Notes on Traveling and What to Have and Wear on This Week's Fast Five!

 I've spent a lot of time and energy lately on traveling smarter and better.  Here's some of my best advice!

1.    A travel toiletry or makeup kit.  This is one of the most essential things I carry.  I'm female and have a lot of stuff to bring.  My husband has a smaller one, because he's a guy and has less crap to carry with him.  Why do you need this?

Many reasons.  First and foremost is to keep your toiletries separate from your clothes.  It's that simple.  What if something leaks?  This provides that added barrier that could save your clothes.  I have one that hangs up.  It's a great thing because I don't even unpack the entire thing.  It's hanging there in the bathroom ready to use.  Pack smart and don't pack full sized bottles of anything and this little idea will be your best friend.

By keeping this kit, I've managed to designate a space in my bag at all times, so I know exactly how much space I have for everything else in that bag.  Can't stress this one enough.  Whether you're a guy and need a little one or a woman and need a lot of room; particularly if you wind up carrying some of your man's stuff, because he didn't pack as well.

https://www.cntraveler.com/story/best-toiletry-bags   

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/packing/favorite-toiletries-bag-b9bb4175-3c62-4b9e-b54d-f5744dca07bd   

https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-toiletry-bags/   

https://eaglecreek.com/collections/toiletry?srsltid=AfmBOope2Tcaza1_Lv7mriGgk8GACFKKTIDI-ZXGnI5FanepXHlcuJLP   

https://theeverygirl.com/best-travel-toiletry-bags-for-women/   

2.    What luggage should you use?  I've run the gamut on this one, and I've learned a lot.  I've spent many a 10 day trip in Europe, whether it's multiple countries or a single city, and here's what I've learned.  Pack light, take a small bag.  Period.  

If it doesn't have four wheels that make your bag follow you everywhere you go like a well trained puppy; you bought the wrong bag.  If you have anything much larger than a carry on; you picked the wrong bag.  If you brought multiple checked bags for one person; you did it wrong.  If you have soft sided luggage; you did it wrong.  If you feel the need to attempt to take your luggage on the plane; I can't help you.

I recently went to Europe for a week and a half.  There were people on my flights that checked five or more giant pieces of luggage for a group of less than five.  There was more than one group like that I witnessed.  It's ridiculous.  My husband and I each carry a small hard sided four wheeled well behaved bag.  I carry a cross body bag for my essentials and electronics and he carries a back pack.  That's all we take.

I carry light clothes and an all weather jacket.  He does the same.  I carry meds, headphones, camera, phone, charging stuff, batteries, and a bottle of water in my bag.  He carries headphones, meds, a book, a bottle of water, charging stuff and batteries.  That's all we take on the plane, plus wallets and passports.  How does this work?

We normally rent an apartment in Europe.  It's all the rage in most other countries and it's quite affordable.  This means we normally have a washing machine.  We do laundry.  What happens when we don't have a washing machine?  Do your research.  I normally make sure we can go to a laundromat close by if we don't have laundry on site.  You don't run 20 hours a day, so take the time and wash your clothes.  It's not a big deal and it cuts down on luggage.

Here's a tip.  You show up with a carry on sized bag and agree to check it and they'll probably do it for free.  The airlines are always offering to check carry ons to make space on the plane.

Why do I say hard sided?  Soft sided luggage is fine and most come with four wheels these days, but I have one thing to say about it.  Weather.  Things have far less of a chance to get wet in rain in a hard sided bag.

Here's a note.  Where to shop for luggage?  My favorite spot is Burlington.  Great prices.  Anything you need or want.

https://www.packhacker.com/blog/general/best-carry-on-luggage/

https://www.cntraveler.com/story/best-carry-on-luggage   

https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-checked-luggage/   

https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/topics/travel/best-travel-bag   

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/best-luggage-a942ff39-6bdb-4849-a95c-1c8134f24543   

3.    Communication.  It's the most important part of your trip.  I promise you.  This covers everything from finding your way around to making reservations, to keeping in touch with your teenagers at home.  I struggled for years.  I got sim cards at the airport upon arrival for each and every country.  I used a pay up front travel plan.  I've tried the ever popular esim.  What did I get for all that?

I have a stack of old sim cards at home.  That's a waste if I ever saw one.  Travel plans to pay forward are just going up and up in cost.  They also tend to change activation rules to something you can't do like text someone to activate it in a country.  Pain the the butt.  Esims are pretty good, but once again you deal with it from country to country.  Last trip I didn't even fly into the country I was actually visiting, so I had to take a train across a border and that would have been two hassles even with an esim.

So, what's a girl to do?  Especially someone old like me?  I'm a problem solver.  I went to the Google Store and asked them to just make it all work.  I walked out with a Pixel 10 and Google Fi's international plan.  Sounds expensive?  It does sound like that.  However, phones are expensive.  That ruled out worrying about that aspect.  The international plan on Google Fi runs $65 per month or $55 if you have two lines.  Does that sound expensive?  Maybe, but I found out that you get discounts for buying the phone outright.  I won't say how much, because I don't know if it differs from person to person.  Sometimes that's a thing.

What does this mean?  I understand that people love their iPhones and Samsungs and so forth.  But, this Pixel has an amazing camera.  I left my professional camera at home, and still got great pictures and videos.  It's got the best phone camera I've ever encountered.  The Google Fi service claimed to work seamlessly in over 200 locations.  I went to five countries in my travels for various reasons, and the thing just worked.  I got a message saying welcome to whatever country I'd just entered and it just worked.  I had to pay $.20 per minute to make calls, but other than that it was seamless and worked absolutely everywhere I went.  It even welcomed me as I crossed a border in the middle of nowhere on a train.

This Google Fi Pixel experience just worked.  I love the phone, the camera and the service.  I went into a Google Store, but I hear you can also go to Best Buy and get the same service.  They did all the work.  They transferred everything and made sure it all worked for me.  I'm old and not that proficient with phone programming and transfers.  They did all the work and I was on my way with a true travel solution.  Here's my favorite part.  If I have a question about my phone or my service; I just ask my phone.  It's all Google, which is something you don't normally run into.  I had a Moto on Verizon.  Now I have a Google Pixel on Google Fi.  It really simplified my life.  I also advocate this as a phone for people in my age group which is 50-80.  It's that easy.  Even I can use it.

https://fi.google.com/about/phones/pixel-10?srsltid=AfmBOooc_Hblj2xYqtStyZclKWiQltycvYeLZGFTpC0wLnSbSfJ5J8Qn  

https://store.google.com/magazine/google_fi?hl=en-US&srsltid=AfmBOopiU1xRv3Oq1VMZH7bZo1WvWj7nbF1E3cSh9VTvm8PThuFdl4t-   

https://fi.google.com/about/phones/pixel-10-specs?srsltid=AfmBOopHVdtGprmxB6XyiboX-y79NhJvCuz2WzmmQngMEmwjzUT5Jr5X   

https://www.androidheadlines.com/google-fi

I covered this on a video for 6/5/2026 on my YouTube Channel "Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon"

https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2026   

4.    The perfect coat or jacket.  This is a tough one.  I suppose it depends on where you're traveling to.  If it's a cold location; you need a puffy jacket with a hood.  If you buy the right one, you can even get a heated one that TSA will allow you to wear on a plane, but make sure you do your research.  Not all heated jackets will be allowed.  One of the things that are helpful with cold weather locations is that you will want to wear the coat while flying.  This takes out a lot of the guesswork as to what to pack.

On the other hand, if you're going on a trip like the one I just came back from; you may have varying weather, limited space and some decisions to make.  Here's what I do, and it works.  I have a shell that can handle a hurricane's worth of rain with a hood and it's tough.  It's lightweight, packs up tight and has enough pockets for me.  It's attractive enough that I can wear it to dinner.  It works.  My husband has a similar jacket, only for men.  I pack a compact jacket in case it gets cold.  Mine is worn with my shell that I wear for rain.  It looks good, and I always wear one of the jackets on the plane if not both, depending on the season.  My husband carries a nice sweater that packs up nicely to wear under his coat.  It works.  The brand isn't important as long as you work it out so that you can wear layers and be versatile without taking up a lot of room in your luggage.  My shell is a raincoat that I used to wear to an outdoor job I had years ago.  It's good looking and really tough.  My husband's jacket is Amazon Basics.  Nothing fancy; just appropriate.

https://www.cntraveler.com/story/best-lightweight-rain-jackets-for-travelers  

https://www.rei.com/c/rain-jackets/f/f-packable   

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/packing/women-s-packable-rain-coat   

https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/best-rain-jacket   

https://www.travelandleisure.com/best-packable-jackets-8378780   

5.    What to and not to wear while traveling; especially in another country.  When I'm at home, I look like a tourist.  I love my souvenir tshirts and sweatshirts.  I do.  That's why I buy them.  I live in New England and there's nothing better in the cold months than a big soft hooded sweatshirt.  I pick them up here and there, and when at home; they're most of my wardrobe worn with jeans and sneakers.  It's who I am.

Then, there's travel me.  When I'm in Europe in particular, I don't really want to stand out.  I don't want to look like a tourist.  If anyone has ever heard about how easy it is to spot an American tourist in Europe; it's not a joke.  I can spot them in a hot second myself.  But, it's more than sticking out with gaudy tshirts and ripped jeans, and stupid looking sneakers.  It's a matter of practicality and safety.

Hear me out.  First of all, when you travel, I've said it.  Don't bring your whole wardrobe.  Bring carefully chosen items.  If you do this; you will have an interchangeable wardrobe that's easy to pack.  You might pick a color theme with mix and match items.  I do that all the time.  You might take a skirt instead of all jeans, as I do just in case I need to fancy it up a bit.  I do wear sneakers and I'm just too old to wear anything trendy, but trendy will make you look like an American.  Plain comfortable shoes is how I go.  I also take some little flats in case I go out.  It's all part of being Practical.

Then, there's the safety aspect.  If you're wearing a tshirt, sneaker tag that says American; you could be making yourself a target.  You might get scammed by a taxi driver.  You might get bothered more by beggars.  It happens.  Most of the rest of the world thinks that people from the United States all have a bottomless pit of money and can afford to suffer the indignities that go with the locals trying to get their cut of it.  It's a way of life.  I try not to look flashy at all.  I dress nicely, but I only bring one versatile set of jewelry and it's not fancy.  Wearing flashy gem jewelry around will bring you trouble.  Pickpockets, muggers, scammers and the like will spot flashy jewelry right away.  They'll also spot expensive shoes and those sneakers that you want to show off.  I carry a cross body bag that zips up.  Firstly, it's across my body making it tough to grab and run.  It's also more comfortable for me to carry, so win win.  It's harder to pickpocket someone who's bag has a zipper closing.  Just a fact.  It's a nice bag, but practical.  I only carry it when I travel. 

Everyone has their own style, but don't dress like the ugly American.  Everyone notices, and it might not work to your advantage.

https://europeupclose.com/article/what-to-wear-in-europe/    

https://hespokestyle.com/what-to-wear-in-europe/?srsltid=AfmBOornILGGwsyX2bRxYcHZm0VSLDDVdEg6MCZwvjfOiaaFlNB5L5YK   

https://jonesfamilytravels.com/what-not-to-wear-when-traveling-abroad/2023/03   

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/what-not-to-wear-on-vacation_b_5794ba02e4b0e339c23f1479   

https://www.travelandleisure.com/multi-use-europe-travel-outfits-carry-on-only-amazon-11988164   

That's my best advice.  Remember, I'm not paid by any manufacturer or designer or even Google.  These are my personal recommendations and thoughts on the topics, and I hope it helps you plan a better, easier and more safe and fun vacation.  Enjoy!

I've Been Traveling! Let's Discuss Some Airlines on This Week's Fast Five!

 Flying various airlines as I do; you can find some great carriers.  However, sometimes it's a hard pass after one ride.

1.    Frontier Airlines; hard pass.  I've talked about this one before, but feel that I can never really stress this one enough.  They stranded me in Raleigh Durham.  Overnight.  I had to find a hotel and a flight from there to Chicago.  They did nothing.  They barely acknowledged me.  I researched and found no legitimate reason for the cancellation.  Other stranded passengers said it happens all the time.  When I got to Chicago the next day, I got an email saying my flight in Houston was cancelled.  I had no idea that they'd put me on a flight to Houston and had no idea why.  I received no apology.  I received no compensation for having to get a hotel room and another flight to get where I needed to be.  They sound great, but if you don't get where you need to be; what's the point?  Let me be clear.  No reason for the cancellation.  No customer service regarding the cancellation.  No contact from the company in any way.  I still receive ads on my phone two years later for deals with Frontier.  I can't unsubscribe; I've tried.  Don't go there.  You will be disappointed.

https://www.flyfrontier.com/   

https://www.reddit.com/r/frontierairlines/comments/1jf4bmj/is_frontier_airlines_really_that_bad_thinking_of/   

2.    United Airlines.  Are they great?  Complicated question.  They are tedious, and you will pay for every little thing.  The planes are cramped in coach.  The staff leave a lot to be desired in personality in my experience.  They aren't a discount airline, but they kind of act like one, but the prices are way higher than budget airlines.

What does this mean?  I can't stand United Airlines.  However, if you really need to get where you're going; they are one of the best options in the country.  They are reliable beyond most of the other United States airlines.  That's why it's complicated.

Here's my story.  I flew them recently from Raleigh Durham to Chicago.  They weren't friendly, I had to pay for any little thing they gave me on the flight.  There was no communication over the PA system from the pilots.  It was cramped.  There was no have a good day or thanks for flying with us.  There was definitely no in flight entertainment.  But, remember, I said I took them from Raleigh Durham to Chicago.  Why did I fly with them?  Because Frontier stranded me there.  United had a seat and they actually flew the plane to Chicago.  Was this the first time I'd found myself in this situation?  Where United rescued me?  No.

Bottom line, they will get you where you need to be.  That's why I occasionally fly with United.  They are the only major airline in the US that has never stranded me.

https://www.united.com/en/us/   

https://www.reddit.com/r/unitedairlines/comments/1g19j6c/experiences_with_united/   

3.    Aer Lingus.  Once again, it's complicated.  I just flew with them for my first time, and it will be my last.  Let me explain.

It started in Boston.  We came a bit early for dropping our bags off and waiting for our flight.  That happens to me in Boston, because it's normally a later in the day flight and I have a long drive to get there and drop off my car.  We joined a long line that was already waiting.  There were two attendants at the multi station check in area.  One was talking with some customers who still had to do their check in.  The other one was on his phone.  We stood in a non moving line for an hour or so.

Let me explain, because Aer Lingus didn't.  Most of their staff don't start to do bag drop and easy check ins until two hours before flight time.  Most airlines who do this have a sign at the desk or put it in an email or in the information when you book or check in online for the flight.  None of that.  That was strike one.

I must say, the flights to Vienna were fine.  The staff was great, the onboard service was great, the food was pretty good, and the entertainment was just fine.  We got there when we were supposed to, and we were very much alive.  My luggage followed me like a good little doggy and we were on our way to our vacation.  Seemed like it was one little glitch and then we were good to go.

However, there was the trip home.  I went to check in online the day before the flight.  It said we had to check in at their counter at the airport, because we were flying with a partner airline.  I wasn't aware of that.  Apparently there had been a change.  The flight said it was still at the same time, so I was like whatever.

We showed up at the airport the next day for our flight.  No Aer Lingus counter.  We'd been put on a British Airways flight, but there was also no British Airways counter.  We checked the flight boards.  There was no flight at the time our flight was scheduled and our flight number did not appear anywhere.  Big problem.

I actually called Aer Lingus to speak with customer service.  I was told, specifically, verbatim, "You are no longer flying with Aer Lingus so it is not our responsibility."  Process that for a moment.  Big fat strike two.  They moved us, after we booked with them.  They didn't actually notify us; I looked into it to figure out what was supposedly going on.  "Not our responsibility."  Wow.

British Airways did open a counter two hours later for another flight that wasn't ours.  We spoke with them and they told us that our flight had been cancelled and rescheduled five hours later.  We at least knew we had a flight.  They promised us we were in the system and could check in two hours before that flight.  That did leave us in Vienna's dumpy airport for several hours with nothing to do, but at least we were going home.  This trip would have us on the road for nearly 30 straight hours because of it all, but at least we were going home.

No thanks to Aer Lingus.  So, there I was with nothing to do for hours in an airport where I couldn't even get to a lot of the cool stuff, because I couldn't go through security without a boarding pass.  I decided to take my frustrations with Aer Lingus out via the internet.  This got a response from Aer Lingus over time.  They responded to my posts and reviews asking me not to say what I was saying.  I told them that they shouldn't have stranded me in an airport with nothing else to do and demanded an apology.

Later that day, we'd gotten on our flights with British Airways and traveled back to Boston.  As we were flying over eastern Canada to land, I got an email from Aer Lingus telling me my flight had been cancelled and I would have to make my own arrangements for hotel and another flight, but they would be happy to reimburse me for any hotel.  Wow, what a strike three.  They didn't even realize that I'd gotten a flight home.

I hate experiences like that one.  I don't like having to bash airlines on the web.  But their customer service isn't customer service.  They should be ashamed of themselves for what they did.  They actually offered me money to quit posting about it, but they wouldn't just apologize.  Is it possible to have an enormous strike four?  I obviously didn't accept the money.  It was an insult.

Book with these guys at your own risk.  I won't ever do that again.

https://www.aerlingus.com/html/en-US/home.html   

https://www.reddit.com/r/AerLingus/comments/1f0rai9/is_aer_lingus_really_that_bad/   

4.    British Airways.  Obviously, I just flew with them.  This one is an interesting situation, because I didn't book with them.  I never even considered them for my trip.  I've never flown with them before in my life.  Yet, I just flew with them.  Uncharted territory for me giving my opinion about an airline.  Overall, were they great?  Not really, but they were acceptable in my situation completely.

They opened their counter in Vienna at 9:30 am for a flight that was not my flight.  I had tried to talk to Aer Lingus on the phone and gotten no information.  I'd tried to call British Airways, but had no luck getting through.  That made me nervous about the whole situation even more.  I approached the counter, even though I wasn't on that flight, but I'd been at the airport for over two hours and wanted some answers.  I was terribly early because of train issues coming from Slovakia, so that part was on me.

The lady I spoke with at the counter told me that the flight was cancelled and rescheduled and looked it up for me and assured me that we were booked on that flight.  That was great.  She told us when they'd be at the counter for our flight and I had my answers.  I wasn't thrilled, but at least they were going to get me home.

Check in time came.  We went to the counter and they checked us in immediately.  We got real paper boarding passes.  They checked our bags for free.  They gave us drink vouchers for the flights.  They apologized for the inconvenience that was actually caused by Aer Lingus.  They thanked us for flying with them.  Once on the flight, we had free drinks, free Wi-Fi, and fabulous service.  Everyone was wonderful and the food was pretty good.  We had our layover at Heathrow, which I'd managed to avoid my entire life.  It was shocking and impressive at the same time how I had to take three buses and go through security again on a layover, but they got us where we needed to be and then flew us home.  When we were stateside, I got an email from them thanking me for flying British Airways and asked me for a review.  I had a pleasant experience.

Would I fly British Airways again?  I probably would.  They were polite, kind, and got me where I needed to go.  My flight was delayed five hours, but I'd been dumped off by my original airline, so it seemed better than it most likely was.  I was easily reunited with my luggage and was on my way quickly upon arrival. I don't ask for much when flying and they delivered more than I asked for.  Should you fly with them?  I'd say why not?  Most airlines have scheduling issues and stuff, so they're pretty much like most other airlines.  Average is better than Aer Lingus.

https://www.britishairways.com/travel/home/public/en_us/   

https://www.reddit.com/r/Flights/comments/16a9sbf/is_british_airways_any_good/   

5.    Breeze Airways.  This is a fast five, and I will always take any opportunity to talk about Breeze.  They are a budget airline, and they are far superior to any budget airline and a lot of big name airlines I've flown.

Will they take you anywhere you want to go?  No.  That's the only setback.  Breeze was designed to address some lesser used routes to give those of us who need to go from Connecticut to Phoenix etc. an inexpensive and direct way to go.  The prices are right.  Do you pay for stuff?  Yes.  Bags; yes.  WiFi; yes.  But, these guys are kind, reliable, have pretty good snacks and sodas and they get you where you're going.  Always the bottom line with me.  They've never cancelled on me.  They've never lost my luggage.  They've never been rude to me.  If you need a route they offer; take them.  That's my easy view of it all.  Better than most legacy experiences I've had in coach.

https://www.flybreeze.com/home   

https://www.reddit.com/r/BreezeAir/comments/1cggy1x/how_good_is_this_airline/   

There you have it.  Some of my takes on airlines.  Mind you, these thoughts are on travel in coach.  I'm a budget traveler.  I don't sit in business or first class and have no idea what that's like on literally any airline.  When I write about an experience it's always coach.

If you'd like to see what I'm up to currently, check out my YouTube Channel, Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon.  That's me!

https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2026   

Like & Subscribe to both for more information on travel in New York City and around the world!  Enjoy!