If you followed me on Instagram (@halliedaily), you know I just came back from a short trip, glamping in the Autocamp along the Russian River in northern California with the Volkswagen brand. The trip was very relaxing and I had a lot of fun, meeting many new friends. That was actually the first “real” travel I have done without my family in nearly 2 years! Yes, I was taking an airplane to San Fransisco and back; and, yes, I experienced some of the “new normal” travel chaos everybody is talking about.
For this adventure, I brought a brand new set of luggage with me; it was gifted by one of my favorites, STEAMLINE, a couple days before the trip. “Be ready to get a a lot of compliments with that,” they warned me; and, yes, they were right!
I normally dress in “comfortable chic” when traveling, and often get a lot of compliments on my travel outfits. But on this trip, strangers complimented my new luggage, too. “I like everything you are wearing, including your carry-on,” said one lady behind me at the airport security check .
Many people, including myself, wondered if this wicker luggage would be too fragile for travel — and this trip gave them a good test, with 2 flights, a couple days driving through wine country and forest, and glamping in an Airstream trailer. It turned out this luggage is very solid and strong, and both pieces came with perfect-fitting cloth covers that gave them a lot of protection, and as a bonus, they were very easy to recognize at baggage claim at the airports. They are unique and beautiful, so what can I say?
And keep reading, I also want to share what I normally pack in my luggage.
1. Make-up bag: to carry all my personal stuff, make-up, lotions, day cream, night cream, etc. And, now, I never forget to bring my shower cap anymore, after a couple times a hotel room did not have one in it.
2. Leggings: They are good for a lot of things, for exercise, for any unexpected cool weather to layer under pants. They are thin, light, and never get wrinkles!
3. An extra pair of sneakers, packed in different bags, just in case one pair gets wet or lost.
4. Basic tee-shirts: Same as leggings, they are good for any sudden cool weather, can be worn as pajamas, and make it easy to “mix and match” with other items.
5. Medicine organizer. I don’t need to take very serious medicine everyday, but my daily vitamin and supplements are a little numerous, and they are several different types that come in different packages. Organizing them before I leave home makes my travel life easier.
6. Some other outfits, depending on the occasion and the destination. As for my personal style, I always pack a couple hats with me. My current favorite hats are these bucket hats and this baseball cap; they are easy to pack and can be folded or crushed without a problem. And I always like to bring a jacket with many pockets; it’s great for airport wear, and those pockets are good for keeping my phone, passport, air tickets in place and handy. The jacket I was wearing on this trip is this J.Crew light-weight jacket — love it!
7. Laundry bags: I used to collect hotel laundry bags just for another trip. I know, most of them made by plastic and aren’t really good for the environment, so I recommend these laundry bags; they can be washed and re-used.
