This is not a sponsored post–I truly believe that Career Break Secrets rocks.

Jeff Jung in the Galapagos

Many of us dream of taking a break from work to travel the world. We want to break free from the day-to-day grind and see what life is like elsewhere. But taking the leap is hard and goes against the norm–enough that it keeps most people from ever doing it.

I met Jeff Jung last year at the first annual Meet, Plan, Go!–a nationwide event to inspire and educate people of all ages about career breaks (also known as sabbaticals, or for the folks fresh out of college, gap years). While I won’t be able to take a career break in the next few years, I hope to go on one at some point in my life, so I attended.

Jeff was the emcee. He is a former corporate consultant and marketing director who left his job in 2006 and traveled full-time from 2007 until 2009. He has been to nearly 30 countries. Jeff now runs his own company, Career Break Secrets, to encourage others to take a sabbatical and show them how its possible. The site is full of information, but its focus is a travel video series. Whether you want to volunteer abroad, work abroad, explore a new language, or discover a new culture, the videos cover it all. For anyone who is even slightly interested in taking a career break, I strongly suggest you check it out. (Learn more about Jeff and career breaks in my past Q&A with him here.)

Career Break Secrets provides video guides and advice for career breaks around the world. The first season has 14 HD downloadable videos with four episodes in each of these countries: South Africa, Spain, New Zealand, Patagonia. But currently, only the four Spain episodes are on sale–the rest are still to come. I was able to attend the premiere party in Austin, and there was so much excitement about them. The videos are vivid, colorful, fun, and jam-packed with information. Jeff travels to each of the locations and hosts all of them, and he is a great entertainer.

The Career Break Secrets videos shows some of the best ways go give back and volunteer when you travel in certain areas, how to pick up a new skill on your career break (like cooking or sailing), and interesting ways to see the country. Jeff guides you through the experiences, but he also interviews current career breakers, volunteer directors, teachers, and other experts. I absolutely love the episode all about Monkeyland in South Africa, which reveals what it’s like to volunteer at this amazing monkey sanctuary. I’ve always been interested in working with animals in Africa, so I appreciated the opportunity to learn more about what the day-to-day is actually like.

The content is diverse and shows how unique and rewarding a career break can be. For example, just in the four episodes about Spain, one takes you to a cooking school in Seville, one takes you through a language immersion program in Madrid, one shows you what it’s like walking the Camino de Santiago and how to prepare, and another explores Spain’s wine country.

Some people take time off work to simply backpack around the world and wander, but I love that Jeff views career breaks as an opportunity to learn something new or develop a new skill. Many people such as myself originally had the idea that disappearing from the working world would make it hard to find a job upon returning. But one major theme at Meet, Plan, Go! was that career breaks can actually revitalize your career. As Jeff and other panelists emphasized, you will come back to the job market with more skills, a better understanding of the world and other cultures, and a unique edge that sets you apart from other job candidates. Additionally, taking time away from the rat race can put pep back in your step and often causes you to reevaluate whether you’re doing something you want to return to.

I have gotten to know Jeff personally and truly believe in Career Break Secrets. The videos are high-quality, jam-packed with gorgeous imagery and actionable information. Even if you don’t plan to take a career break in the immediate future, they’re fun to watch and great inspiration for future travels.

The next Meet, Plan, Go! takes place nationwide on October 18, 2011. You can buy your tickets here.

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The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, located in heart of downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, is also known as “the castle in the city.” The towering building with stunning French chateau-style architecture can be seen from all over downtown, and it looks more like a palace than a hotel.

After hearing wonderful things about it from fellow travel bloggers, I choose to stay there for my three nights in the city.

The hotel is actually the third incarnation of the Hotel Vancouver. The very first opened in 1888. The current one opened in May of 1939, just in time for a visit from Great Britain’s King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Once you enter the lobby, you can tell why it’s fit for a king; there are high ceilings, marble floors, massive chandeliers, regal carpet, and decorative crown molding. It also has several in-house retailers, including Gucci and the city’s flagship Louis Vuitton store. I did some great window shopping!

Canine Ambassadors

The first thing I noticed upon entering the hotel was the classic and elegant style. The second was the two adorable dogs hanging out next to the concierge desk. I quickly learned that these sweet labs were Mavis and Beau, the Fairmont’s Canine Ambassadors (see my pics of them below). I was happy to learn that several other Fairmonts have dogs as well. They each have a bed on either side of the concierge desk, but they liked to wander and sometimes sleep on the floor. One time I saw a little kid playing with one of them, and the dog was so sweet and patient.

These pups made this luxurious hotel seem more like home. When I travel, I miss my dog terribly. It gave me comfort to be able to pet these dogs. One thing I love is that you are allowed to take them on walks! They can only be walked a few times a day, but this is a very good thing—it would be terrible if they were forced to go on 15 walks a day! They occasionally took a little stroll through the lobby, but they were extremely well-behaved and friendly. Each one lives with a member of hotel staff, so they go home every evening and come back in the mornings.

Interestingly, Mavis and Beau have both been trained as seeing eye dogs. Another fun fact is that Mavis is the half-sister of one of the Canine Ambassador dogs at the Fairmont Waterfront location.

The Location

There are three Fairmont hotels in downtown Vancouver: Hotel Vancouver, Waterfront, and Pacific Rim. Each has a different personality and style. This one is located on Georgia Street and is just one block from Robson Street, a major thoroughfare with tons of shops and restaurants.

The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver was the perfect spot for exploring downtown by foot. We were able to walk to Stanley Park, Gastown, Chinatown, beaches, and Granville Island. We never even took a bus or SkyTrain—we enjoyed taking advantage of the exercise and beautiful weather. There are literally hundreds of restaurants within half a mile of the hotel; one of our favorites was Kamei Royale, a Japanese restaurant right across the street. We also loved Pacifico, an Italian restaurant a few blocks away. There is also great shopping all around in areas surrounding the hotel, from major designer shops to cute affordable boutiques.

Afternoon Tea

Afternoon tea doesn’t happen in America. Sure, some of us drink green tea or chai tea from time to time, but there is no such thing as tea time as an event. I assumed it was only an English tradition. I was intrigued to find out that it was also popular in Vancouver. This confused me at first, until I put two and two together and realized that Vancouver is in British Columbia, which has a shared heritage with the U.K.

The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver hosts a traditional afternoon tea every afternoon at its classy 900 West Lounge, which I attended one day. The tea menu is lengthy, with dozens of worldwide teas to choose from. I went with peppermint, which I loved. Each person gets their personal kettle, which is something we rarely get when we order tea in the U.S. I was told that the Fairmont Pacific Rim has a tea menu with more Asian influence. They also have a fun tea menu for kids; flavors have included bubblegum tea and peanut butter and jelly.

The tea treats I took back to the room with me

To complete the experience, you can get a tier of traditional tea snacks, including petit sandwiches, homemade scones (incredibly tasty—of course it’s a secret recipe!), fresh strawberries with Devonshire cream, and delectable pastries (lemon tart, blueberry cheesecake, mini éclairs, etc.). It’s served with the original royal crystal.

I had a late lunch that day so I wasn’t able to eat much at actual tea time, but they kindly let me take the rest of the goodies back to my room, which I had for dessert that night! It was fun getting to experience a true afternoon tea; it provided a great break in the day to enjoy fresh tea, delicious treats, and good conversation. Why don’t we do that in America?

My Room

My room at The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver

The first thing that struck me about the room was the beautiful bedding with purple accents (it’s my favorite color). The second was the window that looked straight at the harbor. Sure, it was only a small part of the harbor since buildings blocked the rest of the view, but I didn’t care. I loved watching the bustling city from above and seeing ships pass by.

While the room itself was spacious, with a work desk, comfy chair, and an armoir with a flat-screen TV, there was one big thing I felt was missing: a full-length mirror. I love being able to see my full outfit before I go out, and there wasn’t one–just the bathroom mirror that shows about chest up (I’m short). The bathroom was also quite small, though I know it’s an old building. The massive, cozy king-size bed made up for that.

Prior to arriving in Vancouver, we were in Seattle for several nights and stayed in a friend’s apartment. It was downtown and had no air conditioning, and it was a warm week. We had to sleep with the windows open, which meant lots of light and noise (I had to wear earplugs and an eye mask). It was such a relief that our room at the Fairmont was quiet, had a cooling system, and had blackout curtains. The bed was soft and comfortable. After that stay in Seattle, I slept like a baby here.

The Celebration of Light took place while we were in Vancouver. I was advised by many to go to it, but I was also warned that the crowds would be intense. We were in the room that evening well before the event, and I heard several bangs. I ran to the window and saw smoke in the air—they were test fireworks. I realized we would probably be able to see the show from our window, so we stayed in the room rather than dealing with the masses. We pulled up a chair to the window and watched a stunning firework show from our 12^th-story hotel room. It was perfect. I took photos of the whole show, including that one to the left.

Exercise Room and Pool
I was too busy exploring the city to visit Absolute Spa, the hotel’s in-house spa, though I wish I had squeezed in time for a massage. But I did use the exercise room once. I was extremely impressed—the equipment is very new and modern. The treadmills had screens that allowed you to watch TV while running, and the stationary bikes had screens that could simulate outdoor biking. They also had a new device with weighted cables that could be used in dozens of different ways, and there was a video playing on repeat showing how to use it. I’m a fitness junkie and have been to plenty of hotels with mediocre or bad workout equipment, so I was very happy with theirs.

We visited the pool, which is indoors but surrounded by windows, so it is flooded with natural light. There were several kids swimming at the time, so we instead soaked in the hot tub. It was a great way to unwind after a long day.

Little Things I Loved

• At some big hotels, you’re stuck waiting for elevators for ages. The hotel has six elevators, so I very rarely had to wait for one or miss one because it was too crowded.
• On our first day, we asked the concierge for advice on a casual lunch nearby. Rather than giving us several different options to choose from, as many places usually do, he got straight down to business and just gave us one solid recommendation (Cactus Club Café). His choice proved to be perfect; I was happy not to be overwhelmed with choices during my first hour in a new city.
• At evening turn-down, they refill your ice bucket, leave you two free bottles of water, and leave you a card with the weather for the next day. It’s the little things that count.

Great Tip!
I learned this from the brilliant Johnny Jet. It’s completely free to join the Fairmont President’s Club, so you should sign up online before your visit. It gives you free access to WiFi (normally very pricey). You get other perks, such as free bicycle rental and free newspaper.

Disclosure: One of my nights at the Fairmont was complimentary for review purposes. As always, my review is fully objective.

When folded up, it's smaller than my 15" laptop

When I read a press release for the PakSmarte packing organizer, I knew I wanted to try one. I have a tendency to be unorganized. I try to be orderly when I pack, and sometimes it works, but other times I end up with a jumbled mess of wrinkled clothes, especially if I have to remove things at airport security. I wanted to see if PakSmarte can help someone like me. The company kindly sent me a complimentary one so I could try it for myself.

When I first received the product, I was amazed by how small the packaging was. When new and folded up, it’s only as thick as a magazine, and the dimensions are just 7.5″x8.5.” Smaller than the surface of my laptop. Once opened up, PakSmarte is 19″ wide x 13″ high x 1.5″ deep.

It makes clothing very compact. Even my little dog likes it!

This vinyl suitcase organizer has three pockets, and it is intended to keep your clothes clean and wrinkle-free. When unfolded and used for packing, fits in any size luggage, including carry-ons. It’s only $9.95, which is cheap compared to other packing organizers, like Eagle Creek’s packing cubes.

At first, I thought it looked like a huge plastic Ziploc bag without a zipper, but I took some time to experiment with it.

Here is what I packed in there:

• 6 pairs of underwear
• 1 pair of jeans
• 1 pair of black yoga pants
• 1 tank top
• 2 long-sleeved T-shirts (one thick, one thin)
• 2 short-sleeved T-shirts (one thick, one thin)

It's like a big envelope for your clothes!

It was a little bit of a challenge keeping clothes folded perfectly while slipping in other folded clothes on top of them, but I managed to squeeze in far more than I expected. It is divided in three sections, so you can separate like clothes (I put my two pants in one, the underwear and a shirt in one, and the other shirts in one pocket).

Once everything was in, I squeezed the bag down to push any air out, and much to my surprise, it became very thin and compact. It reminded me of the commercials I’ve seen for those bags where you vacuum any air out. This requires no vacuuming, but it allows you to push the air out and keep it out since everything stays enclosed.

Once you have everything inside the PakSmarte, you close the flap–it was like an oversized envelope. You could easily toss several of these in one suitcase, and it would certainly make it easier find other things in your bag (my problem is that cameras, toiletries, shoes, and other items sometimes get mixed up with clothes). This definitely would make it easier to grab what you need at airport security. Another cool feature is that you can use the small plastic zipper bag that the PakSmarte came in to store your TSA-compliant toiletries.

Once air is pressed out, the clothes take up little space

After my clothes sat in the PakSmarte for a while, I took everything out, and it had all stayed perfectly folded. The product definitely has the ability to keep clothes clean and wrinkle-free, especially when sharing a bag with shoes and other items.

I’m a petite person, and I live in Texas, so my clothes aren’t very large or bulky. If I was packing warm winter gear, less would have fit in. But as a small woman packing clothes for warm to cool weather, it fit in a large amount of items and made them far more compact and organized than if they were just laid out in a suitcase.

PakSmarte doesn’t work miracles, but if you have a tendency to overpack or be unorganized and have wrinkled clothes, I think this product is a great and affordable solution!

Disclaimer: I was given a PakSmarte product for free for review purposes. However, I was not paid to write this review.

Selecting your itinerary preferences

I love my iPhone, and it seems that every week I learn about a new app that makes my life easier or more entertaining. I recently learned about a new travel app called mTrip, and the company that makes it gave me a promo code so I could play with it for free. I’m not getting paid to write this–I just think it’s an extremely cool and useful product that eliminates the need for a guidebook while you’re out and about. I also am impressed that you don’t need Internet or a cell phone signal to use it, which saves you from expensive roaming fees. Plus, the app’s information is updated daily.

The mTrip app takes travelers through the three main steps of traveling: planning, exploring/navigating, and sharing. The app has five main functions to do this: automated itinerary planner, expert content/directory, navigation, augmented reality, and trip sharing.

mTrip guides are currently available for London, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Rome, Barcelona, Madrid, Venice, New York, San Francisco and Chicago. More are coming soon in other cities, including Moscow and some in Asia. All of the guides come in English, Spanish, German, and French, and the European guides also come in Italian.

mTrip app: personalized itineraries

When you get started, you enter the dates of your travel and what hotel/hostel you are staying in. You can then either manually map out your itinerary, or opt to use the “mTrip Genius” feature. If you go with the latter, it will plan your itinerary for you using a special algorithm based on your interests. It asks you to indicate your interest in museums, parks, monuments, religion, and intensity/pace, and then it assembles an itinerary based on your preferences, best-rated points of interest, and geographic location. Once your itinerary is created, it lets you choose to have it displayed in list form or on a map. You can change or re-generate your itinerary at any time.

The mTrip app then helps you get to where you want to go. It automatically locates you on a map and shows the best route to any location in your itinerary by foot or subway (if subway, it tells you which station and line to take). It also can show you the points of interest in the area where you are.

mTrip also contains travel guide content in a directory-like format, with information on bars and clubs, restaurants, tourist attractions, and hotels. It has information on hundreds to thousands of points of interest depending on the destination. There is also some user-generated content provided by other travelers (you can add your own reviews, too). All of this content is updated daily for free. You can sort these points of interest by distance, popularity, or neighborhood.

mTrip app: travel guide content

The thing I really like about this guide feature is that once you click on a certain point of interest, it gives you a description, one or more photos, traveler ratings and reviews, opening hours, prices, and contact information–the full shabang. You can also add your own comments, get directions to the point of interest, or add it to your itinerary.

The app also comes with an augmented reality feature that I’ve never seen elsewhere (mTrip is one of the first travel apps to offer it).  The app displays the area you are in with a real video, and as you move your iPhone, the image moves along with it (sort of like the 360-degree video tours you can do of properties online). As you scroll across the area, the app superimposes icons to let you know when you’re looking at monuments, restaurants, and other attractions. When this happens, a pop-up appears at the top of the screen that tells you how close you are to the attraction in real time, in addition to ratings, prices, and if it is open or closed.

mTrip app: augmented reality

There are a few ways to share your travels through mTrip, and how much you can share is unlimited. You can send postcards with an image and message via email and Facebook to your friends and family back home. You can also save the postcard and wait to send it until you have a WiFi connection. As mentioned above, you can also share your reviews and ratings with other travelers who will be using mTrip. .

While I’ve had an iPhone for some time, I’ve never used an app like this before because I’ve always been petrified of incurring outrageous roaming fees. I had no idea there were apps like this that were so full of real-time data without needing to be online or using a cell phone signal. While mTrip isn’t free, it’s very low-cost (pricing below), and I would definitely use it for my next vacation. We’ve all had moments while traveling when we can’t decide where to eat–it would be so nice to have an app like this that displays nearby restaurants along with reviews. It would make it a lot easier to avoid gross tourist restaurants! The navigation feature is also very impressive to me. Anyone who knows me knows that I get lost often and sometimes have trouble with paper maps. I had no idea I could use a map on my iPhone without needing a connection.

The app is normally $9.99  (or £5.99), though right now it is on sale at $5.99 (or £3.49). You can download the mTrip app for iPhone and iPod Touch here.

Have you ever used a travel app for your iPhone? Would you ever use an app like mTrip?

Hagia Sophia (photo by Emily Gerson)

Please note that I wasn’t paid to write this. I don’t do sponsored posts.

When most of us decide to travel somewhere new, we buy travel guidebooks from companies like Lonely Planet, Frommer’s, and Fodor’s. I have purchased books from all three of those publishers, and while they have all been very helpful, they often don’t go as in depth about culture and history as I would like.

A company called Approach Guides produces cultural travel guidebooks that provide deeper insight than the mainstream books. Jennifer Raezer of Approach Guides contacted me when she found out I was traveling to Istanbul a few months ago, and she told me she thought Approach Guides would offer a different perspective on Istanbul than other guidebooks.

According to Jennifer, Approach Guides’ cultural travel guidebooks provide detailed reviews of the art, culture, and architecture of sites throughout Italy, India, China, Turkey, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. All Approach Guides are offered as PDF files that can be downloaded and printed immediately after you buy them. Some can also be bought for reading on the Amazon Kindle, and they currently have an Italy wine guide for the iPhone.

Jennifer emailed me an ApproachGuide titled “Hagia Sophia and its Islamic Architectural Legacy.” Sure, that might sound a little boring at first, but I’m an architecture nerd, and Hagia Sophia (or Aya Sofia as they call it over there) is a centuries-old architectural marvel that has changed from a basilica to a mosque to a museum. To me, it is one of the most architecturally fascinating structures on earth. The 16-page PDF book is jam-packed with the complex history and significance of Hagia Sophia, the story behind the mosaics, the originals of the basilica plan, the themes of Ottoman architecture, and more. While it is quite dense and text-heavy, there are also quite a few images.

If you just want a basic introduction to Istanbul’s major sites, you’re better off with a general guidebook. But if you want a more in-depth look at the history, architecture, and cultural significance of something as important as Hagia Sophia, it’s a pretty incredible resource. I recently did some research on Hagia Sophia for a guest post I wrote for TravelIntelligence.com, and it was hard getting straight facts; most sites I found had vague and confusing timelines along with some seemingly conflicting information. The Approach Guide streamlines all the information I wanted to know (and then some) in one place.

Some of the other titles they provide that look interesting to me are “East-West Trade Connections,” “Ancient Buddhist Caves in India and China,” “The Temples of Java,” “The Architecture of Venice,” and of course, “Buon Appetito! Italian Food Guide.”

Here are the benefits of Approach Guides, taken from the email from Jennifer:

• Complement traditional guidebooks. Approach Guides provide detailed cultural information on specific sites, filling a gap left by traditional guidebooks (necessarily) that must cover all aspects of a destination.
• Provide historical context. Instead of simply listing dates and facts, Approach Guides give history meaning by examining the linkages among profiled cultural sites.
• Organized for quick reference. All Approach Guides follow an easy-to-read, bullet-point format, so readers can process the information quickly and don’t miss anything.
• Affordable. Approach Guides range in price from $3.99 to $5.99 and are backed by our 100% satisfaction guarantee.
• Lightweight. As carrying around a heavy guidebook can be cumbersome, we chose to distribute Approach Guides in PDF format, so that users can either print only the pages they want or upload the PDF to their smartphone and read it on location.

Have you ever used an Approach Guide? If not, would you?

Indie Travel Podcast is producing The Art of Solo Travel: A Girls’ Guide, an eBook that launches on June 1. The over 40-page eBook is written by Stephanie Lee, a seasoned solo traveler. At age 30, Stephanie had a great career, a partner, and a house, but despite achieving the so-called American dream, she felt unfulfilled and couldn’t stand the rat race. She quit her job, left her relationship, and sold her house to take off on an open-ended solo journey. After traveling alone to more than 20 countries, Stephanie has created this book help inspire and guide other women  to travel solo. To get a 20% discount on the eBook, sign up here.

I was given the first chapter of the book by Indie Travel Podcast so I could review it. The book is beautifully designed, with pretty and modern graphics and an easy-to-read layout. I think Stephanie provides some incredible food for thought with her discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of traveling solo, though there are some things I disagree with, such as her suggestion for women to travel solo in Egypt. Read on for my more thorough review of the eBook.

1.       Why travel alone
In this first chapter, Stephanie opens with an introduction that makes it clear why she’s writing this eBook. When preparing to “leave the rat-race indefinitely,” she heard of many women traveling solo, but had trouble finding people who documented it and good, up-to-date information about it.

Some people are petrified of traveling alone, while others have a totally romanticized view of it. Stephanie does a great job of outlining the major advantages and disadvantages of solo travel. Some of the pros: spiritual growth, openness to conversation, and flexibility. She also discusses how it can help you learn about yourself, and lists some of the things she learned about herself from her adventures.

Stephanie then realistically explains the cons–some include loneliness, eating alone, additional costs, and nobody to share the highlights  with. This section really resonates with me; my first solo trip was in Paris, and I was plagued by loneliness, especially when it came to eating. I missed having someone to share the exciting sites and adventures with, and I hated sleeping in a crappy hotel because I had nobody to split costs with. Though looking back, I agree with her pros –it really did help me grow and get out of my comfort zone. I feel far more prepared to travel alone again next time.

She goes on to explain how she ‘quit her life’ and how you can, too. She talks about how left her life behind to travel and how you can follow in her footsteps. My problem with this is that she assumes every woman who wants to solo travel wants to do it long-term enough to quit their job and sell their house. I think there are many women who like traveling solo, but are happy to do it for just a week or two at a time and not have to ditch their job, house, or romantic partner for it. However, she does offer some good tips for how you can allay your family’s fears of you traveling alone.

Stephanie also discusses how hard it is to decide where to go and lists some ideas of where to travel. She starts off with Japan, which she says is one of the safest countries in the world for solo female travelers. What throws me off is the next place she mentions is Egpyt, which she concedes can be awkward for women and says it is full of people who harass you and honk at you. She said, “I didn’t really feel unsafe, but uncomfortable.” I’m confused why this would be the second place she would list as a place to visit–it doesn’t sound appealing at all for a solo female traveler, especially based on stories I’ve heard from other women. Her third mention is Western Europe, and that I really agree with, though I wish she had broken it down by country, as each country has different personalities and attitudes about women and Americans.

I was only given the first chapter, but I was able to see the full table of contents, so here is what else she discusses. Based on what I’ve read so far, I would definitely like to read more.

2.       Preparing to go

Backpacking isn’t for everyone, and I’m glad to see that Stephanie addresses that. She helps readers decide whether to use a backpack or suitcase, and she lists things you shouldn’t travel without, including handy gadgets.

3.       Travel more spend less

International traveling is expensive, so Stephanie explains how to do financial planning and explore the world on a tight budget.

4.       Flying, sleeping, eating living

In this section, she covers the day-to-day for a woman traveling alone.

5.       Men, women, and other stuff

Here, Stephanie provides advice on meeting new people. She also provides a guide for how to eat and drink alone, in addition to some reminders about health and safety.

6.       Resources

This section has information on community, transportation, accommodations, living and working abroad, and travel gear shopping and reviews.

base2stay hotel in London (photo by Emily Gerson)

I recently stayed in London for six nights for a business trip. My coworkers and I wanted to stay somewhere nice (but affordable so the company wouldn’t complain) in the west side of London. After much searching, decided to stay at base2stay, a boutique “apartment hotel” in the Kensington neighborhood. I had an incredibly positive experience there.

Our main draw to base2stay was not only the nice neighborhood close to our office, but the fact that each room had its own kitchenette with a fridge and microwave. We were going to be in town for a while and were near some grocery stores, so it was incredibly convenient being able to stock up on snacks, save leftovers, and warm things up in a microwave. The kitchenette had its own sink in addition to several sets of utensils, dishes, and cups. The hotel’s free wireless Internet was a huge bonus, and they are also very eco-friendly.

my base2stay hotel room (by Emily Gerson)

When we arrived, we were greeted by Tony, the charming operations manager. Our rooms weren’t supposed to be available until later in the afternoon, but we arrived early in the morning due to an overnight flight. Even though they were booked solid, he worked very hard to shuffle things around and was able to get us into our rooms a few hours early. Throughout the stay, he and whomever else was on staff were kind and incredibly helpful, happy to point out things on the map or offer advice about where to eat. Despite it being a small hotel, they have someone at the front desk 24 hours a day.

The hotel’s decor is simple but modern and clean. It was built into a beautiful white apartment building, with white columns in the front. The lobby and stairway were bright and open, and the large, carpeted stairs felt like those in a home (a nice, new one at that!).

We each stayed in a single room, which was about 90 pounds a night. Our rooms were very small, but that is the norm for Europe. The color schemes where whites with warm browns. The bed linens were crisp, fresh, and white. My room had a light wood desk, making it really easy to work on my computer.

The bathroom had modern facilities, with a shower that had a simple electronic

base2stay hotel bathroom (by Emily Gerson)

push button to turn the water on and off. The toiletries were very minimum — just a bottle of a combination shampoo/body gel, and one bar of soap — but there was a drug store around the corner if you needed more items. The rooms also have air conditioning with individual controls.

Each room has a flat-screen television in it. My television didn’t swivel and was facing the center of the room, so it was hard to see it while lying in bed (which was in the corner of the room). But they had movies on demand for just 2 pounds each, which is the cheapest I have ever heard of for a hotel, so one night after a long day I did enjoy watching a film on it. They also have a free music library you can access via the TV, and each room comes with a keyboard that allows you to access the Internet through the television.

Base2stay doesn’t have its own restaurant or bar, so they aren’t able to offer breakfast. To make up for this, they offer exclusive discounts to many local restaurants, which is a great perk.

The hotel location ended up being perfect for us. From the hotel, it is only a few minutes’ walk to the Earls Court tube station. Within a minute or two of walking away from the hotel, you are surrounded by dozens of restaurants, pubs, and cafes, many of which we enjoyed during our stay (especially the Italian restaurant Zizzi!). We were also just down the street from two grocery stores and a pharmacy. One tube stop away was High Street Kensington, where there are endless amounts of shops and boutiques. However, there were no real bars near us, and it got a bit quiet at night. The area was a bit residential and had many hotels, but I suppose that’s better than staying somewhere too loud and wild!

In sum, here are the highlights and lowlights:

Pros:

• Modern and clean
• Air conditioning
• Incredibly helpful and friendly staff
• Kitchenette in every room
• Free wifi
• Very short walk to tube station
• Surrounded by restaurants, boutiques, and pubs
• Flat-screen television in every room with very cheap movies
• Eco-friendly
• Discounts at local restaurants (and a fitness club)

Cons:

• Rooms are small
• TV doesn’t swivel
• Quiet area
• No restaurant or bar

The city is so big that the process of searching for London hotels can be daunting. I’m really glad we took the time to find such a unique, modern, and friendly place.

Would you ever stay here? Where do you usually like to stay when you are in London?

The Ladybag package before opening

Ladies, have you ever been camping or on a long road trip and had the urge to pee, but are nowhere near a bathroom? Or worse, have you found a bathroom but don’t think you can use it do to squalid conditions? A German company has invented new “pocket urinal” called the Ladybag that gives us a hygienic way to pee when there is nowhere else to go.

I have been in these situations too many times, so I was intrigued and asked them if I could have a sample to try. The Ladybag comes in a small plastic package around 6 inches tall and 3 inches across, and it’s nearly flat. There are directions in English on one side and German on the other.

When you open the package, you will find three items: the green Ladybag, a wet wipe packet, and a folded up white sack that can be used to throw away the first two items.

The Ladybag unfolds into a long, green bag made of thick plastic. When you look inside, you can see that a few inches below the opening is a piece of mesh. Hanging below it at the bottom of the sack (which you can’t see, but you can feel) are polymer granules that absorb the liquid. The shape of the bag is odd and I can’t figure out why, but it doesn’t make a difference. The oval opening is wide and made of sturdy plastic, so you don’t have to worry about trying to keep it open. It also has a long and textured plastic handle that you use to hold the bag under you.

To use it, unfold the bag, get into a comfortable position (there are three possible positions illustrated on the bag), hold it directly beneath you with the handle, and pee. I found it hard to go at first since I’m not used to peeing into a bag and was worried it would go everywhere, but once you get over the weird factor, it’s easy. The rim really is wide enough and I had no spills — it was very clean. The wet wipe is a nice touch if you are somewhere with no toilet paper.

The urine goes through the mesh section and onto the polymer granules at the bottom of the sack. I read that they would absorb the liquid and odor; I didn’t quite believe it, so I bravely took a big whiff. I really couldn’t smell urine; it was completely absorbed.  The bag is warm afterward, which feels a little gross, but you can toss it in the white sack and tie it up. If you are in a place with a trashcan, you can toss it out right away. If not, it’s not the end of the world, but the bag is a little heavy once it has the pee in it, and there’s still the slight ick factor. However, it’s still better than using a squat toilet!

I think this is a very handy product and I really like the idea of always having one of these in my travel pack just in case. The bad news is that the company hasn’t yet found a distributor, so you can only buy Ladybags online and in euros (it currently costs 8.65 euro for three, 20.16 euro for seven, and 57.40 euro for 20). You can buy them here.

The Ladybag when unfolded

Pros

• Very small and portable
• The bag is made of very solid plastic, so it won’t leak
• The oval rim is solid and wide, so there’s no spilling
• You can use it sitting, standing, or squatting
• The long handle makes it easy to hold while using it
• The odor of urine is totally absorbed
• The bag is huge so it can hold plenty of pee
• The package comes with a wet wipe so you don’t need toilet paper
• The package has a white trash bag that you can use to discard the Ladybag or to hang onto it until you’re near a trash can.

Cons

• The white garbage bag is handy, but it’s heavy with the used Ladybag in it, and you still have to find a place to throw it away
• You can currently only buy in euros and online
• It takes some getting used to

The company also makes the Roadbag, which is a similar product but for males. It costs 5.99 euros for a set of three.

Would you ever use a Ladybag? Do you think this would be handy or is it too gross?

This summer, I went on my first trip with Contiki, a company based in Australia that offers tours for people aged 18-35. I was going to go on a Greek cruise with my sister, and we figured it would be a fun way to meet other people around our age. While there were many perks from joining this tour, it also wasn’t quite what we expected. Read my review of my Contiki experience in a guest post on Twenty-Something Travel, a wonderful blog that equips young people about the ins and outs of travel. I hope you will take a look!

I’ll keep this simple; I have three announcements:

• My blog post, “Should You Take Ambien When Flying?” is featured in this month’s Travelling Tips Blog Carnival. I hope you’ll take some time to read the other posts in the carnival!

• In addition to Maiden Voyage, I also write for About.com. I recently wrote a review of Hotel Valencia, a very modern and chic hotel in San Antonio, Texas. While it’s a bit pricey, it is well worth the stay. If you don’t have the cash for a room, you don’t have to stay there to enjoy it; it has a delicious gourmet restaurant and a hip bar that’s popular with young locals. Please check out the review!

• I want to let everyone know that I happily accept guest posts for this blog. I think it’s always valuable to showcase the perspective of others, so if you have something interesting to say about travel, email your idea to me at emily [at] maiden-voyage-travel [dot] com. I will be out of town for a days later this month and would love a guest post or two that I can use while I’m away!

Pocket Laundry Wash container and a soap leaf

Before leaving for a backpacking trip to Europe this summer, I went to REI in search of handy travel tools. One item I bought was Pocket Laundry Wash made by Summit to Sea. Its small yellow container closely resembles those Listerine breath-freshener strips. It snaps open and closed, and inside are 50 thin sheets of dry soap, called “leaves.” This product is ideal for backpackers or campers who must pack light and need a simple way to wash clothes in a sink or bathtub. It sounded ideal, as I wasn’t in a position to spend time or money in a laundromat.

I found this tiny soap product to be very handy for backpacking, but they were slightly cumbersome and didn’t get my clothes quite as clean as I would have hoped.

Here are some of the perks and misfires of the Pocket Laundry Wash:

Pros:

• This soap is not liquid and it is TSA carry-on compliant, so it is easy to bring with you to the airport if you are using carry-on luggage (and you don’t have to worry about nasty leaks).
• It is very affordable; it only cost around $4 for the whole pack.
• It is extremely lightweight and small (around 2 inches by 3 inches), making it very portable and great for people traveling light.
• The leaves are made of pure soap and are biodegradable, so you don’t have to worry about the environment.
• The soap dissolves well and doesn’t leave any residue, as promised.

Cons:

• The box says to remove the soap leaves with dry hands. However, several times when I was washing clothes in the sink, I realized I needed more leaves once my hands were already wet. There were several times when I tried to grab additional leaves with slightly wet hands, and the leaves clumped and got stuck together, making it impossible to grab just one or two leaves. You really have to make sure your hands are totally dry – even slightly damp hands will make them stick.
• The leaves did not get very sudsy. The box recommends using “4-5 leaves as required,” but I found that I often needed more to feel like my clothes were really getting clean.
• The soap doesn’t work perfectly. While my clothes felt and smelled clean enough to wear again, some items still looked slightly dirty, like my white socks. My travel partner, who has higher standards than I do when it comes to clean clothes, felt like it didn’t work well enough to really clean her clothes. She used antibacterial hand soap instead, which was much sudsier and made the clothes smell and look a little more fresh.

I love that this product is compact and eco-friendly and that it didn’t take up any space in my precious liquids bag for my carry-on backpack. However, they didn’t have as much cleaning power as I would have liked, and the clump factor was frustrating. These were fine for a short trip of just a few weeks, but if I was going on a longer trip in which my clothes had a chance to get really dirtied, I would buy a small tube of laundry soap at one of my destinations to get the clothes fully clean.

I looked online, and Sea to Summit makes several products in the same style and same type of container, such as body wash, shampoo, hand wash and shaving soap. I may be willing to give one of these a try in the future, but unless the airlines get really crazy about carry-on liquids, I will probably stick to liquids for now. These dry products seem to be best if you are in a situation in which liquids are out of the question or when you are camping and perfect cleanliness isn’t as much of a concern.

Have you ever used this product or something like it? What did you think?