Perfect Women’s Travel Pants
L.L. Bean offers a pair of pants that I feel is perfect for traveling. They are called ‘Perfect Fit Pants’, and there is a style to fit most women’s shapes as they are available in misses’ and women’s sizes. They come in traditional pants, cropped, straight leg, boot cut, and slim. What makes them perfect pants is that they wash and dry well, retain their shape thanks to the touch of Lycra in the jersey knit fabric, and come in four nice colors that traditionally go with everything – black, brown, grey and blue.
I own a black pair of the standard Perfect Fit Pants. They’ve held up over time, a modest weight gain and subsequent loss, and a handful of trips out of state. Give these pants a go. You won’t regret it.
Photo credit: malias
Traveling in Turkey Behind the Wheel
Travel in Turkey Driving to Cappadocia
This is one of a two part series on driving in Turkey.
Traveling to Turkey is fantastic. Visitors have the opportunity for many cultural and historic experiences. One adventure I wasn’t expecting in Turkey was my time behind the wheel of our rental car. Turkish drivers live on the edge with their death defying driving maneuvers. I will never forget my week of driving in Turkey. It felt like life on the edge every day.
By the second day my travel companion was enjoying the motto, “When in Turkey, live as the Turkish do.” For him that meant driving with the same insane vigor as the local drivers. For me it meant a great deal of clinging to the arm rest and closing my eyes as I gasped at the continued antics of Turkish drivers. By day two in Turkey my companion had decided I should put my driving skills to the test. I think in that moment I stopped breathing. Was he insane? Seeing he was serious and wanted me to give it a try I braved it and sped off on the mountain roads, wondering how we’d survive. His emotional support made all the difference. Yes, there were more than a few hair raising moments when Turkish drivers passed me on curves and tight roads where it seemed perfectly insane, but we survived and had an amazing adventure.
Tips I recommend for your time traveling in Turkey.
* Drive Defensively and realize you are NOT driving in America. You are driving in foreign country, where the rules are very different.
* Start with short drives to areas that feel managable.
* Drive in daylight.
* Be prepared with maps and make sure you fill up your gas tank for driving in the mountains.
Photo Credit Tricky Driving 300td.org
Follow the Rules
Whenever a group of more than two people is traveling together, the potential for missteps increase exponentially. You all should know the ‘rules’ of where you’re going and follow them. I went to Italy in 2000 in a group of 6 to see family we’d never met. The sons of the family worked for Roman public transportation, so really, there was no excuse for what happened one day. Read more
Boston Travels: Enjoying Quincy Market
There is enough budget wise stuff to do in and around here to fill a day. Boutique window shopping, street performers, amazing food (or pack a lunch), and room for kids to leap and hop are just some of the attractions. Planning a trip to include Quincy Market (Faneuil Hall Marketplace)? Make it on a Saturday, bring shopping bags and include a trip to the nearby Farmer’s Market. There are good deals all day, but visiting at the end of the day is best for two reasons — you’re not toting fresh produce all day AND the vendors are more willing to deal, because they don’t want to tote that produce back home.
Also, the Freedom Trail passes by Quincy Market and the remarkably moving Holocaust Memorial is right there as well.
Photo credit: fuzzcat
Need cheap travel gear? Consider these contractor’s bags!
Always on the lookout for affordable travel tips, I was thrilled to find these sturdy, zippered bags normally used by plumbers and other contractors to keep their gear organized. Read more
3 Travel Items You Can Buy at the Pharmacy
Tired of spending big bucks on your travel supplies? There are many places to shop affordably for things the specialty stores overcharge you for. One place that’s often overlooked is your local pharmacy chain. Read more
Ten Travel Souvenirs You Can Make with Beads
Whether strung loosely for resale or on a tribal necklace, beads are fantastic souvenir items to collect on your world travels. What’s more, the travel souvenirs you can make with beads provide a fair amount of creative diversity. Read more
9 Adventure Travel Items You Can Buy at the Hardware Store
Need a cheap place to buy some gear for your first adventure travel experience? Hit the hardware store. Box hardware stores offer great prices on numerous items suitable for adventure travel enthusiasts. Read more
Six Exercise Tips for Travelers
Been on the road for months? Finding out the “get all the exercise you need by walking” plan isn’t exactly cutting it? Nationally known fitness expert Kathy Kaehler has a few exercise tips for travelers and professional nomads alike.
One of the biggest precision fitness challenges for long term travelers doing the backpack circuit is the lack of equipment. That, and those of us in a hurry are often stuck with food choices we might not otherwise deem appropriate for staying in shape. I recently had the opportunity to chat with first lady of fitness, Kathy Kaehler about strategies travelers can use to keep things toned up during long term travel excursions. Wish I’d known these before I let everything backslide when we were on the road for six months. Oh well, next time I’ll have a shot at being prepared.
Grab a sturdy wall.
While reviewing your guide book book, map or travel brochure in the morning. Grab a sturdy wall and put your back flat against it while you slide down into a sit with your thighs parallel to the floor. This is great for strengthening your legs and tush, and doesn’t cut into your fun time at all. Since you have to set your agenda every day anyway, working in these wall sits is a seamless and equipment free way to multitask when it comes to fitness.
Use your own body as a weight.
Doing push ups on the floor, or against a wall or chair uses the natural weight of your body to maintain muscle tone while on the road without equipment.
Find a chair.
This one’s actually two tips in one. Chair are available in even the most humble of hostels. Simply squeezing in some stand up / sit down repetitions is a way to get some lower body work done with minimal gear. For those wanting to take it to the next level, using the chair to do tricep dips by gripping the edge of the seat and pushing your body weight up and down provides great intensity for travelers who are gym deprived, says Kaehler.
Don’t forget the stairs.
This tip is also a two-fer. The first (and simplest) tip is to simply take them whenever possible, avoiding elevators. The other is to use the stairs as a free piece of gym equipment while on the road. Alternate descending the steps as normal, with climbing up them sideways. Do two sets, and alternate the lead climbing leg each time to provide balance in your workout.
Do you have any tips or tricks to staying fit on the road? Let us know in the comment section!
Kathy Kaehler is a celebrity fitness trainer, busy mom of three and passionate about involving children in the process of healthy eating and cooking. You can find more of her tips and advice at KathyKaehlerFitness.Com.
Related Reading – Frugal Fitness: Twenty-Five and Half Ways to Make it Happen, Free Classroom Fitness Program for Teachers and Affordable Inside Tips from a Celebrity Personal Trainer.
Other Helpful Posts – Adventure Travel Items You Can Buy At the Hardware Store, Ten Universal Travel Skills.
Unexpected Travel Uses for S Hooks
As much as I love using caribiners, sometimes they just don’t cut it. Either there’s no hook inside the bathroom door or shower stall, or the pole that you could otherwise clip it to in order keep your bag off the ground is too wide to accommodate your caribiner at all. While these issues don’t arise that much during luxury cruises or resort-style getaways, they sure come up during long term independent or adventure travel where going light and low budget is critical. Two ways to use s-hooks to your full advantage? Read more
