• Contact Me
  • PR & Media
  • Home
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google+
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • Email
  • RSS

Bon Touriste

Inspiring Beautiful Travels

  • Home
  • Start Here!
  • About Me
  • Portfolio
  • Blog
  • Writing Tips

How I Packed for Two Weeks in Eastern Europe in a Carry-On

June 6, 2016 by Kristin Winet 2 Comments

This post is inspired by a lively discussion I had on Facebook the other day after telling my friends that I’d challenged myself to pack for a two-week Eastern European Viking river cruise in nothing but my 19-inch Delsey Chatelet carry-on. In the spirit of sharing, here’s exactly how I did it.

In other words, here’s how to cram 52 items into a carry-on that’s about the size of my cat (photo evidence below).

The Items

To begin with, I needed to actually think through my itinerary, something I rarely do when I travel (I know, I know…). My usual process is to dump a bunch of clothes I like wearing into a suitcase and then sit on the poor overstuffed thing to try and zip it up. Anyone who knows me personally knows this to be true.

So for this trip, I looked at the average weather in each country I’d be visiting – Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, and Hungary – and then thought about what I’d actually be doing there. Temps would be ranging from a chilly 55 to a balmy 89. Because I was traveling with Viking, I knew I’d be doing a lot of walking on the city tours, so I knew I’d need some city-appropriate clothes with sleeves (for cathedrals, synagogues, and the like). I’d also signed up for a couple of excursions to the Croatian and Bulgarian countrysides, too, so I knew I’d need some comfortable, warm-weather clothes with good hiking shoes. From past experience, I also knew I wouldn’t need a lot of formal clothes or high heels, as the dress code tends to be incredibly informal on river cruises.

I perused my closet and decided on a color scheme: monochromatic with a splash of pink. Why pink? Who knows…I pulled out a pink top with polka dots and thought it’d be cute for a city walk, so I decided to base things around that.

Then, the hard part: anything that didn’t match this color scheme didn’t make the cut. Here’s everything, laid out, so you can see exactly how everything fit together. As you can see, I could pair any shirt with any pair of pants and any pair of shoes. Four splashes of pink helped to “lighten up” the greys, blacks, and blues.

20160605_171005_resized

This was my master list:

  • 2 jackets – one jean and one faux leather
  • 2 pairs of pants – blue jeans & light khakis
  • 1 pair of yoga pants
  • 2 pairs of shorts – blue jeans & khakis
  • 3 dresses – one cocktail dress, one sundress, one t-shirt dress
  • 2 cotton cardigans – black & blue
  • 1 sweatshirt
  • 1 sweater
  • 1 long-sleeved shirt
  • 6 short-sleeved shirts
  • 2 spaghetti-strap undershirts
  • 1 silk bathrobe
  • 1 infinity scarf
  • 1 romper
  • 1 bathing suit
  • 4 pairs of shoes – ballet flats, nice sandals, hiking sandals, flat tennis shoes
  • 13 pairs of underwear
  • 5 pairs of socks
  • 3 bras – 2 regular, one sports

And here’s how I got it all into a 19-inch carry-on.

The Process

The first thing I did was use a small packing cube (thanks to my friend Molly who let me borrow one of hers!) to roll up all my t-shirts:

20160605_171243_resized

Then, I folded my shorts in half and put them on top of the t-shirts:

20160605_171258_resized

The next step was to start putting items into my actual suitcase. I folded my dresses in half and laid them in the bottom of the flat side of the suitcase and put the packing cube on top. Then, I filled the rest of the space up with black ballet flats and the two undershirts:

20160605_171410_resized

Then, I moved over to the other side. Because there’s a locking mechanism and two poles running down the length of the suitcase, this side is a little trickier. I started by rolling up my pants and cardigans and lined the sides with those. In the middle, I folded my sweaters. On the outer edges, I rolled up the romper and the bathrobe. Once everything was in, I peppered the socks around the edges wherever there was room.

20160605_171747_resized

Then, I folded up the jean jacket and laid it flat on top of everything. All the underwear, bras, and bathing suit went into the zipper pouch on the other side. I left out the other jacket, the scarf, the yoga pants, a black t-shirt, and the tennis shoes–I wore all of this stuff on the plane.

20160605_171753_resized

The last step was to toss in my hairbrush, makeup bag, and toiletry kit. I knew from sailing with Viking before that I wouldn’t need a hair dryer (thank goodness, as I have no idea how I would have fit that in here), so I found it pretty easy to cram all the bathroom stuff in there.

20160605_171906_resized

Then, all I had to do was zip it up.

Voila!

20160605_172105_resized

The End Result?

Overall?

AMAZING. I NEVER, EVER thought that 1) I could be so discerning and well-planned with my packing, or 2) that I could pack that much stuff into one tiny suitcase. I used almost everything–the romper never made it out, sadly–and I was really happy that I’d brought two jackets and a couple different kinds of tops. Because Viking is a really casual cruise, I knew I wouldn’t need a lot of fancy clothes, so I really cut back on the “nice stuff” this time around. As I suspected, I only needed one nice cocktail dress for my aloha dinner with Ryan in Budapest.

Was it a perfect list?

Not completely. I would do a couple of things differently next time. For one thing, I’d bring an extra pair of jeans, as it was cooler than I thought it would be and ended up wearing those jeans probably eight or nine out of twelve days. I’d also bring more underwear, just so I’d have a few extra pairs, and would probably leave the bathrobe at home (I only wore it a couple of times on lazy mornings in our cabin). Also, I’d probably take out one cardigan and add in two more t-shirts to give a little more variety to what I wore on top. Things were feeling a little repetitive by day ten….

Anyway, thanks to Delsey, I think it’s safe to say I’ve changed the way I pack forever. No more cramming a million clothes that I think I *might* need into a giant suitcase that will almost always weigh more than 50 pounds, leaving me tossing out items at the last minute at the airport. Those days are SO over. From now on, it’s lightweight traveling for me!

(Here’s me at the Hilton Budapest, wearing the same outfit I flew over in!)

20160604_062143_resized

Also, as a side note, I think two little furry guys in my life were pretty happy to see me get home yesterday. This is Giuseppe and Luigi 😀

13320611_10105607011485880_2908616539204032086_o

Do you have any packing tips that have worked for you? I’d love to hear them!!

Yours in travel,

Kristin

 

Filed Under: Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Life & Style, Product Reviews, Romania, Serbia, Travel, Uncategorized Tagged With: clothing, cruise, Delsey, packing tips, suitcase, Viking River Cruises, women

Come Join Us for the Women in Travel Summit!

December 6, 2014 by Kristin Winet 2 Comments

Kristin Winet

What could possibly be better than spending a weekend in a gorgeous city with 300 smart, influential, incredible women? (I’ll wait while you think about it).

Probably not much. So, then, I’m super excited–and humbled, and nervous, and all the good stuff that comes with the anticipation of an upcoming trip–to announce that I’ve been invited to do a nonfiction writing workshop at the second annual Women in Travel Summit this year!

The Women in Travel Summit (WITS) is the creation of Go Girl Travel Network, an online community of adventurous, independent women around the world who strive to live globally (in whatever ways they understand the term–physically, emotionally, spiritually, etc.). WITS educates, inspires and connects female travel bloggers (or female traveler allies–you certainly don’t have to identify as a female to come) together, while also providing a forum for travelers, bloggers and industry professionals to grow relationships with each other. The Summit features three conference presentation “tracks” that participants can choose from, including:

The Traveler: How to travel on a budget, finding a job abroad, traveling solo, choosing ethical travel solutions.

The Blogger: How to maximize your SEO, basic HTML coding, travel vlogging, using social media.

The Entrepreneur: Building your personal brand, creating a following, working with travel companies.

This year, I’m presenting in the Blogger track. And my topic? Here’s a hint: it’s one of my FAVORITE topics to discuss with my writing students (And one they usually try to avoid at all costs).

Revision! In my session, I’m hoping to reintroduce and help writers rediscover the art of revision, an often overlooked but integral part of the blogging process. I’m envisioning it more as a round-table than a presentation, per se, because what I’m hoping to do is model it after the creative writing workshops I did in my MFA. No one sits at the head of the table, no one takes control of the conversation, and everyone gets a chance to speak. Blending my academic experience with my love for sharing travel stories…I honestly don’t think there could be anything better than this.

Plus, and here’s the more important thing, the voices of women, minorities, and people of color haven’t always been represented very well in the travel industry, and it’s places like these where I believe real change and an embracing of other perspectives and ways of knowing can start to happen. For instance: Think of three famous travel writers (except maybe Elizabeth Gilbert, who always seems to come to mind because of her 2006 travel memoir Eat, Pray, Love). So other than that, are any of them women? People of color? People who aren’t of privilege? Or just people who aren’t concerned with conquering other people and places? Digital media–and blogging in particular–has a unique opportunity here, then, to change the way people see the art and act of travel. Here’s hoping the second annual WITS can spark the fire.

Final-Women-in-Travel-Summit-small-copy1The summit will be held on March 27-29, 2014 in Boston, Massachusetts at the Revere Hotel Boston Common. Tix (which you can buy here) are $159 for bloggers/writers and $199 for general admission. Oh! And every attendee gets one of these beauties, too.

I’d love to see you there–and maybe even do a little writing while we’re at it!

Yours in travel,

Kristin

Filed Under: Women Writers Tagged With: Boston, culture, encounters, GoGirl, place-based writing, travel writing, WITS, women

One Question with Britany Robinson: Independent Travel

March 15, 2013 by Kristin Winet 2 Comments

Britany Robinson likes to tell the story about how she left a trail of bedrooms with little plastic stars stuck to the ceilings as she moved from place to place with her parents growing up. Now, as that little girl’s lust for movement never stopped, Britany is leaving a trail of metaphorical stars everywhere she goes and writing about it on her blog, Stars on the Ceiling. In our One Question response today, I ask Britany about independent travel and whether or not she’d have any advice to give a first-timer. Enjoy!

As a blogger who advocates for independent travel, what’s the one piece of advice you wish you’d had before you started out, and why?

I’ve been thinking about how to answer this question for awhile and I think I’ve finally concluded that there really isn’t any advice that I could have been given that would have significantly changed my trip. 
britney3
 
The endless bits of advice and tips and words of encouragement we find in the community of solo travelers can all be put to good use, like… make sure to arrive in new cities during the day time, carry different types of locks for your belongings, and always tell someone back home where you are. You’ll constantly collect this type of advice whether you search it out or not because people are inherently concerned about solo travelers — particularly solo female travelers.
 
Then your trip starts and things happen that you never could have anticipated. Some of the advice you’ve collected proves useful and some proves completely futile. Ultimately, you realize that despite the challenges involved in any type of travel, it’s actually a lot easier than people portray it to be. You discover your groove — the ways in which you like to travel, and spend your days, and spend your money, and look after yourself. For me, travel has simultaneously proven completely awe-inspiring and completely natural. I love the challenges it presents and the comfort zones it forces me to abandon, but it has also started to feel normal — almost mundane, like this could just be my day to day life. 
 
So I guess I do have one thing I wish someone had advised me before the start of my trip: don’t stress out about the overwhelming amount of advice you’re going to receive prior to traveling.
 
If someone says “You CAN’T MISS THIS in Colombia” but you don’t have the time or the desire or either to fit it into your itinerary, then miss it. Focus on making your travels your own. At the end of the day, you’ll have endless stories, chock full of useful advice to doll out to other travelers but none of it will compare to what you’ve learned about yourself in the process of learning everything else.
___
Britany Robinson’s blog, Stars on the Ceiling, is an outlet for recording a stubborn determination to discover what she wants out of life on her own terms. Its also a testament to the often ignored possibilities available to anyone who wants to do the same. She’s always up for exploring somewhere new and inspiring others to do the same!

Filed Under: Interviews, Women Writers Tagged With: Britney Robinson, One Question, travel tips, travel writing, women

One Question with Wendy Gunderson: Photographing People

February 22, 2013 by Kristin Winet 1 Comment

Wendy Gunderson, a freelance travel photographer, has devoted much of her work to the Caribbean, a place that, in her words, has helped her attain a true sense of irie, which in Jamaica means “an overall feeling of well-being.” (Love it, wish I had it). Today, she inaugurates our new One Question segment in which I ask a writer or photographer to reflect on one aspect of her or his writing, life, or photography. As a photographer who still feels incredibly awkward asking people if I can take their photo when I’m traveling, I wanted to know how Wendy deals with the delicate and often difficult task of meeting people and asking to capture them in a moment in time. Enjoy!

As a photographer, how do you best approach people you’d like to take pictures of when you travel? And do you think being a female traveler affects the way you interact with people you’ve never met before, and if so, what advice would you give to budding photographers?

One of the hardest things to do is to approach a stranger to take their photograph.  Photography often attracts people who would rather be on the outside observing, rather than actually engaging people, however, I have found that my best images of people are captured by engaging those people in conversation first, and taking photographs later.  As a woman, I think it’s easier to start the dialogue.  Women are viewed as less threatening, particularly by other women.  While a woman may not feel comfortable if a man approaches her to take her image, a woman approached by another woman will feel more at ease.

gunderson
Rodney Elliott, owner of Rodney’s Cuisine on Nevis
©2006-2013 Wendy G. Gunderson

While being a woman may make engaging strangers easier, it is not always easy to initiate the conversation.  I find that people like to talk about their country or their business first, and then they will ease into more personal discussion.  While in a restaurant, engage people by remarking on what you love about their country or the area.  Once they know you appreciate their place in the world, they are more inclined to talk, and will offer many more things about the area than you may have imagined.

gunderson2
Two young people attending a birthday party at Sunshine’s Beach Bar on Nevis
©2006-2013 Wendy G. Gunderson

It helps to have done your homework.  Before we travel, I like to read not only about the sites to see in a particular place, but also about the history of the region. Find out how the country developed, the people who inhabited it, the dominant religions, the political system, etc.  Read the area’s newspaper online to understand what is timely, and what is of concern to the local citizens.  It gives you a perspective on how the area developed the way it did, and an insight into what makes people who they are.  It also helps you engage in conversation.

Ask questions.  Having done your homework and having some background information on the country will make it easier to ask intelligent questions.  In addition, people are likely to be more responsive if you ask questions reflective of the fact that you took the time to get to know something about the people and want to know more.

gunderson3
Two young people attending a birthday party at Sunshine’s Beach Bar on Nevis
©2006-2013 Wendy G. Gunderson

What I have found is that through these conversations, I gain not only a much better appreciation of the country and its people, but I realize how much alike we all are.  Many of my conversations while traveling start with questions about the country, and eventually become conversations about family, politics, and religion, where I find we hold many of the same beliefs and concerns.  That is what makes a wonderful photograph, understanding the person behind it, not just capturing the superficial image.

___

Wendy G. Gunderson is an attorney from Pewaukee, Wisconsin and founder of My Irie Time, http://myirietime.com/, a website devoted to travel in the Caribbean.  As she plans a November to trip to Eleuthera in the Bahamas, she is reading the book “Eleuthera, The Island Called Freedom,” about the history of the island, the local newspaper, “The Eleutheran,” http://www.eleutheranews.com/, and as much other information as she can gather regarding the island.

Filed Under: Photography, Women Writers Tagged With: encounters, One Question, travel photography, Wendy Gunderson, women

Where I’ve Been

On Instagram

This error message is only visible to WordPress admins

Error: No connected account.

Please go to the Instagram Feed settings page to connect an account.

On Twitter

My Tweets

Recent Posts

  • Because it’s Summer in Portugal
  • Walking Calle Ocho with Croquetas and Cafe Cubanos
  • Bathing Suits & Boots in the Dominican Republic
  • How I Packed for Two Weeks in Eastern Europe in a Carry-On
  • Why I’m Spending Two Weeks in Eastern Europe

Get Short & Sweet Monthly Writing Tips!

powered by TinyLetter

Blog Lovin’

Bon Touriste

Archives

  • August 2017
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • December 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • March 2014
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • November 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012

Get New Post Updates!

 Subscribe in a reader

Subscribe Via Email

Enter your email address:

Welcome to bon touriste

Bon Touriste is a website devoted to inspiring beautiful travels, whether those travels are in our … Read More>>

Inquiries

Welcome! :) This is where you'll find out all about where Kristin and Bon Touriste have … Read More>>

As Seen In…

In Partnership With…

Connect With Me

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Get New Post Updates!

 Subscribe in a reader

Subscribe Via Email

Enter your email address:

Copyright © 2021 · Bon Touriste By Krizzy Designs