Beth Collins is a freelance writer who recently moved to Portland, Oregon. Before moving to the west coast, Beth spent seven years in New York where she worked for such as Food & Wine magazine, Woman’s Day Special Interest Publications and Budget Travel magazine.
She currently writes for Budget Travel, Food & Wine and Frommers.com, among others. See more of her work at thefittrip.com.
She agreed to share her travel insight with us.
Cheapflights: What do you always do when you travel – any routine procedures?
Beth Collins: I’m obsessed with being organized, so I always put together a folder with printouts of all the info I’ll need throughout my trip (boarding pass, rental car info, hotel reservation, maps, restaurant reviews, etc.). I also create a note on my iPhone with all my confirmation numbers, just so I’ll have them handy. Since airports can be notorious for ridiculously unhealthy food (Sbarro’s comes to mind…), I try to remember to pack a few healthy snacks in case I have a long layover or a delay. And I always pack a few packets of Emergen-C or Ultima. The recycled air in airplanes is so dry, and these are a great way to rehydrate. Even better, they come in powder form (you just mix them with water), so you don’t have to worry about the TSA taking them away at security.
CF: What is your travel pet peeve?
BC: Three things: 1) I can’t stand it when passengers take their frustrations out on airline employees or TSA agents 2) I hate it when people talk on their phones right up until the second before taking off, and right after we land and 3) I’m really not a fan of this trend of adults dressing in sweats (or worse—pajamas) while flying. I realize that we all want to be comfortable, but surely we can step it up a little? I think I would have enjoyed the old days, when people actually dressed up to fly somewhere.
CF: What is your favourite kind of trip?
BC: That’s a tough one. This answer might be a cop-out, but I love a trip that combines my favorite things: being physically active, eating terrific food and drinking great wine, and exploring, whether it’s a in a city or in nature. More than anything, I love any trip where I learn something new.
CF: Best destination you have ever been to and why?
BC: Another tough one! I’ve spent lots of time in France, and I absolutely adore it. But one of my best vacations ever was renting a beach house on the North Shore of Hawaii with my husband and three of our friends. We spent the week cooking great meals, going for hikes, surfing, and (the best part) sipping our morning coffee on our lanai while we watched whales playing just offshore.
CF: Where would you pay to stay? Is there anywhere you think offers great value and a great deal?
BC: I love finding the under-the-radar, independently owned places. One of my favorite examples is a place called 40 Winks, in East London. It’s in a historic house that started out as a location for magazine shoots, and then the owner decided to convert the two extra bedrooms to guestrooms. He also holds regular events called Bedtime stories, where up to 40 visitors (and the guests) come to listen to tales while dressed in their pajamas. You’re not going to find that kind of creativity at a Hilton!
CF: What is the best airport you have flown from and is there a tip to make this airport experience great?
BC: I absolutely adore the Honolulu airport. Most of it is indoor/outdoor, so the minute you step off the plane you feel that balmy Hawaiian air instead of stuffy airport air. You also smell the flowers from all the lei stands, which is just blissful.
CF: When you fly, is there a tip you can share to make the experience a great one?
BC: A great book, a package of peanut M&Ms, and a good MP3 player.
CF: At one point in your life, you will have to sit in the middle seat when you fly. If you have two people next to you, who you most want to share a long haul with and whom would you least?
BC: Most: Tina Fey on one side, chef Lidia Bastianich on the other. Tina could keep me laughing the whole flight, and Lidia could share her secrets of Italian cooking.
Cheapflights is proud to have guest voices express their opinions. The views expressed are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of Cheapflights Media (USA) Inc.
