Sometimes the very things that give us travel stress can show themselves regardless of the great planning we do. We know, we know! It seems that no matter how hard you try, some sort of issue rears its ugly head just when you think you’ve got it covered. We’ve heard them all and perhaps we can give you some friendly tips to overcome those pesky problems while you are out exploring the world.
Luggage is lost…
It’s the number one concern of travelers! We understand! While you can’t control your bag once it has been sent off on the conveyor belt, you can track it independently. Our solution?
Use airtags! We’ve solved problem after problem with airtags and a change of clothes in our carryon to get us through.
Do not leave baggage claim without filing your lost luggage claim! Do not! Europe is very different than the US in this respect. They do not have airline specific bag counters. Instead each airport has one dedicated counter.
After you leave with your claim number, look around the arrivals terminal and locate the phone kiosk that you need to use when retrieving your bag.
Plane is delayed…
If there is one thing you do to help yourself, please, please, please be sure to download your airline’s app and create an account to link your ticket. Please. We can not explain the benefits of linking your ticket directly with the airline. Consider it a free VIP pass only for the things that go wrong!
Trains are on strike…
The most common strike we see is the train strike. It usually comes in the middle of the week during the very high travel season to make things inconvenient but not impossible. Strikes are very organized in Europe and, often, these issues resolve themselves within a day as permitted strikes can sometimes last just a few hours. So what do you need to worry about?
First, get rebooked. This is easiest if you are connected to the train app in the area that you are traveling. It also helps if you’ve booked directly with them to begin with. Third party apps can really limit your choices here.
Once that’s taken care of, secure those accommodations for one extra night if you have to. It may not be exactly what you planned but, roll with it! You’ve chosen a great destination! Last, call ahead to your next destination to let them know you will be late, you may just get comp’ed for being courteous!
Venue is closed…
It happens! Rome is primping for the jubilee, Rome was under construction for the Olympics and Europe is in a constant state of renovation. The reality of travel is that Europe does not plan its renewals and refurbishments based on what people have planned. The most common issue is that outside facades are covered in scaffolding which may not be lovely to look at but it doesn’t take away from the experience inside. Most closures can be identified if you look into pre-booking on direct sites. If there is renovation that impedes your visit, take a moment and see if there are temporary hours to make up for it.
Rain is coming…
Take care of rainy days by thinking about your indoor choices. If you buy city passes or museum passes, this can make your scheduling a lot more flexible. Still stuck outside, buy a cute umbrella and go puddle jumping! Additionally, keep a cool day trip in your back pocket that can be just far enough to skirt the weather! Finally, take am moment and see if bad weather isn’t your sign to kick back and take a break! That’s okay!
Skip The Louvre and take on the magnificent Czartoryski in Krakow
La Jaconde by Leonardo DaVinci was stolen from the Louvre in 1911. The headlines of the day were sensational with the art caper and the incident sparked her modern fame. Yet, while the world waits in line to view the Mona Lisa behind bullet proof glass at the busy Louvre, a few hundred miles away, a far more delightful DaVinci experience awaits.
The much revered Lady with Ermine was painted around the same time as its more famous cousin yet has a bit more depth and meaning and, yes, even a touch of humor. More importantly, her story of how she winds up in here in the new refurbished Czartoryski Museum is just as fascinating. and while Ermine is the star of the show, this amazing museum is of great quality through and through creating just another good reason to put Krakow at the top of your travel list.
Skip the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam and head for the Orsay in Paris
Vincent Van Gogh is, by far, one of the most famous artist ever and the family museum in Amsterdam is, no doubt, world class. Yet, if impressionism is on your mind, the Orsay wins the day every time. From setting to content, this Paris mainstay never disappoints! The museum does a wonderful job of covering everything that made art post-camera so fascinating and they are not afraid to move tings around to keep it interesting visit after visit. And, yes, there are a couple of Van Gogh to make up for skipping the 32 self portraits over in Amsterdam.
Skip Dublin Castle and Trinity Library in Dublin and instead head for EPIC in Dublin
Quite frankly, there are just better castles in Ireland than Dublin Castle. Moreover, the castle experience is just more fun in other parts of the country. So, we suggest checking with EPIC Museum. EPIC is an urban museum that explores the Irish immigrant and all of the facets of the Irish diaspora in every direction. Do you think you are of Irish ancestry? Check out the geneaology department while you are there to get some insight into your roots!
Skip Anne Frank’s House in Amsterdam, instead visit Auschwitz in Poland
Anne Frank’s story is a very important one and something no one should ever forget. Yet, the hard to get tickets at the sold out Amsterdam site often do not rise to meet the expectations of the typical visitor. The house itself is void of any furnishings and the climb to the attic space can be a bit overwhelming for anyone not prepared for it. Anne’s singular story is one of millions that are memorialized in Southern Poland at the German death camp called Auschwitz. A visit to any concentration camp is sometimes a difficult concept to reckon. Yet, the mere act of going to pay your respects to the very place Anne and her family were sent can enlighten and help understand the massive scale of the Final Solution and its impact on modern society even today. It is an impactful experience that truly makes you understand the words “never forget”.
Skip the Vatican Museums in Rome and instead head for the Borghese Gallery and gardens
The Vatican Museum is the most visited museum in the world and there isn’t a day that goes by when the halls of this gem aren’t overcrowded. It’s world class art spanning millenia is unmatched. Yet, the crowds can make it difficult to truly enjoy. Just a few miles away, the Borghese Gallery, is interested in keeping the numbers low. The museum which is full of the most amazing sculpture is capped at 360 visitors at a time making the experience a low stress, high valued destination in Rome.
Skip the Uffizi in Florence and head straight for the Accademia
As the Louvre and Vatican museums prove, large crowds make the museums experience a bit more stressful. The Uffizi is no exception. Yes, it is the very definition of Renaissance art but its crowds make it a one way path of uncomfortable no matter what time of year it is. Yet, the Academia provides just as much punch for a fraction of the time and space. Home to David, it impresses in many ways and can be enjoyed in just under two hours.
Other gems we love are:
Galerie Dior in Paris: world class whether you are in to fashion or not.
Musee Montmartre in Paris: an oasis in a sea of tourists.
Waterloo Monument and Museum in Belgium: fun for absolutely every age and never crowded.
The upstairs museum floor at St. Marks in Venice: the best view in town and a close up view of the Constantinian horses.
Here’s the deal: the travel industry is over run with so many small businesses, it’s hard to even know what all the choices are! So, we’re up for the challenge of helping you make the right travel choices for your needs. We know! Even if you don’t pick us for your adventure, we want you to know that we support every traveler finding the right kind of travel to fit their vibe. Let’s level the playing field just a little!
Rule number one: Time is money.
The first rule of travel is that you will always pay for your time. Without a slower travel pace and a flexible calendar you are not going to see a huge savings in this department. But what about all those great deals we see? They are going to people who don’t have to be back in the office on Monday. This is especially true of the thousands of TikTok influencers who are out to show you how their points work to their advantage and that they’ve only spent $15.73 on an 18 hour flight from San Francisco to New Zealand.
Instead, expect 5 bands of travel.
These bands range from everything is planned for you to do it yourself. Each band can cost a lot or be accomplished on a budget. It all depends on what you are willing to pay for. As always, refer to rule number one as you sort through these incredible choices.
All inclusive stays and tours including cruises are exactly what they sound like. This is a great choice if you don’t want to lift a finger except to order the next cocktail. Often the experiences included are “best of” or icon based and excursions often just scratch the surface. Yes, it can be a bit more relaxing but it can also not be as satisfying. One last note, beware of those really great deals! Cheap package prices can also mean lots of nickel and diming fees.
Multi city, large group tours that include bus transport can be appealing as they seem to hit all the high spots in a region readily. However, they can also feel a little grueling as they often try to cover a lot of ground. I don’t know about you, but 60 people on a tour bus going through 6 countries in 3 weeks does not sound like fun. The upswing here is the price is usually good.
Pre-slugged itinerary purchases that may or may not be part of a larger grouping are similar to large group tours but can be pre-purchased for a specific group. The downside is that there is no customization to these excursions and they basically cover the same best of sites that larger groups flock to.
Boutique travel could be considered the sweet spot. Customizable itineraries for no more than 10 travelers at a time. Boutique travel is full of immersive experiences that focus on getting to know a region or meet a very specific purpose. Boutique travel mixes the icons with the hidden gems by getting rid of the industry middle men as they approach travel from the perspective of experience rather than just thinking about the big sites.
DIY travel has been a huge trend in travel for ages. However, DIY can wind up causing a lot of stress if you are worried about getting a good deal, finding a great reservation or concerned that you are missing out on one activity or another. Some people have embraced the DIY attitude feeling that it allows for all their money to go to exactly what they choose and some really like the process of planning itself. Even Disney has caught on to the popularity of DIY planning as you have to pre-book and arrange almost every move you make up to a year in advance of your big trip. It’s a good choice if you are up for the challenge.
The second rule of travel is that something will go wrong.
Murphy’s law will always find a way to wreak havoc on anyone’s travel plans and being ready for this is an important aspect of any level of travel. We highly recommend travel insurance no matter what kind of travel you are interested in. This is particularly important, though, if you plan to develop your own travel plans. It takes just one moment, from a cancelled flight to a lost suitcase to make things miserable. Some of these things can come out of nowhere like when Italian train workers go on strike for the day or when a freak August snowstorm knocks out a good Swiss hike in the Alps. The bottom line is get the insurance.
The third rule of travel is that you’ll NEVER, EVER get to everything on your bucket list
There is not a set of travel plans that ever existed that got to every tic on the checklist. And that’s okay. Regardless of your tier of travel, don’t get your hopes up that everything is going to happen. Not the “best of”, not the “DIY”, not even the customized small group boutique travel will get to absolutely everything on the itinerary. Instead, be prepared that something will fall through and that it’s okay. When looking at the different tiers, it seems that boutique travel has the most success in hitting the mark. With flexible timing, small groups have a better chance of bouncing back as compared to the bigger ideas that will simply cancel an activity and move on.
The fourth rule of travel is that DIY isn’t always the best option.
The myth that DIY travel is budget travel is a bit of an issue in the travel industry. While creating bespoke plans is quite the draw there are a few reasons that DIYers may want to look at other options. First, a lot of DIYers do not have access to the same relationships that professionals do and, as a result they miss out on hidden experiences and venues. Additionally, these relationships often offer a discount to professionals that can often be passed on in a package price. Moreover, travel professionals have a unique perspective that can meet certain travel goals. Boutique travel experiences can create bespoke itineraries for specific goals like literary or musical trips, historical or artistic trips, or simply teaching good travel skills. These kind of experiences include a consultation, and a lot of preplanning. We like to include a lot of pre and post trip communication and will even add in workshops for things like packing or passports.
Regardless of your comfort level of travel, we wish you the best and hope for amazing memories! If you are interested in boutique travel, check out our current offerings by clicking here!
You hear it all the time! Create a capsule wardrobe to be a successful traveler. It makes any potential packer think that they need to order and buy specialty clothes to only use when there’s a suitcase at hand. Not so fast! We, here at Babcia and YiaYia, think that you might be selling yourself and your closet a little short. That’s right, we think you probably have far more than you think to complete the perfect travel wardrobe.
In fact, we think that you probably have clothes that you love to wear that could be the foundation for that super elusive capsule wardrobe that all the rage. But where do you even start? We’ve got some easy steps to help!
Weed out what won’t pack well.
You already know all of the things in your closet that are high maintenance They wrinkle fast and never wash well. You probably pull them out once or twice a year. They probably won’t pack very well anyway. Additionally, you probably know what kind of weather your head toward so out of season stuff is not part of your packing equation.
Choose a color.
You know the color. It’s your favorite one and you pair it with black and white all the time. Ours is blue. It goes with our complexions and never fails to photograph well. You probably have this color weaving in and out of every rack in your closet anyway.
Set out your neutrals.
Black. White. Denim. The gang’s all here! These are the pieces that go with pretty much anything. These wardrobe basics are the foundation to your mix and match packing style.
Edit out the cliche items.
It’s time to do a double take. Is there anything in your potential packing pile that screams tourist? Message tees? Super bold colors that scream “pick my pockets”? Shoes that say “I have no idea how to travel comfortably with style”? Now is the time to edit those items out of your capsule concept.
Start to mix and match.
Now that you’ve got yourself focused. It’s time to start pairing items together so that everything you take pulls a double shift. We start with the amount of days from take off to laundry. Do you have seven days until laundry? Then you need 5 bottoms in cool weather and 6 bottoms in hot weather. (Why six? Try sweating all day and then trying to look refreshed for dinner.) Seven days also needs 6-7 tops. There are many people who will give you different numbers but sweat doesn’t lie. Match them together. Make those outfits. Then make sure each top has a different bottom that will make a new look.
Minus one for dresses.
If you like dresses, simply subtract one for every dress you plan to pack. Just remember that every dress you take needs to pack well. It also needs to be useful. Dresses for a rafting trip won’t do you much good but an easy to use maxi dress might be just perfect for evenings in Paris.
Weave in the layers.
No matter what the weather, we always pack a wrap, a cardigan, and a scarf. Sounds like overkill? Well, we find that we use every single item every single time. Wraps are perfect as a double for plane blanket or pillow. Cardigans cover up if it gets a little too breezy. Scarves can cover bare shoulders or shorts in a pinch if you need to cover up at a particular site like a church or mosque. The most important thing about these pieces is that they go with every single outfit we bring.
Finish off with three pairs of shoes.
You are definitely going to need walking shoes. These will most likely be your bulkiest shoes and you will most likely wear them on the plane just like us. Additionally, you are going to want a pair of shoes that turns all of your outfits into a smarter look for evening. This may be a pair of flats or sandals. The point is, they elevate your look somehow to give you a little oomph. Lastly, you may want to add in beachy flip flops or a second pair of walkers depending on your needs. The most important thing about any pair of shoes you choose is that they go with every outfit you just made for your travel capsule wardrobe.
Take it for a test drive.
Now, weeks before your trip, take all of those picks and pack them up. Zip that suitcase closed and put it in the corner. Try not to open it for three or four days. Then, take it all out and decide if it’s a keeper. We promise you probably only need to change out a few items. You’re ready to make a shopping list of the very few things that may be missing.
We bet you feel a lot better!
We told you! You DO have a lot of items to contribute to a great travel capsule wardrobe. While you may want to add in a few last items, your closet is already full of great pieces to travel with. One last tip: take things that you love but may be expiring soon. If you need to ditch them for a little extra packing space on the way back home, it won’t hurt too much. Happy travels!
So, if you are like most people, you have one shot a year to book the vacation of a lifetime. I’m not talking about a quick trip down to Florida for a long weekend or a girl’s trip to Vegas. I’m talking about mega- it takes some trip planning– travel. I’m talking about those 14 precious days that make the most memories for you and yours. For me, I have peace of mind when I am well planned and well documented. So, it takes me literally a year to plan, travel, and wrap up my summer trip each year. You may think that is incredibly long and way too much but I beg to differ. I don’t do anything more than what’s expected but I do have a clear process. Let’s begin….
It’s Time To Start Trip Planning…
It’s the holidays, and I’m getting together with my family near and far. The food and drinks are plentiful. Everyone is full of festive cheer. That cheer inevitably leads down memory lane and talk of adventures and mishaps which ALWAYS seems to roll right into that wonderful question: where to next? The planning year has started.
The New Year brings the answer to all of that chit chat about where to go and who is going to join in. That’s my cue (surprisingly, I’m my family’s resident trip planner) to get going. For the sake of example, let’s say we’ve made the big decision to visit Belgium and France this summer. I say the summer because that’s when I can get away. If you can travel outside the summer’s high season in one of the shoulder seasons (Easter to Memorial Day or Labor Day to Columbus Day) by all means take advantage!
Trip Planning Research….
January is my time to sit back research, read and hunt down all of those excursions, activities and locations we want to go and see. In this case, we were in search of two uncles who passed away in WWI. They were brothers who both died on September 27th, 1918. We wanted to know what happened, pay our respects and learn a little more about the area. After all, the 100th anniversary was upon us. What better time? I take the time to check my family tree and investigate the proper documents. I look up lists of off the beaten path ideas. I purchase guide books from my favorite authors. I digitally draw on google maps to dream up various itineraries. I watch travel shows and videos. I learn as much as I can before I commit. Once I do, that’s it, there’s no turning back!
Communicating Trip Planning…
In the past as January came to an end and February began, I would start with the creation of a closed private group on Facebook that includes only the travelers on our trip and specific people that opt in but need to be aware of what we are up to- our emergency contacts and nearest and dearest. This was our communication hub and the place we will dump everything involved on our trip.
These days, I still create a group for fun but I store my travel plans on TripIt. The website/app combo is perfect for keeping everything in one place. It’s also super easy to share. Over on Facebook? The first post is always the same: The sentence “excuse may I have a glass of white wine please?” in whatever language we will need.
The second move is always about air travel. It’s time to book and that’s my February task, getting everyone on a plane together. For us, we all travel to one airport from wherever we are to meet up and then continue together. That takes a lot of coordination and decisions about money. Do you plan to all book together or is someone going to book and everyone reimburse the purchaser? Perhaps you all contribute to an account ahead of time. Your choice, your comfort level. In this case, we booked our tickets together and decided to meet in Atlanta. I like to book my tickets well ahead of my trip. I can have those completely paid for well before I take off and not overwhelm my budget all at once.
Trip Planning Nuts and Bolts… March marches in and there a few things for me to do. I need to ensure that I have a well planned travel route pinned down and a place to lay everyone’s head. All that research in January is about to be put to the test. Our facebook group has spent time voting on favorites and developing the overall itinerary. In our case, I need to reserve a car big enough for our group and hotel rooms in each of the towns we have chosen.
I’m just reserving so I’m not spending anything yet unless I choose to airbandb it. I am very comfortable tracking down reservations at a variety of places- traditional hotels, b and b’s and airbandbs. They all work for us and exploring airbandb options for a bigger group (read over 4 travelers) can be well worth the money. For our example trip, which is a road trip, we have decided on the following.
All Planned Out…
Fly into Brussels and rent a car, spend the night (small weekender hotel) in a small suburb to meet up with our cousin for dinner.
Day 1- drive over the French border toward Reims and stop at our first cemetery (Somme) our hotel is in the city center it’s a well known name with many hotels all over the world. Day 2- off to Muese Argonne to the second cemetery and then north to Rouen for two nights at a city center hotel. Day 3- Rouen Day 4- Mont Saint Michel at a traditional B and B on the Mont Day 5- Bayeux at an airbandb Day 6- Bayeux Day 7- Honfluer at a city center boutique hotel Day 8- Giverny at a traditional B and B Day 9- Lille day trip to drop off our rental and catch the train to Bruges. Day 10-Bruges at a city center hotel Day 11- back to Brussels by train where our cousin meets us for dinner again and drops us at our airport hotel for an early morning flight home.
Whew! We will be traveling about 1,000 miles all together but it’s well timed and takes everyone’s favorites into consideration and it will take all of March to finish reserving and organizing, but we have everything we need to travel and sleep. Planes, trains, and automobiles have been checked off the list.
The Finishing Trip Planning Touches…
April and May find us ensuring we have prebooked and reserved any necessary tours. We have made arrangements for a WWII tour along the Normandy coast, reserved tickets for the express line at Monet’s garden, and booked a private guide for Mont Saint Michel. We’ve decided we don’t need much else ahead of time and opt for the flexibility. So we Facebook each other with our collective suggestions and keep a running list. We ensure we have chosen how we are getting to the meet up airport, (I’m driving in) and we’ve made decisions on who’s bringing what. I’m in charge of hairspray and an umbrella, my mom is bringing a curling iron, my sister has an iPad so the kids can watch Netflix on down time, etc. Three weeks to go.
Trip Planning Packing…
June is here and it’s go time! I am packed, the house is clean the arrangements for being gone are taken care of including the dog who will spend some time with good friends. I mention all of this is because all of these details are part of the travel process too. It’s not just the tickets and hotel confirmation numbers. There’s a lot to think about.
We meet up and head out! While some of us are headed home right after this trip, others are headed to other destinations, for me, I finally get back in the States by the end of July. Now, I know that sounds like a long time, but I’m staying with family and enjoying my Summer before I head back to the classroom. I’ve also planned a completely different adventure in tandem with this trip to Normandy. In this case, I was headed off to Krakow for a few weeks to relax.
Time To Reflect On All That Trip Planning…
August is my regrouping month and September is dedicated to getting back to work so it isn’t until October that I finally get around to the last stage of my trip. One of the most important parts of traveling is enjoying the memories of it! So, for me, it means it’s time to grab all those photos that our group dumped onto that private Facebook page and use Shutterfly to put together the narrative of how our trip went.
I include lots of things including our itinerary, the top 5 songs we listened to over and over in the car, pictures of our new friends and stories that are too good to forget! I also collect all of those scraps of maps, tickets, tourist pamphlets, and receipts and piece them together in a big poster frame. Now, you may not be a digital scrapbooker or someone who likes to plaster their walls with huge frames, but this is what I do to collect my memories. Find what makes you happy and do it. Somehow, someway, ensure you have your travel memories.
November has my book and Christmas cards on order- I use pics from my trip or trips. I’m almost there. I’m almost ready to wrap this up, literally. I order a book as my Christmas gift for everyone who went on our trip- whether it’s just two of us or six of us- if it’s Christmas, you get a book! Which brings me right back to where I started. The wine is poured, we page through memories and pictures and, inevitably, we wind up wondering “where to next?” My year is complete.
What is the best way to plan for a big family trip?
Where do I start to plan my vacation?
How do I plan my Summer trip?
Alexandra is a podcaster, educator, and travel junkie. While not in the classroom, you can find her exploring some corner of the world. After living in Japan and enjoying Asia, she now spends most of her time crossing the Atlantic finding the most attainable, authentic, and diverse experiences to share with this travel community.
