I love a great bag. And a great travel bag? I'm so there. So when Mom Select sent me this Ibiza Flight Tote last week I was pretty excited.
In the past week I've gone from adoring this bag, to wondering if it would work for me, and back to really, really liking it.
When I first opened the bag I was in awe of its size. It is huge. Which will make it seriously great for travel. Then I touched the leather trim. Soooo soft. As I started to play with the bag I found huge "hidden" pockets- two in the front with those fancy leather pulls and one in the back, all sheltered under that soft leather. Nice.
The bag's interior is roomy with three divided pockets on one side, a deep zippered pocket on the other and a lightly padded section with a snap tab to hold a laptop, magazines or files.
So far so good, right?
Then I filled the bag, like I would for a trip. And I began to have my doubts. First problem: I have a 17" laptop. It fits, but it was a hassle to get it into that pocket. I didn't feel like the long leather strap was really supportive enough to carry that large of a laptop comfortably; if I took it off the shorter shoulder straps were too short for that much weight.
But, I decided to really try the bag before I wrote it off. And, after two days I've come to really appreciate this bag and I can't wait to use it on an actual trip.
Here's what I like:
The only remaining issue I had was with the straps. Luckily Hayden-Harnett has a How to Wear Your Ibiza page. And there I found my answer. If I unhooked the strap from one of the O-rings (which is just gorgeous. I wish there was a good photo of the O-ring somewhere because it is practically art), ran it through the opposite O-ring and hooked both clasps to the same O-ring I had a perfect length, perfect tension strap.
It was almost as if the clouds parted and I could bring myself to love this bag again. OK, that's dramatic, it did feel a little bit that way...
One more great feature of this bag- which truly makes it wonderful for travel with kids or a weekend jaunt... It "downsizes". On the rear of the bag are three snaps and leather loops at the bottom corners. Simply snap, clip those O-rings through the loops and you have a smaller bag. You can put in a few smaller items and have room to expand for souvenir stops and shopping excursions. Or just the weekend farmer's market.
The specs:
The tote is made of a sturdy nylon twill and can be spot cleaned. The leather requires a quality leather cleaner.
The bag measures 19" long x 18" high.
Available in olive (this is the one I have), smoke blue, red, chocolate and violet.
Price $198
This post made possible by
I know that your suitcase probably came with a generic luggage tag. And it looks just like every other luggage tagged suitcase out there... You've probably read all those tips about making your luggage different - colored tape, ribbons, etc. Why not customize a luggage tag?
While cruising thru etsy I found SparkleFactor and loved their customized luggage tags. So I contacted them, explained what I was looking for and what information I would like and here is what I got:
I rarely pack without using Space Bags. Big ones, small ones... And now The Cube.
Be sure to see my video about packing for 4 for our last big vacation (it is really quite amazing how much stuff you can get in these bags and how much room they save.
Look how much space we saved on our recent camping trip using the a couple Space Bag Cubes:
With American Airline's recent announcement that they will charge for every checked bag you really need to plan you packing very carefully. Here are some tips to help you:
First, check out my previous post about shipping vacation items. Most hotels will accept your bags a few days in advance of your arrival. Ship everything you can- even ship your luggage. Lock it, tape down the zippers and let it go.
Second, save space in you luggage by packing tight. Roll your clothing or use space bags. Tuck small items in the shoes you pack. Buy small containers for toiletries and purchase travel size products.
Third, pack smart. Make sure all your clothing coordinates. Think layers. Wear your bulky items on the plane. See this post - an article by Clinton Kelly from What Not To Wear.
Next, make sure your carry on fits the airline's standards. Check the weight before you leave home. Don't overpack it and make sure you can get everything in and out of it easily at security. If you're hyper-organized like me check out the Zuca Pro bag. With included packing inserts (including a liquids bag) it's easy to keep your stuff together. And the super light aluminum alloy frame doubles as a seat for those crowded airports. Zuca also makes a wheeled locker and sport bag- great for the kids.
Plan to do laundry or have laundry done for you if you will be traveling for a week or more. You can bring half the stuff.
Lastly, check out my video on how I packed for a family of four for a week's vacation. For now, at least, you are still allowed to check bags without additional cost on overseas flights.
We spent 4 days and 3 nights around Killarney. There is a reason this is one of Ireland's tourist hot-spots - there is so much to do! We didn't even scratch the surface. Kid friendly doesn't even begin to describe all you can do in and around Killarney.
We had actually planned to spend our time in Killarney at a B&B/riding stable just outside of town. I had made my reservation online and had it confirmed through the booking agency. I was not, however, able to reach anyone at the B&B itself until the day before we were to arrive. Imagine my surprise when I was told that they were not open (due to circumstances beyond their control) and had not received notice of my reservation. That left us scrambling for a 3 day reservation the evening before arriving in Killarney. Handy tip: always get a confirmation via email from the B&B itself. Even better, call and speak to the owner to confirm your arrival before you leave on vacation.
Happily, I was able to get a reservation on very short notice at Noreen O'Mahoney's Mystical Rose Country Home. Mystical Rose is Frommer's recommended and Noreen has received Irish Welcome Certificates of Merit from Falite Ireland (by nomination submitted by happy travelers).
Noreen is the friendliest hostess I have ever encountered. She went above and beyond to make our daughters comfortable and help us with anything we needed during our stay. Noreen knows everyone in Killarney (it seems) and can steer you in the right direction for any need you may have.
Mystical Rose has six rooms, all ensuite and quite cozy, with televisions, hair dryers and a desk/dressing table. Noreen will provide a cot upon request. She did not have a high chair when we visited so be sure to remember your travel booster if you have a little one. (Although she may have a booster of her own soon as she was quite impressed with ours!)
Noreen serves an generous Irish breakfast in the mornings accompanied by toast and brown bread, coffee or tea and orange juice. She made wonderful pancakes (thin like a crepe) for the girls that were melt-in-your-mouth delish.
Noreen is full of wonderful stories about Killarney and can set you up on any tour you would like to take (like I said, she knows practically everyone) and give you great advice on what to see. She's also great with kids. Our first morning Brenna had finished her breakfast long before the rest of us. Noreen had just been telling Brenna about her horse and Brenna, loving horses, wanted to see it. So Noreen took her along to feed the horse. She went out of her way and made a little girl's day. (Brenna still talks about the horses.)
Mystical Rose Country Home is within walking distance of Killarney's tourist center- about a 15-20 minute walk- a nice stroll that will save you the hassle of finding a parking spot during busy tourist seasons.
Laundry to Do? If you checked out my packing post you know that we packed clothes for four days and planned to do laundry. Noreen had us go to Gleeson Laundrette on Brewery Lane. It's a tiny bit of a "street" (more like an alley, really) just across from where the jaunting carts line up on Kenmare Place and around the corner from Lir Cafe and Chocolates. If you don't know it's there you'll miss it...
In all honesty I had no plans to write this post until we were preparing to load luggage and head to the airport. I asked my mom if she had her luggage locked and ready to go. She said no, that she didn't think you were supposed to lock luggage in case it had to be searched.
I was kind of surprised that she hadn't heard of TSA approved locks. The TSA combo locks I have can be set to your own combination and have a key hole at the bottom so TSA can search your bag and re-lock it. The latches don't seem like they insert far into the lock, but since they are a combo lock and not a "clicking" lock they don't need to insert far to work. I've used mine 4 times on overseas flights and at least that many times on US flights and have never had a problem.
I also found a TSA approved travel strap with a combo lock that works the same way. A great idea if your luggage is packed tight and you're afraid for your zipper (been there!) or for identification purposes.
Packing "light" takes on a new meaning when you are traveling with children. Let's just say I swear by Space Bags.
Below is a video of how I pack a family of four for a 10 day trip in 3 suitcases and personal carry-ons.
For more packing tips see my video about shipping vacation items.
I absolutely hate the "typical" laptop bag. Plain, dull black... Blah. And the choices were even fewer when I got a laptop with a 17" screen. I searched all the typical sites looking for a stylish laptop bag, to no avail.
So I decided to search Etsy. And there I found Janine King Designs. And my laptop bag.
I have mentioned shipping vacation items in previous posts. Today I just sent off a package in preparation for our trip to Ireland. View the video below to see what I packed, how I packed it, and a couple other tips.
I shipped via USPS, basically because they are less expensive than UPS or FedEx and because I am in no rush to get it there.
If you want to really travel light there are companies out there that will ship your luggage door-to-door.
I've not used any of these companies but I can certainly understand the appeal. First and foremost, all of these companies guarantee not to lose your luggage! Quite a big plus in this world of airlines cutting customer service. Also, many of these companies specialize in sports equipment: skis, golf clubs, scuba gear.... Items the airlines charge extra for.
I've compiled a list of companies and a bit of information from their websites:
Luggage Forward:Again, door-to-door service. I like that you can get a quote right on their front page. Their deliveries are guaranteed to be waiting for you when you arrive at your destination.
Sports Express: The "quick quote" is easy to use. They also have an email newsletter with discounts and delivery tracking.
In my quest for mess free items for our upcoming flights I found the Water Wow! Doodle Book at my local Target store (online at shop.nickjr.com) by Giddy Up. Brenna is a big Backyardigans fan but I also saw books featuring Diego, Dora and Spongebob.
This product is a mix between an Aquadoodle (water pen) and the Color Wonder products (pictures appear in color). You fill the water brush and use it to find the items listed above the picture:
I like that it has a "seek & find" game to it that Brenna can play by herself by looking at the pictures or I can play with her by reading the questions.
The book itself is about 12" tall, 6" wide and 1/2" thick. Each book has 4 game pages, allowing you to continue playing while pages dry. It has a carrying handle at the top and the water brush clicks into it's holder.
A note about the pen: You squeeze it gently to wet the brush. If it is squeezed hard by your child it can leak. For that reason I say this product is good for ages 3 and up- you can tell them (and sometimes they listen) not to squeeze the pen.
I really like the educational values this product has (seek & find, counting, colors) and that it is reusable. A great travel product!
Brenna loves it!
I've been on the lookout for fun little items to put in the girls' backpacks for our upcoming trip. When I saw the Aqua Doodle Travel N" Doodle I grabbed it for Caelan.
I really like it's size- it measures 11"x8.75" when closed and 11"x17.75" when open. It's light and the handles make this a great item to take along anywhere.
It has two drawing mats which is nice because kids aren't known for patience (at least mine aren't!); one mat can be drawn on while the other dries. The Aquadoodle pen is held securely in the center by a wide elastic and the case is held closed by velcro. The no-mess water pen is ideal for even the youngest artist.
Like all Aquadoodle products, the pen opens "backward", which helps keep my three-year-old from accidentally opening it, and has a great seal- I have yet to experience any leaks with their products.
I recommend this item for any child old enough to hold a pen to paper. It is a water product so you don't have to worry if they suck on the tip (which my daughter does) or write on anything else.
My three-year-old also loves this- especially the "learn to draw" diagrams on the edges. It even makes me feel like an artist.
According to an article from the Associate Press, as of January 1, 2008 you cannot pack loose lithiam batteries in checked luggage.
You can check the batteries if they are in an electronic device such as cellphones, cameras and laptops. (Ummm... who checks those items?) If the batteries are not in original cases or a device you can pack it in a plastic bag and stow it in your carry-on bag- there is a limit of two batteries per passenger.
According to the FAA "fire-protection systems in the cargo hold of passenger planes can't put out fires sparked in lithium batteries."
The ban was put in place to affect shipments of non-rechargeable lithium batteries. I am personally a bit confused why shipments of batteries would be loose, but, hey, if it keeps my plane from bursting into flames...
I just added a note to my always prepared travel necessitis list: Small ziptop baggies for loose camera batteries.
Knowing what to pack is key to any trip- whether it's a long weekend or a month long getaway. Budget Travel recently had an article featuring Clinton Kelly of What Not To Wear with some great packing tips.
Note: this article was written with a 3-day-weekend in mind but you can easily use these tips for any trip. Any wording in green I have added.
The big rule "Nothing gets packed unless it goes with at least two other pieces. In fact, be careful whenever you buy something that only goes with one thing. You get stuck."
Commit to neutrals on half the body "Let's do neutral bottoms. (ie: jeans, khakis, black, brown) "Gray is the easiest neutral to make work for day and evening. Brown is OK, but it can end up being too casual, especially for men."
Darker jeans are better He chooses darker jeans because they can be dressed up for dinner. "Straight-leg jeans are preferable to wide-leg ones, for the same reason."
The other half gets patterns "A shirt with a pattern goes well with a neutral bottom. I'm no big fan of jeans and a solid--even though I'm wearing it now." You can mix prints if they're in the same color family and you vary the patterns' sizes.
Keep secondary colors consistent. He throws in an extra knit (a pink top), because it'll go with the jeans and the trousers. "The fewer colors you have, the more likely it is that different pairings will work."
Accessorize strategically "The right shoes and jewelry can take an outfit up or down." It's fine to mix gold and silver, but when you're traveling, it's easier to stick to one. "Dramatic earrings like these will make this outfit dressier."
On the actual packing "Wear bulkier items on the plane, so you have more space inside the bag." He puts the jewelry in Ziploc bags to protect it, then stuffs the bags inside the shoes. Next he packs the shoes, in shoe bags, in the bottom of the suitcase. Think about layers. Always.
An excuse to go shopping "A cotton or poly jersey dress, like a Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress, is great for traveling. You just roll it up in a ball." Finally, Clinton says V-necks are better than crewnecks. "They elongate the neckline, which makes you look taller. And that makes you look thinner. I've never met a woman who didn't want to look thinner!"
Of course these tips are catered towards women, but you can easily use them to dress anyone. Think Garanimals- coordination is the key.
Don't forget to track the weather before your vacation. The Weather Channel is great for this. You can get averages as well as weekly and monthly outlooks.
And don't forget to ship items ahead (as mentioned here and here).
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