Our Wackiest Travel Rituals
Just because we’re seasoned pros, doesn’t mean we Jetsetters don’t have our wacky ways of dealing with being on the road. Here, our most bizarre rituals, from pillow hoarding to nabbing toiletries and packing and unpacking several times over. Get your freak on, people!
I’m terrified of flying and one thing that always makes me feel better is seeing the pilot in the cockpit as I enter the plane and saying hi (making eye-contact always calms me down, as crazy as that sounds!). I also always ask the flight attendant if turbulence is expected, and always check the movies ahead of time. There’s nothing like good inflight entertainment and a little booze to relax the nerves.
-Clara Sedlak, Senior Editor
I never pass on an in-flight meal, from take-off treat to lunch, dinner, dessert, midnight snack, 5 a.m. breakfast, and, lest we forget, the Chex Mix and Hershey’s bar I impulse-buy before boarding. Once, I slept with my eye mask askew during a 15-hour overnight flight to Sydney just to make sure I didn’t miss a single opportunity for free wine or tea. Having a calm stomach is all well and good, but I’ll be damned if I don’t enjoy every cent I’ve spent to be in the air. Pass the Terra Blues, please.
-Lindsey Olander, Editor
When I head to a new destination the first thing I do is trek to the highest point. For example, when I took a road trip from Paris through Normandy, the first stop wasn’t the more popular Trouville-sur-Mer or Deauville. Instead, I headed straight for the Falaises d’Étretat to get the lay of the land and a better understanding of how each of the small coastal towns connected to one another. For me, it’s just easier to navigate a place once I have that bird’s eye view.
-April Ellis, Senior Photo Editor
I’ll admit, I’m a full-on pillow hog. So when I get to my hotel room, I test them all out to find the fluffiest, comfiest one (and call dibs on it before my boyfriend or bunkmate can get the chance). Hence why I’m a sucker for a pillow menu (looking at you, The Benjamin!).
-Chelsea Bengier, Editorial Assistant
When I travel, I walk around with folders of print-out directions and other restaurant reviews. I hate asking for directions from people, and I’m generally distrustful of technology, so I always make sure to have physical copies of all the info I could possibly need.
-Lauren Dishinger, Associate Photo Editor
I’ll come clean: I steal toiletries from hotels. But let me say that only the very best scents make it into my stash. Lavender or fresh laundry—forget it; Lemongrass or mint—let’s be bathroom buddies.
-Jamie Ratermann, Head of Social Media
I always fully pack my suitcase about a day or two in advance, but the day that I’m actually leaving, I unpack it and start over. Usually I’ll ask a friend or roommate to just stand in my room as I take everything out and then refold it, listing aloud exactly what I’m putting back in, like “four shirts, two pants, sneakers and sandals, etc.” just to make sure I’m not missing anything.
-Chelsea Stuart, Editorial Intern
Everyone in my immediate family is taller-than or just under 6 feet tall, so it’s become engrained in me to untuck hospital corners from the bed the minute I check into a hotel room. There’s really nothing worse than curling into the sheets after a long day and not being able to fully extend your legs!
– Siobhan Reid, Writer
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