Or maybe you fill all the space you saved packing the right clothes with shoes. So then you march back to your closet, select the right clothing for your trip, and even manage to zip up your suitcase without jumping up and down on it first. The tool calculates the chance of rain, sun, clouds, and wind, and offers the average high and low temperatures for the dates you enter. Instead of checking the forecast-which, especially for longer trips, doesn’t deliver the whole picture-and hoping for the best, you check Weather Underground’s Trip Planner and get historical data for your dates and destination. Is a light jacket overkill? Will you regret not bringing a pair of jeans for cool nights? Some people say arriving unprepared is a good excuse to buy new things, but I’d rather arrive prepared and not waste vacation time searching for necessary items. The night before you’re leaving on vacation, you’ve got the suitcase open on the bed behind you, and you’re staring blankly into your closet, trying to figure out what to bring. Travel Motto: Curiosity is an amazing compass.Īisle, Window, or Middle Seat: Aisle all the way.Įmail Christine Sarkis at the same old story with a new twist. Ultimate Bucket List Experience: Seeing the Aurora Borealis from the comfort of somewhere warm, like a glass igloo or hot spring. It's easy to pack and comfortable, and makes it so I can actually sleep on flights. The Handy Item I Always Pack: The Trtl Pillow. She is currently working on a travel memoir. Her work has been published in the anthologies Spain from a Backpack and The Best Women's Travel Writing 2008. She has also shared travel tips on television and radio shows including Good Morning America, Marketplace, and Here & Now. Her advice has been featured in dozens of print and online publications including The New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, and People magazine. Her stories have also appeared on USA Today, Conde Nast Traveler, Huffington Post, and Business Insider. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter Sarkis is an SATW-award-winning journalist and executive editor at SmarterTravel. There's a 95 percent chance Senior Editor Christine Sarkis is thinking about travel right now.

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