An American in Menton: Thea's Travel Tips

As you may have seen from my previous blog posts, I've done a fair amount of going around with a friend named Thea, who's also an exchange student.

I like to think I've done a fair amount of travelling in my lifetime, but it's nothing compared to her. She was born in Holland and lived there until moving to the States at around age 10. She spent the three months before coming here in Egypt, with a brief Netherlands break before classes started. She also is one of the most individual, witty, perceptive people I know. I've learned some interesting travel tips from her, and it wouldn't be fair not to share them.

Also, check out her blog here.

Tips:

Instead of taking liquid shampoo/conditioner, go with solid shampoo bars. Easier to pack, lighter, small, and you don't have to worry about them spilling. She uses the ones from Lush. I picked up one of my own when we were in Nice once, and have used it to great effect. But according to Thea, they last 3x as long as a normal shampoo bottle. They also come in different varieties for different kinds of hair.

I got the lavender juniper kind, for hair that gets oily quickly. So far I'm really happy with it, although it does quite live up to the saleswoman's claim that I can cut down to only washing my hair every other day. This solid shampoo was also definitely handy for my other travels. I've taken it to Istanbul and around Italy, and avoided having to deal with a big bottle that might leak, or using only bad hotel shampoo.

2. Overstuffed suitcases are more likely to get opened by TSA, because when they're densely packed it's harder to distinguish what's inside them purely by x-ray. That said, if you know you need to be carrying your luggage by yourself, or aren't going for very long, a travel backpack is often a better choice. This was just a one-night trip in Turkey, so I wasn't wearing my full hiking backpack, but look! With the scarf, you can't even tell that I have a backpack on!

3. I already roll my clothes to save space when packing, but Thea took it a step further. If you're going to be living out of a suitcase or a backpack, roll your clothes based on all those you would need for one day (including underwear and pajamas and socks, etc.). That was you don't have to destroy your entire suitcase to get to the jeans down at the bottom. Also, this will help with planning outfits and packing an appropriate amount of clothes, particularly for us girls who take an entire closet for a weekend.

4. This one I love, even if it makes me feel like a hobo: if it's raining and your shoes aren't waterproof, wrap your feet in plastic bags before you put your shoes on. #Totalhobomove, but I've used it to great effect in Torino and Istanbul. I didn't bring rainboots with me to France--they were too big and bulky to pack. And in Menton it hasn't really been a problem, because even when it rains it's pretty warm. But elsewhere it was FRIGID, and my leather boots are getting old and letting some slush in around the edged.

You can't even tell! And you know I wouldn't be smiling if my toes were wet...

Honestly, this trick reminds me a lot of sailing--it's just like wearing a drysuit. The bags don't keep your feet from getting cold, and they don't keep the water from getting in your shoes, but they do keep your skin dry. This plus a solid pair of wool socks (see my post on Mes Achats de Nice) will keep your toes both dry and warm.

5. If you need something to collect from your travels, think about collecting sugar packets. They're free, they're readily available every time you stop for food, so no need for time wasted looking for them, and they're usually written in the local language. People think it's cool to say "hello" in every language known to man? Knowing how to say "sugar" is infinitely cooler (and less utilitarian)... Sucre, zucchero, Zucker, azucar, سكر

6. Last one for today: check out the supermarkets. Not only is it way cheaper than eating out for every meal, it also gives you a real insight into the local culture.

From Turkey, here is ayran (yogurt, water, and salt drink--don't confuse it with milk!).