Tuesday Ten!: Ten Airport Essentials

TEN ESSENTIAL AIRPORT ACCESSORIES:

In the past year I have been to different airports a combined 20 times; LAX, DTW, YYZ, MEL, SIG, BKK, PHK, TPA, NAD, SYD, and the list goes on. There are ten things that I pray not to forget when I go to the airport.

1. Gum – for obvious reasons. You don’t want the person squished next to you to smell that garlic and onion dip you ate for lunch. Oh, and also because of the pressure changes in the air, gum makes the journey a lot more enjoyable on your sinuses.
2. Lip Balm – I carry my blistex on an airplane at all times. Traveling to different dimensions, densities, climates, and new places will give you the “chapptest” of lips. You do not want to start a new vacation or business trip looking like your 99 year old grandfather, do you?
3. $7 travel kit – You can buy this kit on most airplanes. It is seven dollars and includes an airplane blanket, eye cover, earplugs, and headphones. Perfection.
4. Extra pair of socks – Airplanes must have some nasty rule where they have to blast the a/c and keep their passengers freezing at all times. This becomes a dilemma for me. I want to get comfy and take off my shoes, but because of the pumping a/c, my feet would freeze and break off like Jack on the titanic. An extra pair of socks avoids this problem altogether and I can once again treat the airplane like my home and take off my shoes.
5. An iPod – Yes I will advocate for Steve Jobss. It is guaranteed that there will be a crying baby on the plane sitting right behind you. An iPod with whichever sort of music you like, will drain all the babies away.
6. A Plastic Bag – remember, 1 litre or less. In order to get through security without being frisked, brisked, searched, butt-checked and everything else, you must make sure your antibacterial gel is less than 100ML and is placed properly in a plastic bag. Even if it is less than 100ML, but not in a clear plast bag, the aiport nazi’s will throw out your favourite lotion or whatever liquid you insist on carrying on board. BLAM!
7. A good book – What happens when your iPod runs out, you can’t find a plug anywhere, your flight is delayed, and you are stuck in the airport for 3 hours with no service. You have two options, sleep or read. You have your $7 kit for sleeping so you’re good to go. But if you get bored of yourself and your own snoring, then you need a good read to pass the time.
8. A Watch – These days you aren’t even allowed to take a peak at your cell phone, let alone find it in your bag of stuff without causing a ruckus. If you have anxiety issues like me, that good old fashioned time telling device on your wrist will stop the anxiety and tell you exactly how many minutes you have until you will miss your flight.
9. Plastic Money– Sometimes you are stuck in a situation where you desperately need a five-dollar foot long between flights. Or you happen to be seated next to that person that won’t shut up, so you insist on having 17 of those tiny bottles of wine. You may not have the correct currency for where you’re going or enough cash to cover all 17 bottles…. but your credit card will always be accepted (hopefully).
10.  A positive attitude and lack of sleep – Since 9/11 airports have become stressful to say the least. They have 8174 checkpoints, documents, stickers, and signs. Going to the airport on an empty stomach will cause harm to yourself and everyone around you. As far as sleeping is concerned, I try and get none before a long flight. Sounds a bit crazy, but the process goes faster when I am in a daze and the flight becomes magical. I get on, pass out, and when I wake up I am somewhere sunny and beautiful. Like I said, magical.