Let the 30+ Hour Travel to Asia Commence + Tips for Traveling Halfway Around the World

By chelsea | August 17, 2014 8 Comments

we are off! i am typing this half at the light-rail stop as we head to the airport and the other half with me sitting at the other end of the airport (more on that later).

 

today is the day we leave portland-oregon and travel through vancouver-canada, hong kong-china and finally arrive in kuala lumpur-malaysia!

 

i have had a few people ask me what i’m planning to do for these 30 hours of travel, what i’ve packed and how one prepares to travel more than halfway around the world. you know i love a good over share so let’s get this party started!

 

first-i received a sample of “natural xanax” in the form of essential oils. i’m supposed to put this on the bottom of my feet but forgot before we left so i most definitely just took my shoes and socks off at the light rail stop. i can assure you i’m not the first person to do this here.

otherwise i’ve prepared by drinking a lot of water yesterday, going to bed too late last night because my husband and i were getting too excited and brushing my teeth.

 

i’ve also been doing this free 21-day meditation in preparation for it to help calm my mind of my travel anxieties. i am putting it out into the world that it’s helping at a subconscious level.

 

our home is already prepared so that when we come back from our 2 week adventure, it’s organized and there is food for us to groggily eat.

 

now for the 30 hour travel day (with the longest flight being from vancouver to hong kong at 13.5 hours!)

 

first, it’s all about your clothing. do you think i want to sit in a tiny seat in jeans and a cute blouse? hell no. give me those yoga pants and a blouse when i’m 40.

 

you think i could do this in jeans?! yes, but not as comfortably.

here’s a tip for the ladies-wear a sports bra or something else without wires or clasps because that’s going to start digging into you around hour 12. also make sure you wear cotton underwear because well…it’s comfortable and breathable (yes i went there). comfy shoes and socks are also important and make sure you take a shower as a courtesy to everyone on the plane (i hope whoever sits next to me reads this).

 

also bring a light jacket because airplanes get cold and you can also wad it up and it can be used as a sleep device.

 

no jewelry besides your wedding ring because your skin starts to get uncomfortable by hour 17. make sure you pack any additional jewelry in your carry on!

 

now that the body is taken care of, how do you occupy your time?

 

let’s peak inside my trusty backpack that i carry around like a 12 year old.

most important is my iPod actually it’s the passports. you can’t go far without those.

 

second most important: iPod (also from former 8th grader days but it still works!) this is highly important because it contains all 7 audiobooks of HARRY POTTER. this is my biggest anxiety fighter and happy-world creator. i just take a little trip to hogwarts and grab some butterbeers with my BFFs and everything feels better. true story: i can only fall asleep while listening to this, which has been happening since i was 16.

 

one time i left it at a hotel under my pillow and had to have them overnight it to me.

 

*travel itinerary and notepad for getting work done (computer is also in there)

 

*my OG-kindle filled with free library books like “gone girl” (late to the party but i’m excited to be here)

 

*obviously snacks galore because i am american and need to eat every 75 minutes

 

*cards and cribbage because my husband and i loooove them

 

*neck pillow/eye cover for pretending like i’ll be able to sleep. hand sanitizer because sometimes other people don’t shower and wash their hands

 

*medication in case anxiety gets too crazy. holding off taking anything yet to give the ‘natural xanax’ a fair shot

 

(please note that my backpack now contains my chaco sandals, 3 pounds of almonds, a random shoe and hairbrush because our checked bag was over weight. booooo)

 

and now we sit and wait for our first plane to depart. when i get anxious when traveling, i tend to get a little snappy towards my sweet and patient husband so i’m working on not saying too much unless i can be nice. so far…pretty good.

except for when i asked him to plug in my computer last night after we watched ‘house of cards’ on it and instead he charged his. now i’m sitting at the end of the airport charging my computer. #slightlyjustifiedsnap

 

we dropped our dog off at the “joe and philip day camp” yesterday with sugar’s BFF lily! before we went over i was sort of a wreck. i have no idea how people are parents to humans because it was incredibly sad and depressing to drop her off. once she got there and they ran around and licked each others’ goodies, i was instantly relieved. lily is only giving her the side eye because she thinks sugar is a large white squirrel that moves too fast.

 

thanks for hosting her guys!

questions:
1) what are your travel essentials while on a plane?
2) do you have pets? how do you leave them when you travel?!
3) longest flight you’ve been on?

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