Why I'll Never Use AI to Plan a Trip

If you know me at all, you know I love to plan a trip. I enjoy finding new things and figuring out how to piece an intinerary together like a puzzle. I know a lot of people aren't like that and there's growing popularity of using AI to plan trips, which seems convenient, but can lead to a worse trip than one where you just show up and wing it. 

Now, even if I didn't love planning every aspect of my trip, I am more than a little skeptical about using AI for anything. First of all, AI is terrible for the environment. Each time you ask it to do anything for you, it creates a ton of heat, which takes the equivalent of six bottles of water (70+ oz) to cool down the server. At some point, if we continue to use it more and more, whole communities will be facing water shortages, and water becomes increasingly necessary with global warming making our summers hotter and hotter and drought conditions being much more common. 

Museum that was highly recommended, but closed on the day we arrived

If the environmental impacts don't concern you, and they absolutely should, then know that AI can never preplace real life research. There have been so many cases where people have relied solely on AI to plan their trip and getting there only to find out that places aren't open while they are there are permanently closed. I used a travel AI site months ago to see what it would give me as ideas on what to do at a destination and it had more exposition than actual suggestions, and what suggestions it did find me, which I tried multiple times, were the most basic activities that I could have easily Googled and also found more interesting options in not much more time. 

Tip: If you are using Chrome and also detest the AI search results on Google, you can download the extension "Hide Google AI Overview" and you'll only get regular results.

This travel writer put ChatGPT to the test with specific prompts, only to learn that the AI could not understand even the most basic things like maybe getting to the attraction before closing time or not planning something when she was supposed to be on her flight home. The stat that OpenAI can only achieve 10% success on a complex travel itinerary is not surprising (to me) and also means a lot of disappointment. 

With AI being so prevalent right now, there are a lot of companies using it as well. Those travel photos of your hotel or view from your window may be AI-generated. If you can't tell the shiny quality of the photos apart from real photos, that can be a real problem, especially when the hotel doesn't look anything like those images and you've paid a lot of hard-earned money to stay there. I always check to see actual customer photos and reviews for every place I stay. 

Not that pretty, but real hotel photo

You might even get fooled into thinking a place is cooler than it is, because so many people are also posting AI images of destinations on social media. It can be tough to tell if something is real or not, but the best way to do that is to Google image search it to see if there are any actual travel sites posting about it, not influencers. You can also tell by how the lines usually don't match up, parts of things are missing, and the pure absurdity of elements. 

I don't know about you, but I'm not a fan of having my time wasted, getting stranded, or only going to the most basic of tourist sites. If I have to spend a bunch of time trying to correct AI's mistakes on my trip, it's not worth it. I might as well have just spent that time before I go to make sure my trip is the best it can be while I'm on it. 

I don't think technology will ever replace real people, especially when I know that I may need to take a nap when I arrive and I'll want more than 10 minutes to enjoy an attraction. If I see some discrepancies, I can cross-reference sites or even call the company to confirm their hours or that they're even open at all. I use Google Maps and blog recommendations has a starting point for my trips.

Have you used AI to try to plan a trip? What was your result? 

Historical Sites In Normandy, France

If you don't know by now, I'm headed to Normandy next month to soak up the history, see new cities, try new foods, and do something scary (drive in Europe for the first time.) At this point in U.S. history, it's even more important to learn about D-Day and the fight for freedom. I'll be trying to get to as much of this list as possible, while also visiting Giverny & Monet's home, and taking a tour of Mont Saint-Michel and possibly Christian Dior's childhood home, turned museum:

I realize this is an old infographic, but it has all the important places on it for the region. While there, I'll also be looking for as much LGBTQ+ and Black history, because a lot of that has been lost or is never taught to us when we learn about wars from our perspective (that whole American Exceptionalism, which isn't true history).

I can't wait to learn more about France, pay my respects to those who died fighting for freedom, and just generally taking in the countryside and beaches before I spend 3 days in Disneyland, eating garbage food and seeing if I learned enough French to not read subtitles. 

If you've been to Normandy, or anywhere between there and Paris, give me some suggestions on what I should do, where I should stop, and what I should eat!

4 Foundational Tips to Packing Less

Hey folks! Let's talk about packing light. I'm often asked by people how I do it, and then every suggestion I give them, they make an excuse why they can't do that. I mean, if you don't want recommendations, don't ask me, and I'll be thrilled to spend my energy on someone who does.

The point is, if you're unwilling to change anything about the way you pack, you're never going to be a carry-on "girlie". It's just not gonna happen. I don't want to stand at the baggage carousel, praying my bag made it to my destination. I want to know where all my stuff is and already be on my trip and also save baggage fees. So, if you actually want some recommendations on how to pack light, here are my top 4 tips to get started:

Choose the right bag

You want to go carry-on only, then you need a carry-on bag. Do not set out a bigger bag. Stick to your goals. Yes, I have a lot of bags, but if don't have any that require them to be checked. I choose a bag for how I'm traveling, who I'm traveling with, and how long I'll be gone.

• Traveling alone, I try not to bring a bag that has to go in the overhead.
• Traveling to hot destinations require a smaller bag, because the clothes are smaller/more lightweight.
• Traveling internationally means I probably need a few extra things and will bring a full-size carry-on for two of us.
• Traveling to a destination where you'll be taking a lot of stairs/escalators means if you can fit it all in a backpack or tote, that's going to be easier for you.

Use your main bag for shoes and clothes and your personal item for toiletries, snacks, odds & ends and electronics, if you need to. If I'm alone, I almost always carry the smallest bag for my ID and other things that can either be tossed into my main bag or in the seat back pocket.

Plan to do laundry

People hate this suggestion, but it saves you so much space and encourages you to take some downtime. That's great if you're a person like me who adopts a "go-go-go see everything and relax when you're on the plane ride home" attitude. I actually include laundry in my travel schedule now, and spend a few hours winding down and chilling in my room, or playing games at a Laundromat.

The key to bringing fewer things is creating a mix-and-match capsule wardrobe when you pack. Every top should go with every bottom and don't forget to strategize your travel outfit. I bring layers and I wear them on the plane. 5 tops + 3 bottoms or 5 tops + 2 bottoms + 1 dress in your bag and your plane outfit. That gives you 20+ unique outfits to work with.

You're going to rewear pieces, which requires laundering. Bring laundry sheets. They take up no space, even if you bring a bunch.

Limit your shoes

Just like with your clothing, you want to strategically choose your footwear. You only need two pair of shoes: everyday shoes like sneakers and a nicer pair that go with a dress or nice pants. Two rules, though. One: both pair should go with everything in your carry-on. Two: you should be able to walk all day in both.

I always bring a pair of sneakers and either ballet flats, cute sandals, or booties, depending on when and where I'm going. Skip those high heels that make you want to cut your feet off after 37 minutes and take up too much space in a bag. If you're like "joke's on you. I don't want to cut off my feet until I've been wearing them for 39 minutes," you didn't win this argument. Leave those things at home. If you can't walk up 180 steps in them after walking 4 miles on cobblestones, they aren't walking shoes.

My only rule break for shoes is if you'll be hitting up the beach or pool. Toss in some flip flops or water socks, because those take up minimal space.

Wear your bulkier shoes on the plane and pack small things in your other pair, if possible. This is a good place for socks, a belt, or jewelry case

Bring smaller items

You, literally, don't need a full-size shampoo bottle or container of moisturizer. Either bring smaller versions or decant items into other containers. I make use of GoTubbs, contact lens cases, and GoToobs, but also save trial size makeup items that I know I like to stick in my toiletry bag.

If you can't live without all your makeup brushes and hair care tools, see if you can pare down your morning routine. Do a little less, get some multipurpose brushes or a smaller brush set and invest in a travel size flat iron, curling iron, or blow dryer.

I have a flat iron with a curved edge that does curls and it has been working for me for over a decade. Or maybe you can use vacation as a good chance to perfect your heatless curl game.

These are the foundations for starting to pack lighter. Eventually, you'll start noticing that you keep packing things you don't use, whether it's an eye liner or a pair of fuzzy socks or a whole pair of pants. Those items can then stay home on your next trip. Just keep note of what works and what doesn't and soon you'll be a pro.

Tell me about your favorite travel items, be it clothes, a bag, or an accessory.

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