Packing Tips for the Plane

    With economy seating getting tighter and tighter, there's even more reason to have all your necessities -- especially on long flights -- in a small shoulder or tote bag that easily fits under your seat. I recently blogged that I've managed to go even lighter than ever before in terms of my never-check-luggage packing, carrying a backpack that itself fits under my seat, beside my wee shoulder bag. No climbing over your seatmates during the flight to access your overhead luggage. (On my recent flight from Amsterdam, the person in front of me got up no less than 15 times during the 7 hour flight to get into his overhead luggage, in the process causing pieces of luggage to barely miss hitting a fellow passenger in the head!)

    What bag did I choose as a tiny tote? My new favorite bag is manufactured by Timbuk2. It's durable and water resistant. In fact, I comfortably carried it across my body on my recent Brittany walk. It has a number of internal pockets to help organize things.

What kinds of items make it into my Timbuk2? The list below takes care of most all needs that come up during a flight, from stomach upset (that's where the peppermint and chewable antacids come into play); headache (Aleve); motion sickness (Bonine works more efficiently than Dramamine); dry lips (Limoncello lip butter); bathroom issues (Charmin wet wipes); dry or sore throat (Ricola natural herb lozenges); noise and light issues (Ear Peace ear plugs and an eye mask); unclean hands or surfaces (hand sanitizer); chocoholic cravings (Godiva dark  chocolate pearls that come in a little tin); and dental needs (floss, mini toothpaste and foldable toothbrush, and Stim-U Dents, a special toothpick that softens so as not to injure your gums, or a disposable brush that combines paste and toothpick all in one.)

My In-Flight Necessities:

Altoids - peppermint

Antacid - chewable tablets like Rolaids or Tums

Aleve

Bonine - meclizine hydrochloride - chewable

Godiva - dark chocolate pearls

Limoncello lip butter

Charmin wipes

Ricola natural herb throat lozenges

Eye mask

Ear Peace - ear plugs

Hand sanitizer

toothpaste, toothbrush, dental floss, Stim-U Dents

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Review: Customized Jet Lag Program

Several months ago, I planned a complicated international itinerary that forced me to fly from New York City to London where I would stay for several days, London to Montenegro where I intended to hike for a week; Montenegro to London; London to Romania where I was scheduled to drive, hike and tour for five days; Romania to London; and London to back to New York City. Clearly, with the back and forth through multiple time zones, jet lag would be an issue. (Even though I already was quite knowledgeable about getting jet lag.)  A month before my trip, I received an email from Bill Ashton, the founder of the Palo Alto-based company StopJetLag.

The company devises personalized travel plans using very sophisticated software that relies on the immense body of research of Ashton's colleague, Dr. Charles Ehret, a well-respected scientist who worked in the field of circadian rhythm for some 40 years. Ashton -- who has plenty of experience with jet lag as  a former tour manager for a band and ski team coach -- offered me a complimentary personalized plan for my multi-leg trip. (The price of the program is quite reasonable at $35.)

I filled out an online questionnaire detailing my itinerary, what time I typically eat meals, go to sleep and wake up, as well as whether I drink coffee. ( I specifically mentioned that I don't drink coffee and I wasn't interested in taking melatonin supplements to help reset my circadian rhythm.) Then the custom profile arrived in my inbox.

 It was amazingly detailed and included what size and type of meals I should eat (high protein meals are energizers while high carbohydrate ones help promote sleep), and what time I should get some exercise and get exposed to bright light (which also helps reset your circadian rhythms). It was very easy to follow with a calendar that highlighted all the necessary strategies for different days of my itinerary. The profile told me when to reset my watch to my destination and how I should start preparing for my trip with dietary changes before I left home.

Even though I don't suffer from jet lag the way most people do and I'm quite familiar with many of the anti-jet lag strategies, I found the plan helpful, especially with when to be active and get sunlight.

If anyone suffers from jet lag, I think it's absolutely worth giving this program a try. And, for those who don't like caffeine or taking supplements, you can successfully combat jet lag without relying on coffee or melatonin. This program really takes the guess work out of the entire process of assuring that you arrive at your destination refreshed and that you're at your peak performance while you travel.

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