In early 2023, I filmed a very low-budget YouTube video with Julian and his brother Josh in a San Antonio hotel room after podcasting with former POW's from Vietnam. That video took all of an hour to film, with most of the time spent on setup and breakdown. I explained the items of a bag I carry every day to and from work, while on trips, and in and out of airports. Little did we know that video would go viral and surpass other higher-budgeted and more labor-intensive productions you can find online. A look at the comments section reveals why the video was well received. Viewers said they adopted some of the items carried for their kits and recognized how practical everything chosen was. Similar to that video, this blog is about practicality. Travel tips and information to ensure smooth travels locally and globally. Since many of you travel for work, travel for training, and travel with your family, here are my first installments of travel tips that could help you out when you are away from home.
Planning
Travel websites make it easy to book travel, but how much thought goes into researching flights, hotels, parking, etc? Spend any time in an airport, and you'll see people running for gates when connecting flights are cutting it close and when flights get delayed due to weather. Learn to plan where you want to connect and how much time you'll need from departing one plane to boarding another. Consider if you are traveling alone, how much baggage you'll need, where you are seated on the flight, and how slow people are getting off the plane. I like to travel on carriers offering two free checked bags when I travel for work, as baggage fees add up quickly. I also avoid the airports with the most cancellations and delays due to high wind and weather. You can quickly look up these stats online when planning layovers. All of this comes down to planning, and there will be more to come in future blogs regarding additional factors you should consider.
Packing
Packing is an art form. My girlfriend likes to laugh at my ability to gauge the weight of a bag within a couple of pounds just by bouncing it a bit by my side. For most travelers, 50 pounds (or whatever the max baggage weight is for your airline) is more than enough to carry your travel clothing and gear. Travelers get into trouble when they want to bring back souvenirs, wet clothing, and gear but arrive with a bag close to the 50-pound threshold. It is easier to wear your heaviest clothes and boots on the plane. Many carriers allow pillows to fly for free, meaning you can pack clothes inside a pillowcase if you need more space. You can also learn to source specific items at your destination to avoid taking up space in your bags. The list goes on and on and on with packing. If you aren't lucky guessing bag weight and you don't have a scale at home, you'll end up being the traveler who is sorting bags at the airport scale.
Snack Money Savings
You either eat to live or live to eat. When you eat snacks from the airport, you eat at a high cost. Double or triple-price snacks add up quickly and are available outside the airport at any supermarket or convenience store. TSA is fine with most food brought through security checkpoints, and your best bet is ziplock bags. That money you save adds up and can go toward better dining at your destination. Another hidden benefit of packing your snacks is knowing you are the only person to handle the bag it comes in. Think of all the travelers moving through the airport with questionable hygiene. Imagine tearing a corner of that bag, putting it to your mouth, and dumping the contents into your trap. Would you be dumping in germs, too?
Hydration
While speaking to a friend of Fieldcraft, Brian Peters, recently, we discussed the effects of flight on the human body. When that airliner pressurizes, what altitude is it pressurized to? There is a reason why you need to hydrate more on a flight, yet so many people are content with the small amount of hydration they get from less-than-adequate beverages served. Bring a water bottle and hydrate before, during, and after your trip. Remember that you can't travel through TSA with a bottle of water, but you can take an empty bottle with you and fill it once you have passed security. If you're worried about water quality, you can travel with a GRAYL water filter that will treat water from airports worldwide and make it safe to drink. Plan on drinking a liter more than usual for an 8 hour trip. You'll probably need to use the bathroom, so either pick that aisle seat or prepare to wake up the fly trap blocking your path to the aisle.
Notice this blog is not "Tourist Tips" but "Travel Tips". Tourists look out of place while travelers experience their destination like a local. If you strive to be a Jason Bourne "gray man" or undercover cool guy, take a tip from travelers who do it for a living, for work, and play. More tips are coming soon!