Belgium; I fell in love with Europe. Little did I know that three years later, I would call Gent home.

Why is it awesome?

My sister described Gent as a “snow globe” city the first time she visited and it’s probably the best tagline. Even though it is cold and rainy 75% of the time, the people and the background are enough to warm you up from the inside out.

It is difficult to make a weekend post about home because, well, I live here. I have the ability to do everything I want, anytime I want. If you’re looking for the sites to see, then hit up Google because anyone can tell you that. But here are a few of my favorite things in hopes you will want to explore it on your own.

Summertime…

…is the best time. Gentsefeesten in July and Patersholfeesten in August are just two festivals that keep the locals in Belgium for the summer period.

On a sunny day, you can find many people sitting on the Graslei enjoying music, wine and each other’s company. The restaurants on the canals are full of people as the Gentians crawl out from their interior prisons to soak up the long awaited sun.

But you’ll find me at my favorite cafe, Den Hoek Af. Their terrace is the best location to get every ounce of sun the day has to offer and their seasonal cocktails will make you not care when the sun does inevitably go away. It is always crowded so if you are lucky enough to get a spot outside, don’t leave 🙂

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Kiosko is a seasonal place only open during the hotty hot months of the year. Run by Italians, they serve only the best Italian meats, cheese and wine to quench the thirst of locals and tourists alike. It is a bit off the beaten path with very limited seating making this the ultimate local hangout.

2017-09-03 13.10.09 HDR Oh! And on Sunday’s in the Kouter, you can take a break from walking the rows of gorgeous flowers to have a glass of cava (or champagne for the ultra fancy) and a plate of delicious fresh oysters.

2017-09-03 15.29.58 HDR But for the best coffee spot? Full Circle Coffee is a wonderful spot between St. Anna’s square and Gent Zuid. Emmett is pretty popular there and the drip coffee compliments their vegan yummy yums. The owner is a fan of USA so if you’re a fellow Yankee Doodle, then be sure to stop by and say hello!

Booze spots

One of my first trips to Gent took me to De Waterhuis aan de Bierkant (translates to the water house on the beer bank. Belgium’s attempt at a pun that is a slam dunk. Haha it’s just so clever) for a beer experience I’ve chosen to share with anyone who visits me. However, ask any local and they will tell you it’s the biggest tourist trap in the city. Whatever. I love it. Mainly for the house beer: Klokke Roeland. It’s something like 13% alcohol and you are only allowed three per day. It’s legit.

t’Dreupelkot is the best place for local Gent jenever; it’s like gin, only drinkable. This dashing owner was smitten with my lovely Puck who quickly locked down her position as “heiress to jenever”. They have hundreds of flavors from sweet to sour, fruity to just plain brave to taste.

3. 2016-12-22 14.16.54 Trappistenhuis is a lovely little underground pub that serves only trappist style belgian beers: beers made from monks. Because it is so near my house, I find myself here quite a lot 🙂 Go here in the winter time and score a spot next to the indoor fire to warm up. The terrace isn’t all that great so if you’re in the area during summer, better stick to a place near the center rather than wandering out of the center to this place. The beers are heavy but you can stay as long as you like to enjoy the tasting.

4. girls If you don’t like beer or beer, then Jiggers is the place for you. This is the coziest place to get an amazing vintage cocktail and located in the gorgeous Patershol district of Gent. But be careful; these drinks are lethal… Our favorite is the Green Beast but I usually stick to a classic bourbon to save my head from pain the next day.

Wintertime…

…is cold. Really, Really Cold. But at the same time is the most magical time. Gent has a Christmas market that rivals the best of the best (yes, I’m talking Germany). We have a ferris wheel, a weird christmas bulb ride, ice skating rink, gluhwine and all the food types! The lights hung on the street would make any scrooge excited for Sinterklaas to visit.

I was blessed to meet some amazing people pretty early on who showed me a Gent that most people would never see. I’ll keep some places just for me, but if you want to know more, just let me know 🙂

Oh and P.S….

…you’ll want to buy local Gent mustard from Tierenteyn Verlent. You’ll thank me later.

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Paris… My White Whale

2013-08-04 16.27.26 Ever since I was introduced to Paris seven years ago, it has dug a special place in my heart. It has been difficult to find the right way to share this amazing city with my readers and I am not sure I will do it justice now. I experience and discover something new each time I visit; having the extraordinary opportunity to see Paris with a wide range of people– first timers, locals, frequent visitors, all with a love and respect for something different. Here is my attempt to show Paris to you, through my words and over the last years of allowing this city to change how I see the rest of the world. My wish for you is that you find a place that touches you the same way that Paris has touched me.

Take a walk with me

One thing I find myself doing every visit is a day walk from the Arc de Triumphe, down to the Louvre, cut over the Seine to the other side of the river to Musee d’Orsay, up to Flow for a wine break and to bow to Napolean’s greatness and finally finishing at the Eiffel Tower. Does that intimidate you because it was exhausting to type… It is probably on the excessive walking side of the spectrum but it is the best way to drink in all the city has to offer. Let’s break down the walk…

Arc de Triomphe to the Louvre (4.7 km)

Starting our walk at the Arc de Triomphe down the Champs Elysees is the perfect start to your day. Lots of high end shops and restaurants line this iconic street to take your money and your time; but don’t fret. You’re in Paris! Sit and people watch or stop in Laduree’ for the best macaroons your mouth will ever taste. You remember Emmett, right? He likes to post up in front to greet his adoring fans while his mom picks up delicious treats for the day. You can also get to the Arc from a pathway underneath the busiest roundabout to see beautiful views of the city. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to see Paris from high up…my advice? Save that view for another time. Once you get to the bottom of the Champs Elysees, you’ll reach the infamous Louvre Gardens that bring you to the entrance of the pyramid entrance.

2. Louvre and across the Seine to Musee d’Orsay (1.2 km)

The Louvre is another white whale–take it in one bite at a time. It is breathtaking from the outside and even more spectacular on the inside. It is split into three galleries to overwhelm even the greatest art enthusiast. The first time I visited, I bought a small reference guide book to the greatest works inside to give me a small map and works to hunt. If you are interested in visiting the museum, make this a day activity. The ticket is good for the entire day so you can come and go as you please. But we are walking…so let’s continue.

3. Musee d’Orsay to Les Invalides ( 2.1 km)

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Here we are outside Musee d’Orsay— my favorite museum in Paris. A few musts here:

You MUST buy your ticket in advance or you will wait in line forever
You MUST take your time in this one. See everything.
You MUST appreciate the building itself. The museum was installed in the previous Orsay railway station and can be considered the first work of art inside the museum.

Flow

Remember I wrote experiencing new things each time blah blah? I can’t write about our next stop without thinking of a wonderful trip with a very good friend. On her first trip to Paris, we took this walk on our first day. In my naturally hurried nature, I wanted to walk right by FLOW but she insisted we stay for a glass to rest our feet and soak in the beautiful day. Three hours later, we were two drinks and a bottle of wine in and met some amazing people. I brought my sister and my boyfriend here later and is now a crucial stop in our walk. (The fruit tart was on the trip with my sister…we love tarts.)

4. Les Invalides to Eiffel Tower (1.5 km)

Les Invalides is a stunning building holding many memorials and monuments catered to the military history of France; however, we went for other reasons that I can’t share at this time.

The most significant monument (to me) is the tomb of Napolean Bonaparte. The modest man that he was wanted to have his tomb lower than the entrance to Les Invalides. Why? So people who came to see would need to “bow down” to see him. Quite brilliant…

5. Eiffel Tower

Depending on the time of day you chose to do this walk, you may happen to walk upon the Eiffel Tower in time for sunset, or even the light show. I am putting a lot of things to do at the Tower based on what time you arrive so try not to get confused.

Go up the tower. Go allllll the way up. You can choose a time slot to go up which will help plan out your day. But do it.
Watch the light show at night. It begins at sunset and goes to 1AM or 2AM, depending on the time of year. They go every hour, on the hour, for five minutes. Don’t miss the magical only blinking lights (picture on the right), the last show of the night.
Plan a picnic lunch on the grounds underneath the Tower.

One of my favorite things to do on a beautiful day in Paris is to grab some fine meats, nuts and cheeses paired with a baguette and a bottle of French wine and just sit. I always find time to do this, no matter who is with me or the time of year (must be sunny).

Day Two: Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur, Moulin Rouge

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Notre Dame is the furthest landmark from everything else which is why I like to do it first thing in the morning. Get ready to wait in line to enter but it is worth it…and if you’re really lucky, you’ll see Quasimodo in the belltower!!

Next, plan to take the metro to the Sacre Coeur for a walk to the top and to have lunch in the infamous painter’s square. It is a bit of a tourist trap but is charming and a wonderful place to pick up a souvenir from your trip.

Walk back down the hill to the Pigalle area of the city– gets a bit racey but is a crucial piece to the Parisian culture.

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Moulin Rouge is in the heart of Pigalle and has a few shows every night. If you like theater, this is a wonderful show that gives you a little insight to a modern day world of “cancan”.

Take a cruise

You can find several cruises to take on the Seine but the best I found is Vedettes du Pont Neuf. A cruise is 14 euros for just the ride but you can add extras like champagne and a photo to remember the experience.

After the cruise, take a walk to Montparnasse Tower in the 15th arr. for a stunning view of the city from the top of the tower. 2015-05-23 22.52.58

It’s a busy schedule, and your feet will be tired, but you will have successfully seen the highlights in two days.

This is just a droplet of activities and things to do in Paris. If this is your first time, don’t be intimidated by the city. Plan out what you it is you want to see but don’t let your schedule get in the way of experiencing the city. If it is not your first time, then you know what it is you need to see 🙂

Leave your comments on your favorite spots in Paris!

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Greek Islands Week Two

Week two starts out with a bright and early ferry from Heraklion to Santorini!! Two days on this island is the best way to begin my final week hopping about the islands. I booked my transit directly on Hellenic Seaways for about 100 euros roundtrip. You can find hundreds of third party services who will sell you these tickets but like I always advise, the cheapest price will usually be directly from the service itself. The ferry took about one hour and forty five minutes and went directly to Santorini.

Now, I do not want this next piece to sound like a complaint because the island is magic. You can stay anywhere and have a wonderful time.

BUT.

If I could change anything, it would be the location of where we stayed. I wanted to be close to the infamous city Oia to see the sunset over the white stone buildings on the cliff– you know, the typical American touristy spot. Only problem is it is way up in the North of the island. It is gorgeous but we made the same route three to four times just to travel to other parts of the island. Next time, I’ll stay in the middle, close to the harbor, to minimize travel time.

Now back to Santorini and the highlights of the trip. I booked a hotel at George’s Apartments and we were so pleasantly surprised by the little extras they offered. George himself will meet you outside of this little village with one of his donkeys to assist with luggage up and down the rocky pathway. The hotel even has blue arrows leading to it so you never have trouble finding it later.

My favorite part of this charming delight was the way they did breakfast. Every night, we received a basket with fresh Greek goodies prepared. Little quiche, sweets, yogurt, fruit, criossants, cheese, meat, juice, coffee, smiles, hugs and extra love! So in the morning, we could take our goody basket to our private terrace and enjoy a private breakfast at our leisure.

Through Georgis Apartments, we rented this little quad for 25 euros, for the whole day! It was super convenient to have and we quickly realized that everyone else had the same idea. I highly recommend investing in one of these when you go.

Now there is a lot to do in Santorini: volcano tours, beaches, shopping, vineyards. You really have to plan what you do to maximize your time on this fantastic island. As for what we decided to do? Well, I think I wrote there are vineyards on the island? So, yea.

Santo Wines is right at the top of the harbor where the ferries come in and out and if you like wine, is a must! We spent hours sitting on the cliff, wine tasting and drinking in the sea view. Not much else to report here… it’s a vineyard. You drink wine and enjoy yourself.

But we came for THE picture. The one all Americans know and obsess over after watching Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. And it was waiting for us in Oia 🙂

But as gorgeous as this city view was, it is also a HUGE tourist trap. We didn’t even dream to eat dinner here because we got the view for free. But that didn’t mean we had to go hungry. Back in our little village, we found more stunning views from restaurants that served a variety of Greek cuisine that made the fat kid inside of me so happy.

But our time in Santorini was coming to an end and we were ready to go back to Crete for the rest of the trip. I was so ready for the last days coming because it was what I was most excited to do!

TIP: The ferry is always late arriving to Santorini; if you’re going to Heraklion, either take a flight from the island or just plan on it being late. Our ferry was late by three hours and we sort of lost a day on the island waiting for the boat to arrive.

Arriving late to Heraklion, we drove to our location for just the one night: a bed under the stars. We are both into trying new things and this was right up our alley! The woman running this place is half Greek, half German and just made us feel so welcome. If you don’t think sleeping outside is for you, she has rooms inside as well. It is right next to the beach so if you are looking to get away from it all, don’t miss this location!

It was almost time for boyfriend to leave and for me to continue West. But not before we searched for the infamous pink sands of Elafonnisi Beach.

Elafonnisi

Elafonnisi Beach

Success! We went from Heraklion to the southwestern point of the island– about 2.5 hours drive. Seems a bit extreme but it was super worth it once we arrived. If you don’t arrive to the beach in the morning, don’t even try to get a chair. We posted up on the sand and just lathered up with sunscreen every half hour!

But boyfriend had to go back and I went to Chania for the finale of the trip: Samaria Gorge!

I booked my final nights at the wonderful Halepa Hotel which is slightly outside of the city center but if you enjoy walking, you’ll be happy with this choice. I do not use this blog to promote a hotel or restaurant but this establishment really set itself apart with its service and kindness. I booked my gorge excursion directly with the tour company and the hotel still woke up early to prepare a small breakfast for me and even packed a little lunch.

The night before the hike, I treated myself to a huge bowl of fresh seafood linguine with a gorgeous view. This place was only five minutes walk from my hotel and I couldn’t have been happier with the selection of mussels, calamari, shrimp and pasta that tickled my tummy.

SAMARIA GORGE

The gorge began with a 6AM pickup in front of the hotel. The website of the tour group doesn’t really tell you what to bring so I overdid it– 18 kilometers in the blazing sun and I didn’t want to take any chances. I packed my Swell bottle and three additional bottles of water along with my packed lunch.

In reality, all you need to pack, in addition to food, is one bottle of water. You can fill up your bottle with fresh spring water along the route.

Mistake number two made was not bringing enough money. On the bus to the gorge entrance, you are asked to pay an additional 15 euro for the cost of the entrance to the gorge and for the ferry ride back to the bus. Sounds like a lot of money but I highly suggest to use a service or else you’ll have to hike 18 kilometers back to get to your car… I brought 20 euros thinking it would be enough for a drink and snack at the end of the hike but this oversight left me with 5 euros.

The first leg of the hike is basically downhill stone steps that are quite tricky to navigate. I wore skecher sneakers but I saw a variety of footwear on the hike. I would not recommend anything less than sneakers because one wrong turn of the ankle and you’re stuck.

The hike was amazing and five hours later emerged at the other end. Mistake number three was not taking my time. The guide gives you a timetable to follow to ensure you get out of the gorge in time for the ferry ride. My group and I made it through the entire hike with three hours to wait before the ferry arrived.

But it wasn’t so bad to wait; we dipped our sore toes into the cold water which was so refreshing. There is also a little village set up at the bottom with restaurants, shops and bars. Remember my problem with the cash flow? Would have loved to eat some fresh fish at the ocean but settled for my power protein bars until I got back to Chania.

Chania

I will spend more time in this city next time I go to Crete because it was delightful. I sat down at the pier to eat my two favorite Greek treats: Feta cheese and Dolmathaki (grapevine leaves wrapped around rice)

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Crete: Week one in 200€!

I am just going to jump right into this one: Go to Crete. Now. Book a flight and spend a month. Go with friends, a lover or just head off alone to soul search- which is exactly what I did.

I have to thank whomever created Airbnb because it is my new favorite way to find a place to stay. Hotels and resorts are great and sure, they serve a purpose in certain situations; but if you are looking for that true local experience then you have to choose Airbnb.

I found this two bedroom, two bathroom villa in the small village of Anopolis that is nestled in the mountains about 14 kilometers from Heraklion. It is recommended to have some mode of transportation because the nearest town and beach are about 4 kilometers down the mountain…I didn’t know that. I walked it every day for a week. But my host was super sweet; picked me up from the airport, took me to the grocery store that first night and made sure I had everything I needed for my stay. Oh, and I should mention Kal, my kitty for the week. I miss Kal.

But this is not for me to complain as the walk was just stunning and made me not feel so guilty to stuff my face with vine leaves, feta and moussaka every day.

So this house is the thing I did right on this trip but as we know, not everything goes as we plan. I had six days to fit in the entire island of Crete… And hadn’t planned a single thing, except that my first day would plan the week from the beach.

Packing your beach bag

Before heading down the 4 kilometer mountain, I packed my necessities:

Swell bottle
Water
Wine
Linen towel
Book
Headphones
Sunscreen
Chapstick
Small money

I really do not want to use this blog to promote a specific brand but get yourself a bottle that keeps your liquids cold for a super long time. Being my first time checking out the beach situation, I wanted to bring everything in case the prices were very expensive. Turns out, they weren’t!

I went to the beaches in Kokkini Chani and found a lovely tranquil spot that charged 3 euros to have a chair and umbrella for the entire day. Sold. And Drinks? Try 2.50 euro for a glass of delicious Greek wine. Did I say I was making plans to leave the beach at all this week? I did? Damn. Very well.

Knossos

Being in BFE (for my International readers, this is an American way of describing something very far away from any civilization ) without a way to navigate independently, I needed to rely on the public transportation. Surprisingly, Crete offers one of the best mode of public transport I have used: air conditioned tour buses. I paid 2 euros to get from Kokkini Chani to Heraklion and another 1,80 to get to Knossos…but I am getting away from the point of this article. Let me share with you the best and only way to tour this old AF archeological site.

You have to buy your ticket in combination with the Heraklion Archeology Museum ticket. I did this museum first and before you historic and ceramic loving people smite me for this, please be aware that I do not understand the need to look at hundreds of clay pots that have been buried underground for centuries. With that being said, I will say the 5 euro entry fee was reasonable as was the 20 minutes I spent walking through it. The prize was the ticket to Knossos which was valid for three days after purchasing.

I will go on record that the clay pot exhibition was lovely. There. Is everyone happy? Moving on…

So my bus drops me off at Knossos and to my horror see a huge line wrapped for at least 200 meters ( for you Americans, it’s like a line at a Disney World attraction) and think for a moment to abandon ship. But alas, this line was for the poor burning alive people who didn’t look at clay pots before. I walked right through and enjoyed the absolutely amazing preserved city I have seen.

Heraklion City

When I came back from Knossos, I walked around the edge of the city to the old fortress overlooking the sea. Another low cost attraction that I recommend: 2 euros for stunning views of the city and the sea.

Monastery of Arkadi

I usually don’t care to go out of my way to see an old monastery…actually I’ve never done it. However, when researching Crete, this site kept coming up on every website and I had to find out why. Bare with me on the brief history lesson but it plays important to understanding why I put myself through what I did.

When the Turks invaded Crete, the Monastery of Arkadi served as defense post and safe haven for nearly 1000 Christian people. The Turks wanted to capture the monastery as it proved to have an excellent defense position in the mountains. Over a few days, the monastery fell to the Turks and over 800 men, women and children inside were killed and 1500 Turks lost their lives as well. It is known in this area as one of the worst bloodshed attacks in their history.

I had to go.

Took the same bus to Heraklion where I bought a new ticket to Reythmnon for 8.40 euro. Another air conditioned tour bus that would take me to the city in 90 minutes. Pretty easy, right?

Turns out that there is another bus to take from Rethymnon to the monastery!! This bus ride is another 45 minutes but here is the kicker: it runs every 4 hours. I arrived to the main bus station in Rethymnon and learned the last bus of the day to the monastery was leaving in ten minutes. The cost was 2,40 euro with the alternative being 25 euros with a taxi. Score.

I get there and stand in awe of this holy place. Such a peaceful setting and hard to imagine what happened there. I buy my ticket (another 2 euros) and ask the lovely man when is the next bus to Rethymnon. He smiles and politely tells me the last bus of the day is in 30 minutes.

I’m sorry, what? I just went through 3 hours of travel and I only have 30 minutes to soak in everything? You have got to be kidding me.

So what did I do wrong? I didn’t plan ahead. You can google the bus routes and times for every destination in Crete– KNOW BEFORE YOU GO. Or be happy cutting your experience short or paying extra for private transportation.

Vineyards

My boyfriend decided to show up on my last day in Crete ( he heard about the “plans” and decided to save himself) And we wanted to visit a vineyard. We rented the oldest fiat on the island for 35 euros. That’s right…35 euros from Blue Sea Rentals. We didn’t book until very last minute, which explains the car. I am sure if you book ahead, you can get a much better deal. My biggest tip of renting a car is to get it through one of the local companies and not the international agencies.

Back to the wine. We chose to visit Stilianou Winery and were not disappointed. This four generation run winery is settled in the foothills of the mountains that I am pretty sure hold hundreds of forgotten bodies. Google maps decided to take us off road,so much so that I wasn’t sure we would make it up the hills a couple of times. For 5 euros, you can have a tour of the vineyard, an explanation of the process followed by a tasting of wine and olive oil. I can not say enough how lovely is this family. We could have stayed there for the whole evening and we both felt like they would have welcomed us with open arms.

The total spent in week one was 200€! Crete can be an amazing place to visit and you don’t have to break the bank. But Santorini is next and well, let’s see how the euros fall there 🙂

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Safety First!

I am constantly asked if I am nervous to travel alone in Europe- you know, being a helpless woman and all? No it does not come from my mother who is settling in to the idea that her daughter takes off to Turkey without a heads up or jumps out of planes with only a text later. With all of the terrible headlines we read today it is no wonder tourism is taking a slight decline, especially in Europe. But the truth is, it’s a safe as going to your local airport or traveling within your own country; danger is everywhere but we can’t let it stop us from experiencing the many great things this world has to offer.

In this article, I am going to highlight my top ten safety first tricks I have learned and continue to use when out and about on one of my fabulous city trips!

Split your cash. How many of you have exchanged money at the airport (another huge no-no that I address in another article) and thrown all that dough in your wallet to carry around? I am sure we have all done it. But it only takes one a$$hole to swipe your wallet from your pocket and poof! there goes your holiday spending money. I like to put my cash in different places on me until I get to the hotel. When at the hotel, I take 50 or 60 euro from the cash stack and leave the rest behind in either the room safe or hidden safely elsewhere. You do not need to carry 300 euros with you–most restaurants these days accept credit cards anyway.
Print your passport. This little ingenious trick I learned from my short exposure to Asia. You print and laminate the photo page of your passport and use that for hotel check in’s. Most of the time, they will ask you to leave your ID behind for registration and will return to you later. Now, I don’t know if that’s true or not but I am not about to leave my PASSPORT in the hands of someone I do not know. You get a laminated copy, my friend. Go nuts.
Always tell your location. After taking off to Turkey without telling my work or family because I knew they would worry (yes, I realize how ridiculous it is just typing it now), I quickly changed tactics. 99% of the time you are fine but it’s that 1% you just need to account for. Always make sure at least one person knows where is your body. You’ll be hopping around Europe and perhaps plans change due to a missed train or a festival that surprised you…but we live in the wifi age…tell someone.
Kids can’t be trusted. Haha before you moms come at me with your pitchforks and baby hater comments, just wait. What I mean is don’t trust anyone, especially kids, when you are out walking the streets. A lot of the local mafia use kids to beg for money then steal your purse, wallet, food, shoes, whatever…ok maybe not shoes but you get my idea. Here is a true story for you: Picture it. Paris. Summer 2014. I am having a nice long weekend with a girlfriend of mine when we stop for cash at an ATM. She goes up to the ATM and I immediately notice a kid standing against the wall next to the machine. She walks up, not paying attention and I stand to block the kid’s view from my friend. As soon as she puts her pin code in, he tries to get past me to press the 500 euro button on the screen. We quickly retrieve the card and get away. This is a common scam where the kid is successful pressing the higher note withdrawal button and his big scary man friend shows up later to take the money. If you see a kid without a grownup, just don’t trust it, ok?
Easy one…watch your sh*t. Won’t spend too much time on this one…just watch your personal belongings. Don’t leave your purse on the table where it’s easy for someone to grab it. Not rocket science, people.
Keep bags under layers. This one is really only a valuable tool when you travel in colder climates. I have seen some crazy things, desperate people who will do just about anything to get a purse. I have seen men use scissors to cut the purse strap from behind, it falls and someone else scoops it up. I put my purse on before I put on my jacket.
Politeness isn’t always the best policy. Sometimes you just need to walk past someone who is trying to talk to you. 9 times out of 10, it’s a scam. The other time it’s someone lost needing directions and you can’t help them anyway. Someone you don’t know approaches you on the street, just keep walking!
If it doesn’t feel right… then just don’t. Your gut is your best compass. I’ve backed out of a few late night rendezvous’ because I didn’t know the area, I didn’t know the company, I just didn’t know. Go to your hotel. Do not let FOMO make you have any regrets.
USA USA USA (shhhh). As an American, I know how much we love our country. We are one of the most proud world citizens ever and it’s great to be part of it. However, we see the news… I doubt anyone can argue that Americans are not everyone’s favorite these days. This one is simple but some may find it hard to do: tone down the American. Maybe leave behind the “Make America Great Again” shirt (I have one, btw) and the American flag baseball cap. The more you blend in and look neutral, the less of a target you’ll be.
Be vigilant. All of these boils down to just be vigilant. Europe is a wonderful place full of beautiful landscapes, architecture and some pretty amazing people too. Just keep an eye out–you aren’t on your home turf anymore. Be respectful and keep your eyes open.
I hope this list only encourages you that traveling in Europe is still as safe as ever, if not safer. We can’t let the negative prevent us from living our lives to the fullest and experiencing as many new places as we can. Happy travels!

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Flying over Scotland

2013-10-08 14.47.29 When I think of cool things I have done in Europe, flying in a glider of Edinburgh is high on that list. Sorry to disappoint the fans out there looking for a tip on where to do this… this was based on pure personal connection.

I take many flights a year but nothing could prepare me for the ultimate feeling of being Tom Cruise in Top Gun… or maybe I am more Ice Man? Well, in this picture I look more like Goose but who cares! It was an unforgettable experience to fly over those green mountains and picture perfect landscapes. For anyone who is a fan of the color green, the Scotland is your destination.

…just because I loved looking at the photos so much, here are a few more from the view!

But once you get on the ground, what is it like to be in Scotland? For one, I have never met a person more in love and more proud to be where they are from than a Scot. They have so much pride running in their veins that I find myself enamored with every bit of their culture. It is always such a treasure to spend time in Scotland to learn more about their heritage and the many many things that make it great.

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Being a sucker for nature, it is one of my favorites to just drive from the south to the north of the country to see things like this: young students on their way to Hogwarts for a new school year. I can’t help but imagine young Potter on this train chatting it with up Hermoine regarding a questionable spell he had trouble mastering over the holiday. However, the main attraction is and seems to be the main cities of each country; in this case, Edinburgh.

Now, I love Edinburgh. The airport is highly questionable but the city is downright just the best. From the castle to the closes and the bounty of whiskey to taste, there is something for everyone.

It is a walking city (which I love) because you can feel free to move about the city at your leisure without the need of taxi’s, ubers or whatever your transportation preferences may be. Hotels? Pick one. You really can’t go wrong. But if you’re looking for suggestions, I have two: Radisson Blu on the Royal Mile due to its amazing location (especially to my top two favorite restaurants) and Princes Street Suites if you are in a group of four or more. One of the best tricks I have discovered is the use of apartments instead of hotel rooms for groups of people who don’t mind to share a bathroom. The UK can be an expensive place to visit and this ideal location on Princes Street is perfect for weekend trips and close to the main train station in Edinburgh. It is also within a 5 minutes walk to Starbucks for all those lovers out there 🙂

Now, let’s talk food. Scottish food is among the least of my favorites in Europe but I can’t lie, there are some restaurants that know how to make it smell, look and taste appetizing! When I am in Edinburgh, I hit up either The Witchery or Wedgwood, both on the Royal Mile. The Witchery offers an old gothic dining experience, with everything from only candlelight inside the restaurant to old scroll like menus waiting for you at every place setting. It is truly a wonderful dining experience. Now, the Wedgwood is another story. It is the chic spot with excellent Haggis, yes it made me a believer, and wonderful wine.

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Travel Tips for her

Ladies,

This is a letter to you. I know you. I know the pain you’re going through as you pack your suitcase for that extended trip “across the pond.” Going through your closet once, then twice, then once more to make sure you packed everything. Calculating how many wardrobe changes you’ll probably do in a day… Thinking to yourself, “We will be walking all day in Paris so I’ll need to pack an extra outfit to change for dinner” and , “I’ll need my hair dryer, curling iron, straightener, everything else electric sitting on my bathroom sink.”

I’m here to burst the bubble, ladies. If you are content packing a 50 pound (23 kg) suitcase and lugging it all over Europe for the next two to three weeks, then stop reading and start packing. But if you are now realizing that the sixth pair of high heels you just packed is a bit excessive then read on, sister!

Currently, I am at the beginning of my own three week stint around Europe: three countries with three very different climates. Why am I going only with a carry on? It’s simple: to save money. Traveling in Europe is becoming so easy and affordable these days if all you are booking is the actual flight; the extras is where they make their money. Checking a bag on Ryanair? You may be paying an extra 20 euros and that’s only if you order it at the time of booking. The longer you wait, the more expensive the cost.

2017-03-19 11.55.43 Here we have a standard carry on roller suitcase that is currently packed with all the items I will wear on coming weeks. The biggest concept I had to get over? Knowing I will wear all of these items in the 3-4 times range…dudes don’t understand our struggle on this one but believe me, I know the pain.

Over time, I learned what are the things I can’t live without. Everyone will have a different list but here are the things that made mine:

Ballerina flats
3 pairs of jeans (fall and winter), 1 pair of jeans and two skirts (spring and summer)
1 pair of dress pants or nice skirt
4-5 plain color tank tops (different colors)
2 blazers
Rain booties
2 heavy sweaters
2 dress shirts
Hair gel for curly hair
Carmex extra moisture chap stick
Women’s multi vitamins
Advil rapid release
Red lipstick
Eye cream
Whatever your preference of body wash is at home
Extra fluoride toothpaste
2-3 sleep nightgowns
2-3 regular t-shirts (long or short sleeved)
1 active wear pants
Rain coat (heavy or light depending on where you go)
2 toothbrushes
2-3 wash cloths (depending on how many hotels you are staying)
Enough pairs of underwear to change twice a day
Enough socks for once a day
1 scarf
1 hat (Ok I pack 2 but I love hats when it’s cold out)

Let me explain some of these. I realize some are quite basic but others may have you a bit puzzled.

Ballerina flats

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Choose a pair of ballerina flats that are comfortable and go with just about anything in your suitcase. They can also work as your dress shoes for nights when you want to dress up a little. Do not bring your brand new Louboutin’s to Paris to go with that gorgeous outfit because of two little words: Cobblestone Streets. Bring shoes you can scuff up the bottom and not be upset about. Also, look how these Tory Burch flats roll up; perfect for packing!

Toiletries

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I mentioned a few items in the list under the toiletry category and you can see them all here to the left.

Extra fluoride toothpaste- the water in Europe lacks the level of fluoride that we are used to in USA. After living in Europe for a few years, my teeth started to pay the price. You can get these at your local dentist or buy in Europe at any local store.
Shower gel of your choice- I can do the hotel shampoo; I accepted that my hair will be dry and a pain to comb but I can not let me body meet the terrible soap in most hotels. If you have a problem of dry skin, then do not skimp on the body wash.
Advil liquid release gels- They work faster than other pain medication. I am sure you’ll need some if you decide to go on the vineyard tour in Tuscany or go pub crawling in Dublin.
Eye cream- I have such a problem with puffy eyes after flying and now I am battling the dark circles after staying out too long. Rodan and Fields has a nice eye cream that I have come to love and comes in a convenient travel size. A little dab under my eyes and I can tell a world of difference. Which leads me to….
Red lipstick- If I had a late night the night before, red lipstick doesn’t make me look so dead; but if I am not on the brink of death, I go with…
Carmex lip moisture- Nothing else keeps my dry lips smooth. I probably travel with 5 sticks at a time. (Insert Napolean Dynamite joke here.)
Finally, wash cloths- not all European hotels offer wash cloths in the bathroom. Who likes to wash their lady bits with their hand? Not me. Pack some wash cloths that you can leave behind when you check out.

Packing

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Let’s look at the first layer; shoes, jeans and heavy sweaters. I hope you’re asking yourself, “Where are the rain booties?” I wear those on the plane. Wear your heaviest stuff to free up the space in your suitcase. You might look like a freak wearing rain booties in Madrid but you’ll super happy you did when you get off that plane in Edinburgh.

Second layer is lighter sweaters, the nice shirts you picked, 4-5 tank tops and one blazer that you don’t care to get a little wrinkled.

I like tank tops from Zara because they are maximum 10 bucks a piece and are very difficult to wrinkle. I choose basic colors because I can mix and match the undershirts to wear with one of the blazers or underneath a nice shirt or even wear it solo. I can get up to three outfits with one shirt.

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The third and final layer consists of the night shirts, other lighter shirts and the toiletry bags. I also fill the sides with extra panties, socks and anything else I can cram inside. You’ll notice that I roll the thicker pieces of clothing at the bottom but lay flat the lighter pieces. I found this helps maximize on the space instead of rolling every piece of clothing inside your suitcase.

2017-03-19 11.54.26-1 Don’t forget the section on the opposite side. I use this for socks, panties, gloves, hats and any other accessories I think I’ll need. I pack one scarf, my two fabulous hats and enough underwear to cloth a small family. This is where I do not get shy on the packing; even if I don’t have time for a quick shower before my next activity, I will change out the ole lady garments. It’s amazing how clean you feel just by this little act.

All in all, you pack what you feel is important to you. But take one trip across Europe with a 50 pound suitcase and I guarantee that next time you’ll go much lighter. Be sure to account for all weather conditions so it doesn’t put a damper on your holiday!

Sincerely,

Steer into the Skid

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30th Birthday Weekend

Anyone who is facing the dreaded 30 has two choices to make: Do you crawl in a dark hole and wait for it to come or do you grab it by the balls and own it in fabulous style? Thankfully, I chose the latter 🙂 2017-03-04 22.24.27

Dublin was the logical choice when looking at locations for this birthday extravaganza; super easy to travel from USA and just an hour flight from Belgium. I had the fun task of planning a city trip for 12-15 people over three days…we all know how I love a city trip!

I booked our hotel room at the Gibson Hotel; a bit on the pricey side but if you’re used to big, spacious hotel rooms then it is definitely worth the extra dough. Location wise, it’s closer to the airport than any hotel direct in the city center, has a tram line right outside their front door that will take you to the city center in 10 minutes. From the Dublin airport, bus 747 takes you to the 3Arena stop (first stop on the bus route) which is a 3 minute walk to the hotel. Bus 747 is the fast route, costs 6 euro one way (10 euro return) and you’ll be at the hotel in less than 20 minutes.

With logistics taken care of, I needed to look at the social activities. Dublin is the perfect location for a city trip because it has something for everyone! A castle, tons of pubs, hiking opportunities, shopping, an amazing history to discover or just spend time walking the streets.

Trinity College and Book of Kells

2017-03-12 12.05.48 The Book of Kells Tour and Trinity College Library was an excellent start to our weekend fun. My sister puts Belle to shame in the book department so I knew we couldn’t miss this. You can pre-book your ticket online for 14 euro; allows you to skip the line if you are pressed for time and have loads to see. However, based on the season and the day, I recommend to pay at the door (11 euro) as the line usually is not so long.

The Book of Kells exhibition is very interesting! My family comes from the Bible belt and believe in the written Word so this display was very special to us. Once you go through the small exhibition, you are brought into the main library. It holds over 6 million volumes of books, magazines, manuscripts dated from the 18th century as well as one of 3 remaining medieval Gaelic harps, the national symbol of Ireland.

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While you’re over at the college, be sure to check out the Molly Malone statue! She’s super close and you would have heard her name a ton (or you will soon enough). Rub her chest for good luck 🙂

Dublin Castle

One of the few attractions you can not book in advance but an amazing one to visit! There are two types of tours you can take: guided and self guided. If you plan on doing this attraction, you should really do the guided tour. You can only visit the Excavation site and the Royal Chapel in addition to the State rooms on the guided tour…and they really are worth the visit! Make sure you go schedule your tour, takes about 90 minutes, to fit your daily activities. I would recommend going earlier that day to buy your ticket at a slotted time that is available and schedule the rest of your day around that.

Royal Chapel

Dublin Castle

My Sissy and Aunt at the excavation site

Comparing Jameson Distillery to Teelings Distillery

To be honest, I did not tour Teelings. My boyfriend took the boys to Teelings the same time I took the girls to Dublin Castle. Teelings is the only functioning distillery in Dublin so if you are interested in the process of how whiskey is made, then this is the tour for you! He booked the 20 euro ticket which included a tasting of three different whiskey’s distilled on the site. You can pre-book tickets online; depending on the season you visit Dublin, I recommend pre-booking!

We did tour Jameson the next day; while this was the original distillation site, it since has been moved to Cork, Ireland. Another 20 euros to take the tour and to sample a few of their finest whiskey’s. What I found interesting was they do a comparative tasting between their triple distilled whiskey, a double distilled scotch and single distilled bourbon to let you experience the difference in taste. This tour takes about an hour to complete and Jameson does a great job giving an informative yet enjoyable look into the history of Jameson and the method behind their madness. I learned that Jameson and ginger is my new favorite mix!

Guinness Brewery

2017-03-04 17.26.32 First of all, get a ticket online first. If you are using this blog to plan your trip to Dublin, go ahead and take a break to book your ticket. Couple of reasons: 1. it’s awesome and 2. the line is crazy stupid any day. Get ready to spend 20 euros and minimum four hours at this site because with seven floors of activities to explore, you’ll be sure to create a lasting memory. I don’t even particularly like Guinness beer but you just can’t miss this!

A couple favorite parts of the tour were the marketing photo booth and learning to pour the perfect Guinness. In the marketing photo booth, you put yourself into old Guinness ads and it pops up on a tablet where you can upload to facebook.

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In the Pour the Perfect Guinness bit, you learn how to pour the beer from the tap just like the experts. With your entry ticket, you are entitled to one pint of Guinness. Not only do you get to pour the perfect Guinness, you get to drink it.

If you do not want to spend your free beer on the pour, you can take the coupon to the top floor for a breathtaking view of the city and a pint 🙂

Dining, Pubbery and Fun

One of my favorite things about Dublin is most pubs offer free live music to create a super fun atmosphere for everyone. When mom and I visited Dublin a few years ago, we discovered Merchant’s Arch and knew we had to go again! Merchant’s Arch is in the Temple bar district so if you can’t get in there, you can find loads of other places to get an authentic Irish experience. Temple bar itself is a blast with the best Irish music I have heard, best audience to listen with and a wide range of Irish whiskeys to drink.

Camden Kitchen

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Camden Kitchen was a restaurant I found on Spotted by Locals, a website directing tourists to restaurants and other attractions suggested by locals of that city. It was such a great decision because it catered to every specific pallet of my birthday guests 🙂 The food was very fresh and delicious at very reasonable prices. After a couple days of eating pub food, sitting down to a nice meal was exactly what everyone wanted! It was a great place to hold my birthday party of 16 people; cozy but not too secluded.

Glendalough

2017-03-05 14.49.20 For most of my guests, this was their first time visiting Ireland and I wanted to give them as much Irish immersion as I possibly could. While Dublin is amazing, I wanted to get my family to experience the most important part of the country–nature.

Glendalough is part of Wicklow National Park and is about an hour drive from the Dublin city center. I rented two vans to bring our crew out this far; however, if you are not comfortable driving, you can join a tour group. Just ask your hotel for information! It is free to walk through and there are a variety of different routes you can take. It was a bit rainy on our visit but it didn’t stop us from spending as much time as we could!

leprechaun siting

The most spectacular and famous landmark of this hike is the Glendalough Lake about 2.5 kilometers from the start of the walk. This stunning lake is nestled in a valley surrounded by color filled mountains. Be sure your camera/phone battery has plenty of charge!

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48 hours in Riga

Normally, I would travel to the Baltics in the spring/summer weather but I had a deadline to meet and Latvia was last on my EU list…so here we are. It is 0 to -1C during the day and drops to -1 to -3C at night-Super.

But despite the freezing temperatures, Riga is delightfully charming. As it was my first time to Riga, I chose my hotel from booking.com to narrow results from price, location, cuteness, etc… I chose Semarah Metropole Hotel and boy was I pleased when I arrived! You never know how the websites portray a hotel as compared to real life but this one was just superb. I took a taxi from the airport (about 20 euro) mainly because my flight landed in Riga after 10pm and I was not in the mindset to figure out the bus system. However, my hotel was right next to the bus station, tram station, whatever public transport station so the travel back to the airport will be via this method…and for one euro!

When I asked the receptionist what I should see in Riga, her immediate response was “You haven’t been to Riga until you see the Freedom Monument.” 2017-01-28-12-39-33 The people of Latvia have a strong sense of pride when talking about their independence. This monument was erected to honor those who fell in order to provide independence and freedom as well as to symbolize national unity. Located around the edge of the old town, it is quite arguably the most impressive landmark of the city.

I absolutely loved walking around Riga. Loved it. However, I am quite sure it is more lively with people moving around, terraces open outside and outdoor markets in the warmer seasons. But look how precious… just look!

So after I did this for four hours, I decided it was time to actually go and see something. There are several cathedrals that make up the skyline of Riga but three really spoke out to me.

St Jacob’s Church

This cathedral is one of the oldest in Riga, dating back to 1225. If you can see the top of the spire, there is a small rooster. Almost every cathedral is topped with this rooster, not a cross. There is actually a religious reason behind this; the rooster is a vigilant defender against evil and according to tradition, can drive away evil with his morning song. The rooster sits on the highest peaks of the city so its song can be heard from far away.

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Riga Cathedral

The Riga Cathedral is the oldest in Riga and one of the oldest in Latvia, dating back to 1211. I used this as a central landmark as it can be seen from anywhere and is directly in the center of the old town.

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Saint Peter’s Church

This gorgeous cathedral has seen its fare share of misfortune over the years; fires, world war destruction and other natural disasters. What is so special about this cathedral is visitors can climb to the top for a gorgeous view of Riga from 72 meters high.

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Across the street from Saint Peter’s Church is, and I am not joking, the House of Blackheads. If anyone out there shares the same obsession with dermatology as my family and me, then you’ll appreciate the humor. But it’s just the super cool building that was built for unmarried German merchants in the 14th century.

So what is the food like? Riga had many restaurants highlighting their fish cuisines but since it was freeze balls cold outside all I wanted was soup. I stumbled upon this precious tavern, 1221, and ordered the elk goulash soup with traditional Latvian rye bread. The local beer (on tap) tasted more like a sparkling cider. Not terrible but definitely not award worthy. For my entire meal, I paid 10 euros. Welcome to the Baltics 🙂

There is a also a super cute central market where you can find local fruit, souvenirs and amber items for sale. Amber is a huge export of Latvia and most of the souvenirs you can find have these little stones. I didn’t stay so long as this market is outside and well, it was just too cold!

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Riga is widely known for its cheap and lively nightlife. But if you know me and my travel lifestyle, I am not stupid and tend to take extra precautions when traveling alone 🙂 However, I did not leave this city without getting a small taste of the nightlife. Cuba House is a little bar next to the Riga Cathedral that serves the best cocktails for super reasonable prices. They offer either live music or a super fun Cuban DJ accompanied by salsa dancing. I had a mojito (4 euros) and nachos con pollo y queso (because I can never say no to nachos) and had a great time mingling with the locals and learning some new salsa moves.

All in all, my 48 hours in Riga were very cold but insanely fantastic. This is definitely a place I want to come back when it is warmer but I can not deny it has a certain charm in the cold winter.

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Steer Into the Skid: When Everything Goes Wrong

First of all, if you are one of those perfect travelers who never has anything go wrong, you can magically show up at the airport in just enough time to walk on the plane immediately, your bag shows up first on the luggage cart and you never miss a connecting flight, then change blogs immediately because this is not for you. Alternatively, if you are normal, have a short temper and tend to run late (like me) then welcome to the travel blog for you! My mission is to give you the tools to make your travel experience as easy and “enjoyable” as possible; in the not so off chance that something can wrong, I hope to shed light on best management methods because yes, any hiccup can ruin an entire holiday.

So what could go wrong? You show up at the airport, bags in hand, three hours before departure- everything you are supposed to do. Why worry? 9 times out 10, you have nothing to worry about. But let’s look at that 10% of it raining a shit storm on your vacation and what you can do to manage it.

I have to thank my mother for this first one. She, my step-father and sister came to Belgium last year to spend Christmas with me in my home…just a lovely time that we will look at in another edition. On their departure from Brussels Airport, I brought them promptly to the airport three hours before the flight, they checked in online for their boarding passes, carry on bags only….what could go wrong? Since they were in international waters, Mommy dearest and her husband decided not to activate their international mobile data and why should they? We were together all the time and no need for the extra costs. At baggage security, they were each pulled from the line to have their Christmas goodies examined, piece by piece. For those of us who have short nerves, this act alone is enough to send us over the edge! Mom went one way with her bags and SF went another…neither communicating where to meet once their colonoscopy was complete. Confusion set in when mother waited for SF in one place and SF waited in another….thankfully, they are both intelligent and went to the gate separately to wait where the story ends happily ever after with mother finding SF safe and sound. So this one is an easy one….have a meeting point if you know you are going to separate. Security can be an extremely stressful process, especially when all of your belongings get pulled out for your fellow airport passengers to judge, so remove one less stressor and set a meeting point.
I can not stress the importance of having a back up plan when you arrive into a new city, especially if it’s in a new country. Story number two takes place during the same Christmas gathering, this time I’ll pick on my sister. Plan A went a little something like this: Mom and SF arrive into Brussels, Sissy in Amsterdam. On the morning of everyone’s arrival, I learned mother’s flight was 4 hours delayed and sissy was on time: engage back up plan. Originally, sissy was going to take a train from Amsterdam Airport to Antwerp where she would meet the rest of the family for a day of fun. Plan B forced my sister to think a little outside the box; I asked her to take another train from Antwerp to Gent where we would all meet. Plan B worked like a charm. While sissy was en route to Gent, I picked up the late arriving rents in Brussels and we all met together in Gent. Have a Plan B…
This one has happened to me many times…and as silly as this will sound, I can guarantee it can happen to anyone! Know which airport you’re flying in and out. In Europe, most countries have a main airport and at least one smaller airport to host the low cost airlines. Don’t assume just because your travel agent or your spouse booked the same airport going into a country, he/she booked you out of the same. This could be a costly lesson to learn! I was in Norway making sales calls in the Oslo area with an early morning flight to Dublin the next morning. My distributor put me in a hotel near the airport and I settled in for a short night sleep. I was at the airport at 4AM, an hour and half before the flight, frantically searching for my 5:30AM flight to Dublin on the departure screen. But, no Ryanair flights were posted anywhere. Not a one. I googled airports in Oslo to learn there wasn’t one, not two, but THREE airports. By the time I took a taxi to the correct airport, I was too late. The next flight out ended up being back at the original airport…so 75 euros in taxi fare, a new ticket…this lesson cost around 300 euro. Know your airports!
This one is my favorite to hate: delayed / canceled flights. These set backs usually have a lovely monetary compensation, but you have to ask for it!
1. For my European travelers, mainly in the East, we are forced to deal with a little company by the name WizzAir. They give low cost airline a whole new meaning…you may spend 9 euros on a flight but you’ll pay 50 to check a bag and it’s 50/50 your seat is actually the lavatory. I was flying to Budapest from London Luton Airport when after a three hour delay, they announced the flight was cancelled until the next morning. NIGHTMARE. Don’t get me started on the rudeness of the airline / airport staff that night. I am a Southern girl and my mama taught me to have manners but that night, I channeled my inner Yankee and made sure they all knew what I thought of their behavior. Anyway, after the painful process of getting the bag, finding out what shit hotel WizzAir offered its passengers and the time of the new flight, I decided to book another hotel that actually had walls and a bed. You do not have to take the accommodation provided by the airline but I can’t say it wasn’t offered. Now to the good part. Most EU airlines offer monetary compensation if the flight is delayed up to 4 hours or if your arrival time is 4 hours or more after its original schedule… this value can get up to 400 euro and it is all based on the flight distance. Luckily, I was able to cash in 250 euro for the inconvenience.
2. Similiar story with a delayed flight I recently had on United Airlines. I was flying home to Louisville from Washington Dulles when another case of rude airline staff and delayed flights over three hours was frustrating me and many other passengers around me. My best advice to you, do not lose your temper on the airline staff there. THEY DO NOT CARE AND WILL NOT HELP YOU. Now, keep calm and keep track of everything that happened and how long you waited. When your nightmare is over, write a letter to the customer service department and there is where you’ll get your satisfaction. I wrote a lengthy email to CS detailing the nightmare of the UA staff and the inconvenience they put us all through, and I encouraged the passengers around me to do the same. A week later, I received an email back from the CS department with a heartfelt apology and $125 travel gift voucher valid for one year.
I’ll save the best for last because this makes my skin crawl just writing about it: lost bag. Lost. Bag. If I worked in the baggage department and hated someone, this is how I would ruin their life. Not only have I had a bag been delayed getting to me (at least 5 times) but I have had a bag completely disappear, never to return again. Poof. Gone.
1. Be sure to take a picture of your checked bag before you check it in. You’ll be surprised how your brain stops working when the empty soul of an employee at the lost luggage counter asks you to describe your bag. Two rollers or four? Black or brown? Hard or soft case? Why do I have to answer these questions you should never have lost the bag in the first place you $#&^%&$%&$$#^!
2. Do not pack anything valuable in your checked bag. But if you have to, I would suggest investing in one of these tracker systems that actually help you pinpoint where your bag is. If the airline can’t figure it out then you can at least see if your bag is in India when it should be in Munich.
3. Pack a change of clothes in your carry on bag in the off chance your bag is delayed a night. They provide a little bag but it contains a white shirt made for a 500 pound man, a toothbrush and toothpaste made of chalk.
4. Do not lose your baggage claim ticket. If your bag is delayed then there really isn’t a good chance to get it back…there are forms and more forms to fill out and will only delay the process more.
5. If you have the unfortunate luck that I had…and your bag is lost forever…you get to experience the fun of itemizing everything in your bag, giving it a value and remembering when you bought it. The airline will give you up to a certain value for the goods and only after 90 days of waiting for the inevitable bad news. Advice here…book your ticket on a credit card that offers additional insurance for lost luggage.

There are many other nightmares to endure at the airport, these are just some of my favorites. Most important, you should keep calm when dealing with hiccups in the travel process and remember the CS person you are dealing with at the time, although may not seem like it, is doing the best he/she can.

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