September 1, 2018

Weekend Wanderlust + Roman Holiday

Happy (LONG) Weekend!

I hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend planned!

I’ve just finished up the Rome Travel Itinerary (check it out HERE if you have a trip planned to Italy soon) and I couldn’t help but think about having my own Roman Holiday this weekend! If you haven’t seen the movie, it’s a classic comedy about a Princess tired of her daily duties who sneaks out to explore Rome. Needless to say, a weekend of indulging in things you never do, letting go of your responsibilities, and embracing spontaneity sounds fabulous! And the perfect mindset for a long weekend!

Travel Tip: Booking Airline Tickets

Finding the cheapest airline tickets is always a bit of a struggle, so it doesn’t help that the airlines are rumored to do a few sneaky things to make this harder. In order to ensure you’re getting access to the lowest prices, be sure to use these travel hacks:

Clear your Cookies – Supposedly airline websites take note if you have been checking the prices on a particular flight and decide not to show you the lowest price (and may even raise it!). You can combat this by clearing the cookies in your browser to prevent this from happening.
Search for 1 Ticket at a Time – Another sneaky thing I’ve heard the airlines do is show higher prices for tickets if you are looking for multiple tickets at the same time. It’s worth searching for the price of the ticket under one person rather than the whole family first to see if they are priced the same.
Book straight from the Carrier – If you are looking at flights on Kayak, Expedia, etc. and find a flight you want to book, I would recommend going to the actual carrier’s website to make sure they don’t have a lower fare available.

Answering Your Frequently Asked Travel Questions:

QUESTION

What are your best tips for trying to sleep on an overnight flight?

ANSWER:

If I’m taking an international flight, I usually prefer to book an overnight flight so I don’t end up spending a full day of my vacation traveling. The only problem is I’m a super light sleeper and really struggle to fall asleep on planes! If you’re like me, here are a few tips that I’ve found most useful in getting to sleep and waking up (somewhat) refreshed so I can hit the ground running!

DRINK A LOT OF WATER – I try to drink a lot of water throughout the day of my flight rather than actually on the flight. This helps so I don’t wake up in the middle of the flight needing the bathroom and I swear drinking a lot of water prior to flying helps with jet lag!
DRESS COMFY – Wearing comfortable clothing is key to getting a good night’s sleep. Wearing something restrictive is going to end badly–trust me! And if you’re too hot or too cold you’ll never fall asleep. Be sure to wear layers.
PACK A BOOK – It’s so easy to get sucked into watching 5 movies and not sleeping the entire flight. Bring a book to help you get tired so you’ll fall asleep quicker. I usually try to bring a travel guidebook with so I can read up on the destination. This always help build the excitement before I land too!
BE ORGANIZED – The more organized you are, the more relaxed you’ll be. Use a packing list so you know you don’t forget anything. Print out reservations and having a transportation plans when you land will also help keep you relaxed about the trip. The more organized you feel about the trip, the less your mind will worry and the easier it will be to fall asleep.
SHUT OUT THE WORLD – Be sure to bring earplugs or noise cancelling headphones. Being able to block out noises is key–especially if you are sitting near someone who talks loudly (or worse, snores!). A sleep mask can also help block out movement or bright lights.
BRING TEA – Typically the tea on flights is caffeinated, so bring your own chamomile or peppermint tea and ask for hot water. A warm sleep inducing tea is perfect to get you in the mood for sleep. A glass of wine can help too, but too much will give you a hangover for arrival! Not fun!
GET READY FOR BED – Doing your evening routines may also help get you in the sleeping mindset. If you wash your face and brush your teeth every night then you should go to the bathroom and do the same. I swear it helps!
PACK A NECK PILLOW – A good neck pillow is hands down the most helpful thing to sleep on a flight (the airline pillows just don’t cut it!) Lately I’ve been a big fan of the Ostrich Pillow brand. The Go style has a chic and modern look (as well as memory foam). The Light style may look a little funny, but it packs flat in in your bag and it doubles as an eye mask when needed.