The Unlikelihood of Attractive Convertible Travel Pants

Trying to work the Convertible Pants
Packing for a trip that goes from a week to a year is pretty easy, provided that you keep a zen state of mind.  It’s all about keeping the bag as light and as carefree as possible so that you can focus on the import things, you know like enjoying yourself. Having a ‘light state of mind’ can involve some sacrifices and for some this can become a very emotional task.  I spend a great deal of time on choosing my travel clothing.  I need them to look good, fit well and be appropriate for where I’m traveling to.
Travelers should first figure out type of clothes are going to work out best and at the same time trying to keep the bag light.   For myself, choosing pants is always biggest obstacle.  My trip was going to be taking me to places where the temperatures didn’t go below 50 F and could reach 110 F and it could be dry or very humid.  This meant the pants needed to be lightweight, easy to clean, wrinkle-free, the right colors and fit well. To my horror,  and after countless hours of online research the unlikely match for me ended up being the unfashionable convertible travel pants. The kind that transform into shorts in a matter of minutes. I and many others associate those who wear them as being big travel dorks.  I reluctantly purchased the pants since they were what I needed but oh so ugly and expensive.
These pants that set me back $75 USD soon became my only pants and for 6 months.  When I wasn’t wearing them,  I would wear the long skirt I had made for me in Vietnam. The way I saw it, who was really going to care what I wore and how I looked.  In the Middle East, temperatures on most days went well over 100 F degrees.  These pants kept me comfortable in the desert heat and protected me from the scorching sun.   In the end, I found that without those convertible pants I could have never gone hiking inside the canyons in Petra in the middle of the day, walked down the streets of Damascus, seen the towering Pyramids at Giza or the inside of any of the numerous mosques and churches along the way.
For many, it’s difficult to figure out what to bring and to leave behind.  Many refuse to buy the convertible pants because they are indeed ugly.    Companies like Patagonia, The North Face and LL Bean have all put out a great selection of travel/hiking gear that are both light and fast-drying but basically produce the same style.  If they would only put some effort into the style and look of women’s travel pants.   We women need ones that don’t ride up and have a little more give to them.  This should be simple, right? Myself, along with many other traveling women, are waiting patiently.

5 Travel Tips for New York City

I’ve lived in this amazing city for the past decade and have managed to hold my own when I’m out and about.  I like most people living and working on this island do a lot of walking.  Not only is it the best way to get around but it’s sometimes the fastest (weather permitting of course).  This list gives some advice on how to get around this wonderful city as it’s a little intimidating.

Pay Attention

I’ll say it again, “Pay Attention”.  This is one of the most important thing to keep in mind when running around Manhattan’s busy streets and sidewalks.  The locals are just as guilty but pay attention to everything around you.  Not only will you avoid any run-in’s with a vehicle, skateboarder, rollerblader, dog, bicyclist (not uncommon to see them going the wrong way on a one way street or sidewalk), or other people busy texting.  Accidents that involve pedestrians and moving vehicles happen often throughout the day in the city and some end in fatality.   Here are the most common things that I come across just about everyday.

  • a cyclist is going the wrong way and off-roading
  • taxis, commuters in their own cars, police cars, fire trucks, cyclists trying to beat the red light
  • cars exiting out of a parking garage and traveling too fast and not remembering that they are crossing over a sidewalk

These points may sound frivolous but just beware that the are all common and if you aren’t paying attention then there’s the risk of  having an accident.  The reward for paying attention (if you care about these things) is the not so common spotting of a “famous” person or two.  There are  many well-known personalities who are just like us.  They walk around town like anyone else but they count on the fact that most don’t pay attention and are busy looking at flashing signs and tall buildings.

Pick a lane

One common faux pas city visitors make is they don’t know how to walk on a sidewalk.   In most cities the sidewalk rules are like driving rules.  If you were driving would you travel down the wrong side into on coming traffic?  Hopefully not.  Most drivers travel in a line when traveling with a group of vehicles not side by side.  There are some sidewalks in the city that can fit 3-4 people across but not many.    Be considerate and share the road.

Mind your manners

New Yorker’s disreputably are rude, loud and arrogant but not everyone is and there are plenty back home just like them.   Some bloggers in the city are quick to point this out to get people to click on and read and continue to back the myth up and write posts like this 13 things not to do in New York City written by P. Ling.  Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.  Let’s be fair.  Many New Yorker’s are just busy trying to get to work.  They sometimes have to get up at ungodly hours to get the commuter rail in, go to work, take that 2 hour train ride back home and do it all again the next day.  A slight change in weather, traffic or personal issue can all make a hellish commute even worse.   Be sensitive and considerate to them and try to get out-of-the-way.  This is a crowded and stressful city.  Don’t take it personally if someone isn’t eager to help if you need directions especially at rush hour.  Just move on and find another person to ask.  Storekeepers and police officers are good people to try first.  I would try MTA workers last.  They aren’t usually the most helpful unfortunately.

Study the layout of the city

This holds true with anywhere you visit.  Would you arrive in Paris or Tokyo without any idea of where things are.  New York was reconfigured over a couple of hundred years ago (Commissioners’ Plan of 1811) and it’s streets above Houston where reset into a grid fashion.  The numbered avenues go east to west and streets go north to south.  If you just remember a couple of things like if the streets are higher in number you are going north and if the avenues are getting higher you are going west.  There are some names thrown in there but by memorizing a few avenue names you are all set(streets downtown below Houston and some way up town)  There are always maps inside the subway stations, so they are a good back up if you forgot yours.  A local map and a city-wide map are usually found before the entrance gates down in the station.  They are hopefully in good enough condition to read. Not always guaranteed.

Get Organized before you hit the streets

First, put together a make a list of the places you want to visit while in the city.  Then check out a good city map and chart out each listings address and if some or all are in the same area.  It’s good to see what is where so you can make the most of your time.  It’s also good to figure out when the best hours will be to visit each place.  Like most cities, New York City Museums are much busier on the weekends so it’s best to go during the week.  There are some free hours and many suggest ticket prices so do your homework and save money.

When it’s time to head out for the day, figure out exactly how to get there before leaving your hotel or starting point.  I find that walking the route if is the best way to see the area since you never know what you are going to pass by along the way.  It could be an interesting place to eat, store or museum that’s not on your list or popular enough to put in a guidebook.  I would also figure out when the local hours of commuting are at their peak.  It might be nicer sitting and relaxing for a few more minutes than dealing with morning commuters.

There are so many interesting and fun things to see and do in New York City.  Plan well and don’t worry if you don’t get to all of them.  There’s always next time.

Things to do before checking in to a Budget Hotel – Hotel Tip

Whether you just show up or book online always check the room before handing over the cash.  Here’s why:

  • But the lobby’s nice… Don’t get stuck with the smelly room with broken shower head and lop-sided bed. All hotels have these.
  • Bargain… See what you are getting and then negotiate rate based on quality , length of stay etc.
  • Hot shower…check to see if there’s pressure and how, when and if it’s heated
  • Secure locks/safe…Make sure they work and room feels secure

Budget hotel’s can be clean, safe and comfortable places. Allow enough time to bail and find something more suitable.

    How do you afford to Travel?

    This is a question I get from time to time.  It’s simple and it only takes a little sacrifice, motivation and organization.

    Here are some of the things I do to save for the next trip.

    1.  Manage Eating out. Eat at home as much as possible, take lunch to work and instead of dining out with friends, try doing to brunch instead.

    2.  Things add up. Walk/Bike instead of taking taxis and subways.

    3.  Fully utilized Twitter and local blogs Local blogs/twitter are good resources for free/alternative entertainment

    4.  Visit your local Library Even with budget cuts they have a lot to offer

    Central Park, angry people and flowers in the rain

    It was a more typical late March day in Central Park NYC today.  We have been spoiled with the unseasonably mild warm weather the last week or so.  I still enjoy a misty cool day in NYC since I had the park to myself.  Just me and a few horse and bike carriages.  A horseman and a MTA bus got into a little snafu next to the park so I took a pic to mix it up a bit.

    Daffodils, forsythia are in full bloom and the trees are showing some buds.  This rain should make the park green by the weekend.  This means allergy sufferers like myself will be sniffling but what can you do.  It’s spring wild animals are everywhere in the park.  So as the sign says, “Leave the Wild Animals Alone”.  Try and keep away from the cute raccoons, wild ducks and panhandling squirrels, they look harmless until they mistake your finger for a nut.

    Eat, Sleep and Meet: Ways to get the most out of Travel

    A traveler moves away from being a common tourist to one who actually is an actively taking part in daily life of a foreign land.  Many people go on trips that just end up being type where you roam around like sheep and view the sites as if in a zoo peering though the plexiglass.  This experience is satisfying to many but there is so much more to experience then just being on the sidelines. Make the most out of the trip and see more.  Start with mastering the basics:  Eat, Sleep and Meet.

    Start with the basics:  food

    These are the two basic things a person needs to seek out in a day.  Nothing is more stressful than trying to find a place to satisfy your hunger in a domestic or international unfamiliar territory.  There are many who give up too easily will and find themselves buying a value meal McDonald’s.  Why not.   The overall quality is consistent, the menu selections doesn’t change from country to country, it’s cheap and most the food not local but imported frozen.  It’s good if you are in a small town on the Danube and all they serve is locally caught fish, but really McDonald’s?  At least try because you may come across a gem that serves a great meal.

    Before you give up in venturing into the unknown local culinary scene, take a minute and ask the person checking you in if there are some places to eat near by where you can try some local food.  They usually will have a list of places to recommend.  If they end up being not so good, then it’s time to settle for the familiar, but if they are outstanding then you will be rewarded with a great meal, a unique experience and a great travel story.

    Now…shelter

    There are so many places available online and even in the old-fashioned hard copy book form that can put you in contact with accommodation that is not your garden variety business or name brand hotel. Most destinations have beds for rent range from space someone’s couch (couchsurfer.com) to staying in a fancy 5-star hotel.  If you are lucky, there are many options to choose from.   If not, the decision is easy since it may be a one trick pony town.  When there are many choices then try to stay somewhere with some character like a small hotel located in a residential neighborhood but not too far from local sites.

    Get out of the comfort zone and be adventurous.

    It is possible and a bit risky to find your accommodation when you get into town.  It’s ok to take some of the adventure out and put a good list together along with contact information before arrival.   Try to find at least three in the same general area so you don’t have haul your pack too far.  Also take advantage of technology and visit a booking site.  It will make you feel a little less anxious knowing that your list of options have space available.  If the hotels in the area all seem to be booking up and there aren’t many choices it may be a good idea to be safe and pre-book.  Save the adventure for the next town.

    Not booking a room until getting into town or a few days before can help in getting a better deal on the room.  Prepare to bargain.  Free wi-fi, breakfast or transport and/or room rate discounts are all up for negotiation.   Can’t hurt to try.  It’s pretty much the more risk a traveler is willing to take the less money a traveler will have to pay out on accommodation.  A savvy traveler can use this as an opportunity to practices some bargaining skills.   Be bold and ask for a more but don’t get too greedy since you do need a room and don’t want to piss people off since you probably are going to be their guest for a few nights.

    Finding accommodation as you go does involve some pre-trip planning but can ultimately save you some money and offers chance to meet local residents  since most are places run by families, a group of friends or people who own and run the place themselves.

    Learn some of the local dialect

    No one expects a new person to an area to be fluent with the local language and dialect but knowing a few words and phrases is a good start and the effort means a lot even if it’s just please and thank you.  Don’t worry and just do your best.  Ultimately, try not to tear the language too much apart.  The grammar and accent are things that someone needs to study over a large amount of time.   Do your best to listen and ask native speakers how to say things once you have built some sort of rapport with them.  It is a great way to begin to learn, broaden your experience and make good use of that expensive and weighty language guide.

    Try a hostel

    The term hostel when it comes to a place to rest for a night makes some think of those dirty hole in the walls where rooms are full of adolescents up until all hours, then sleeping 10 or more to a room in bunk beds and whose main goal is to be piss drunk the entire journey.  This is true but not all hostels were created equal.  They vary from country to country and region to region.  With development of the travel guide and online booking agencies the hostel as branched out in form and features.  More of them now represent what used to be only known as B&B’s, Guesthouses, Homestays and budget hotels.

    The one common theme that most around the world have are a common areas where travelers hang out to relax and hopefully meet other travelers.  They also offer the comforts of a private room and bath at a higher price.  The price is usually equal to what a regular hotel will offer in the area.  The plus is that you can usually get perks like free wi-fi, breakfast, beverages and local first hand knowledge of what the area offers from the proprietors and/or guests.

    These are just a few things that a traveler can try to carry out  when the are a visitor to a foreign land.  Try to go off the well-worn tourist path of the area and get an experience that only belongs to you. The best part of traveling is that it’s a constant learning experience.  The first step is to figure out the basics or the things that ever society has in common which is how we go about eating, sleeping and how we communicate.  Take it from there and run with it.

    Great things about being a Tourist in NYC

    NYC literally lives for tourist.

    I sometimes think that if Ray Kelly had to save me or a British visitor he would choose the later.  The city doesn’t sleep and is always ready to show a visitor a good time not matter where they are from.   This is ok with me because without the influx of foreign currency during these hard economic times NYC would be very different and maybe more like how I first remember seeing it.  Times Square hasn’t always been all glittery and neon lit.  The subway system has seen better days, taxi cabs are really ripping people off (so much they are getting caught now) and the tour bus people are even more aggressive Times Square, but crime is still low and people are still willing to shell out big money for a hotel, shows and plane tickets to get here.

    Anyhow, it’s a great time to be a tourist in NYC and here are some reasons why:

    Everything is on SALE

    The Euro and the British Pound have seen better rates of exchange to the greenback, but it’s still a 35-50% discount…so buy 2 iPods not one and throw in a real designer handbag why get a bad fake.  On top of that, there’s always a sale going on for us locals.  I can’t remember paying full price for anything in the past year.

    Don’t Speak the Language…. not a problem

    The language barrier or lack of in most cases.   It’s unusual to walk down a busy street in NYC and only hear people speaking english.    If you are lost and need direction or just ask where a good place to eat is it just takes asking the concierge at your hotel or even a person on the street if they look approachable.

    The Grid System

    Easy to follow the streets….hard to get lost.  The streets here were brilliantly reconfigured  above Houston Street in the beginning of the 19th century.  Something like this could have never been done today since the 2nd Ave. subway has been a big pain and it’s proven how hard it is to get people to cooperate but I’m not one who is looking to replace what can’t be replaced like a very  cheap apartment.  Finding where you  need to go just takes a good sense of direction and the ability to count.  The only confusing part is the avenues with names so it’s not foolproof.  That’s the eastside for you.  There is some thinking involved but it’s not that challenging.  Just find a tall recognizable building like the Empire State or Chrysler Building and get your barrings from there.

    AMAZING FOOD!!!

    The  food here is nothing but choices and can fit any budget.  It kills me that people even step foot into a McDonald’s and not a local diner or sandwich shop.  Sure..it’s easy but you can’t tell me that you don’t have one where you come from.  Pick up a Zagat guide, look on the internet or just ask your concierge and find out where to eat.  There are places which will be just as cheap as the McDonald’s but you’ll actually get a fresh meal and most of all  support a local guy.

    Like I said…NYC loves Tourists and it’s literally turned into Disney World here since they have taken over Times Square.  My only hope is that people who come to visit this great city go off the beaten paths of Broadway/Times Square and adventure out to places like Coney Island, take a picnic on Governor’s Island instead of Ellis Island, visit the Garner Museum instead of the MET and have a glass of wine at a small bistro in the lower east side instead of 9th ave in Hell’s Kitchen.  It’s and easy path to get off of since it’s really not so beaten…it’s just where the locals are.