Protecting Myself From Coronavirus

Many people are asking me what I’m doing during this

coronavirus pandemic. I’m certainly overly cautious,

especially given my background in microbiology, physiology

and epidemiology. Now, in New York City, we have to social-distance, and notgo out of the house, except for necessities. Given that I live in a distant NYC suburb without a car, I have to venture out on foot to buy groceries. Here’s 
what I do.

Whenever I have access to soap and water, I thoroughly

wash all the surfaces of my hands.

I carry Purell in my pocket and use it liberally when soap and

water is not available.

I don’t touch my hands to my mouth, eyes or nose.

I also carry Lysol wipes and use this on any surface I will be

touching.

I don’t get within six feet of anyone. 

Whenever I have to open a door or touch a handrail, I do

so with a Lysol wipe in my hand or I wear one cloth glove.

But the glove, of course, becomes contaminated and, once

I get home, I disinfect it by rinsing in chlorine. (I don’t let

the glove touch my bare hands or anything else I will be

touching.)

I use a diluted solution of alcohol on my iPhone if it was

somehow set on a surface that I neglected to wipe down with Lysol.

While I’ve seen people reusing N-95 masks or surgical masks

-- the latter are not effective against the coronovirus -- most

are single-use masks and are not to be reused. In addition,

if you are wearing a mask and you take it off, you have to properly

clean your hands that touched the mask.

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Dispelling Myths on Coronavirus

I've been traveling recently. And, whether I was on NJ Transit to Newark Airport or catching up with friends and colleagues on Facebook, I sadly have been confronted with a lack of understanding of science and infectious disease, in this case the coronavirus epidemic (pandemic). Here are some of the myths and facts related to the coronavirus outbreak:

Myth: If you got a flu shot and maybe the pneumonia vaccine, you're ok.

Fact: Not true. Though getting both the flu and pneumonia vaccines (if you are over 65) would reduce the likelihood of you getting either disease that would compound your problems, they do not protect you from the coronavirus.

Myth: Scientists will have a coronavirus vaccine in a couple of months.

Fact: Not true. The development of a vaccine that will be used in humans requires a number of steps that require clinical trials, first with a small number of subjects and then with a much larger sample size. That being said, it's likely we will not see a vaccine for at least a year or more.

Myth: Only old people get sick from the coronavirus.

Fact: Though we are not seeing very young children getting sick, one of the early cases of coronavirus on the west coast was a teenager. And now there are reports that large percentages (almost 40%) of hospitalized cases in the U.S. are in ages 20s to 50s. Though most of the deaths have been among older people. Anyone can get sick with the coronavirus, though most everyone will have mild symptoms. But anyone who is immunocompromised or has an underlying health condition (such as diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or cardiac disease) -- especially if they are older -- has an increased risk of a more serious illness.

Myth: Coronavirus doesn't stay on surfaces for very long so there's no worries about touching a surface that hasn't been in use for awhile.

Fact: It's believed that the coronavirus can remain viable on surfaces for several hours up to a few days. But it depends on the surface and the amount of virus. For example, the virus may remain viable longer on metal than cloth surface. If you think a surface may be contaminated, use a disinfectant cloth (such as Lysol) to wipe it down and, of course, wash your hands with soap and water, or, if it's not available, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that has at least 60% alcohol.

Myth: Taking vitamin C supplements, drinking green tea, eating garlic, or ingesting probiotics can help prevent coronavirus.

Fact: No. These natural remedies will neither protect you from this novel coronavirus nor can they treat the condition should you become sick. Neither will antibiotics work as a treatment since this is a viral infection, not a bacterial illness.

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Protecting Yourself From The New Coronavirus

Most people don't have a background in microbiology or infectious diseases. So, it's understandable why many are either in a state of denial or a state of panic regarding the new (novel) coronavirus outbreak that started in China and now has spread to numerous countries, including the U.S.


This virus tends to lodge in the lungs. It typically presents with fever, coughing and fatigue. Most people may feel like they would when they get a bad flu. But if someone is immunocompromised, is older and not well because of another condition (such as respiratory or cardiac problems), the symptoms may worsen to shortness of breath and require hospitalization.

Here's what you need to know to protect yourself:


Wash your hands thoroughly and often whenever you touch a surface of any sort or if you touch another person, as in shaking hands (which you should avoid).

When washing your hands with soap and water, do so for at least 20 seconds.

When soap and water is not available, use an alcohol-based sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Do not use a non-alcohol-based sanitizer.

Don't touch your hands to your face, including your eyes, nose and mouth.

In your home or office, use a disinfectant wipe or spray to clean surfaces.

Though there's no vaccine for coronavirus as yet and probably won't be for at least a year or so, you should make sure that you've gotten a flu vaccine as well as the vaccinations for bacterial pneumonia (pneumococcal pneumonia). Though neither of these vaccines will have anything to do with preventing the new coronavirus infection, getting these vaccinations makes it less likely that you are not otherwise medically compromised and that you'll have the need to visit a hospital or doctor's office where you'd be in close proximity to other sick people.

If you become sick, stay at home so that you don't spread any infection to others.

When you sneeze or cough, cover your nose and mouth with a tissue, for example, to prevent droplets with infectious organisms from spreading to others or to surfaces. Throw these tissues in the garbage rather than letting them touch a surface. Otherwise sneeze or cough in the crook of your elbow.

If you know people who are sick -- they have a fever or are coughing and/or sneezing -- don't get closer than six feet or so from them.

There is no need to buy any sort of face mask. The N-95 is what's used by health professionals who are treating sick people. And the Centers for Disease Control does not recommend these masks for the public. And the cotton-type surgical mask won't do much of anything in terms of protecting you should someone who coughs or sneezes near you. That's because it doesn't fit tightly to your face nor does it have small enough pores to prevent droplets from entering.

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Safely Walking on Icy Surfaces

As I walk in cold climates where icy streets are the norm, I’m always

observing how people walk on slippery surfaces. Many people break
their shoulder, arm, wrist or hip when falling on a slick sidewalk.
There are some things you can do to reduce the risk of falling.

Here are a few:

Don’t walk with your hands in your pockets. Instead, keep your
arms by your side.

Take small steps and keep your weight forward, on the front of your foot,

rather than leaning back or putting your weight on the back of your foot

Look for parallel surfaces, such as sand, grass, snow or even gravel, that

are not slippery and that you can safely navigate to your destination.

When stepping off a curb, do so cautiously, placing your foot straight down,

rather than taking a big step far from the curb, which can place you off balance.

When walking down outdoor steps, especially steep, long ones that are

found at many outdoor metro stations, always hold the rail.

Wear shoes or boots that have great traction. I’ve written about a company that sells shoes and boots with tiny cleats, such as Ice Bug.

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Dealing with Blisters when Traveling

Blisters can ruin a hiking trip. That’s what almost happened to a friend of mine who tackled a 10+-day hike in northern Spain. He developed a very large blister on the sole of his foot. I ended up giving him blister tips via WhatsApp that allowed him to complete his trip with minimal discomfort.

Basically, once a blister forms and becomes quite large, it needs to be pierced, so that the fluid can drain. However, he was doing this with a sterilized needle, but it wasn’t working. I determined that the reason was that the gauge of the needle was too small to allow adequate drainage. And also that a callus formed over the blister as he repeatedly hiked on it day after day. (It was the body’s way of protecting the skin.) I suggested he find a pharmacy that sells manicure supplies, including a small cuticle clipper. Then, after adequately cleaning the skin with soap and water and also cleaning the clipper with alcohol, he could ever so gently make a nick in the side of the blister, which would allow the fluid to drain. He did this and it provided some relief but there was still pain -- from the overlying callus tissue. So I suggested that, again, after carefully cleaning the skin and the clipper, he gently attempt to debride the callus to reduce its thickness and size. After that, he would need to protect the area, either with a little foam donut or with a gel pad, such as Compeed, or with a dab of Aquafor. And this all worked!

My advice for blisters is to prevent them from getting getting so large. When I find a hot spot on my foot, I immediately apply Aquafor to reduce friction. And to prevent blisters in the first place, I wear Merino wool socks that wick away sweat and that have no seams nor do they bunch up. Two companies that I love are Smart Wool and Feetures.

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Avoiding Extras on Budget Flights

A budget airline may sound like a great deal, until the extras pile up, whether it's the pricy food options or the minimal free carry-on baggage allowances. I get around all of these add-ons by doing the following:

1- I bring my own healthy snacks, such as hummus dip with red pepper and unsalted pretzels; shelled unsalted pistachios, low-fat cheese, high-fiber low-sodium crackers, non-fat plain Greek yogurt, red grapes.

2- I don't check any luggage. Instead, I have a small carry-on that fits the airline's dimensions. I wear my bulkiest clothing and, aside from the shoes I wear, I only pack one additional pair.

3- I don't pay extra for choosing a seat, opting, instead for the seat I'm given.

I was recently interviewed on this topic and my one of my biggest tips is gaining access to an airport lounge without having to pay the day rate. American Express gives its Platinum members free access to lounges all over the world. Not only are lounges a prime place to de-stress but they also have numerous food and beverage options. In some, you're able to take a shower, which is a real perk when traveling across numerous time zones internationally and then having to deal with a long layover. And you can check email without paying a surcharge. Of all the lounges available, its AmEx's own Centurion lounges that are some of the best. The image below reflects just one of the many placid spaces in their lounge at the otherwise horrid LaGuardia Airport in New York City.

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Safe Street Crossing Tips

As a New York City resident, I know firsthand that Manhattan is experiencing a street and sidewalk congestion that we've never seen before. And, here as well as across the nation, both motorists and pedestrians are seriously distracted -- whether it's from staring at their cell phones or plugged into their headphones. Numerous agencies and reports -- here and here -- document that distraction is a major cause of pedestrian accidents and, more importantly, fatalities.

I'm not one of those distracted pedestrians. Whenever I am in a crosswalk, my head is rotating left and right the entire time I'm crossing, making sure someone, whether a motorist or cyclist, isn't about to cut me off, despite the fact that I have the right of way. But, I've found that despite my contentiousness, whenever I'm in the crosswalk, drivers and cyclists making a left or right turn appear to not see me or perhaps choose not to. Recently, I was walking across the street with two out-of-town friends who just assumed if the light was green, they could barrel ahead. A truck turning left almost struck both of them, if it wasn't for me pulling them both back.  So what's the solution?

Over the past two years, I've been using a tactic based on what traffic control officers have long used: I hold a brightly-colored object in my hand and, using my outstretched arm that's facing any potential oncoming traffic, and I wave the object. It might be an umbrella, book, scarf, shopping bag, newspaper still wrapped in plastic, and so forth. You get the idea. I use this method each and every time I cross the street and I can't tell you the number of times this colorful arm/hand motion has piqued the driver's attention.  And, if those off times when I don't have an object to hold, I extend my arm with my hand flexed, palm out and fingers outstretched in the well-known "stop" signal as seen below.

At first my friends and colleagues thought these gestures looked fairly odd. and too embarrassing to mimic. But they saw the results as they crossed busy Manhattan streets with me. Cars stopped when they saw me waving a purple umbrella or a bright green scarf or using the "stop" hand signal. Of course, none of these gestures obviates me from still looking right, left and all about as I cross, just in case the driver still missed me.

This is hardly a controlled study. But it's worth a try. I've used these strategies when I'm traveling all over the world. After all, NYC doesn't have a monopoly on out-of-control drivers.

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Avoiding Traveler's Tummy

When I travel, I’m obsessed with a lot of things, most notably -- especially given my background in the health and life sciences -- avoiding traveler’s diarrhea. Before my recent trip to India, I informally polled my friends and colleagues and was surprised to find out that way over 90% of them fell victim to this travel ailment that, at the least, will lay you up for a few days and, at the worst, will end your well-planned trip. Even my physician friends have become ill, after being seduced by tempting ice cream flavors or a delectable chutney. I was determined that this would not be my fate. (I have a very quirky/sensitive digestive system, and have to be especially conscientious.) 

I’m happy to report that I just returned from a delightful two week trip in Southern India sans any sort of gastrointestinal infection.

I’m sharing my tips -- regarding behaviors, and products -- to avoid (or treat) Traveler’s Belly. And, yes, I know that some of you may claim I’m not being very adventurous with my overly zealous pro-hygienic efforts when I'm on the road. But in my Indian travels, I enjoyed a wide array of foods without a day of illness to interrupt even a moment of my many nature-based adventures.

• Pepto-Bismol -- I take two chewable tabs before each meal and at bedtime every day of the trip and the day after I return. The only notable side effect is that it blackens your tongue (and poop). You have to take it as per this protocol otherwise don’t bother.

• Imodium -- This is taken only if I develop diarrhea and am forced to ride buses, trains or planes, where rushing to the bathroom isn’t an easy option.

• Zithromax (Z-Pak) or Azithromycin -- My physician who specializes in travel medicine wrote a prescription for this antibiotic. It’s only used should things get “messy,” aka symptoms that include fever, nausea, vomiting, severe cramping, or blood in the stool.

• Purell wipes, alcohol swabs and liquid alcohol-based hand sanitizer -- the Purell wipes and alcohol swabs come in handy when any surface (such as the airline tray table), utensils, bottles or cans, for example, appear suspicious in terms of hygiene. And, of course, I used the hand sanitizer liberally after touching any surface and before touching my hands to food or my mouth.

• bamboo reusable utensils and a collapsible mug, such as the Sea to Summit X-Mug -- These come in handy should I decide to eat at a place -- such as a street vendor (something I wouldn’t do anyway) where the utensils and dishware may not be properly washed.

• Peanut butter squeeze packs -- This is my emergency high protein food in the off chance that I’m completely uncomfortable with my food choices. (This didn’t happen in India but it did happen one day when I was traveling by bus in Laos last summer.)

• SteriPEN and the LifeStraw water bottle -- Both of these devices allow me to drink potentially microbiologically-contaminated water. The SteriPEN uses ultraviolet light to purify the water that may be infected with bacteria, viruses or protozoa, while the LifeStraw is a water bottle that uses a central core filter to virtually eradicate bacteria and protozoa.

And as to the behavioral don’ts when traveling to avoid gastrointestinal illnesses:

1. No ice, that includes iced coffee, fruit smoothies, and ice cream
2. No raw fruits unless you peeled them yourself, and that includes chutneys or raw fruit that may be garnishing a cooked dish
3. No undercooked meats or fish of any sort
4. No cold food, and that includes salads
5. No fruit juices that may be diluted with tap water
6. No buffets unless the food is piping hot
7. Don’t use tap water to brush your teeth
8. Don’t eat foods where you see flies alighting or you notice the food is not protected from flies
9. I know some people can and do eat street food. I can’t, so it’s on the No-No list.
10. If you’re not accustomed to eating spicy food, now’s not the time to start, especially eating it for each meal of the day. Not everyone’s stomach can tolerate a spicy breakfast if you’re used to something rather bland.
11. Carefully examine the seal on water bottles; if it's not sealed don't drink it.

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Travel Security Tips for Women Traveling Alone

Traveling alone shouldn't mean sticking close to your hotel and ordering room service every night, or choosing an all-inclusive because you're afraid of going far afield by yourself. I travel all over the world sometimes with a friend, sometimes with a group but, more often, alone. Here are 11 of my top travel security tips for women traveling my themselves.

1. Make sure your accommodation's door as well as any sliding glass doors each have a dead bolt.

2. In case your door doesn't come with a dead bolt, hang a portable door alarm around the knob.

3. Try to get a room that's not on the first floor.

4. Before you approach your room, look around to see who is hanging around the hallway or is near the door to your accommodation.

5. Check the elevator before entering it.

6. It's best not to carry a purse. But if you decide to, make sure the purse strap is cross body and that the pockets cannot be easily opened.

7. Never drape your purse on the back of your chair or leave it on the floor, even if it's beneath the table or between your legs. Instead, put your leg through the strap so you'll feel the tug should anyone try to swipe it.

8. Think about wearing clothing, including pants, shorts, skirts, dresses, and shirts with zippered pockets to store your belongings.

9. Don't wear flashy jewelry or clothing that will bring unwanted attention to yourself.

10. When sitting at a bar, always keep your drink within eyesight and never leave it unattended.

11. Once you check into your accommodation, speak with local women business owners to find out if there are streets or neighborhoods with security issues. 

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Comparing Travel Backpacks

My recent travels took me from JFK to Orly airport, to the streets of Paris for 5 nights at a friend's house, to a train ride bound for Redon in Brittany, to the Nantes-Brest Canal where I walked 10-some miles a day for six days. And I carried all my essentials, including wine bar-perfect dresses, and clothes that were comfortable for walking as well as lounging at the end of the day and my prepared-for-anything first-aid kit, in an ultra comfortable, tiny backpack: the Flight 30 by Six Moon Designs. I recently posted about what I packed in this bag that I would be carrying for the first time and I had high hopes for it. It exceeded all of my expectations.



The bag, designed for ultra runners or super light backpackers, weighs in at a wee 19 ounces. The vest harness is unique, allowing the bag to move with you and comfortably transferring the load away from the lumbar region. I used packing cubes and zip lock bags to organize everything, and  external pockets carried a water bottle, tiny umbrella and other small essentials. (It was top loading but, with everything packed in individual cubes and bags, it was all very organized.) As my friend and I walked this flat paved path for 12+ miles on a few days, I blurted out "This bag is so comfortable, I could easily go another five miles."

Sadly, this was not my friend's experience. She purchased the Tortuga Travel Backpack based on my recommendation. I bought it in 2014 and, though I took it with me to Southeast Asia where I spent a month, I was completely unhappy with it.  It's a heavy bag, weighing in at 3.7 pounds. Sure, the company told me that my torso was too short --- 5'' 2" -- for the bag. But I had no idea it would be so uncomfortable in every sense: after wearing it for just 30 minutes, everything hurt, especially my back. And the padded hip belt that everyone loved just overwhelmed my tiny hips -- I'm a fairly skinny girl -- as did the wide shoulder straps. It just didn't work for me.

And yet, I recommended it to my friend who's 5' 8" tall and much heftier in girth. It's a bag that's good at organizing your gear with external and internal pockets and dividers. Plus it's front loading, which means you can easily find what you need without taking everything out, as you would with a top loading bag. The zippers are of good quality as is the bag itself. And it's the ideal carry-on size. So imagine my surprise when I met my friend in Paris and found out that both airlines she traveled with said the bag had to be checked. (She had not overpacked.) And my further surprise when she complained how uncomfortable the bag was, how it hurt her back, even though she packed light. The Tortuga Travel Backpack's website clearly states that it isn't made for hiking, but traveling from the airport to the hotel is hardly hiking, nor is walking a paved trail. But, alas, my friend did little walking with the Tortuga bag on our trip in Brittany, finding it too uncomfortable. She paid drivers to shuttle her bag ahead to our accommodations each night. And, at the end of our journey she gave the bag away. On the day I declared that I could easily go another 5 miles with my Six Moon Designs bag, my friend decided that as soon as she got home, she was ordering the Flight 30 bag, too. 

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Ultra Light Carry-On-Only Packing

Most people who travel to Paris for a week take along enough luggage for months of wardrobe changes. My trip will include not just five days in Paris but also more than a week in Brittany where I'll be walking 20 km from village to village with all my gear.

 These trip logistics dictated that I would be carrying my lightest pack ever. And it's especially timely given the new proposed carry-on rules that, hopefully, won't go into effect. (But they probably will.) According to the International Air Transport Association, the standard carry-on size would be 21.5" X 13.5" X 7.5". No problem for me: Aside from what I'm wearing on the plane, I've packed 3 dresses, one extra pair of pants, one pair of leggings, 2 tee shirts, rain jacket, one pair of Mary Janes, a hoody, warm synthetic fiberfill jacket, 5 pairs of socks, 3 pairs of underwear, 2 tank tops, iPad, first-aid kit, vitamin supplements, and toiletries, and a mini umbrella. All this went into my Flight 30 model by Six Moon Designs that's sized 17" X 11" X 7". (I managed to fit everything by placing different categories of clothing into individuals zip-log bags and squeezing the air out.) Because my clothes are either black or grey (plus bright colors coming from the tees, tanks, and scarves), there are myriad possible garment combinations. The very small Timbuka messenger bag that I will sling over my shoulder contains pens, antacids, chocolates, earplugs, eye shades, extra pair of eyeglasses, notebooks, batteries, connector wires, credit cards, cash, flashlight, dental floss, and peppermint lozenges.

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What Not To Wear On The Plane

When you're trapped in a plane for anywhere from a few hours to having to cross multiple time zones, you're a captive, in a sense. And the clothes you chose for the flight had better keep you warm and comfortable and, sometimes more importantly, not attract unwanted attention.

That means no beach wear: no low-cut revealing tops, no shorts (it's often cold in the cabin and don't assume the flight attendants will provide a blanket). No shirts with offensive words or phrases that could stimulate an air rage incident. No sky-high heels that are uncomfortable and impractical in the cabin. (And no shoes that require untying/unbuckling anything.) No tight pants. Not only is this uncomfortable as you try to curl up in your seat over the next many hours, but even young people wearing tight pants could be at an increased risk of blood clots in the legs (deep vein thrombosis).

This is an example of what I'll be wearing on my next flight -- I'm heading to Paris: 

 Notice, my slip-on shoes are cute but flat. These are Chaco Mary Janes.

My socks are made of Merino wool by SmartWool. (No chance of getting blisters once I land and hit the road. And, on the plane, the socks are breathable, wickable and comfortable.)

The loose-fitting pants are made of a synthetic that's light, breathable and doesn't wrinkle. When I'm not wearing this sort of pants, I opt for black leggings and a comfortable, simple black dress, made, of course, of Merino wool by SmartWool.

The long-sleeve shirt is Merino wool by SmartWool, so it adapts to different temperatures, wicks away sweat, and is ultra comfortable.

Under my shirt I wear a stretchy tank top that's also breathable.

I'm wearing a part synthetic/part light cotton infinity scarf that can do double or triple duty also as a head or shoulder covering. (It works in lieu of a hoody, so I can pull it over my head when I go to sleep on the plane.)

The long cardigan is by ExOfficio and is made of a comfy polar fleece-type synthetic that, like with the shirt, keeps me warm in frigid cabin. As a worst case scenario, I can take it off and roll it up as a neck or back rest. (It doesn't wrinkle either.)

Since, as you probably already know, I never check luggage, these items of clothing allow me to dress up or down once I've reached my destination. I can wear the tank top at the beach or under a sundress that needs some extra coverage. The black long-sleeve Merino wool shirt pairs well with a skirt or a sleeveless dress (if it's chilly). The scarf is especially useful if I'll be visiting religious sites but also if it's breezy.

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Gear Review: Fun Travel Notebook

Wreck This Journal is the journal for the non-journal writer. The traveler who wants to record their experiences and impressions, but becomes anxious when confronted with the blank page. The person who maybe takes themself a little too seriously. Who thinks that their days of being inquisitive and spontaneous are in the distant past. This is the book that will inspire you to be playfully creative like you were when you were a child. And, instead of valuing the book as a revered tome where dog-earing or, heaven forbid, adding margin notes would be sacrilegious, here you're encouraged (and prompted) to punch holes in the page, scribble notes with anything you have on hand, rip out pages, paste items of significance, or just go all out drawing without a care in the world. This is your book to treasure because each page is your creation, taking you back to the long ago time when you didn't wonder what anyone thought of your sketch or your poem. Each page has inherent value because you made it. 

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Gear Review: Wind-Proof Travel Umbrella

I'm not an umbrella person, especially when I travel. It's just one more thing to carry and, most likely, lose. Since I don't check luggage, an umbrella has never made it into my bag, that is, until I went to Southeast Asia during the rainy season. I had thought that a breathable but rain resistant jacket would be the best way to deal with the drenching rains that I anticipated. But, realizing the humidity would be upwards of 80%, I knew that even the most breathable jacket would turn me into a soggy mess. Hence, the umbrella. I needed one that would be small, sturdy, and able to deal with blasts of winds that I also anticipated. The umbrella that made it into my bag is the REI Travel Umbrella.

What's unique about it -- aside from the hefty price tag -- is that it has a vented canopy. During some heavy downpours with blustery winds in Siem Reap, Cambodia, the umbrella was quite wind resistant: it never turned inside out. But the umbrella is  small -- don't even think of squeezing two people under it. I'm pretty petite yet, when I carried a shoulder bag, the umbrella barely kept my torso and bag dry. It's also heavy: weighing in at one pound. The open-close button is relatively smooth, though it opens easier than it closes.

All that being said, I now take this umbrella on any non-hiking trip when I anticipate a lot of rain. I'll be walking the Nantes-Brest Canal in Brittany in a month and will be carrying it on that journey.

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Gear Review: Shoes So Comfortable They Feel Like Clouds

 My friends joke about how I describe my ideal pancake: it should resemble a cloud and literally feel like it's floating off the plate. And I was reminded of my cloud analogy when testing out these new Chaco OutCross Evo 2 shoes that the company just provided. I tried them out for a week and they are so cloud-like, I sometimes have to look down at my feet to wonder if I've walked out of the house with just my socks. Extremely comfortable? You bet. Though they come in a rainbow of colors, being a New Yorker I chose black, of course. They're billed as a performance shoe -- one that goes from water sports to the beach to the trail -- but I also wore them in the city with skirts, pants and leggings and got plenty of compliments on their low profile style.

When I wanted  to check out their performance, I ventured to Long Island's east end for a weekend of fishing, and beach walking. The speed lace system that Chaco is noted for makes it easy to slip these shoes on and off. When wet, the shoes dry rapidly. No worries about your feet overheating; these shoes are completely breathable. But, though I had hoped for great traction on wet rocks, that's not what I found. As we fished just off shore and I navigated across slick rocks of different sorts, I wasn't happy with the traction I got. And, walking across the beach brought plenty of sand into the shoes which I had to remove frequently during our walks to clear out the sand.

Then I checked out the shoes in Manhattan's wet streets during some spring rainstorms. Again, there were traction issues, this time if I crossed anything metallic -- it was like an ice skating rink. Of course, these shoes are not meant to be city walking shoes. So, this wasn't a fair test. (They are meant to have great traction on natural surfaces.)

Overall, I love these shoes for their comfort and their aesthetics -- two things for which the Chaco brand is noted. I'm packing two pair of Chacos on my next trip to Brittany where I will be walking the Nantes-Brest Canal. One of these I've written about these shoes before as well as the sandals - check out why I love 'em.

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Gear Review: Comfortable Wool Sport Underwear

What I'm about to say I packed on my month-long trip to Southeast Asia this past summer may be one off the most surprising things you've read on my blog. That's because, though the temperature and humidity were both off the charts, I carried along three pairs of wool underwear -- and the only underwear I brought. Yes, you heard correctly, wool, Merino wool, at that. It may sound like an odd, ill-conceived choice but, in fact, it was the best thing I could've worn against my skin. I chose the Women's PhD Seamless Bikini underwear manufactured by SmartWool. They performed impeccably, keeping me comfortable -- they're ultra soft and they don't bunch up -- and dry no matter the temperature nor the activity. (I often wore them for bicycling and hiking and they easily wicked away sweat.) They also don't retain odor and they dried quickly when washed. This particular model -- and they have several -- is made with 79% Merino wool, the rest synthetic fibers. Now I'm a convert and I'm all about wearing wool panties even when I'm in New York City where it's about to snow today. (The same wool fabric that kept me comfortable in the hot weather also keeps me warm in the winter.)  And the men aren't left out in this shopping experience: SmartWool makes men's underwear as well.

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Gear Review: My Favorite Socks -- Blisters No More

      The stifling weather in Southeast Asia where I spent a month recently dictated the clothing I carried along in my carryon-only piece of luggage. And that included the kinds of socks. They couldn't promote blisters, especially because I'd be walking and hiking all day long. Since it was ultra hot and humid, I couldn't tolerate socks that warmed up my feet even warmer than they were from the ambient temperatures. Nor did I want socks that retained moisture, especially that I'd be wearing them all day long. I wanted something cushiony but one that didn't bunch up. Plus, I was only packing three pairs which meant they had to dry quickly when washed. I found the perfect socks that felt like a cloud on my feet: Balega.
       They fit my feet like a second skin which is, in fact, how the company described them. They were neither tight nor loose, with no sagging. The fabric was ultra soft and light, a blend of a synthetic that allowed my feet to breath, plus it wicked away moisture and dried quickly, along with mohair wool that was cushiony and blister-proof. Now that I've been home, I'm still hooked on these socks.

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Gear Review: Perfect Hot Weather Shirts

With temperatures in the high 80s, and the humidity soaring above 80%, I walked around Hanoi, Siem Reap, Luang Prabang and Bangkok in perfect comfort. It wasn't because I was so well acclimatized to the hot, rainy season in Southeast Asia. (I wasn't.) I was wearing shirts that allowed me to briskly race around these towns without becoming a damp mess. Of course, I hadn't checked luggage on this month-long journey, necessitating frequently washing my clothes. Again, these shirts dried quickly and didn't wrinkled when packed in my small backpack. 

I only carried two of these Travex shirts manufactured by Eddie Bauer: One was the Adventurer Convertible shirt that allowed me to roll up the sleeves, thanks to the button tab. (I did find that the sleeves kept on unrolling despite the tab, but this was a mildly irritating problem that didn't detract from the comfort of wearing this shirt.) The second was sleeveless, referred to as the Gingham Sleeveless Camp shirt. 

They come in an array of colors and paired so well with pants, skirts and shorts that some Westerners I met on my travels wanted to order the exact same shirts. The Adventurer and the Gingham come with a sunscreen factor of 50+, are constructed of a soft, polyester/nylon fabric that easily wicks away sweat, and both have venting in the back to reduce the sweat factor. But the real surprise was the hidden zippered pocket; so hidden that it took me three days to stumble upon it.  It's perfect for some bills, credit cards or a hotel key. 

Now that I'm home, I'm still turning to both these shirts when it's hot here in New York City -- it was a humid 80 degrees F today. Because when you find high performance shirts that not only function well but also look appealing, you don't want to leave them in the drawer. 

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Shoes That Make Carry-On-Only Packing Easy

Most women love shoes. I'm not one of those women -- one reason why I have no trouble traveling for a month, as I recently did in Southeast Asia, with only one carry-on bag. But it also means I have to be very picky when selecting the two pairs of shoes I choose to bring on my trips.

Both pairs -- I wear the bulkier of the two on the plane -- have to multi task. One has to look good with a dress but also be comfortable for long strolls on the beach or all-day walks on city streets. And, it should also serve as a light sports shoe for cycling or low-key hiking trips. The Chaco ZX2 Yampa sandal that I blogged about recently fits the bill.

The bulkier shoe should be lightweight, comfortable for longer walks or hikes, provide good traction on the trail, be ultra breathable because my feet hate being in closed shoes to begin with, dry quickly when wet should I go kayaking, and not suffer from odor problems with daily use. The Chaco Outcross Lace shoe met all these criteria. I wore this shoe with or without socks and never ended up with blisters nor did my feet get sweaty. The foot bed cushioned my foot so well that arch fatigue was a thing of the past. They slipped on and off easily because this model doesn't rely on a traditional lacing system. And, though I have huge (for my 5'2" height) size 9 feet, these shoes didn't exaggerate the silhouette of my feet.

Now that I'm back in New York, I continue to wear these shoes. In fact, there're comfortably on my feet now as we speak.

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Avoiding Accidents + Injuries on Vacation

What's a vacation without more than a few surprises? But my idea of the unexpected includes mountain biking through a pine forest and coming upon a hamlet where I can do a wine tasting in a small cellar. Or hiking to a craggy peak where I discover a farmer selling fresh sheep and goat's milk cheese. Or kayaking to an island where I find an expansive and little-visited botanical garden. When I travel, surprises should not include a visit to an emergency room or several days laid up because of illness or injury.

I just returned from a month in SE Asia and had no illness or injury to show for it -- unlike almost all the Westerners I encountered who, at the very least, ended up with traveler's belly. Is it because I'm lucky? No. Actually, I'm the model of caution whether I'm on my home turf in NYC or traveling far afield.

But many vacationers leave common sense at home. Do you also suffer from
vacation mind? Find out more in this article I recently wrote on the subject.

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