Tag: country

Plane Fashion

Plane travel. But make it fashion.

Back in the day, people got dressed up for flying. Think about it, it’s a huge metal container propelling people through the air from one destination to the next. It’s kind of a big deal, so I understand making this an event. Now, I’m not saying you need to go to this extreme. Because, really, it was an extreme. But cute and comfortable travel fashion looks have been all the rage. I’m an advocate for looking your best while traveling, mainly because I have activities planned the second the plane lands, but also you see a lot of people and putting your best foot forward isn’t the worst idea.

The one day I decided to look like garbage for a quick hop from Spain to Portugal, my flight was cancelled and we ended up staying a night in Lisbon. AKA we got ready in the airport bathroom… Travel cute my friends.

Anyway, my plane “lewk” consists of a few basic things. A scarf, boots or sneakers, leggings, layers, and a light jacket.

First, lets talk about things to avoid…

  1. Heels or backless shoes
  2. Anything constricting (tight jeans, etc.)
  3. Only shorts and a tshirt
  4. Lots of jewelry

Heels and backless shoes are kind of an obvious one but I still see it every time I travel. Think worst case scenario. Plane is going down and you have to go out the emergency exit or a slide into water. Are heels comfortable or efficient in a split second escape? Do you want to take your shoes off, or have someone step on your feet and you lose a shoe, and have to walk on who knows what? It’s better to be prepared. Plus, on long haul flights your feet can swell and if compressed in a shoe and socks, it’s gunna feel a lot better than if you were wearing flip flops.

This is similar to why you would avoid anything constricting. Free movement is essential if this worst case scenario occurs. Also, you can get blood clots in your legs if you’re not moving them for an extended period of time. Wearing leggings or something with compression that is comfortable, promotes a bit of wiggling.

Now, only shorts and a tshirt? What if you get cold? What if the plane catches on fire? Add a layer of protection people.

Lastly, lots of jewelry. I got stopped behind someone in security once that had on 10 Alex and Ani bracelets. While they’re cute, she had to sit there and take all of them off to go through the metal detector. Before you go through security, think, how can I make my life easier? Then do that.

Now, for my average plane “lewk”, I consistently have a few basic things. A scarf, boots or sneakers, leggings, layers, and a light jacket.

As you can see, Lululemon Vinyasa Scarf, leather jacket, and layers. And you can bet your butt I’m wearing leggings and sneaks. My scarf, as I’ve said before, is my one must have. It’s so soft and comfortable and can be a blanket or a scarf or a wrap or a pillow. I easily get hot and cold on planes so layers is my best friend.

See, looking cute doesn’t mean an hour of hair and makeup and wearing high heels. It’s comfort and practicality that will save your sanity. Now remember, next time you’re getting ready for a flight, think, is this making my life easier or harder? If you have to really think about it, ditch it! You’ll thank me later.

Why Paris Should be on your Bucket List

The city of love.

And amazing food. I honestly never had any interest in going to Paris, until somehow, the flight was booked. Long story short, the cheapest way for my friends and I to get to Europe for our cruise starting in Barcelona, was flying to Paris. Another long story short, we ended up going to Amsterdam first, then Paris. So after an overnight flight to Amsterdam, spending a full day there, and a *late arriving* overnight bus to Paris, we made it. And then after an amazing Parisian breakfast, we fell asleep in the hotel lobby.

file2-6After also getting ready in the hotel lobby, we headed out for a self guided walking tour of the city. We walked around the Louvre buildings and gardens, strolled alone the Seine looking at little boutiques, and obviously looked for the best macaroons and crepes.

We made our way to the train with some mini bottles of wine and spent the rest of the day exploring the Palace of Versailles. Let me tell you, Versailles was unbelievably beautiful. Go there if you have the chance. And make sure to look up, my favorite part was the ceilings.

After our long day of walking through Marie Antoinette’s former place of residence, we ended up at Notre-Dame at night. The detail on this building was also incredible. When you see a new place like this, you almost get lost looking up. The sheer detail and intricacies and the age, it makes you fall in love. You feel that deep aching sensation in your chest because of it’s beauty and you feel just so lucky to be able to see this other side of the world. That’s how I felt in all of Paris. Every corner we turned, every monument we saw, every single second of exploration felt like bliss.file-10

Our second day was filled to the brim with Parisian delicacies, champagne, and gorgeous architecture. In the morning I roamed by myself and toured museums. After a few euphoric hours, I met my friends at the Arc de Triomphe while drinking amazing espresso. We got to eat bread and macaroons under the Eiffel Tour, we drank champagne around the city and on a cheesy tourist bus, and played bubble soccer on Tour Montparnasse. (Tip: Tour Montparnasse is the best view in the city and of the city. I’m sure the top of the Eiffel Tour is beautiful, but nothing beats being able to watch the Eiffel Tour sparkle from afar. And pro tip: go for sunset!)

We did eventually have to go, an early wake up call and a cold uber ride to the airport, and Paris was in our rear view. For a city I had no intention of ever visiting, I’m glad I went. Sometimes the places not on your list turn out to be your favorite. Je t’aime, Paris. I’ll see you soon.

 

 

Stand Under a Waterfall

Chasing waterfalls.

There are some incredible sites in Iceland, and this was one of my favorites. This waterfall is called Seljalandsfoss. What makes this fall so special, is that you can walk around and under it. Being able to get up close and personal with rushing glacial water is such an amazing experience. Mother nature is fierce.

If you can ever make it to Iceland, this should be number 1 on your list. We lucked out with some amazing weather which added some beautiful sparkling rainbows around the fall. Remember to wear some gore-tex or water resistant clothing, you will get wet. You’re getting up close and personal to a huge waterfall. Seriously, Iceland is magic. Don’t delay your trip here.

30 Before 30: 9 down, 21 to go!

See the Northern Lights

Iceland is Magic.

Seeing the Northern Lights has always been my DREAM. I live in Michigan and I have been trying to stalk them as long as I can remember. Summers on Harsen’s Island spent staring at the night sky, driving an hour north in the hopes the light pollution is low enough, sitting around bonfires in Traverse City checking the Aurora app… It’s been a real obsession of mine.

One of the reasons I wanted to go to Iceland in September is the increased percentage of the aurora borealis having a high KPI index. The week we went, my friend even planned it so we would have a few days with no moon, giving us even more of a chance to see the magnetic ribbons. Another plus for us, not for the environment, was the solar activity. A few large flares occurred which made the magnetic fields even stronger. The first glimpse I had at the most magical site was on the plane to Iceland. While flying over Greenland we got to witness a few minutes of the dancing lights. It was bright and beautiful and filled me with excitement.

I was obviously hoping to see more throughout my trip  but was so seriously stunned, I would have been so happy even if that was it. Somehow, I racked up enough good karma to see them two more times. The third time was in a campground parking lot. It was cloudy, dark, rainy, cold… But we looked up and saw them dancing again for a few more minutes and again, it was pure magic.

The second time was the most incredible. They were so bright I even got some photos of them with the sunset on my iPhone – which getting a northern lights photo on a phone is nearly impossible. Anyway, after driving all day we decided to take the 2 mile hike out to the Sólheimasandur plane crash. Quick history lesson, this is a US Navy DC-3 airplane that was forced to land on the black sand beach after running out of fuel. It crashed and thankfully everyone survived. This happened in 1973 and it was difficult to get to in the past, therefore it remains in place. This spot has become famous to photographers from around the globe because of its unique characteristics and story. This is why my friend wanted to make the trek. I was very interested to see the scene so I excitedly agreed to tag along. We hiked out at sunset, took probably 40 minutes, and in the best stroke of luck, we ended up being joined by only one other couple, meaning all shots with no people. (Helllllls yeah).

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Me at the Sólheimasandur crash

After getting in some amazing light painting, we started to see the streaks. They came up so quick, just as we were saying “I hope we see the lights”. The appeared strong and moving rapidly. Everyone started shooting away and we were so excited when they decided to stay out and play for a while longer. My friend got his shot of the northern lights behind the plane, I got my shot of the lights and the mountains and the beach and the sunset and the plane and myself. You should absolutely check out Taylor’s work also. We were able to take in their beauty for hours uninterrupted and it’s the most beautiful vision I will ever see. The photos will never do it justice but I hope it inspires you to chase these lights.

30 Before 30: 7 down, 23 to go!

Zombie Pub Crawl

Night of the living dead.

Halloween is the best season, holiday, month, state of mind. When it’s Halloween season, I will seek out the best spooky experiences. I learned about the Zombie Pub Crawl from my cousin who lives in Downtown Minneapolis. This is the largest “zombie” gathering in the world and is a HUGE pub crawl. Previous years have been held in Downtown Minneapolis, this year it was held at Hall’s Island and the historic Grain Belt brewery complex.

Dressing up for this isn’t mandatory but don’t be lame. If you’re going, dress up. I honestly looked like such an amateur compared to 99.9% of people there! I went with m cousin and his girlfriend. Our makeup was slightly last minute but I was pretty proud of our accomplishments! You would absolutely feel left out if you didn’t participate. Plus, they have a costume contest with first place winning free VIP tickets to the crawl for LIFE.

So, because this is titled a Zombie Pub Crawl (ZPC), I assumed like last years it would befile-2 a pub crawl. As in, walking to different pubs/bars dressed as a zombie WITH other zombies. When we got to the entrance of the ZPC, it was in an enclosed park with three stages, roughly 15 food trucks, 4 bar tents, some entertainment in the form of costumed wrestlers in a ring, and a small carnival area. I did learn later that the ZPC was partnered with three local bars, staples of the surrounding area – and not inside the actual grounds. We didn’t get to explore these bars but we had an amazing time at the festival! (A more appropriate term for what it was). I was obviously a little bummed that it wasn’t a real “Pub Crawl” but the added bars and entertainment made up for it.

Drinks were fairly priced, entertainment was incredible, Shaq was the DJ so you can assume how that was… And the BEST part is that the iconic Grain Belt Brewery created a beer for the event called the Zombie Pub Crawl from the Brain Belt Brewery. Spoiler alert, it was amazing. I would absolutely recommend this event to anyone in the Minneapolis area or surrounding. It was definitely worth the trip from Michigan to experience this unique party.

Why you Should Road Trip Iceland

Driving through Europe.

I have been out of the US before, let’s be clear on that. Have I ever gone anywhere other than an all inclusive resort in Mexico or right across the border in Canada? No. (FYI I live in MI so getting to the Canadian border takes 30 minutes – not as exciting as other parts of Canada mostly because of how accessible it is.)

Anyway, long story short, I somehow ended up on a trip to Iceland with an old friend. We’ve known each other for 10 years but haven’t talked as much recently. Spoiler alert, felt like 0 time had passed. Basically, I was bit HARD by the travel bug last year. I recently looked at Skyscanner and found a cheap flight to Reykjavik. Not knowing ANYTHING about Iceland, I posted on Facebook and said, “I want to go to Reykjavik!”. (This was after googling Iceland and seeing the gorgeous country). A few people commented on it saying they were going to Iceland, a few said where the hell is that, and others said that’s on my bucket list! My friend, Taylor, messaged me and said “Hey, I’m planning on going in September for photography and northern lights and stuff. Wanna come? It will help me split my costs”. Um, yes. Basically we booked it a week later.

Votnajökull National ParkFirst thing you need to know about Iceland, transportation while in the country isn’t as expensive as you would think IF you’re renting. If you’re not, good luck. A bus, taxi, etc… all pricey. Plus, having a person waiting for us with the rental was so nice. We spent

almost $700 for a car and camper van for a week. We also added on WiFi and a plug extender. So $350 a person for a week of traveling, lodging, and internet, not bad.

Driving Iceland is also a plus because your plans can change at any minute. You have flexibility so you don’t have to be anywhere at any time. This was so helpful! We added things onto our trip that locals recommended and being able to drive a little further at night to a different campground, was so nice and easy. Wake up at Skogafoss and be the first person there. Eat breakfast while looking at Vatnajökull. Go to bed right next to a black sand beach… There’s nothing cooler.

So, cost, experience, and flexibility, makes driving Iceland worth it. I would recommend this over a hotel or AirBnB any day.

Global Entry

Plus TSA Pre-Check.

This is one of the best travel investments ever created. First things first – what is global entry? US Customs and Border Protection states it is a “program that allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low risk travelers upon arrival in the United States”. The benefits for this include no processing lines, no paperwork, access to expedited entry benefits in other countries, reduced wait times. Basically – skip customs. Yes, you can still be selected for additional screening, but it will save you a lot of time and hassle.

To get global entry you have to apply and pay a fee. You will fill out extensive information about yourself and confirm the start of a background check. If you are approved from here on, a few weeks later you will have to have an in-person interview where they ask you questions, take your finger prints, and let you know your acceptance or denial.

My friend did her interview with US Customs and Border Patrol at the airport. I did mine at the Enrollment Center under the Ambassador Bridge connecting Detroit and Canada. It was quick and painless and I got approved that day.

Another bonus with having global entry is that your known traveler ID gets you TSA pre-check. So basically all my domestic flights that were already booked, I just added my known traveler number and got TSA pre-check added to all my boarding passes. No taking off shoes, removing liquids, body scanners… It makes a frequent flyer’s life so much easier.

Not just US citizens can have global entry. If you’re a citizen of Argentina, India, Colombia, U.K., Germany, Panama, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, or a Mexican National – you’re in luck. You are eligible.

Reasons you may not be eligible; false or incomplete information on your application, having been convicted of a crime, being found in violation of any customs regulations, or if you’re part of any ongoing investigation.

Global entry is more prevalent than other services that offer similar expedited experiences. There is Clear, FastTrack, Nexus, etc – but I would recommend global entry. Your $100 fee gives you global entry for 5 years.

This is 100% worth it from my own personal experience. If you have the desire to travel, do yourself a favor and apply!