How Are You Feeling?

It's been a while since I've done a "what's going on" post, where I tell you all the things I'm liking/hating/looking forward to. I think I'm going to start doing these each time I'm on a trip, because it's pretty awesome in getting a really quick feel for a place and my state of mind there or getting there. 

Here's my "what's going on" for New Orleans, where I'm attending the Travel Goods Show and doing some sightseeing with my mom. You can follow along with my travel on Instagram.

Making: New connections at the Travel Goods Show. 

Drinking: A lot of water, chicory coffee, and (limited) happy hour drinks.

Listening: I've gotten back into podcasts. I'm binging all the McElroy casts, mostly the new episodes of The Adventure Zone, which is a D&D RPG hybrid podcast the three brothers do with their dad. Even if you don't like D&D, but you like funny dudes and great storylines, it's definitely one to try. I'm on Graduation, but I highly recommend going back and starting from the beginning with their first campaign. And if that doesn't sound like your jam, but you do like terrible advice shows, check out My Brother My Brother And Me. (MBMBaM is legit NSFW.)

Looking: I'm checking out new travel goods and in between looking at historic buildings.

Wishing: Wishing I had a bit more time in town to see and eat more things. 

Enjoying: All the historic buildings everywhere you look and the beautiful splashes of color.

Wondering: Why some people need to spend their entire plane ride drinking. The whole row of people behind us on the plane were rowdy and drinking all the alcohol. I was a bit surprised that none of them got sick during our very turbulent turbulence. 

Watching: Mostly people. We saw an impromptu parade coming back from dinner.

Hoping: I can get a last-minute reservation at Commanders Palace for lunch.

Marvelling: At the fact that people find that during a time of massive turbulence is the perfect time for getting up and rooting around in the overhead bin. Plus side, a woman across the aisle and I had a mutual eye roll moment. (My personal opinion is the overhead is to remain closed unless there's an emergency. All your necessary items should be on you or in a bag under your seat. Nobody wants a butt in their face or a bag falling on their head.)

Needing: A few more days here to see the sights. Guess I'll have to come back.

Smelling: So many pralines and also boiling crawfish.

Wearing: My Arcopedico Mary Janes and Aerosoles sandals to keep my feet happy.

Thinking: There are way too many bad neck pillows that are very similar and/or very bad.

Buying: Duh. Beignets. What else?

Disliking: I'm sorry, I can't like jambalaya. I want to, but I just can't.

Feeling: Full from all the delicious foods here.

Obviously, I'll be writing a lot more about this trip, but wanted to a bit of a departure from the norm this week. What are your favorite things about New Orleans?

Getting Ready for the Travel Goods Show

The Travel Goods Show is coming up, which means I'm all packed and ready to go. It's a bit tricky to pack for, because I tend to come back with much more than I left with (samples and whatnot), and I don't like to check a bag unless I absolutely have to. 

There seems to be a rule that every other year they send you home with a full-size wheeled carry-on. This is an off year, so I'm bringing a wheelie bag that unzips to become full-size, plus a personal size carry-on that I stuffed inside and will use on the plane. This way, when I come back, I'll have a full bag to stuff with goodies, and all my clothes and toiletries will fit in the smaller one.

I'll only be in New Orleans for two full days and half of a Saturday, so I don't need much, but I  will be meeting with travel industry peeps for two days and might need to dress nicely for at least one dinner. I'm packing the following:

• 4 tops
• 1 dress
• 1 pair of lightweight black pants
• a pair of sandals
• 1 rain jacket
• 1 pair of joggers to wear for bed (which I will pair with the tee I'm wearing on the plane)
• necessary undergarments

Travelon World Travel Essentials 3-in-1 Crossbody
Conair travel-sized flat iron

On the plane I'll be wearing a pair of black denim jeggings, a gray tee, and a lightweight jacket. I'm wearing my Arcopedico Vegas Mary Janes, since they are closed-toe and heavier than my sandals. I picked black as a neutral, so everything I take will go together. (I'll take photos of each outfit while on my trip.)

Lewis N Clark compression packing cube

The key to packing light is choosing a small mix-and-match wardrobe. Black is good for pants, because unless something terrible happens, you can wear them multiple days in a row without washing. My lightweight pants are Columbia and moisture-wicking, plus don't appear to hold odor. They are quick drying, so if I do need to wash them, they will be ready to wear the next morning from just hanging them up.

I also am making use of two packing cubes: one for my clothing, and one for my undergarments that actually can be used as a purse when I arrive. Since I won't have to share my bag with anyone, I'm going old school and was able to get everything I needed for toiletries in a simple zippered bag (which has a waterproof lining). 

They all fit perfectly into the back of the bag, then my personal size bag easily scrunches on top, and it has my Airplane Pockets, charging cords, snacks, rain jacket, Barrier Method scarf, and my iPad. My small purse will be able to fit inside too. As always, I'll be bringing a reusable water bottle.

Hopefully, this helps you pack a bit lighter. I'll follow up with some more in-depth photos, so you can see how each outfit comes together, what toiletries I decided were absolutely necessary, and if I can recommend this wheelie bag at all. LOL! I, honestly, bought it for just this purpose. I can already tell you the Timbuk2 bag that's a personal item size is definitely a winner. 

What are your favorite items to help you pack light?

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Who's Ready for Summer Travel?

I know, some of us have finally just gotten out of winter, and some of you are still getting snow. Summer is the most expensive time to travel, with 75% of travelers going somewhere away from home June, July and August. This isn't always conducive to being a budget-traveler, especially if it's the only time you have to travel with the kids. 

Well, you're in luck! With my Summer ebook, you can learn all the tricks to getting cheaper deals on flights, food, fun and lodgings. How can you get the best rates on airfare? When should you travel to save more? How do you get the most from your dollars on accommodations? Can you get theme park tickets for less? The answer to all of these and more are in my Secrets to Summer Savings ebook, so you can do more for less on your summer vacation and still have money in your pocket when you get home for bills, food and a winter road trip. 

If you want to travel more without spending a fortune, this is the place to start. Not only will you have a great summer trip that you won't be paying off for years, but you may still be able to sneak in another getaway another time of year. In fact, using my own tips, I take a week-long trip in the middle of summer then also take two weeks in the fall. If you need some help figuring out where to come up with the money in the first place, find some of my top tips here. You can get my ebook on Kindle, which you can read on the Kindle app on your phone, tablet, laptop or your Kindle. It's free to download, making it super easy. Start saving and learning how to save more now with just a few clicks. 

What are your favorite summer savings tips?