ADVICE

Favorite Travel Tips, Gear & Food

It doesn’t matter what kind of trip you’re taking. The right gear and advice can make the whole process much easier.

Savvy travelers can leverage miles, points, and VIP amenities at hotels (you can get these through me) to book a luxury vacation for less.

Plus, we’re seeing people go uninsured, so I’ve listed some advice for this, how to find hotel pool day passes, and listed favorite skincare products, jet lag tips, kids’ gear, food to keep an eye out for, and much more.

A woman packs clothes and a hat into a suitcase.

We Were Expats and Still Travel a Lot

It always takes the right gear and planning.

Our Best Tips

Travel Gear

Frequent travelers like me will get a lot of use out of their gear. There are innumerable lists of must-have travel gear out there, but we’ve included items on ours that have worked for us. We’re talking about beach games, travel games for kids, travel cribs, Louis Vuitton handbags, and much more.

A list of the best Hong Kong food and where to find it.

Cultural Eats

Here’s where I share things like the Asian fruits that I miss from living in Hong Kong and hot pot tips. You can also learn about Japanese New Year food or even get the Jamaica Tourism Board’s recipe for jerk chicken.

A toy plan sits on a calculator - protect your trip. Start with a free quote for Allianz travel insurance.

Various Travel Tips

I cover important topics like why we have MedJet Assist, jet lag tips, skincare products I like to use on long haul flights, why I drink lemon water when I travel, and so much more that will help you stay healthy, sane, and safe no matter where you’re headed in the world.

Krug champagne and an amuse bouche in Cathay Pacific's first class

Airlines & Airport Lounges

It’s no secret that we fly in premium class on (usually) oneworld member airlines (like Cathay Pacific) thanks to a very tall husband, airline miles, and various travel memberships. I review the onboard experiences and lounges when I have a chance. There is a lot in this department that I need to catch up on.

Flying With Kids

My tips for traveling with kids come from my experiences traveling around the world with my daughter at my side. Have all of our flights gone perfectly? Nope, but there definitely have been strategies and gear (and knock knock jokes) that helped us deal. You can and should take overseas flights with them, I’ve done it more times than I can count having lived in Hong Kong with a baby who needed to fly back to the U.S. to see grandparents.

My dog looks at me while I hold a cup of coffee

Travel Inspired Home

Our house in La Jolla is busy, probably like yours. I’ve taken inspiration from things I’ve seen at hotels and restaurants like backyard games and what to do before you leave on a trip. There are even some random topics like taking care of Christmas trees and recipes.

Research and Book Hotels on your own

We offer two tools if you’d like to research hotels with VIP programs on your own.

In both cases, you’ll need to understand the occupancy and bedding of the room or suite you’re booking. You can find this information on a hotel’s website directly. We’ll receive your reservation within minutes and will follow up to help make sure everything is correct.