Last-Minute Travel Secrets: 121 Ingenious Tips to Endure Cramped Planes, Car Trouble, Awful Hotels, and Other Trips from Hell
240
Last-Minute Travel Secrets: 121 Ingenious Tips to Endure Cramped Planes, Car Trouble, Awful Hotels, and Other Trips from Hell
240eBook
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Overview
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781613735077 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Chicago Review Press, Incorporated |
| Publication date: | 05/01/2016 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 240 |
| File size: | 7 MB |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
Last-Minute Travel Secrets
121 Ingenious Tips to Endure Cramped Planes, Car Trouble, Awful Hotels, and Other Trips From Hell
By Joey Green
Chicago Review Press Incorporated
Copyright © 2016 Joey GreenAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-61373-507-7
CHAPTER 1
Packing Tricks
While preparing to travel to the Amazon jungle, I asked a Vietnamese emigrant working in a camping store in New York City if the store sold mosquito nets.
"Buy it when you get there," he advised.
"But what if they don't sell mosquito nets in the Amazon?"
He laughed. "Believe me," he said, "the people in the Amazon don't like mosquitoes any more than you do."
How to Store Valuables in a Shaving Cream Can
WHAT YOU NEED
• Safety goggles
• Can of shaving cream, 10 ounces
• Work gloves
• Safety can opener
• Water
• Sandpaper, 220 grit
• Scissors
• Hot glue gun
• PVC coupling, 11/2-inch ABS DWV H × H
• Sheet of foam rubber with adhesive backing
WHAT TO DO
1. Wearing safety goggles, empty the shaving cream and as much pressurized gas as possible from the shaving cream can by pressing the nozzle until the can is completely empty. Do not attempt to cut into the can if it contains shaving cream, otherwise the pressurized can may explode, producing metal shrapnel.
2. Wearing safety goggles and work gloves, and working outdoors, use the safety can opener to carefully open the bottom of the empty shaving cream can. Make the initial puncture at the back of the can, in case the can opener makes a small dent in the metal. When you first puncture the can, the remaining pressurized gas in the can may squirt a small amount of shaving cream from the hole.
3. Carefully rinse out the can with water, being careful not to cut yourself on the sharp bottom edge.
4. Wearing work gloves, lightly sand the bottom edge with 220-grit sandpaper — without grazing the paint on the side of the can.
5. Using a pair of scissors, snip off the plastic tube from inside the can as close to the top of the can as possible.
6. Using the hot glue gun, attach the piece of PVC coupling (with the factory-cut edge facing down to ensure a precise fit) onto the inside of the can bottom.
7. Cut several strips of foam rubber 1 inch wide and adhere them inside the circumference of the can, roughly 1/4 inch above the bottom edge as shown, to create a ring of foam so the plastic tube attached to the bottom lid fits snugly inside.
8. Place money or valuables inside the can, replace the bottom lid, and stand the can on a shelf in your medicine cabinet. To prevent jewelry from jangling inside the can, wrap the items in a tissue before placing them inside the can.
HOW IT WORKS
The plastic tube attached to the bottom lid fits snugly inside the ring of adhesive foam attached to the inner wall of the empty shaving cream can, allowing you to hide anything that fits inside the hollow can.
HUSH MONEY
In the 1993 movie Jurassic Park, computer programmer Dennis Nedry (Wayne Knight) uses a modified Barbasol shaving cream can to smuggle frozen dinosaur embryos from Jurassic Park on Isla Nublar. Nedry crashes his jeep, drops the can (which gets covered by mud), and gets killed by a Dilophosaurus. The fate of the Barbasol cryocan provides the main storyline for Jurassic Park: The Game.
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
How to Pack Light
• Choose a small bag, which automatically prevents you from taking more than fits in the bag.
• Pack clothes for no more than seven days. Wash your laundry once a week rather than carrying the weight of additional garments.
• Abide by the travelers' maxim "Lay out only what you absolutely need. Then take half the clothes and twice the money."
• Roll your clothes, rather than folding them, to maximize the space in your luggage.
• Stuff socks inside your shoes to maximize space and prevent the shoes from crushing.
• Stack bras on top of each other, fold them in half, and stuff underwear inside the cavity. This method helps bras maintain their shape, extends the life of the undergarments, and saves space.
• Pack a pair of shoes inside a shower cap to prevent the soles from dirtying your clothes.
• Place bottles of shampoo and conditioner inside your shoes to prevent both the bottles and shoes from crushing.
• Avoid packing toiletry items you can buy at your destination.
• Pack items that can serve several purposes, such as a bandana and a sarong.
• Pack a can opener, some plastic silverware, and a can of tuna fish. If you arrive late at your destination with no place open to buy food, you'll have emergency rations.
• Wear your bulkier items, such as boots, a sweater, and a jacket.
How to Organize Clothes with Ziplock Freezer Bags
WHAT YOU NEED
• Ziplock freezer bags, 1-gallon or 2-gallon size
• Plastic drinking straw (optional)
WHAT TO DO
1. Pack clothes for one outfit (especially for children) into a freezer bag, zip the bag shut most of the way (leaving an opening roughly 1 inch long), and then sit on the bag to expel the air.
2. Place your mouth against the opening and inhale to suck the remaining air from the bag. Or insert a plastic drinking straw through the opening and into the center of the plastic bag, seal the bag shut (up to the straw), suck out the air from the bag, and pull out the straw.
3. Zip the bag shut, and pack it in your suitcase.
HOW IT WORKS
The plastic freezer bags contain the clothes, making it easier to stay organized, and sucking the air from the bags compresses the amount of space the clothes take up.
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
16 Must-Pack Items
• Bandana. The multipurpose cloth can be used as a scarf, headband, bandage, place mat, hand towel, potholder ... the list seems endless.
• Duct Tape. Carry a small roll to repair luggage, shoes, tents, and guidebooks, and to seal boxes.
• Earplugs. These lifesavers help buffer you against screaming babies or snoring roommates.
• Emergency Medical Kit. Don't forget to pack your medications and first aid equipment (bandages, antibiotic ointment, etc.) in a small zippered bag.
• Eye Mask. It's lightweight and helps keep the light out so you can get shut-eye on a plane, train, bus, or inside a cheap hotel room with a neon light flashing outside the window.
• Flashlight. A small LCD pocket light comes in handy at night for illuminating dark paths or passages, finding the bathroom, and reading books or maps.
• Flip-Flops. Wear them in the shower at hotels and hostels to avoid getting athlete's foot or plantar warts.
• Pillowcase and/or Sheet. If you get stuck somewhere with questionable bedding, having your own pillowcase and sheet helps you rest easy.
• Power Strip. If the airport lounge lacks outlets, you can turn a single outlet into a public outlet.
• Rope. A 6-foot length of rope comes in handy as a clothesline.
• Safety Pins. These indispensible tools can replace missing buttons, substitute for zipper pulls, and clasp together the zippers of your daypack to thwart thieves.
• Single-Load Detergent Packet. Keep a box of laundry detergent in a ziplock bag, or empty the powder into the bag to conserve space. You'll need this to wash your clothes in a sink.
• Tote Bag. Great as a carry-on bag, grocery bag, picnic bag, or beach bag.
• Towel. You'll need this at hostels and beaches. A microfiber towel takes up less space in your bag and dries quicker than a conventional towel.
• Universal Sink Stopper. If you plan to wash your clothes in any sinks, have one of these to make sure you can stop the drain.
• Ziplock Bags. These resealable waterproof bags can hold food, jewelry, or powdered laundry detergent.
How to Protect Jewelry with Buttons and a Pill Container
WHAT YOU NEED
• Medium-sized buttons
• Day-of-the-week pill container
• Tissues
• Rubber bands (or elastic hair bands)
• Ziplock freezer bag
WHAT TO DO
1. Remove the back from a pair of stud earrings, poke the two pins in opposite holes in the button, and replace the backs on the pins from the underside of the button to hold the pair of earrings in place.
2. Place a different piece of jewelry inside each compartment of the pill container.
3. Crumple up tissues and place one in each compartment to prevent the jewelry from jangling around while traveling.
4. Seal the pill container shut, and wrap a rubber band around it lengthwise for added security.
5. Slip the pill container into the ziplock bag and seal it. This way, should the pill container pop open unexpectedly, the bag will catch any jewelry that may fall out.
6. Place the pill container flat in the suitcase between layers of clothing to prevent it from opening unexpectedly.
HOW IT WORKS
The buttons keep the pairs of earrings together and prevent them from getting lost, and the pill container keeps the jewelry organized, sorted, and tangle-free. The pill container provides seven compartments for you to pack enough jewelry for a weeklong trip.
EVERY TRICK IN THE BOOK
Happy Pills
Pill containers have a wide variety of other convenient uses:
• Craft Container. Store beads and pins in a weekly pill container (at half the price of craft storage boxes). With the pill container, you can open one compartment at a time, avoiding potential spills of beads from neighboring compartments.
• Fishing Tackle Box. Store fly-fishing hooks, weights, and flies in a pill container.
• Screw Storage. A pill container stores a nice selection of small screws, nuts, and washers.
• Seed Storage. Fill each compartment with seeds for rosemary, carrots, dill, or tomatoes — plants for which you need only a few seeds at a time.
• Travel Spice Rack. Fill each compartment of a pill container with a different spice for camping. Place a label on the lid of each compartment to identify each spice.
How to Vacuum Pack with a Vacuum Cleaner
WHAT YOU NEED
• Plastic kitchen trash bags
• Vacuum cleaner with hose attachment
• Hair band (or rubber band)
WHAT TO DO
1. Place bulky clothes, blankets, or even a foam mattress pad inside a plastic kitchen trash bag.
2. Remove any cleaning attachment from the vacuum cleaner hose, insert the end of the hose through a hair band (or doubled-over rubber band), and slide the tie one foot up the hose.
3. With your hand, bunch up the mouth of the plastic trash bag and hold it closed lightly.
4. Insert the end of the vacuum cleaner hose into the top opening in the trash bag (pressed against an item inside, not the plastic side of the bag), and gather the mouth of the bag shut around the hose.
5. Slide the hair band (or rubber band) down the tube and over the bunched-up mouth of the bag to hold it in place and form a seal.
6. Turn on the vacuum cleaner and suck the air from the plastic trash bag until it stops shrinking.
7. Slide the tube out from the bag with the vacuum cleaner still running, and holding the bunched-up section of the bag, spin the bag to tighten it shut.
8. Use the hair band to seal the bag shut.
9. Turn off the vacuum cleaner.
HOW IT WORKS
The vacuum cleaner sucks the excess air from the bag, creating a vacuum seal and compressing the contents inside.
Rather than using kitchen trash bags (which are 0.95 mil), you can use thicker trash bags (1.05 mil) or contractor-grade trash bags (3.0 mil) so the bags don't accidentally rip open as easily.
How to Deodorize a Suitcase with Dryer Sheets
WHAT YOU NEED
• Dryer sheets
WHAT TO DO
1. Place the smelly suitcase, trunk, or duffle bag open outside on a porch to air out for several hours.
2. Place several dryer sheets inside the suitcase.
3. Seal the suitcase shut and let it stand undisturbed for one week.
4. When packing the suitcase, place a few dryer sheets between clothing items in your suitcase.
HOW IT WORKS
Dryer sheets keep your clothes smelling fresh and prevent them from absorbing any mustiness from old luggage.
IN THE BAG
When storing suitcases, leave the zippers open so the luggage can air out.
Here are a few more tips to keep your luggage fresh:
• Baking Soda. Place a bowl filled with baking soda inside the suitcase and close the suitcase. Let it stand undisturbed for several days, then remove the bowl of baking soda. Baking soda chemically neutralizes odors by turning into a sodium salt and giving off water and carbon dioxide.
• Garbage Bags. Before packing dirty laundry in a suitcase, place the soiled clothes in a plastic garbage bag and seal it shut.
• Kitty Litter. Place unused kitty litter inside the suitcase to absorb the odors and close the suitcase. Let it stand undisturbed for several days and then remove the kitty litter. The pure, refined clay absorbs odors and moisture, which prevents and reduces mold and mildew.
• Newspaper. To deodorize musty luggage, fill a suitcase or trunk with crumpled pages of newspaper, close it, and let it sit for two weeks. The newsprint absorbs foul odors.
• Soap. To keep luggage smelling fresh, tuck a wrapped bar of soap inside a suitcase before storing it. When you take out the suitcase to go traveling, leave the bar of soap inside to keep your clothes smelling fresh.
How to Fix a Broken Luggage Wheel with Duct Tape
WHAT YOU NEED
• Duct tape
• Utility knife
• Black electrical tape (optional)
WHAT TO DO
1. If the rubber wheel on a suitcase cracks and falls off, leaving behind an inner metal roller, tear a strip of duct tape the width of the wheel.
2. Wrap the strip of duct tape tightly around the inner metal roller (making certain the width of the tape is centered on the roller) in the direction the wheel turns (from front to back) so the tape does not unravel when you roll the suitcase.
3. Continue wrapping strips of duct tape around the wheel until the layers of duct tape attain the same diameter as the opposite wheel.
4. If necessary, use a utility knife to carefully trim or bevel the sides of the duct tape tire to prevent the sides from rubbing against the frame of the suitcase.
5. If desired, cover the finished wheel with a strip of black electrical tape to cover the adhesive on the beveled edge and give the improvised tire the same color as the opposite tire.
HOW IT WORKS
The duct tape creates enough thickness to temporarily double as a spare tire for the luggage.
WATCHING THE WHEELS
You can also replace a broken luggage wheel with a Rollerblade wheel, provided you have one of matching size. Remove your broken luggage wheel with a screwdriver or hex wrench, reusing any existing washers. If the wheel is attached with rivets, you need to replace the entire bolt and axle. An inline skate wheel will actually be more durable and roll smoother than a standard luggage wheel. Adding a colorful Rollerblade wheel to your luggage will also make your bag easier to identify at baggage claim.
How to Identify Luggage with Nail Polish
WHAT YOU NEED
• A brightly colored nail polish
• Suitcase
WHAT TO DO1. Carefully paint the heads of any screws on your suitcase (generally found on both sides of the handles) with a coat of brightly colored nail polish.
2. Let it dry.
3. Repeat if necessary, to give the nail polish a second coat.
HOW IT WORKS
When your suitcase comes through the baggage claim at your destination, you'll immediately spot the unique spots of color on your luggage. Unlike a colored tag or ribbon tied through the luggage strap, the brightly colored screws are not easily removed.
A WHOLE BAG OF TRICKS
Buying a uniquely colored suitcase with an outlandish design reduces the chances that other travelers on your flight, train, or bus will have the same luggage as you, minimizing the likelihood that others will accidentally mistake your luggage for their own. Here are more ways to make your luggage easily identifiable:
• Colorful Luggage Tags. Attach one or more unique and sturdy luggage tags to the handle of your suitcase so you can easily recognize the tag and bag from a distance.
• Duct Tape. Tape brightly colored or pattered duct tape to the luggage in the shape of your initial or any design of your choosing.
• Electrical Tape. Apply a few strips of colorful electrical tape to your luggage to make an eye-catching bag.
• Fabric Paint. Use fabric paint in glitter colors to paint wild designs on your fabric bags.
• Garbage Bag. Place your suitcase inside a large plastic black garbage bag and use masking tape to write your initial on the outside of the bag. Your luggage will be easily recognizable and simultaneously protected from rain.
• Luggage Straps. Buy colorful luggage straps to wrap around your checked bags.
• Ribbon or Yarn. Adorn you luggage by tying a piece of brightly colored ribbon or strips of yarn braided together to the handle of your luggage.
• Sponge or Scrubber. Attach a loofah sponge on a rope or a colorful nylon body scrubber on a rope to your luggage.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Last-Minute Travel Secrets by Joey Green. Copyright © 2016 Joey Green. Excerpted by permission of Chicago Review Press Incorporated.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Contents
Introduction,1 PACKING TRICKS,
2 AIRPLANES AND AIRPORTS,
3 HOTELS AND HOVELS,
4 CRUISE SHIPS AND STRANDED CRUISE SHIPS,
5 TRAINS AND BUSES,
6 CARS,
7 RECREATIONAL VEHICLES AND CAMPERS,
8 CAMPING,
Acknowledgments,
Bibliography,
About Joey Green,