The Best & Worst Parts of Traveling

waiting. 
This has got to be the worst part of traveling. First, you spend months counting down the calendar anticipating that amazing light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel day your vacation finally comes. Then, the day finally arrives. This is it! So long, stress... Sayonara work! Arrivaderci real world, I'm going off the grid! But... wait. You get to wait some more! Airports are one big waiting central, with ticket lines, security lines, lines to get your 10 magazines, lines to board the plane, the annoying wait to deplane, the never-ending wait to 10,000 feet so you can finally turn on TaySwift on your iPod.... It's all one big waiting scam. But the worst has to be when you're forced to watch that stupid metal carousel circle around and around and around for what feels like hours. "YES! There it is! My bag! Finally!!!!" Oh wait, some lady grabs it... not your bag. Keep waiting. Finally got your bag? OK! The wait is over! The wait is over! You can finally start relaxing!..... As long as you don't have to wait for a train, your car rental shuttle or drive a whole other hour to your hotel only to wait more for the 4pm hotel check in. Traveling is exhausting.

relaxing.
Relaxing is the tradeoff to all that exhausting waiting. Although it may seem that you have to jump through a million hoops to get there, by the time you're on that beach lounge in the sand, margarita in hand, we seem to easily forget about all the hassle that travel ensues, as all that waiting begins to pay off. So, whether you're relaxing with bronzing skin and melting margaritas, a bottle of wine and a warm fireplace, a gondola and italian music, or simply a good book on the cobblestone streets of Charleston... make time to enjoy the quiet break away from reality, wherever you are. After all, relaxing is what vacationing is for. 

freaky foods. 

hmm.. no thanks

I'm gonna go ahead and say most of us don't love to be surprised when it comes to the food we eat. OK OK, I get that sometimes this can be one of the best parts of traveling, tasting some exotic foods that truly represent a culture... I get that. But, I personally would like to find a balance between exotic/unique and full-on Fear Factor.  I don't really want to mistakenly find out I've eaten bear tongue or fried alligator feet (both have happened, in Finland and Africa). There are some pretty gross foods around the world, and props to you if cow eyeballs become your new favorite office snack...but I think I'll stick to my american string cheese. 

Now this is the kind of cultured food I like. (in Mykonos, Greece)

Although I'm not the most adventurous when it comes to all the local 'delicacies', I must admit that the sushi I've had in Japan was the best in the world, nevermind that I didn't know what I was ordering, aside from asking for anything with "abokado" (an actual japanese word for avocado) and watching them create these gorgeous raw masterpieces that featured god-knows-what along with my abokado.. but dang was that sushi delicious. So my travel advice to you is this: definitely step out of your comfort zone a little, don't pass over a foreign authentic place for a McDonald's anytime soon, but take a pocket dictionary with you just to make sure you know if what that Spanish bar is serving you is some good ol' chicken wings, or if it's "criadillas".....bull testicles (yep, they're really popular.. ole!).

doing things you can't do at home.

Why not?

This may seem a little contradictory to my don't-go-eating-things-you'll-regret paragraph, but I believe doing things we can't do at home is one of the best parts of traveling. If you go to a new place and immediately fall into your same old at-home routine, you're not doing it right. Traveling is all about trying new things! Whether that's learning something new, like surfing or scuba diving, or doing something adventurous, like skydiving, ziplining or parasailing. Take advantage of your time in a foreign country or in a new city to take yourself to new heights of experience. It's an amazing feeling to learn something new, even if it's something small like how to make a lei in Hawaii  or something lifelong like an Italian cooking lesson.  These are unique experiences that will shape your travels, so, in the wise words of nike, just do it. 

unpacking.

Sorry. Too busy daydreaming to unpack. 

Unpacking is by far my least favorite aspect of traveling. I dread it an unhealthy amount. I will usually put it off as long as possible, just eyeing that suitcase in the corner of the room and wishing I could go back to the excitement of packing instead of the annoying chore that is unpacking all my dirty clothes. My bikini still has sand on it... My coverups still smell like the ocean...my favorite dress has a mai tai stain on it. I'm gonna go cry and look at pictures of my trip for over/under three hours now. OK bye. It's inevitable that unpacking is going to remind you of the trip-that-was, and when your vacation is over and it's back to the real world , this is the most annoying reality check ever. 

packing.
Packing, on the other hand, is an amazing part of traveling. It's full of excitement for your trip... and, of course, shopping.  I would be lying to you if I said I didn't start packing for vacations weeks before them, at least in the form of planning my outfits in my head. I already have all my outfits picked out for my trip to Hawaii in two weeks, and I wouldn't have it any other way.  I read somewhere that women, on average, spend more money on clothes for a trip than on the actual trip, which, honestly, didn't surprise me at all. New bikinis? New travel bag? New floppy hat? Travel sized beauty products? Passport cover? Maybe a new suitcase? check, check and check.  A vacay is, first and foremost, an excuse to shop. And who doesn't love the feeling of packing all those adorable new clothes you can't wait to wear? 
airports.
I have a love-hate relationship with airports. On the one hand, they are the waiting, waiting, and more waiting hells that I described earlier in this post. But, on the other hand, they are centers of excitement and chaos that you can't help but love. I've had my best people-watching moments in airports... wondering where everyone is going, what each of their stories are. And I've met and had the best conversations with the most interesting people in the airport, from army men coming home to their families after 3 years, to honeymooners, to couples traveling together after 50 years of marriage. I've met people from different countries, and I've had kind strangers help me navigate new cities. Airports connect people from all over the world, taking you to new places, or simply bringing you home. They will never cease to amaze me, even if they're sometimes the most irritating places on the planet. 

facing fears. 

Yep, that picture is me in Mauritius, Africa... hanging out with a wild lion (see that stick in my hand- that's for protection!). Something you could never do in America, and something I never thought I'd do in my life. Walk with a wild animal known for it's viciousness? Sure, why not. The the beauty of travel is that it lets you let go of your fears, trust things you wouldn't normally trust and challenge the comforts and fears you left at home. So, whether it's an uncaged lion, a sky-high zipline, a snorkel trip to Sting Ray City (awesome place in the Cayman Islands), or a 100 mph vespa ride through the crazy bustling cities of Vietnam (scariest moment of my life probably), traveling can scare us, but our memories will be all the better from those fear-facing moments. 

Yes, there are some downsides to traveling... but no matter where your travels take you, you will see things you've never seen before, experience things you never thought possible, and feel more alive than you ever have. Still sitting on your couch reading this? Get out and see the world!

XOXO,

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How to Travel in Style

I've never been able to sit still for long, and, with my undying urge to travel the world, I've stopped trying to fight it. With family all over California, my alma mater in North Carolina, and a boyfriend across the country, I'm flying all the time. It's not like I'm George Clooney or anything, but I sure do find myself Up in the Air a lot. 

Traveling, especially internationally or across the country, can be exhausting. But who wants to start their amazing vacations looking and feeling like they just pulled a college-library-style all-nighter?  With these easy tips, I'll make sure you take on your next flight like a pro and arrive in paradise looking glam, refreshed & ready for your adventure.  

drink lots of water

This is key. Water will keep you hydrated and keep your skin glowing.  I always bring an empty water bottle with me in my purse as I go through security, then fill it up on my way to the gate so I always have water with me (and don't have to waste $5 on a bottle once I'm at the gates). It's also nice so you don't have to wait an hour for the flight attendants to finally quench your thirst.

pack your moisturizer

Your skin dries out with the recycled air on the plane when you're 30,000 feet up in the sky! Don't wear too much makeup, as it will just cake up with the plane's dehydrating dry air. Your best bet is a lot of moisturizer and a smooth layer of sparingly applied foundation. And, of course, always have chapstick or lip balm.

comfortably chic

Sweats are a no-no. but that doesn't mean you necessarily have to break out your sky-high heels to fly the friendly skies. My favorite travel outfits are usually leggings and boots, a big scarf, or a casual dress. Always pack a sweater as those planes get freezing! I also like to use the sweater as something to rest my head on if I'm planning on sleeping. 

accessorize

Don't look like you fell out of bed and got thrown into a new city. Sunglasses, jewelry, and scarves can do wonders. 
I like these travel necessities:
Yoga Pants Kate Spade Pink Infinity Travel Scarf Jackery Travel Charger Aeris Memory Foam Travel Neck Pillow

relax! 

Traveling does not need to be a high-stress activity. Get lots of sleep the night before, arrive early for your flight, check your bags, cruise through security, and relax on the plane. Think of it more as a couple of hours to catch up on Revenge or Homeland instead of thinking of it as an inconvenience. Chatty Cathy or a crying baby next to you? Noise canceling headphones will be your savior. If you love movies, plan ahead and download a few onto your iPad or phone. If you love music, make sure you have your flight playlists ready to go. If tabloids are your guilty pleasure, treat yourself and buy some at the airport newstand.  Kick back, relax, and enjoy your 'me' time in the sky. If you hydrate, relax, organize and accessorize, you're guaranteed to look happy and fresh when you land, and ready for wherever your next adventure takes you. 

follow my travel tweets on twitter @jetsetchristina