Mom Most Traveled

Archive for Air travel

Protect Yourself From Bed Bugs While Traveling! #Giveaway

April 26, 2013 Air travel 19 comments

My dear friend Tonia has had a terrible time with encountering BED BUGS in HOTELS in the UNITED STATES! She got bitten at TWO separate hotels over the course of one year.
That is GROSS and you should NOT have to deal with that on your dream vaycay!

The answer? What if you had luggage that killed bedbugs?

I’m telling you, it exists. And I have one.

ThermalStrike Heated Luggage Strikes The Bed Bugs

ThermalStrike is bed bug-proof luxury luggage that uses state-of-the-art infrared heat technology to actively kill bed bugs. That means that if there ARE bed bugs in your hotel, you WON’T bring them back into your HOME, where they do breed ya’ll.

ThermalStrike Heated Luggage Is Like A Gift From The Heavens

I have the 20 inch carry-on size, but also available is a 24 inch upright.

ThermalStrike luggage is TSA and FAA compliant and features an ultra-thin heating system with an integrated thermometer that automatically shuts off after it reaches Bug Killing Stage.

ThermalStrike’s polycarbonate blend outer shell is very durable, and I LOVE the telescopic aluminum handle.

Also handy are reinforced corner guards for those gentle tosses by luggage handlers, and an integrated TSA approved lock.

Has four 360 degree rotational wheels to make it sturdy and easy to maneuver, and makes for a really interesting subway ride.

It has two independently zippered packing spaces and an extra smaller pouch to help you stay organized, maximize packability, and kill bugs. (WOOHOO!).

ThermalStrike works by plugging the luggage into any standard 110v outlet, or use a converter for European outlets.

You can get it through distributors in the pest control industries or purchase directly at www.thermalstrike.com

Check out ThermalStrike on Facebook!

To giveaway I have a Protect-A-Bed BugLock Mattress Encasement (ARV $49.99-89.99, dependent upon size)!

One winner can select the size of their choice from Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King and California King, at depths of 9, 11 and 15 inches.

To enter, leave a comment telling me what size mattress cover you need to win!

Also, go enter on my sweet friend Jenn’s blog too for a second chance!

This giveaway will close at midnight on May 5th. I will email the winner and they will have 24 hours to respond. Good luck everyone!

I was given a ThermalStrike suitcase for the purposes of this review and was not otherwise compensated. All opinions are my own, and this suitcase is awesome. Not having bed bugs is also awesome.

Why the Bulkhead Row Is Not Best for Families

tripSolo

I fly internationally several times a year. My first international flight as a parent was with a seven week old infant. I don’t know how the idea was originally planted in my mind, but like many parents I became fixated on scoring the bulkhead row for my baby.

Though I was originally told by the airline that it wasn’t possible to reserve the bulkhead row…blabbitty blah blah…I guess I wore them down by persistent and polite harassment.

I used the bulkhead row for that flight, and then again when baby was about four months old.

After that I became disillusioned with the bulkhead.

On my recent flight from Bangkok to NYC, I noticed that the bulkhead rows were crammed with families of toddlers. And they were miserable.

Here is the skinny on the bulkhead row.

Yes, there is a bassinet that can affix to the wall. BUT, did you know the bassinet has a maximum recommended capacity of about 15 pounds, and that it is only about as long as your average Build-a-Bear? It was perfect for my 7-week-old, but by 5 months he was too big. The bassinet is NOT a secure place for your infant during turbulence. It is kind of like laying your baby on a tray table with a five inch rim. I saw two families of toddlers attempting to use bassinets on this flight. Bad idea. That was seriously the “cryingest” flight I have ever been on in over a decade.
There is no where to store your things. You can’t put the diaper bag under the seat in front of you for easy access. Everything has to go in the overhead bin. This is a major inconvenience when your child needs to be constantly plied with snacks and other distractions.
There is no way to corral your mobile toddler. The animal-instinct toddler has a clear path to dart out from one wall of the plane to the other, and is steps away from the galley or toilet. When my children were walking but had not yet reached the age of reason (you know, when you can’t really tell them not to do stuff and expect them to understand you), it was far easier to keep them penned in if I could position my body between them and the aisles of the aircraft.
In the bulkhead row of an International flight, you are typically inches away from a giant movie screen that is not in your control. So even if everybody else on the plane has their own personal movie screens that they can control and turn on and off, you are at the mercy of the flickering glare.
You think you would have more legroom…but you might actually get LESS legroom in the bulkhead row. Depending on the type of plane you are on, the wall might be a mere 12 inches away from your seat.
The tray tables (and possibly TV screens) on the bulkhead row are built into the armrest. This actually shaves valuable width off of your bulkhead seat, and gives you zero mobility once the tray table is unfolded. Smooshing into your post-baby pooch. I’m just sayin’.

So before you go on a crusade to land the bulkhead you might want to reconsider if your child is mobile or bigger than a Build-A-Bear.

Knowledge is power.

Kuwait Airlines Review

February 20, 2011 Air travel, Jojo, Travel with children 5 comments

Jojo and I made MomMostTraveled history recently when we flew Kuwait Airlines for the first time.

The flight was from Bangkok to Kuwait, Kuwait to London, London to JFK (NYC).

I read many grumpy reviews about the Kuwait Airlines planes being old and out of date, with repairs needed. So I wasn’t surprised when our TV screens didn’t work on the BKK-> Kuwait flight.

Jojo was able to move to an empty seat and watch a movie before returning to nap next to me.

Fail #2; the vegetarian meals I had preordered did not make it to the flight, which might have been the fault of Orbitz.com. Luckily, both meals served on this flight were vegetarian friendly. The first was some kind of noodles with exactly 3 shrimp on top, so I was able to just avoid the shrimp. That came with a grilled chicken and curry sandwich (not vegetarian). The breakfast meal had two options, one of which was an omelet (meat free). All meals are halal and alcohol is not served on Kuwait Airlines.

When we got to Kuwait, the airport was clean but unexciting. We bought roasted mixed nuts, candy coated almonds, and some nugat candy, all locally made, fresh, and delicious. Seriously those nuts were out-o-sight!

The Kuwait to London flight departed about 30 minutes behind schedule, but this did not affect our arrival time some how.

This flight was a step above the previous, because 1) our TV screens worked!

and

2)we started out with tea and chocolate muffins!

Food makes me so crazy happy on these marathon flights.

TV screen at each seat:

The next meal (yay, meal!), Jojo had Chicken Biriyani with Dakoos, pita bread, apple pie, and salad. I had a Vegetarian Korma with Pilaf rice and Dhal Makhani.

I know, doesn’t it sound fancy? The food on Kuwait Airlines is stellar!

During a quick stop in London, we went to a shop where Jojo found a Gary Pez dispenser he had to have, and we got a granola bar and a Haribo kiddie mix (Children love it so…).

Shortly into the flight, Jojo fell asleep and remained konked out for about six hours.

I passed the time by writing, staring into space, watching a movie that made me cry (like…I cried a lot. My mind might have been going at this point), singing (out loud…quietly…yeah I was getting loopy), doing some calisthenics in the bathroom, and eating stuff.

Meal time again! Jojo slept through this one. I was served a chickpea curry and dhal, pita bread, fruit, and salad, and yogurt, which I saved for Jojo since I can’t have dairy.

I was sad about my special meal being MIA because of my dairy prohibition. I probably did inadvertently consume some dairy, which I paid dearly for when I arrived in NYC.

Oh, snack time! Pimento cheese sandwich, cream cheese sandwich, two dumplings that had sour cream and mashed potatoes inside, Scottish shorbread, and a spanktopita!

Jojo never did eat his Chicken Tikka Masala.

New York City…TOTALLY FREEZING!

But I’m so glad we made it, and Kuwait Airlines proved to be a very good budget friendly choice.

The flight attendants were very courteous, and I really liked their pinstripe uniforms!

I would fly them again!

Wordlock Luggage Locks

February 10, 2011 Air travel, Bags and luggage, Reviews, Travel with children No comments

Wordlock® is a combination lock that uses letters and word combinations instead of numbers.

The Wordlock 4-Dial Luggage Lock is a great option for travel; you can make up to 10,000 different letter combinations.

We have a Wordlock bicycle lock as well, and have used easy combinations that my 6-year-old can remember, such as "BATS" (because of his Batman enthusiasm) or "RIDE".

Coordinate your luggage locks with you luggage colors! You can get the Wordlock 4-Dial Luggage Lock in pink, green, silver, red and black.

Wordlock Luggage Locks are TSA-accepted and Travel Sentry approved, allowing airport security to inspect luggage without the use of bolt cutters – an important feature since many travelers are not aware that they can lock their luggage.

Get your Wordlock Luggage Locks at retailers nationwide including Kmart, Target, Menards, Fred Meyer and select Lowe’s, True Value Hardware, Amazon.com and Wordlock.com for a SRP of $8.99.

The Racktrap: Exactly What It Sounds Like

January 18, 2011 Air travel, Mom stuff, Reviews, Travel with children 2 comments

On the movies, busty women are always hiding stuff in their bra.

Full disclosure, I can probably still buy bras in the Juniors department. I am a small person by every dimension, and I could definitely not hide a revolver in my (air-quotes) “cleavage”.

But! With The Racktrap, a special wallet made to put in the cup of your bra, you can safely stash everyday essentials including cash, credit cards and ID.

Why would you want to do that?

Well, say you are going for a jog. Or maybe you are in a big bad city and someone might steal your purse on the subway.

I can bet no pick pocket is going to be able to “pick” anything out of your bra without many people noticing.

Professional stand-up comedienne Shawn Pelofsky was concluding her performances on an international cruise when she found herself in Barcelona, Spain. She took her cash and credit cards out of her wallet and put them in her Racktrap before heading out for sightseeing. When attempting to get on the subway with friends, she was jostled by a man, who distracted her and stole her wallet out of her purse, racing out of the train as the doors closed.

“I recommend this product for anyone who travels overseas and wants to avoid thieves that you read about in travel books,” said Pelofsky. “The Racktrap saved my money and my vacation.”

You can buy The Racktrap in a Fashion Three pack of Black Lace, White Lace and Nude Lace ($15.95), Water-Resistant Sport Version ($9.95) or Special Edition Gold ($7.95).

Cheap and useful! If you wear a bra (or know someone who does), think of the possibilities!

Wings of Nature Organic Vegan Snack Bars

January 2, 2011 Air travel, Eating No comments

Wings of Nature snack bars from www.freshharvestproducts.com are organic, vegan, and gluten free wholesomeness.

Wings of Nature snack bars are sweetened with agave and organic brown rice syrup, and come in three varieties.

The Espresso flavor combines real organic coffee beans, nuts, cocoa, and raisins sweetened with organic Agave syrup and organic brown rice syrup.

Almond Raisin contains organic nuts, seeds, and dried fruits blended with organic Agave syrup and organic brown rice syrup sweeteners.

Cranberry contains real organic coffee beans, nuts, and raisins, sweetened with organic Agave syrup and organic brown rice syrup.

Give these a try when you need a healthy, portable option!

Follow @wings_of_nature on Twitter and Wings of Nature on Facebook!

11:11 Enterprises Passport Holder Giveaway

December 1, 2010 Air travel, Favorite Things, Giveaways, Reviews, Travel with children 30 comments

11:11 Enterprises is a handmade accessories company with all kinds of fun artistic wallets, cardholders, passport cases and even condom cases.

I got a super cool cardholder that I like to show off when I whip out my business cards.

I had a hard time choosing a design because there are so many awesome ones (naturally), but in the end the Orange Bird Map won my heart.

You know you want it!

Enter to win FOUR passport holders! You can choose the designs you want, and share the love with members of your family! The combined retail value of the four passport holders is about $64.

1.) To enter for your chance to win, “like” 11:11 Enterprises on Facebook, and let me know you did in the separate comments.

2.) Visit the 11:11 Enterprises shop and tell me a design that catches your eye.

3.) Email subscribers get an extra entry for as long as their subscription is active.

Already a subscriber? Leave me a separate comment on this post to let me know you’re interested in this giveaway.

Not yet a subscriber? Subscribe to Mom Most Traveled by Email (Only verified subscriptions are entered for all the giveaways.)

4.) Twitter about this giveaway (include a link to this post, and @MomMostTraveled) and comment here with your Twitter name. (once daily)

5.) Blog about this giveaway, including a link to this post and the 11:11 Enterprises shop!

This giveaway is open to those with a US mailing address.

This contest will close on December 11, 2010, at midnight CST.

Check out the 11:11 blog! 11:11 on Facebook! And and 11:11 artist’s site JamilaStarwater.com! You can even shop 11:11 on Amazon!

Yak Pak

September 19, 2010 Air travel, Bags and luggage, Favorite Things, Reviews No comments

Nearly a year ago, I got a Yak Pak Megu handbag.

These sturdy bags with their distinctive array of fabric designs have a life time guarantee, and I am presently a YAK PAK FAN FOR LIFE!

Each bag is Vegan friendly, featuring premium covered YKK zippers, nylon American-made thread, water resistant backed 600D fabric, and 420D nylon pack cloth lining.

My Yak Pak Megu (made of cotton canvas and lined with satin) has literally been around the world with me, scoring me compliments in New York, Boston, LA, Thailand, Laos, Singapore…and probably wherever I will go next.

Yak Pak has many styles of bags, including their new Mesh Backpack and Sling Bag.

I have found both the Mesh Backpack (mine is white) and the Sling Bag (black bias check plaid) to be useful for toting things while riding my bicycle.

The biggest challenge of being without a car is buying groceries.

I put heavy things, like canned goods and liquids, in my bicycle basket and fragile things, like loaves of bread or fresh produce, in the Mesh Backpack or Sling Bag.

I like that they are lightweight and breathable to give my groceries some air.

Both bags are washable, so when a container of stir fried veggies leaked inside of the Sling Bag, it was no major crisis. Plus the juice didn’t leak OUT of the sling bag, so it was all contained.

Yak Pak bags are distinctive and sturdy…kind of the Mullet of bags: business by design, party in the pattern. Oh. Yeah.

Yak Pak has recently added 26 new patterns to their our regular roster of bags.

The majority of Yak Pak bags are affordably priced under $45.

I love this cross body bag (mine is the “Scrawl Feathers” pattern) because it is small enough to look purse-like, but large enough to hold a few books or my netbook.

And this giant tote bag, which I like to call the “rainbow ska bag” (*the official Yak Pak name for this pattern is “multi check”) has become my standard “personal item” for airline carry-on.

It is large enough to hold my netbook, my purse, a jacket, scarf, and big headphones, plus it has a zipper closure so that everything doesn’t dump out when I cram it under the seat in front of me to prepare the cabin for take-off.

I also use it as a “teacher bag” at school. It is hip like that, right?

It is bright and colorful, and no one has ever said to me, “Excuse me, miss, but you seem to have picked up my giant multicolored checkered tote bag by mistake.”

Follow @YakPak on twitter and fan YakPak on facebook, check out the company site at http://yakpak.com, and get you some!

Technorati Tags: vegan friendly bags,Yak Pak,cruelty free purses,reviews,Mom Most Traveled,lifetime guarantee bags,Yak Pak Megu

Airport Casual

August 16, 2010 Air travel, CanCan, Children's fashion 4 comments

While I don’t go to airports seeking fashion inspiration, GOOD GRIEF, AMERICA!

People go about in clothing that they have no business leaving the house in!

Seriously, if I wasn’t home alone, I would even put on a robe over some of the “outfits” my fellow flyers wear in the name of “comfort”.

This is something I am particularly sensitive to as a Westerner having spent time in Southeast Asia.

I can understand a fair amount of Thai and Lao, and I can hear their impressions of the disgustingly “casual” western tourist.

The phrase “falaang kee nok” sums it up: it means, uh, “bird dookie Westerner.” Yeah. Wash your hair, you nasty backpacker!

But back to air travel fashion faux paux. The most common offense: sweat suits. The airport is not a fitness club.

CIMG2293 I promise that you will not be on a treadmill at any point during your flight.

Even worse: sweat suit in which the jacket is the only top to the ensemble. Are you seriously naked under that jacket? Have you no shame?

There is a lot of area that exists between “formal wear” and “should only be sold in the sleepwear section”.

Yeah, I said it.

You can in fact dress both comfortably AND presentably.

That way, fellow travelers don’t have to look away hurriedly to avoid embarrassment.

I even dress my children presentably to fly. I feel that it shows respect to those around us, plus if you dress like a hobo, you aren’t going to get to upgrade to business class.

Keys for airport casual dressing success:

Consider the ways you will be moving: sitting, bending to pick up luggage, walking to your gate.
Choose a top and bottom that covers your muffin top and butt crack in all of these positions, at all times.

Think of clothing that can give you that “sweat pants feeling” without the “sweat pants look”.

Ladies, how about a loose top or short dress over leggings or a below-the-knee knit skirt? This will do way more for your figure than a velour sweat suit or yoga pants.

Inspiration: Wandermom’s first foray away from the world of flying in yoga pants.

Men, you are not off the hook. Step away from the track pants. Get some trousers that fit properly. Is there enough fabric in the butt region to hold a sizeable load? Yeah. That means they are too big.

Footwear can meet all of these requirements without being crocs or uggs:
(Seriously) Easy-on, easy-off, comfortable to walk in, and looks awesome.
As an expat I missed the whole Ugg boots trend and am truly horrified to see them paired with…well, anything, except a dog sledding uniform.

Consider the climate change. And I don’t mean global warming.
I’m talking about when the cabin is too hot to breathe before take off, and a frozen tundra two hours later.
Solutions: a structured blazer, a cardigan sweater, a fashionable scarf.
Not solutions: knitted afghan, nylon jacket, ski coat.

Accessories are important.
Consider: is this going to set off the metal detector? Is this bag big enough for my travel documents and snacks, yet small enough to be my carry-on?
Don’t forget sunglasses for when you are leaving the airport. I hate hailing a cab when I can’t see.

CIMG2298

Guiding questions for selecting clothing to wear on an airplane:

-Would I normally wear this in daylight? Or is this outfit better for watching movies by myself on my futon?

-There will be people in the airport. Do I want people do see me while wearing this?

-When I wear this, does any part of my body hang out in an inappropriate way, in any position I might expect to have to maneuver?

-Might people assume that I am on my way to the gym or track meet?

-Will this look inspire airport and flight personnel to treat me with respect? Or disdain?

-Could these clothes be considered culturally or morally offensive at my destination?

Your assignment: next time you travel, look smart! Share your triumph with me.

Get inspiration from real people for whom fashion is effortless. Captured via The SartoriaList, these ensembles are usually quite practical.

Technorati Tags: travel fashion,airport fashion,airport casual,air travel clothes,Mom Most Traveled

Yay! Planes DVD

July 29, 2010 Air travel, Reviews, Travel with children One comment

Not long ago, someone called @YayPlanes started following me on Twitter.

The name made me laugh, so I followed them back.

Badda bing, badda boom, shortly thereafter @YayPlanes direct messaged me with an offer to review Yay! Planes, the DVD.

Yay! Planes is hosted by two sock puppets who live in a lost suitcase.

Kicking off with an easy-to-learn theme song consisting of the words "yay, planes!", we then hear from "Argyle" and "Jim" (the socks) about parts of an airplane, the shapes that airplanes are made from, and even how planes fly!

At some points, Argyle and Jim have witty banter that was not engaging to my children. The LETTERS ON AN AIRPLANE song is lots of fun, teaching the ABCs NATO-style: A – ALFA; B – BRAVO; C – CHARLIE; D – DELTA; E – ECHO…this is valuable information for when Jojo and I want to play spy games.

Airplane fans can also watch takeoffs and landings on Yay! Planes, and get a first-person perspective of what it looks like being high in a plane.

Young plane aficionados will find lots to like about Yay! Planes.

There is a Yay! Planes Facebook page and a Yay! Planes blog.

I was provided a copy of Yay! Planes for review.

Technorati Tags: Yay! Planes DVD,airplane DVD for preschoolers,reviews,Mom Most Traveled

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