The Map Pin Junkies 12 Days of Christmas - Gift Recommendations - Day 10

It's that time of year when we exchange gifts to celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or just the joy we feel towards friends and family.

Day 10 is all about the aviation enthusiast on your list. A handy tool for home or the road, today's recommendation is the Pan Am Boeing 707 Bottle opener, $135, on uncommongoods.com. Their copy is better than I could do, so read what they have to say:

Bring a touch of the friendly skies to cocktail hour with this industrial bottle opener, crafted from the fuselage top from an authentic Pan Am Boeing 707. Hand polished to highlight the shimmering aluminum, this opener still features the iconic rivets, integral to the airplane's construction. Handmade in Berkeley, CA. Get it here!

Happy Gift Giving!!
all recommendations are mine alone and I have not received any money, product, or perk from any of the companies listed.

The 5 Essential Items You Didn't Know You Needed In Your Carry-on Bag

I am one of those people who believe in being prepared for as many situations as possible and this slight obsession escalates when I travel. To that end, here are the top 5 items I always toss in my carry-on tote. 

Let's break it down, we have (clockwise from left) mini rolls of duct tape, gallon zip top freezer bags, wooden clothes pins, a spork, and 4 mini bungee cords. Each one of these is multi-purpose and takes up very little room in a carry-on or small suitcase. All the uses below have been tested personally, except where noted.

Duct tape can be used to:

- repair bags

- tack a hem

- brace a twisted ankle

- secure your bag (after security) by taping down zipper pulls

- mend a ripped tent

- bandage a wound (after its clean, but always have cloth or gauze between the wound and tape and seek medical help Immediately)

- secure valuables to your body (it helps to tape the bag of valuables to a hairless area to avoid the prior use of duct tape 😁)

- remove lint

- baby proof a hotel room (haven't personally tried this)

Gallon zip top bags are useful to:

- store wet bathing suits 

- keep passports, maps, and papers dry

- segment socks/underwear

- contain smaller items so they aren't rolling loose around a bag

- use as an air sickness/motion sickness bag (thankfully, I haven't had to test this but my traveling companion did when our catamaran decided to bounce across the water instead of float)

- cushion souvenirs (blow some air into one bag as you're sealing it and then, place that in another bag)

- separate jewelry (use smaller bags, suck the air out to avoid necklaces tangling, put in the larger size)

- act as a tiny washing machine for your underwear (fill it up a little less than halfway, add soap and garment, close it tightly and shake)

- protect your camera from mist or rain

Wooden hinge-style clothes pins are great to:

- close pesky hotel curtains that always seem to have a gap

- corral a mosquito net when not in use

- secure electronic cords

- raise a toothbrush off the sink

- weigh down the edge of a shower curtain

- seal up non-resealable bags (chips/crisps, loose tea leaves, etc)

- hang clothes up to dry (obviously 😉)

While not as multi-purpose as the other tools on this list, a Spork can be used to:

- eat anything for which you'd need a spoon or fork

- stir beverages or soups 

- comb/fluff your hair

- cut soft fruit

-retrieve small items from a pail of water of indeterminate quality (just be sure to sanitize the spork afterward)

Mini bungee cords are handy to:

- serve as an emergency belt

- stretch across a doorway as clothesline

- keep an auto-closing sliding door open

- add extra layer of security to a bag/backpack in crowded areas

- bundle things in a towel (sunblock, cover-up, book, etc go in a beach towel then, fold it up and secure it with a bungee cord)

- secure your door from the inside (sort of like a sliding chain lock)

There you have it, the 5 most useful travel items I take with me. I hope this list helps you prepare for your trip. I'd love to hear some other uses for these items or what items you find essential, so leave a comment below. 

Peace, love, and travel!

Pack the Perfect Carry-On Bag

One of the most common questions I get regarding travel is about packing a carry-on bag. I'm not talking about the roller bags that hold your clothes, I mean an actual second item, carry-on bag. A carry-on bag can make or break your trip, depending on how it's packed. Since this will likely to be the item you put at your feet, it makes sense that this will contain have everything you want for a comfortable and entertaining flight. I've spent considerable time refining the packing process for my carry-on bag based on personal experiences. I've suffered a 17 hour flight with a poorly packed bag and have had a 20 hour flight feel like a spa  due to a well packed bag. These recommendations won't work for everyone, but should give you plenty of ideas of what to include.

NOTE: Guys can adapt this list to include as many or as few items of pampering as their masculinity will allow. =) Some nice 'man bags' can be found here. 

What to Carry: For years, I've been a fan of my Fossil tote bags due to the high quality leather, durability, and classic style. However, I recently road tested a Longchamps Le Pliage bag and may be a total convert! I stumbled on this bag when I was looking for something a bit lighter than leather with the same classic look, minimal hardware, and a zipper closure. Figuring I could return it if I didn't like it, and despite the high price tag, I went to Nordstrom and looked at colors, ultimately getting black (surprise, right?).

The shape is trapezoidal and the large size looks deceptively small, but it holds a ton. I use separate pouches for almost everything to keep it all organized and easy to find quickly. Below, I share how I pack mine for an international trip or domestic flight of longer than 3 hours. All the pouches came as 'gift with purchase' pieces or as packaging for something I no longer have or use. NOTE: If you get this bag do yourself a favor and buy a base liner. I found one on Etsy made of clear bullet-proof plexiglass (or something similar). It gives the bag a rigid base, making it more practical and less likely to get damaged or misshapen. 

Pouch 1: Non-liquid toiletries and medicines.

 

Pictured from L-R: row one - antihistamine capsules, toothpaste tablets, hair texturizing powder, sunblock stick, mini duct tape roll, prescription medicine, lint roller. Row 2 - folding toothbrush, cotton swabs, mini razor, and Lush Ultrabalm. (Not pictured - Lush shampoo bar and tin)

Pouch 2: electronic cords/accessories

Includes: mini tripod for camera, iPad cord/plug, earbud splitter (in case I want to share my media), plug adapter, and earbuds. The grey pouch is an external power pack for my iPad and/or phone and does not go in the white pouch. It is small but heavy and goes on the bottom of the bag.

Pouch 3: What if?

This contains things that I may need or that may travel nicer. Shown here: foil rescue blanket (hey, you never know), extra reading glasses, a bundle of assorted safety pins, adhesive bandages, heel grips, eye glass repair kit, clothes pins, mini sewing kit, caribiner, micro super glue, mini bungee cords, nail clippers and tiny emery board.

Pouch 4: Make-up

Make up is essential and, since I'm a minimalist, this is the smallest pouch in the bag and contains: mirror, tweezers, eye shadow quad, mini liner brush, spoolie wand, Bare Minerals foundation, mini flat and fluff brushes, and a tiny bag of hair pins, clear and covered hair elastics.

Pouch 5: In-flight comfort essentials

This may be the most important pouch to me and it gets pulled out as soon as I locate my seat on the plane. It has L-R row 1- a mini bottle of face oil, a tube of Advil, anti motion sick pills, face mist, and deeply moisturizing hand lotion. Row 2 - face wipes, folding hairbrush, antibacterial wet wipes, (not pictured) moisturizing eye drops, and the Eagle Creek pouch that holds it all. I have TSA PreCheck, so the liquids in this pouch don't need to come out but I transfer them from my TSA liquids bag after going through security anyway, in the event I get pulled for a random non-PreCheck check.

Pouch 6: Snack bag

We all know someone who goes full-on Gorgon when hungry. Chances are it may be you and I suffer from the same affliction, so this is the next most important pouch in my carry-on bag. It contains tea bags, small packs of almonds, drink mix tubes, stevia packets, and my spork. I will also usually include prepackaged bars like Quest, Kind, or similar brands to tide me over between proper meals.

Everything else: My other 'must-haves'. In addition to these pouches, I throw in my wallet, the iPad (leather Fossil case), pen, mini Sharpie, travel journal, an analog puzzle pad, an umbrella and (not pictured) a collapsible water bottle.

Each item and pouch fits neatly into the Le Pliage bag leaving room for a wrap/blanket scarf, a camera and 2 lenses, and a Ziploc bag of emergency clothes (tank top, lightweight leggings, and undies). All of this makes the perfect carry-on for me, everything I need to be happy, hydrated, relaxed, and entertained.  Your contents will differ based on personal preferences but hopefully this list will get you started to packing YOUR perfect carry-on bag!

What did I miss? What makes your inflight experience better? Feel free to leave your comments below.

Peace, love, and travel!

M