Part Two -- Packing for Roanoke

When packing for Roanoke, I made a TON of lists, but here are the simplified ones. I had decided very earlier on that I didn't want to run through the airport with a carry on, due to the sheer hassle -- and my ankle, and I stand by this choice. The $25 each way was 100% worth it.

First, I had my list of what I would wear for the airport. I did a pretty good job of this, if I do say so myself.

I wore:

• Black boots (rainproof, for Roanoke).
• Soft pants 
• My MIT mystery hunt shirt 
• Bra 
• Underwear
• Jacket (around my waist)
• Trench Coat
• I decided against my tiny bag from the last trip, and it worked out well. 

The only problem I ran into with this set up was that I had to POWER WALK through Charlotte and as a result, when I arrived in Roanoke, my clothes were soaked with sweat. I had to change my clothes, wash my hair, and shower, before I could do anything. Luckily, I had brought a spare dress. 

I also never wound up wearing the sweatshirt. 

I also initially wished I had brought flats. But, as the rains continued, I realized I was quite fine without them. 

Second, I had a list of stuff I wanted to go in my personal items backpack, which is pink and giant, with perfectly placed pockets. I've repaired it numerous times, but it's still my #1 choice for an airport bag, especially since my only regret from my trip up to Mills was that I had a bag that didn't close! 

In my pink backpack, I had: 

• Notebooks (3. A sketchbook, Fancy Notebook, and Plain Notebook). Of them, I used one, once, for poetry. But I was glad I had them all. 
• Books. I packed 6. I read 2. Next time, I'll try to stick with the 5 that I told myself I'd bring, especially since I only finished one, Candymakers and only read a few pages of the other: Everless. I packed: Everless, Chasing Vermeer, The Gods Themselves, Candymakers, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, and City of Saints and Thieves. 
• Boarding Pass
• ID 

I always try to keep this where I can reach them, for fast access

• Wallet. Includes backup ID (I have a State ID and a Driver's Licence), Debit Card (of which I've notified my bank that I'm traveling), backup credit cards, just in case, cash, just in case, and anything else I might need. 
• Pens. I brought an entire case full, plus colored pencils. I used one pen. It's how it goes sometimes. 
• Snacks. 4 Luna Bars each way, and goldfish on the way over and cheese its on the way back. They held me over. This was something I did well. 
• Headphones. Always a must. 
• Phone 
• Charger. 
• Toothbrush
• Toothbrush cap
• Toothpaste (mini)
• Mini deodorant 
• Plastic bags for the toiletries, electronics, and (a new rule) food. I got my Goldfish swabbed on the way over, I'm not sure if it was because they weren't in a bag or if the scanners were giving them a hard time. My pens also caused trouble. 
•  I also kept a small bag with my earplugs and sleep mask. These came in very handy this time indeed. 
• Chapstick times 3. My lips get so easily dried out! 
• Soft headbands
• Hair ties. 
• Hollins ID, just in case.

I also may have had other items, that I have since unpacked, but this is a fairly close list. I did not bring jewelry because it is a hassle, and I don't want to lose it, but I did miss it. 

For my suitcase, a rather ordinary looking purple bag but with a new pink tag, I packed the following items. Here is where I really began to go wrong.

For starters, I packed neither raincoat or umbrella. Big mistake. Big Rookie Mistake, because I failed to check the weather and it rained almost every day I was there.

I also had no cosmetics bag, which meant they all cuddled together in my laundry bag, which meant, you guessed it, no laundry bag for my dirty laundry.

I also wished I had a pair of flats the first day, and I think in future I'll always bring flats just in case.

But here's what I did pack.

• Two towels. Not a bad idea, but my hostess already had them. I could have saved valuable space by simply asking ahead what was available on hand. 
• Two wash clothes. Admittedly, even though my hostess had these, I liked having my own. 10/10 would pack again. That said, it was awkward to ask to dry them and it was tricky to remember I had them on hand. 
• Neosporin. I was super glad I had this. 
• Bandages. Not only did I use them, but one of my hostess's friends did too. Always good to keep these on hand. 
• Small Purse. Not to be confused with my tiny bag. This one can fit my wallet, phone, and headset well. It's always good to bring a spare bag (one that not all your stuff is in!) on trips. I was super glad to have this one with me, but I wish I had a bigger one that could bring a book! That's one of my biggest regrets! 
• Nail clippers. I HATE my nails long, and whenever I've forgotten these (which is often) I get very angry at myself. 
• Benadryl + other anti inch cream. I didn't use it this time, but going on a trip without this is just foolish. 
• Q-Tips. Don't leave home without them. 
• Razor. ALWAYS, if it's a trip longer than two or three days. 
• Laundry Bag (for dirty clothes) 
• Plastic bag for some of the smaller items, to make sure they don't open and spill. 
• Beat up shorts. We didn't go hiking or anything, but it's always a good thing to have on hand. 
• Shirt to go with it. 
• Bras - 3 plus a sports bra. One for every two days. 
• Pants. This was in case I needed long pants for hiking. Not a bad idea, but I think in future I'd like to invest in those two in one transforming pant/shorts things. 
• Grey Sweater. I love this sweater and nearly live in it. This trip was no exception. 
• PJs, one pair. I thought that would be good, but I wish I had brought more. I had to borrow from my hostess. 
• Swim suit. Didn't use it. Was glad I brought it just in case. You should always pack a swim suit just in case. :) 
• 5 regular dresses. I regretted this so much. They were all too short and impractical. I really wished I had something different 4/6 of the days. 
• One Fancy Dress for graduation. My dress wasn't fancy enough. And I had no makeup or jewelry. I didn't think it would bother me, but it did. 
• Shampoo
• Conditioner. These were worth their weight in gold, especially the first night when I'd run through the airport. I taped them both shut, put them in their own little bag, and it was perfect! 
• Soap and soap holder. I am so glad I got the holder. Otherwise, as per usual, it would have been misery. A very good investment indeed. But it still got its own little bag. No regrets. 
• Face Masks. Also worth their weight in gold, I used two out of the three I brought and it stopped my face from seriously breaking out. 
• Ibuprofen. Never leave on a trip without it. 
• Dental Floss. Same. 
• Lotion (must have)
• Face Wash (kept my face from hating me)
• Birth control. I take it for my presumed Endo (only one way to diagnose it - surgery - but 9/10 odds are I have it) and in this case, I used it to skip my period for this trip! It was a SUPER move but you obviously have to check with your doctor first. 
• Hairbrush. 
• I also brought stuff for PB and J but I think in future, I'll just buy stuff there. It really wasn't too hard and I didn't wind up using it until I came back. That said, it made me happy to know I had stuff I could eat. Still. I wouldn't want to do this again. Instead, I would want to pack oatmeal, which carries and holds extremely well.

I'm sure there's other stuff that I'm missing, but that's all I can remember for now. 

Hope that's been helpful! 

Oh -- and some last words. I created a "pack later list" that was very helpful. It included: Driver's License, Boarding Pass, Wallet, Hairbrush, Birth Control, Razor, Lotion, Pens, Headphones, and Phone and Charger. 

Happy Traveling!

~ Emery 

Comparing and Contrasting airlines

This is a brief post that's spent years in the waiting.

The following are some of my thoughts on which airlines to take -- and which airlines I wouldn't fly with again, even if they paid ME.

(I am 100 percent serious)

So here, without further ado, are the airlines I've flown, from the ones I like the best, to the ones I can't stand.

Domestic Airlines

First up -- my absolute fave. Delta. If you can afford them, by all means, take them. They are the single ONLY airline that doesn't make me crazy. They leave on time, offer all the creature comforts, and even manage food that isn't completely inedible. But for me, the biggest factor is that they keep their word. They don't push back or cancel their flights, they don't make you check luggage they promised you could carry on, they ARRIVE on TIME. I cannot overstate how important this is. If you have one job -- carry passengers from one place to another in a safe and timely manner -- you really need to do it, and Delta does it. This is why they are my number one. However, them actually doing their job well has a steep price, which usually comes in at several hundred dollars more than other airlines. OUCH!

Second up -- Spirit Airlines. Let me preface this by saying I would not use them EVER on a long flight. But for a short flight, and for the cheap price they offer? I will absolutely be using them again. They are comparable to a regular airline in terms of what they offer, different only in that they actually charge what they are worth, and make life easier for everyone by making you pay for what you use. They way I see it, you are getting what you paid for, which is very little, and that is fine with me. They were about 40 minutes late on their flight, which is impressive, considering we weren't going anywhere with weird weather conditions, but I've paid triple the cost and have had flights be three hours late or more, so I don't hold this against them too much. Will definitely be flying with them again.

Third -- American Airlines. I always phrase it like this -- they're OKAY. They're not good, they're not bad, they're okay. They will get you where you're going at a reasonable price.
They may make you want to tear your hair out, especially on longer flights, where they don't seem to understand how baggage works, or people work, or flying works, as there is always a delay, and always something about an overbooked flight, but unlike an airline that will be mentioned further down, they don't boot their passengers. They boot the excessive carry ons. And their delays, while incredible irritating, do seem to have good reason, and don't exceed an hour. They also seem to be willing to work with the passengers if a missed connection is their fault. That said, the flights have 0 in flight entertainment, and not nearly enough leg room, and are delayed enough where there is fear of missing one's connection. I had to POWER WALK (I can't run because of my ankle) through the Charlotte airport (one of the literal worst for a short connection) and got their with 20 minutes to spare before boarding, (I had originally booked an hour and a half connection. They shortened it to 40 minutes, without giving me an option to reject this, and then were LATE on top of it) and then found out my flight was delayed. First it wasn't. Then it was 5 minutes. Then twenty. Then a whole hour. I was not pleased, but at least it was because of the weather, unlike delays I could talk about later. But I got there. They didn't lose my luggage. I didn't have to spend an arm and a leg. And so, American is OK.

US Airways and UNITED. I am putting them together because I hate them both with a fiery passion of my soul. I will never fly with either of these airlines again. They put me through hell, and honestly, I get them mixed up, so in my mind, they are one and the same. My favorite example was when they were incredible late, so late that I missed my connecting flight and I had to BEG the counter lady to put me on another flight -- which proceeded to be nearly 4 hours late, when the flight itself was only an hour. They also routinely booted passengers without care from their flights, when they (always) overbooked.

They also made stops that made no sense. They would take a route that went in a circle, then double back. They would have insane layovers, either 50 minutes -- which is impossible or 4 or 5 hours. They had no inflight entertainment, insanely long flights, that made no sense, and issues with timelines. I would talk on, but it's been 4 years since I flew with United, and I will never ever ever do so again.

INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS

International Flights are in general, far superior than domestic. That's just the way it is. It's been a long time since I've flown international, but from memory, here are the good, the bad, and the ugly. 

LAN PERU. Possibly my absolute favorite international airline. I love them dearly. Huge planes, logical route, amazing in flight entertainment, good food, blankets -- I could go on. But they are a super airline. But, to be fair, I haven't flown with them (because I haven't been down that way) since 2010, so things may have changed. I don't know. 

Air New Zealand. 

I don't remember when I flew with them. I just remembered that they were good. 

Air France 

I remember that they were solidly good. I don't, honestly remember if I flew up with them or Delta, but the airport ladies were kind to me, and the flights in both cases were nice, though I remember thinking I preferred the Air France Flight over Delta, so take that as you will. 

British Airways 

They were fine. I honestly have very little memory of them. 

Delta/American

I've flown both internationally, and all I have to say is, don't do it. The international airlines are so much better, why would you put yourself through all that pain???

And that's all for now folks! Hopefully more to come soon! 

~ Emery 

Packing, Mills and Roanoke, what I did wrong and what I did right. Part One, Mills

First off, let me just say that I'm not feeling too well, so I apologize if this post sounds a little loopy. Planes, plus travel, plus stress and time zone differences and lack of sleep wreck absolute havoc on my body. But on we go.

Here, I want to compare two trips that I packed for -- one where I had everything I needed, and the other one where I wanted to shove my head in my suitcase and not come out again.

The first trip was to Oakland, CA, about an hour flight away from where I live. I had decided to take Spirit Airlines, to try and save some money, and knew that if I overpacked, they were going to add on some insane fees. So, I underpacked. Rather than take a backpack, I actually took a small purse, that fell several inches under their tiny guidelines. You could call it a handbag, really. I was only going for a little over 24 hours, so I figured I could afford to travel light. I was right. It was the best bag I ever packed, and I flew through security. It felt amazing not to be tied down.

Here's what I packed.

Boarding Pass, printed out, just in case.
ID

I kept these in the pocket of my Trench Coat.
Around my waist was my favorite Sweatshirt.
I also carried a small traveler's bag with Chapstick in it, and my phone, after I'd gone through security. Actually, of all the things I wound up bringing, this was my least favorite. I had forgotten that it was missing a button, and so all of my things kept trying to fall out. I wound up moving them to my trench coat pocket instead.

I had been unsure of the sleeping situation when I got to my friend's dorm, so I had packed the trench coat and the sweatshirt as a 'in a pinch' blanket and pillow, for sleeping on the hardwood floor. Luckily, I didn't have to use them, as my friend very kindly gave up her bed for me, and made herself a blanket bed on the floor. She wouldn't move no matter how I begged her, so I gave up and borrowed her bed.

It was comfy.

I wound up using the trench coat as I was out and about as it was so lightweight and I appropriated the pockets. It also stopped me from getting as sunburned as I could have, as I sat in the California heat at Mills and rotated the burning (putting the jacket on) and the heat (taking the jacket off). Moral of the story: Trench Coats are fab.

But onwards.

I packed my wallet, of course, as well as my phone, charger, and headphones, all in one bag.

In the last minute, I threw in some Luna Bars and my birth control, which I take due to my likely Endo.

I figured I could just wait until Saturday evening to take it, but decided it was better to do it in the morning so I wouldn't forget.

I had no regrets for either of my last minute items.

In a makeup bag, I put these Luna Bars, the BC, 3 Chapsticks, a hair band, a sleepmask, and ear plugs. I didn't use the latter two, but it's always good to have them, just in case!

I had my toothbrush, plus it's cap, and some travel sized toothpaste and deodorant, which I put in a plastic bag together.

I hadn't tried the travel sized deodorant before, and frankly, no one needs to because the regular one is under 3 oz, but I was glad I had it. It saved me from last minute grabbing my regular deodorant, so I had more things packed. Same with the toothbrush and paste. 10/10 would do again.

In the makeup bag, I also put a small comb, since a brush wouldn't fit. Also a good choice.

The bulk of the bag was filled with a fancy dress for the graduation, which was rolled with its bra and underwear.

I decided I would sleep in my clothes that night to save space. I dressed in comfy pants, a comfy shirt, and flats. It worked very well.

Lastly, I packed my friend's grad gift, a necklace, into the bag and put a hair band around it to keep it from opening in the flight.

The only thing I wished I'd brought was a small book. It would have totally fit, and the time before my flight took off was boring. But, you live and you learn.

And that's it!

My master packing list for a super short trip!

Until part two --

~ Emery