It is definitely winter here in the Northeast, and sometimes all you want is a little warmth… as the subzero winds are blowing. My travel style is that I always like to have a few things handy that are instantly comforting.

I always have a cozy cashmere travel wrap (it doubles as a blanket on the plane),  my favorite book or magazines, and I love to have my own tea bags (and sometimes hot chocolate too) because having a cup of my favorite tea in the airport, on the airplane, or in my hotel room makes me feel at home wherever I am.

Recently, at an event I was given a goody bag. One of the items was a little travel tin with six tea bags from Revolution Tea. How simple and how useful. The tin keeps the tea fresh and the bags safe from tearing, and once they’re used up I can refill the tin with my own selection. Sometimes it’s really something very simple—like a cup of tea—that brings a sense of comfort to the traveler.

When you are on the road it is sometimes difficult get enough sleep or a good nights sleep. I don’t know about you, but if I’m not rested I don’t feel quite like myself. Whether its because you have crossed many time zones or because you find it a challenge to adapt to a new environment, here are 5 ways to help you get some zzzz’s without taking medication.

1.     Avoid drinking too much alcohol late at night. Yes, you’ll fall asleep fast but then you’ll wake up thirsty a couple of hours later as the alcohol begins to leave your system and your blood sugar suddenly drops.

2.     Take calming herbs (like Kalms or Rescue) and/or vitamins like calcium at night before you go to bed. Many women take calcium anyway, but most probably take it in the morning. But you’ve probably heard that drinking warm milk before bedtime will help you get to sleep. Why? Because the calcium in the milk relaxes you! [Read more →]

Health is very important to me, and I love lists for the same reasons as the Editors of Prevention magazine—they give you “just the facts,” they offer choices, and they’re finite—so I was totally thrilled to have two of my favorite lists included in their new book, List Maker’s Get-Healthy Guide.

From the best (and worst) organic foods to the germiest public places, and (my own) things you should never leave home without, there’s a huge amount of information here distilled into clear, bite-size pieces. In fact, it’s the perfect plane read—light to carry, light to digest, and rich in info and entertainment.

Let’s face it; traveling is stressful—especially during the busiest holiday week of the year. It’s simply a way to get from where you are to where you want to be, and unless you’re traveling on your own private jet on your time table, the getting there is almost never without problems, in and of itself, at times its anything but relaxing or fun.

But there are ways to travel smarter and keep your stress to a minimum.

1.     Always leave much more time than you think you need to get to the airport. You never know when there will be an accident or a traffic jam or a long line at security. If you’ve cut it close you’ll just be short tempered, biting your nails, and generally creating unnecessary additional stress for yourself.

2.     Especially this year with the new TSA screening procedures be prepared to be patient. Its a mindset that you are going to go with the flow. For many people, traveling is disorienting. People are often disorganized—even if you’re not. And, most of all—almost no one wants to be in that airport. They’re there because they have to be in order to get to their destination. So, if everything goes well, that’s great; just be prepared to be in annoying and/or frustrating situations and it will be easier to keep your cool.

3.     Get to the airport early and then go to the Crown Room or Executive Lounge, or VIP area to await your flight. If you’re not a member, you can get a day pass, and it will be worth it—less noise, less crowding, snacks, reading material, and less crowds and less stress.

4.     Have some way to distract yourself and block out what’s going on around you. Bring a good book; watch a movie on your laptop or iPad; listen to your favorite music on your iPod. Bring earphones. Always bring earplugs so that you can enjoy your book or take a nap—personally, I never travel without them.

5.     Take a deep breath (here is why it really works) and perform a little Zen on yourself and think about things that make you feel good, such as what you’re going to do when you arrive at your destination. The more you think about the annoyances or frustrations of the flight, the more likely it is that you’ll pick up on every little thing that’s annoying, like the meal or beverage cart bumping into your seat or the baby crying ten rows behind you. Really—it works.

As much fun as traveling is, it can be tough staying in touch with friends and family—not to mention staying in touch with your normal self when you’re far from home. Here are a few tips I’ve picked up during my many years of flying around the world.

1.     Use Skype on your computer or mobile phone and all the social media now available to you. Staying in touch via Facebook, MySpace, emails, texts, or even Twitter not only gives you continuity and keeps you connected to friends and family but also to major and minor events taking place back home.

2.     Plan a specific time when you will call home on a regular basis. If you make a phone date with a friend or family member before you leave, you’ll be sure that, when you call, you’ll connect with a human voice and not a machine. If you are flying abroad be sure that your cell phone will work—even on a temporary basis—wherever you’ll be. You can check in advance with your mobile carrier and, if necessary (be sure to unlock your phone prior to your departure so that it will accept a new SIM) get a SIM card at your destination to use in your phone for the duration of your trip.

3.     Something I always do, and that I highly recommend, is to take at least one or two items of comfortable, well-loved clothing you can slip into—even if it’s only in your hotel room—and immediately feel connected to the comforts of home. That piece of clothing can be as nourishing as your favorite comfort food! [Read more →]

Most of us pack our shoes in the bottom of our suitcase (my shoes are always squeezed into my bag), which means that everything else we pack is squashing our shoes. It would be nice to help them hold their shape, but most shoe trees are heavy, so we tend to leave them at home.

I have found the perfect travel friendly solution. Dasco makes shoe trees in solid foam that weighs next to nothing but keeps your shoes in shape. They’re also lightly scented to ensure that your shoes—and the clothes they’re packed with—are always smelling fresh. And they come in several sizes (S, M, and L) because, as we all know, one size never really fits all.

Even on your home turf it can sometimes be confusing—am I supposed to tip this person, and if so, how much? When you’re traveling, however, the confusion can be compounded.

For example, in the US 15 % of the bill is considered the least we should leave in a restaurant, but in many other countries the gratuity is automatically added to your total, so no additional tip is required. And if it isn’t added, 10 to 15 % is generally what’s expected—except in countries like Japan where tipping is considered an insult.

But what about all those other people we depend on when we travel—the housekeeper, the concierge, the bell hop, the doorman, taxi drivers, and airport sky caps? In most countries it’s customary to tip them all when they perform a service for you. But again, how much?

Here’s a guide to use as a general rule of thumb, although none of this is written in stone.

Housekeeper: $2 to $5 per day, paid daily since the person taking care of your room may change from one day to the next.

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I was impressed that 2 mothers came up with this great idea to create Little Passports. It is a unique way to increase kids’ curiosity about countries around the world, and it’s nothing like the geography classes you sat through in school.

The first month children receive a travel suitcase and passport with an introductory letter from “Sam and Sophia,” a map of the world, assorted stickers, and a “boarding pass” that give them access to online games and activities.

Then, for the next eleven months, as Sam and Sophia travel to a different country, they’ll send the child a monthly kit consisting of a letter describing their latest adventures as well as souvenirs that bring the country to life and a “secret code” that gives kids access to more online interactive games and activities.

Sign up your own kids or give it as a great gift to a niece, a nephew, or a friend’s child (as I did) who’ll be sure to remember you throughout the year to come.

Stains are almost inevitable, no matter how careful you are, and when you’re traveling you may not have time to get clothes cleaned—or you may have a special garment you don’t want to trust to the local cleaner. And I am thinking especially of you, Brides-to-be and anyone who has a special occasion planned … this is something you should definitely take with you!*

Stain sticks are great, but far from perfect—but I understand that the TSA has been known to confiscate them from carry-on luggage (apparently the liquid inside the stain stick is viewed as a hazardous substance). One TSA-friendly answer I’ve found is a professional, three-step stain removal kit made by Madame Paulette, one of the most respected dry cleaners in New York.

The kit comes with three different foil-sealed wipes, each one containing a stain-remover formulated for a specific kind of stain, a second packet containing a distilled water wipe to use after the stain remover (Did you know that distilled water doesn’t leave a ring? I certainly didn’t), and a third with an absorbent cloth to hold under the material to absorb the stain while you work.

*Madame Paulette is generously offering In-Flight Insider followers 15% off the purchase of this amazing stain kit. Enter the code 15STAINKIT online at Madame Paulette.

Whether you’re buying your luggage on line or in a store, there are many options to consider before making a purchase. There are so many individual considerations, that making a decision can be difficult.

Do I want two wheels, four wheels, or none? Should I buy a large garment bag or a smaller one that holds only a suit or two? Will I be checking this bag or carrying it on board? Will I be flying commercially, privately or both?

Whatever your travel patterns and personal needs, there are specific criteria you should always consider. Keep in mind, you don’t always have to spend a lot to get a good bag, so long as it meets certain standards.

1. CARRY-ON LUGGAGE

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