Tech for Travel

From Left to Right: Flashlight, Car Adaptor, Wall Adaptor, USB charger cord, earbuds, flash drive, and MP3 player

It used to be that my list of travel tech was one line long – cell phone. Then it became two lines – cell phone and GPS. Now it’s a bit more. We usually travel to my mother-in-law’s, and her house is less than tech savvy. Not to mention that my husband always asks for the car charger or the house charger because he forgot his.

Tech needs vary individually. This is my indispensable list plus a few odds and ends that come in handy by one or more members of my family.

Mini Surge Protector – this has three outlets and two USB ports

Mini Surge Protector by Belkin

USB Car Charger Adaptor

USB extra long charger cord for reading in bed

Cell phone and charger. (Check your data plan before you travel. My mother-in-law doesn’t have wifi, and her brick house just eats our data like crazy.)

Kindle Fire and charger. (If you ‘re in a place without wifi, turn it off. If it’s on, it will continue to search for a wifi signal, and drain your battery.)

Kindle Keyboard and charger (the chargers are interchangeable so I may or may not bring all of them – two is the minimum in case my husband or kids need them)

Camera and charger

MP3 Player and charger

Earbuds or Headphones

Headphone splitter (this allows two headsets to be plugged into one device)

Flashlight (in my case it’s a Sonic Screwdriver flashlight)

Portable DVD player, electric cord, a variety of DVDs (our family rule of thumb is two per person)

Flash drive

Two Prong/Three Prong Adaptor

Plug Adaptor

In the comments, add your own must-haves for tech to travel with.

Food for Travel

Our family travels by car 99% of the time. With three kids, they either want to stop to eat or stop to use the bathroom. Anyone who has ever stopped on a highway area rest area will know that their prices are at least one third higher than the nearest exit. Unfortunately, the nearest exit is usually about five miles from the place with the food and/or the bathroom. When our kids were very young, we brought everything with us. It was certainly cheaper to bring a full box of Cheerios and a box of Pop-Tarts, buying a gallon of milk and a pound of cheese from the local supermarket. I also packed goodies for Mommy & Daddy like a 12 pack of soda so we don’t have to spend our money in the overpriced hotel vending machines.
In a hotel, we always ask for a room with a refrigerator. Many come with microwaves. Almost all have coffee makers, which is also perfect for boiling water for tea.

Most of our choices worked for both a weekend or week long vacation out of town as well as a visit out of town to Grandma’s.

Some of our favorites:
Non-Perishable:

Cheerios
Raisins/Dried Cranberries
Granola
Granola bars
Pretzels
Water
Juice boxes

Perishable items to Buy Locally:

Milk
Cheese
Cottage Cheese
Yogurt

Other Items to Think About:

Tea bags (the only place I didn’t bring my own tea was my trip to the UK)
Single serve instant Coffee

I try to avoid chocolate unless you’re going to eat it within the first couple of hours. No matter the season, the car gets very hot, and chocolate will melt, ruining whatever you’ve put it into.

Ziploc or other zipper plastic bags – they have dozens of uses.
Despite all of these snack choices, remember to have some money for a midnight snack and to avoid extra ATM fees.

Add you own must have snacks and/or travel food in the comments.

Tomorrow: Travel Tech

Saints of Travel

Even to those who are not religious it is common to pray for safe travel. Whether praying to a deity or the one true G-d or goddesses or anything in between, we all wish and hope for safe travels. We ask for good weather and no mechanical mishaps and no crying children or snoring neighbors leaning in our shoulders in each of our own ways. We beg the Almighty for an empty middle seat and no turbulence.

Here are a few of the Catholic patrons of traveling or travelers including my own patron, St. Elen.

I’ve read that St. Christopher is no longer a patron of travel. I know many thousands of people who would disagree so I’ve included him in this list.

St. Anthony of Padua
St. Christopher
St. Elen
St. Joseph, Husband of Mary
St. Nicholas

Please add your own travel companions in the comments.

Thursday Travels – Applepicking Season Has Arrived

My Shrine Visit

I’m still not sure what to call my Shrine visit. Since I live so close, about an hour, it feels odd to call it a pilgrimage, but really what else was it? Retreats have leaders and in my mind, they last more than one day or part of one day. It was a few weeks ago that I went on a day pilgrimage to the Shrine of North American Martyrs in Auriesville, NY [Technically, it’s the Shrine of Our Lady of Martyrs]. I couldn’t believe how close it was, practically in my backyard. It is so much of what I run away from home looking for and all the things I picture a shrine should be: pastoral, bucolic, natural, historic. Should I use serene? That seems cliche but it does fit. Strolling the grounds costs nothing but time, and it’s beautiful and quiet, and yes, serene, thoughtful, and thought-provoking. It is the perfect place to think and to pray and to reflect and contemplate on anything; everything.

Thursday Travels – Shrine of Our Lady of Martyrs

These grounds are a reliquary to the North American Martyrs, St. Isaac Jogues and his Companions, St. Rene Goupil and St. John LaLande. In 1642, the same year Rene Goupil was martyred, the first known recitation of the Rosary was prayed here. This was also the birthplace ten years later after St. Jogues and St. Lalande’s martyrdoms, of St. Kateri Tekakwitha.

The view of the Mohawk Valley and River from the Shrine Grounds

Three Crosses bearing the names of the North American Martyrs at the Entrance, at the edge of what was the Mohawk village.

Travel Thursday – Martyrs Shrine, Preview

I’m looking forward to visiting here this weekend.

Thursday Travels – Llanrwst, North Wales

One of my favorite pictures from my visit in 2009.

Across the bridge to my left is a wonderful tea house. Excellent cup of tea and scone with cream and jam. I was too nervous to take photos “publicly” so I don’t have any from inside. As I recall now, though, there may have been a sign that said no photos, but I don’t precisely remember. I was very conscious of not being a typical tourist, but I’m not sure that if I went back that I would care about that. I love taking and looking at photographs. I love the view through the lens.

Behind me is a circle of standing stones. At the time I thought they were ancient stones and I gave them that reverence. When I arrived home, I did some research and discovered that those stones were placed there to commemorate the 1951 Eisteddfod. Fun fact: my friend’s grandfather won the crown at that year’s competition. He was a well respected and well known broadcaster for television and radio.

On the river you can see two swans, who were happy to pose for my other pictures.

Another fun fact: This bridge is said to be one of the ones designed by Inigo Jones.