Efficient Travelling

Years ago, a fortune teller told me that spring is my best season, and I have no reason to not believe that because who would not love the blooming flora and the renewed sun of the season? But spring also marks the beginning of my favorite activity: traveling.

And I surely have been been traveling a lot over the last month–I went to Hawaii for a week and then Los Angeles with my students this past week–and it’s not ending soon! Here’s a quick list of where I’m headed this season:

  • April 9-13 – St. Louis, MO for College Summit Workshop Staff Training
  • Some weekend in April- Las Vegas, NV to visit the family
  • Last weekend in June – Miami, FL for a College Summit Workshop
  • Fourth of July weekend – Charleston, South Carolina for a College Summit Workshop
  • Second weekend in July – New York, NY to visit Tony
  • July 11- 20 – Back to Miami for a GALA Chorus Festival

And with all of this traveling (especially for month-long jaunt to the South in June and July), I am striving to travel as lightly and efficiently as possible. Here’s a neat blog post with 36 tips on efficient traveling:

  • Pack just a few clothes with only a couple complimentary, solid colors — no patterns. Black is a good idea if you need to be able to dress up and be casual.
  • Pack only what you can carry on to the flight.
  • Leave the laptop behind, as well as blackberry and any other tech gadget. For computer addicts, being away from the internet’s constant flow of data for a few days recharges and relaxes you in ways that you never experience at home.

And here are my own tips about passing through that sometimes dreadfully slow Security Checkpoint

  1. Put your shoes on the conveyor belt first – I usually only travel with a carry-on bag and backpack/”personal” item. This can sometimes get bulky, especially if I bring a laptop. By putting my shoes on the conveyor belt first, obviously it will come out first, and I can put my shoes on first as they scan my bags, laptop, toiletries, etc.
  2. Put all pocket items inside your jacket pockets – Generally, you will need to take off your jacket and place it on the conveyor belt as well. If you already have your wallet, cellphone, keys, etc. in your jacket, you save yourself some time and confusion.

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