Showing Up Unprepared

Are you a type-A plan your face off traveler, or a let's just see what happens traveler?

In the past few years I've done both, employing the ultra-planned and laissez-faire approaches. With each type under my belt, I think there's a time and a place for both. For example, you don't want to show up in Nairobi without a hotel, secure transportation or high-level itinerary, whereas, that's totally doable and almost romantically vagabondish if you visit somewhere for the weekend and figure it out as you go.

Showing up Prepared In mid-fall 2010, I went to Maui with my husband. Since I was only there for 3 nights, and it's a destination I know pretty well {but would like to further explore}, the trip was fairly dialed in terms of what we'd do when. During the day, I planned on exercising followed by relaxing in the sun {not sure why I had to plan that, but I did}, and at night we pre-arranged reservations at our favourite restaurants, so we didn't miss our cherished sunset meals or moments. Similarly, when we visited Europe and Africa in late 2009, we had a 24-hour stop-over in London. Because it was short, I pre-planned our transport, hotel and the show I'd been dying to see to make sure we got it all in. The planning paid-off, we had a fabulous night out at Wicked {the musical} and loved our pod hotel.

Showing up Unprepared Because my personality is planning-oriented, in the past, when I didn't plan every second of an itinerary, I somehow felt I wasn't doing my destination justice. In reading every available guidebook and online review about the area, I had the sense I was using all available resources to embrace the city's highlights. Then, after a few bad tourist attractions and less-than-favorable restaurant visits, I embraced the fly by the seat of my pants side. This rendered great experiences talking to locals and various hotel concierges about where they eat and what they do. My newfound organic approach was a hit, for example, while in Laguna Beach, CA this past summer, we were told to go to a restaurant called 230 Forest by a couple we met while sitting at the Roy's Newport bar. Their suggestion was bang-on, and we had a great meal!

All in all, this semi-reformed ultra-panner has lovingly embraced showing up semi-unprepared. I emphasize semi, because I still like to read articles and reviews pre-trip, in addition to consulting my travel apps while at my destination. Although I will still consult guidebooks in the future, I won't plan every second of my getaway and will always seek local input. Along with a little planning, semi-unpreparedness---or what I call strategic itinerary moments---allows us to discover our destination our way, travel unhindered within it and roam with a looser sense of time. Sounds like a vacation to me!

2011 Travel Resolutions

Last year I posted my 2010 travel resolutions as a means of keeping my travel on task and inspiring you to do the same! I look at travel resolutions as a means of improving our travel experience and planning for destinations that have been on our radar.

Looking ahead, here are the Trip Styler team's resolutions for travel. What are yours?

Trish - Editor

• Use points & upgrades wisely
  • Airline points - I just booked a trip from Vancouver to the ABC islands (Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire) next fall for 25,000 airline points return. This is a big deal because:
    • if you're going to use airmiles, you might as well maximize them, ie. go to the farthest point within your points/destination allowance
    • there's a loophole in the American Airlines travel reward chart that makes it cheap to travel to the Caribbean in hurricane season, a flight that would normally cost 35,000 points each way
    • the ABC islands are, for all intents and purposes, outside the hurricane belt, so the chances of being in a major storm in November (when I booked the travel) are very slim
  • Hotel upgrades - Last year I didn't take advantage of any of my Fairmont President's Club (Fairmont's loyalty program) upgrades and I missed out. So, this year I'm going to take advantage, and am starting today at the Mayakoba in Mexico's Riviera Maya. I'm paying for a base room, but with my suite upgrade certificate, I'm being upgraded to an 1,100-sf signature casita suite with indoor and outdoor shower!
    • Trip Styler Tip :: every Fairmont hotel has different policies and blackout dates as far as upgrades, and some properties like the Mayakoba provide much better value than others. Look into a few properties and suss out the options before making your decision.
• Travel somewhere by train - Ever since I took an overnight train from Paris to Venice, train travel has been on my mind. The train scenes from The Tourist movie only fueled my desire to wine, dine and watch the scenery from a glass-topped train car even more. I'd like to take a train to San Francisco and make the travel portion---versus just the destination---part of the experience.
• Seek out pet-friendly hotels for local travel - This year I started trying to bring my dog with me each time I did a local trip. As much as @nachoking loves his kind and loyal babysitters, he can't be left sans family too much; plus, he travels really well! This past year's pet-friendly stays were at the Fairmont Olympic, Fairmont Chateau Whistler, Fairmont Empress, Westin Bellevue and Ace Portland! They all worked out well, so more local getaways are planned in 2011!
• Destinations
  • Plan a European ski trip - I stress plan because I'm not sure I'll be able to pull off skiing in the Alps this winter, but I'm keen to keep it on my radar and get to know the Euro ski and après scene a little more intimately!
  • Plan a trip to the Turks and Caicos.
  • Tour Washington's wine country.
  • Stormwatch and surf---not at the same time---in Tofino, BC while staying at the rustic yet elegant Wickaninnish Inn.
  • Finally visit Australia and snorkel the Great Barrier Reef - This has been the trip that my husband and I have been dying to take, but something always seems to come up - not this year if I can help it!

Lauren - Travel Beauty Contributor My travel resolution is to FINALLY visit the Hotel Isle de France in St Barths. I've been wanting to visit for over five years and literally visit the website once a month. This year, I'm going to go! (Even if I need to get a 2nd job to pay for it...) Editor's note: wow, like I needed any prompting to visit St. Barths. This intimate bungalow retreat looks amazing. Love the white asthetic against the crystal blue water and swaying palms backdrop.

Leah - Travel Health Contributor My travel resolution is pretty simple this year: to become a strong enough skier to go back-country ski touring for a week with good friends.

Heather - Travel Fashion Contributor I've never had much time off work for vacations, so I've usually stuck to "sure thing" travel - the places I know I'll enjoy, where the weather---and the shopping---will be good. This year, I want to think outside the travel box and try something new, maybe somewhere they speak another language. Which isn't to say I won't end up in Palm Springs again, but that's my happy place. While I've never even been to a movie theatre by myself, I'd like to travel somewhere alone this year, get a NEXUS pass and finally visit Portland (not to mention Japan, Buenos Aires, London, Italy, Croatia, Scandinavia, Napa... but that's a lot of years of resolutions).

[Photo by moi, taken at the Sandals Royal Bahamian]

Gifts for Travelers Christmas 2010

Finding the perfect gift is challenging for anyone, but finding the perfect gift for the travel enthusiast can be even more difficult because travelers usually have their gadgets and packing methods already in place. But there's always room for change, right? In this spirit, here are a few handpicked items your favorite jetsetter might want to add to her or his travel repertoire.

Gifts for Travelers {clockwise from top}

1/ Powermat :: Charge all of your devices simultaneously with the easily packable Powermat charger. Forget about bringing multiple plug-in chargers, now all you have to bring is one. Don't forget this little device in your hotel room!

2/ Aquapac Case :: Go to the beach, pool or even in the water with your electronics. Although other people probably won't want to hear your conversations pool-side, Aquapacs are the perfect, low-profile protectors for your small, yet important belongings.

3/ Tugo Suitcase Cup Holder :: When I saw this idea I thought "of course!" Our cars and even bikes have cup holders, why can't our suitcases? Grabbing a coffee apres security has never been so fun!

4/ Portable Balloon Speaker :: I first spotted these balloon speakers in Portland and I almost purchased them on the spot. These golf ball-sized speakers are the perfect size for travel — you can even use them in your own car.

5/ Travel Slankit {aka Plane Snuggie} :: By now I'm sure you've all heard of the unfortunate famous Snuggie {a wearable fleece blanket}. I guess it was only a matter of time before a travel version cozied up to the airlines-now-charging-for-blankets market. Covering passengers from neck to toe, don't be surprised if you see your neighbor in seat 10b sporting a Travel Slankit.

6/ On-The-Go Teeth Whitening Pen :: Keep your pearly whites gleaming — even when you're jetsetting. These whitening pens are perfect for impromptu touch-ups after you've sipped cappuccinos in Milan or red wine in Napa.

7/ Quick-Dry Hair Towel :: Great for all ages, these quick-dry hair towels will get you out the door faster with their ultra-absorbent material, which makes blow drying a thing of the past.

8/ Slippers for the Plane :: Not only will these stylish slippers keep your feet toasty at 35,000 feet, but they'll also keep them clean walking down the aisles and to the bathroom. Once your trip is done, throw them in the wash and use them again! *Budget Idea :: For long-haul flights, just bring a pair of hotel slippers you have in the back of the closet.

PS. When it doubt, an iTunes gift card is always a good idea for the purchase of travel apps. And don't forget last year's traveler gift guide with ideas like a hotel room door-stop alarm, trackable luggage tag, mini luggage scale and more.

Happy Birthday!

Today is Trip Styler's first birthday and, appropriately, I'm sitting in my room at the kitschy-cool Ace Hotel Portland {more about that later this week} remembering travel highlights of this past year and anticipating adventures to come.

Coming to be Unsure of where it would take me, this week last year, I started dabbling in online trip styling. Although I'd been dreaming and planning for awhile, starting Trip Styler could be likened to a first-time flyer: nervous on the runway but comfortable in the air. As time went on, it was confirmed, I was in love, so 6 months later---a little slow on the uptake I know---I shared the news to family and friends, and things grew from there. A new breed of amateur jetsetters were born, and Trip Styler thanks you!

What's Ahead Some exciting features, enhancements and destinations ahead:

• Features :: Traveller gift guide, 2011 travel predictions, best travel apps of 2010, travel etiquette
• Enhancements :: Slight website redesign so you can see and access information about your favorite categories and destinations more easily; ramping up travel treats {once-monthly hotel deals}; new monthly topics
• Destinations :: December {Portland & Los Angeles}, 2011 {Australia, Big Island Hawaii, Tofino, Washington Wine Touring, etc...}

In addition to all the thank yous mentioned in my Canadian Thanksgiving post, I would also like to tip my hat to Leah, Lauren and Heather for your travel health, travel beauty and travel fashion contributions (find out more about these ladies on our about page).

Finally, let us know if there's anything new you'd like to see in 2011!

All the best, Trish and the gang

PS - We have grown a lot, but don't forget to tell your friends about Trip Styler, encourage them sign up for our daily trip style tips via email or RSS, join our Facebook group and/or follow us on Twitter.

[photo by Dryad + Sprite Photography]

Sweet & Saucy Travel Videos

When we featured Air New Zealand's Sassy Flight Safety Videos with a streaking grandma and body-painted flight attendants, it was a hit. The entertainment doesn't stop there. Kim Kardashian reading quantum physics, dancing flight attendants and a handsy animal make up this week's travel videos, sure to make you laugh your way through 'hump' day.

[If you're viewing this via email and can't see the videos posted below, please click on the web version.]

The Truth About California As if I needed any prompting to visit California. My love of the Cali aside, anything featuring Betty White means I'm in! That's why I love Tourism California's newest ad campaign playing up people's misconceptions of the sunny Westcoast state. In Betty's words, they'll show you "how we roll" (in California).

Air New Zealand Spaceseats To introduce their new premium economy spaceseats (which I'd like to book sometime soon), Air New Zealand is once again tangoing with the inappropriate---albeit hilarious.

Touchscreens In the same vein as the last video, the semi-risque airline is also making another introduction. Using Rico, their furry spokesperson animal, the wonders of their upcoming on-demand consoles are explained.

Dancing Flight Attendants Cebu Airlines, the Philippines second-largest carrier decided to spice-up their safety demonstration with a little Lady Gaga-inspired moves. Mimicking a jr. high dance, the gals and guys dance separately and each have different routines. Although this was apparently only a stunt, it was so well-received they are thinking of rolling it out on all flights because people actually payed attention to safety.

The Gals

The Guys

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