Dan & Natalie's
Favorite Travel Tips
Beating Jet Lag
Jet lag is a choice!!! Here are our tips n' tricks on how to avoid it:
- It's not super necessary, but we've found that a day or two before departing, going to bed and waking up an hour earlier than you normally do can help. Also not needed but if you're a control freak like Natalie, download the Timeshifter App and it'll give you a *detailed* plan leading up to the trip on when to go to bed, wake up, etc.
- Since it’ll be nighttime in Italy while you’re in the air, try to get as much sleep on the flight as possible to help your body adjust. The airline usually serves dinner about 1–2 hours after takeoff, so we recommend waiting until after the meal to settle in and get some rest.
- You’ve made it to Italy — yay! Now comes the most important part to setting yourself up for success: DO NOTTT sleep the whole day. Take a shower and a quick nap, but then you gotta stay awake until at least 8 or 9 PM local time.
In-Flight Essentials
For past trips, we did *a lot* of research to figure out what we should bring on longer plane rides and here are some of our must-haves:
- Eye Mask
- Compression Socks (these aren't just for old people!! The most seasoned travelers will tell you these are a must!). Dan says to wait to put them on until you're at the gate or on the plane, otherwise you will get too hot walking through the airport in them!
- Toiletries - bring a toothbrush + toothpaste, deodorant, and anything else to freshen up. We both love a little refresh after waking up, right before we land or once we land at the airport.
Other Tips
- We LOVE these packing cubes
- Bring a carry on in addition to your checked bag, even if you don't have much to put in it - we find ourselves doing *a lot* of shopping abroad and it's nice to have some extra baggage space to easily bring everything home. The carry on is great, especially if you buy any delicate/breakable items!!
- You will need power/outlet adaptors. We have these!
- It's going to be hot, so bring a mini portable fan - literally any of these