Common Travel Nightmares

I don't worry about too much when I am on vacation, but I'm a thorough planner and Eric and I are pretty good about having a plan and not separating without knowing where the other will be at any given time. I've shared with you in the past my literal travel nightmares. Generally, we roll with other issues, because not everything goes as planned, so while it might be disappointing, it's not a nightmare for us, but it's interesting to see what other people consider a nightmare:

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We just went on a trip where it rained almost the whole time and we had to change plans, because it sucked to be outside for long periods. Our rental car was cancelled before we arrived when we went to San Francisco earlier this year. We've stayed in some gross hotels, and once slept in our car at a campsite when there weren't any vacancies. I've been sick on vacation, gotten hopelessly lost, had a fight with my travel companion(s), missed my flight and had to fly standby,  and had such choppy water that our cruise ship couldn't dock. We had our rental car broken into on two trips, and only the first seemed like a nightmare, because Eric had to spend half the day at the police station, where they had to find someone who could speak English well enough to take his statement, and his phone had been stolen, so I had no idea if he was okay or not until he returned to the hotel. 

The point is, things will happen that you didn't, or couldn't have, planned for, and what matters is how you deal with it. Few things will make or break an entire vacation and be an actual nightmare. You can learn a lot from things when they go wrong. Luckily, we've never had a real emergency on a trip, and when things get cancelled or we've had to pivot, those have been some of our most interesting days. One example is when we went to London, there was a tornado overnight (I wish I was making that up) and trees were down all over the city, so we missed our train to go on a tour of the Cotswolds and we ended up going to Kew Gardens, which was also closed, getting breakfast at a lovely coffee shop, and then exploring Holland Park for half the day. 

I hope your trips don't end up being nightmares and you learn to roll with the punches when things aren't great. Remember to take some time apart from your travel companion(s) and to eat. Everything feels like the worst thing when I am hungry and I'm mean and take everything personally. Have some high protein snacks with you while you're out. 

What bad things have happened to you on vacation?

Packing Light for Fall Travel

It's that time again. Most places are starting to get cooler, or it will be when you are on your fall or holiday travel. Even when you have to pack larger pieces than for your summer trips, you can still pack light. I'm a big proponent of layering when I travel, since you never know if the weather will be unseasonably warm or colder than you expect. Don't fret though, because you can still pack light and bring everything you need for any kind of weather.

When we traveled to London and Paris in late October, the weather ranged from cool, crisp fall air to freezing temps with rain. It could have been miserable, but learning from my previous trip there, when all we had packed were winter clothes. The first 3-4 days were so warm out that I didn't need a coat and seriously wondered if I'd have to buy some short sleeve tops in order to not get heat stroke. Needless to say, nobody wanted a repeat of that. So, the next time, taking all my knowledge into account when packing, I chose several lightweight sweaters that I could layer other things with and went from there.

If the weather tends toward cold, cold, cold, your pictures are basically all going to be you bundled up in your coat and you aren't going to see anything you've got on underneath anyway. With this in mind, it makes even more sense to bring as little as possible. You'll just need enough to keep you from getting bored and to go between laundry - think of it an excuse to take a break and relax a few times on your trip. Watch a movie, catch up on email or play a game. I bring the same thing for one week as I do for two. Three lightweight sweaters, a cardigan, two tanks and two tees that match your sweaters. Throw a dress, two pair of stretchy jeans or other comfortable pants and two pair of shoes. 

Keep in mind your travel outfit. I usually wear my favorite pair of jeans (with stretch), a tee and a cardigan, one pair of the shoes I'm planning to wear throughout my trip and keep my jacket and a scarf in easy reach. This way if it's cold, I can put more layers on, and if it's hot, I can remove my cardigan. I swapped out a regular tee with a lightweight long-sleeve one above, and you can see my jacket in the corner.

jeans | dress | cardigan | l/s shirt | t-shirts | tights

A pair of black jeans can double as nice pants for a night out, but a breathable dress can also work. Make sure to pack a pair of heavy tights in case it's really cold and you need some extra protection. Tights are multitaskers. When the weather is colder than expected, like a freak snowstorm, you can throw them on under your pants. I tend toward thinner skinny jeans, because the stretchy ones are comfortable, but may not be as warm as traditional jeans. For this reason, that extra layer might be necessary.

Make sure your tops all mix and match, so you don't have items that only go with some things in your bag. I like neutrals, like black and gray that I can add a pop of color to. You may end up like me and have to wear three layers at once, so if you bring three different color sweaters and three different color/patterns of tanks and tees, you're going to look like a bag lady. I like to go with solids for one layer and some patterns for the other. Above you have 3 long sleeve options and two patterned t-shirts. If you have to layer, these will all work together. The dress is also reversible (this one is sold out, but these are longer and you can wear alone or with a sweater), so you can make at total of 22 outfits with these pieces. You also have the added warmth of your cardigan and/or jacket.

yup, lots of photos of us just wearing coats and hats or scarves.

Look for shoes that will go with everything. I went to Europe the first time with a pair of flats and tall packable boots, but I love the look of a short boot and a loafer. Make sure you have enough room for your foot to breathe in your boot and that both pair are comfortable to walk in all day long. I loved the boots I took, but they were a smidge too tight, or I overdid myself on the 478965322 stairs in Paris, because I left with a stress fracture in one of my feet. Boo. But at least I didn't notice the pain until the night before we were going back home. Maybe suck it up and wear your flats when hiking up 40 jillion steps, just in case. In Edinburgh, where everything is somehow uphill, I wore these great booties from Arcopedico that kept my feet happy and warm and aren't tight, but still have awesome support.

jacket | booties | wrap | ballet flats

Look at the weather before you leave, to be sure you're dressed for your destination. A pair of gloves and a hat are always good companions, because you'll be thrilled if you have them and need them, or miserable if you leave them at home and have to shell out money for them. We actually had to purchase another hat and scarf for Eric on a trip, who didn't think he would need them. Then again for both of us when we went to Philly and it was so cold and windy there was no way to handle it. Unless you're hoping for a lame souvenir, throw some in for everyone traveling. It'll make your life easier.

What is your best Autumn packing advice?

Some of My Favorite Spooky Places - Part 2

In my last post, I took you through some of my favorite spooky places, but there are so many, I decided to break it up into two posts, giving you more inspo for your fall travels, or to build your own creepy stops into your existing trips.

Some places are creepy or spooky to some and completely normal to others. I visit a lot of cemeteries and undergrounds, but there are places that have so much history that they feel creepy to others. I find I have a mix of such things.

Colonial Williamsburg

While not spooky upon first glance, Colonial Williamsburg is steeped in history, much of it not great. Everything is frozen in time here and the ghost tours are really interesting. I grew up going there most summers, so I have a soft spot for strolling the streets and interacting with the period actors, learning about the history of the area...and watching Shakespeare for some reason.

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Eastern State Penitentiary

Abandoned buildings have a dilapidated beauty to them. They are fascinating and present so many questions, even places that are not entirely abandoned, because they've become a part of the parks services. There's an audio tour and small art exhibits at this old prison that tells so many stories it's hard not to get spooked and feel so many different things for the people who were placed here, no matter their crimes. Eastern State gives you a good inside look at the prison system in the U.S., even if it hasn't been used for 50+ years.

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Lone Fir Cemetery

Again, I love a cemetery. This beautiful one in the middle of Portland, Oregon has such a variety of headstones and tombs of notable people who lived and died in the city. You can spend several hours visiting with the dead here and Portland's usual drizzly day just adds to the atmosphere. You can even take ghost tours around Halloween, or regular tours throughout the rest of the year. 

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The Mütter Museum

This museum had been on my list for a long time and when we traveled to Philadelphia, I knew I would go there. You can't take photos inside, so I can't show you any of the things inside, but trust me when I say that if you're fascinated by medical oddities, then you will love exploring this place. From bones, to drawers full of things people have swallowed, to tumors. They, somehow, have it all. Is it gross? Some of it. Is it awesome? 100%.

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The Pharmacy Museum

On the same note, if medicines are more your thing, visit the first apothecary shop (pharmacy) in the U.S. It holds a wide variety of cures and artifacts from old medical practices and voodoo rituals, including ghastly instruments used in the past for dentistry, many by the former owner, a dentist known to conduct grisly experiments on patients. Though the daily "tours" are interesting, they can get quite crowded and you won't be able to look around while they occur. Try to go at a different time, so you have the room to see everything. It's also said that the museum is haunted, but I didn't see or feel anything on either of my visits. Of course, I was really into the exhibits, so it's possible I wasn't aware of anything trying to get my attention.

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Mary King's Close

Old Town Edinburgh, Ireland is full of little alleyways that lead to other buildings, shops, and restaurants. These are called closes. Mary King's Close was once the second widest street in Edinburgh, only matched by the Royal Mile. This seems like a feat when you visit, because it's probably only 6 feet wide. This small alley used to be the main street for housing and was 11 stories high on both sides. During the day you'd find stalls on either side selling wares and also stairs going to people's front doors. 

Mary King's Close has remained unchanged for the last 400 years, except for the electricity and safety measures added, and can be found underneath the streets of Old Town. As such, you are not allowed to take pictures, but that just makes it that much more authentic. Learn about the poor people of Edinburgh and how they lived, including those who contracted the plague. Your one-hour tour teaches you about Plague Doctors (and how they avoided contracting the plague by sheer luck/superstition), what life was like in the Close, the ghosts that might still reside there, and the man who had the first indoor toilet.

I have a lot more spooky things on my list for when I travel in the future, so I'll definitely bring them to you when I get to them.

Share your favorite creepy places in the comments.