I'm back!
(picture: @Ludo Vanlangenakker)
My excuse is I have been very busy, being a dancer, a teacher, a writer (in other ways than this blog) and a mommy. And I have done a little bit of traveling, so that's todays topic!
Over the years, I have sponsored many international workshop instructors, and I have done quite a bit of traveling myself, from a weekend in Cape Town, to six weeks in Iceland. (Those two were two of my first international gigs, and they should get their own 'story from the past' blog post soon!).
The instructors that I have hosted have been very diverse in how they traveled. From two (to three!) huge, loaded, heavy suitcases plus carry-on plus laptop bag, to just one tiny case or even just a very stuffed carry on back pack ("Where is your luggage?" "This is all I have" - and yes, she did bring a costume too!). Nope, not naming names. The overloaded ones usually carried loads of make-up and merchandise. O hadn't been able to decide what costume they'd wear.
I have found myself in both categories, really striving to downsize though. Learning to travel light with an infant has helped too.
So let's talk a little on how to achieve that. In random order.
1. Buy clothes that you can teach in AND walk around in the street. Several sets of them. I swear by Gap trousers, and, what used to be Magidah Wear, now, http://www.favewear.com. they could do with some more flashy colours, but in terms of wearability, streetwearability, comfort, and stuffinabagability they are ace! I also have a pair of silk trousers I bought years ago. Absolytely broke the bank when i purchased them, but I've been wearing them for teaching for almost a decade. They do well in hot weather as well.
Here is me teaching in the Magidahwear pants in Vegas! I am almost four months pregnants here and these have been excellent maternity wear too!
2. This one is a no brainer - duh. Collect mini-versions of alll your toileteries. Or re-use little bottles. Hord them. Don't use them at home. Don't forget where you have stashed them. Use them on trips. Tell people you like these and you get them for presents. Same with samples from drugstores, keep em and use them, even perfumes. If you refill your own little bottles, labeling them is a good idea. You might remember on this trip what you poured in what, but you might not next month. I forget what's in them and no, I don't want to wash my face with shampoo and my hair with face wash. Oh, and keep an almost empty tube of toothpaste, and other toiletries that are almost empty, especially for your trip.
3. Invest in a nice BIG handbag, with a zipper, so your stuff doesn't fall out at security checks. (Been there, done that).
4. Find some nice shoes that are comfortable and are ok-ish under a multitude of outfits. Really, shoes are the bag-size killer. See if you can travel with just one pair. I have only succeeded a few times. I really try to go for comfortable (flying, being dragged around town, going from workshop venue to hotel to show venue to restaurant and back etc) over looks. But i like my heels.
5. Leave the lap top at home! Really! Put your music on an ipod and cds and USB stick. You all got smartphones to check your email on anyway.
6. Decide on your show makeup at home. All of it. Forget the bring-all-the-colours palettes. Travel with just exactly the makeup you will put on your face and the brushes you will use. No compromises. You know what costumes you'll be wearing anyway. Take everything you need, but nothing more. Same for jewelry and accessories, choose at home.
so no:
and yes:
7. Now, this one is a dilemma. ONE huge bag, or several smaller ones? When using public transport on my own I find it much easier to have one huge bag, and not handbag/carryon/workshopbag/smallbagonweels. Try the london underground with the latter, ugh! So traveling alone, i prefer not to have too many seperate items. Yes it's heavy, but i find it easier and pickpocket-safer.
However, as a sponsor, imagine picking your guest star up at the airport and her humongeous bag (or bags) do not fit into the car. Note to self, don't send student with smallest car to pick up star with biggest suitcase!
I am sure there are many more tips, so feel free to comment and add your own!
My excuse is I have been very busy, being a dancer, a teacher, a writer (in other ways than this blog) and a mommy. And I have done a little bit of traveling, so that's todays topic!
Over the years, I have sponsored many international workshop instructors, and I have done quite a bit of traveling myself, from a weekend in Cape Town, to six weeks in Iceland. (Those two were two of my first international gigs, and they should get their own 'story from the past' blog post soon!).
The instructors that I have hosted have been very diverse in how they traveled. From two (to three!) huge, loaded, heavy suitcases plus carry-on plus laptop bag, to just one tiny case or even just a very stuffed carry on back pack ("Where is your luggage?" "This is all I have" - and yes, she did bring a costume too!). Nope, not naming names. The overloaded ones usually carried loads of make-up and merchandise. O hadn't been able to decide what costume they'd wear.
I have found myself in both categories, really striving to downsize though. Learning to travel light with an infant has helped too.
So let's talk a little on how to achieve that. In random order.
1. Buy clothes that you can teach in AND walk around in the street. Several sets of them. I swear by Gap trousers, and, what used to be Magidah Wear, now, http://www.favewear.com. they could do with some more flashy colours, but in terms of wearability, streetwearability, comfort, and stuffinabagability they are ace! I also have a pair of silk trousers I bought years ago. Absolytely broke the bank when i purchased them, but I've been wearing them for teaching for almost a decade. They do well in hot weather as well.
Here is me teaching in the Magidahwear pants in Vegas! I am almost four months pregnants here and these have been excellent maternity wear too!
2. This one is a no brainer - duh. Collect mini-versions of alll your toileteries. Or re-use little bottles. Hord them. Don't use them at home. Don't forget where you have stashed them. Use them on trips. Tell people you like these and you get them for presents. Same with samples from drugstores, keep em and use them, even perfumes. If you refill your own little bottles, labeling them is a good idea. You might remember on this trip what you poured in what, but you might not next month. I forget what's in them and no, I don't want to wash my face with shampoo and my hair with face wash. Oh, and keep an almost empty tube of toothpaste, and other toiletries that are almost empty, especially for your trip.
3. Invest in a nice BIG handbag, with a zipper, so your stuff doesn't fall out at security checks. (Been there, done that).
4. Find some nice shoes that are comfortable and are ok-ish under a multitude of outfits. Really, shoes are the bag-size killer. See if you can travel with just one pair. I have only succeeded a few times. I really try to go for comfortable (flying, being dragged around town, going from workshop venue to hotel to show venue to restaurant and back etc) over looks. But i like my heels.
5. Leave the lap top at home! Really! Put your music on an ipod and cds and USB stick. You all got smartphones to check your email on anyway.
6. Decide on your show makeup at home. All of it. Forget the bring-all-the-colours palettes. Travel with just exactly the makeup you will put on your face and the brushes you will use. No compromises. You know what costumes you'll be wearing anyway. Take everything you need, but nothing more. Same for jewelry and accessories, choose at home.
so no:
and yes:
7. Now, this one is a dilemma. ONE huge bag, or several smaller ones? When using public transport on my own I find it much easier to have one huge bag, and not handbag/carryon/workshopbag/smallbagonweels. Try the london underground with the latter, ugh! So traveling alone, i prefer not to have too many seperate items. Yes it's heavy, but i find it easier and pickpocket-safer.
However, as a sponsor, imagine picking your guest star up at the airport and her humongeous bag (or bags) do not fit into the car. Note to self, don't send student with smallest car to pick up star with biggest suitcase!
I am sure there are many more tips, so feel free to comment and add your own!
This is great!
ReplyDeletePersonally, I do tend to be of the, "I can't decide which costume to bring!" variety. That having been said, I tend to travel with 2 bags: a medium to large Pullman and a computer back pack. Due to my real work, I have to have my computer with me, so a computer background is a necessity. But I have also chosen to have a smaller laptop to minimize size and weight.
I carry my costumes in my carry on bag. This minimizes the chances of lose. Be aware that there is a great chance that your bags will be hand checked at security.
Finding articles of clothing which coordinate with each other is so important and actually very easy without the whole suitcase being black. Sarongs are great because they fold up small and they can be very can also be worn several different ways including simply as a scarf.
Shoes: Princess Farhana lives in Uggs. I like them as well, but I also like a good pair of shoes from a company such as Easy Spirits because they are well designed, sturdy, and versatile. Throw in a paid of heals, and you are good to go!
Bags within a bag. I keep a small bag with my dance class gear, one with my make up, one with my swim wear, my electronics, etc. This helps to keep things sorted in your bag and, when you are repacking, helps to get things back into the bag. It is always amazing how things seem to magically expand when they come out of my suitcase!
Finally, bring at least one dressy outfit. I know it sounds silly, but having a really lovely outfit can make the difference because it opens up things you can do while you are away from home. This doesn't have to be something which takes up a lot of room in your suitcase, just something which isn't going to be worn and worn and worn and by the time I get home I want to never see it again!
And finally, accessories will be what makes or breaks your travel wardrobe and experience. Don't be afraid to take out a piece of clothing which is redundant and add a few scarves, a little bling or a sweater or jacket which can go with many other things and change them.
Here is my tip: Whatever is critical to have with you for your gig - teaching/performing music, notes, costume, specialty props, clean panties, medicines... be sure to pack in your carry on and not with your checked luggage. It may happen that you arrive on time but your bags don't! I tried to be clever (and discreet) by mailing ahead my costume, makeup and extra teaching clothes, but didn't allow enough time or take into consideration customs fees. It probably won't be a big deal to find makeup or teaching clothes to borrow, but it would have been DISASTROUS for me on that trip if I didn't have the great good fortune to have a lovely hostess that happened to wear the same color hair piece and same size costume as me. :D
ReplyDelete