Swa Irian G Chiang Mai

Travel Pillow and Sheets – Your Best Travel Companion!

admin — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:40:26 +0000

The best travel pillow and sheets are indispensable, especially if your trip is bound to take for hours. Any seasoned traveler knows that it’s a big no-no if you forget to pack the appropriate pillow and sheets during your travel. Travel pillow and sheets would definitely make you feel well-rested and healthy after that long and tiresome flight.

Unfortunately, the quality of service of airlines today is slowly decreasing. When your travel time would take for ages, the most common scenario is that most passengers would want to relax by taking a nap – that’s really not a problem. But, the annoying part is that some airlines either have limited stocks of travel pillows or what they have is not of the best quality. If you think that’s already enough, after checking in a hotel, you’ll soon discover that the bed sheets and pillow cases are filled with bedbugs and dust mites. Now, you see the practicality of having your own set of travel pillow and sheets.

Well, you do have to consider some restrictions in your luggage space. The good news is that most pillows and sheets for traveling are now available in different types and features to make them easier to place in your luggage.

The two features that a great travel pillow should have are flexibility and proper neck support. Actually, inflatable and buckwheat pillows are the two most popular types of pillows today.

The inflatable pillows available in the market are very easy to fill with air – just 10 to 12 air puffs and these are good to go. The air-filled design lets you firmly rest your neck and supports the proper alignment of your neck and spine. Just by releasing the air inside and folding it into several folds, inflatable pillows will completely fit into your luggage without taking up much space.

The type of pillow that’s been gaining recognition these days is the buckwheat travel pillow. Unlike the feather or foam filled pillows, buckwheat pillows perfectly conforms to your neck and back outlines so that there would be no strain exerted on those parts.

Today, it really doesn’t matter anymore if you’ll stay on a cheap or ultra-expensive hotel. As long as you get the cleanest bed sheets and pillow cases, everything else is trivial (Unfortunately, that’s not always the case). To protect yourself from allergens and other bed insects, choose a travel sheet (a.k.a. sleeping bag liners) that’s hypoallergenic and made from high-quality materials, like silk. Silken sheets are convenient because they’re lightweight, easy to clean and will dry off quickly.

Whether you’re an experienced or an admitted amateur traveler, it’s always good to remember that you need a versatile, comfortable, and proper-sized travel pillow and sheets (if you need to find the right one at the kids’ section, you’re more than free to do so). A baggage is only considered complete if you have the best travel pillow and sheets with you.

Air Travel – Should You Care About the Clothing You Wear?

admin — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:36:02 +0000

This is an article that talks about several aspects of how to pick your clothing when you are going to travel by airplane.

We all have different preferences regarding air travel and clothing. While some prefer to wear business suits, others will swear by jeans, and others will prefer to go even more informal and comfortable, wearing something as simple as sweat pants. However, airport security is getting tighter and air travel rules have been changing a lot in the past few years. You might be wondering about the importance of your clothing at the airport. Well, for most cases it is not.

Usually, a heavy emphasis is placed on comfort. We were always told to avoid ichy or tight clothing, especially on long flights. Not only that, but also bringing a change of clothes in the carry-on baggage, which can also help in the case of missing the checked luggage. Thinking beforehand about your clothes is important, even if you are traveling for business — always remember the possibility of changing clothes in airport bathrooms.

Comfort, many times, is related to sweat pants and a comfortable top, or a t-shirt. What you may not have thought is that these clothes are also very good in terms of airport security as well, especially at the security checkpoints. The reason why is that most sweat pants do not have any metal items. In other words, in average you enter and leave these screening checkpoints faster than most travelers, because they will have metal accessories on.

As for clothing accessories, you will notice that a variety of items will set off metal detectors at airports, which is why security staff will often ask you to take off your jewelry. Once it is removed and places in a plastic bin, it will be scanned along with your carry-on luggage. This is the usual procedure for rings or necklaces, but earrings are usually kept on. Belts with metal buckets very often set off airport metal detectors, which is why you usually need to remove the belt at the airport. For that reason, a large number of airports have requested that you remove your belts before entering the metal detectors. If you feel uncomfortable removing your jewelry or belt, you should not wear these items at all.

You will also have to remove your shoes and have them scanned by an x-ray machine, along with your carry-on luggage. It used to be a random procedure, but now all passengers need to follow it. Because of that, I advise you to wear something that you can take off and put back on easily.

Regarding liquids, the only liquids permitted on board are toiletries up to 100ml per bottle. If you are bringing a bigger bottle, even if it is empty, you will be asked to dispose of it. Most manufacturers, though, are already producing bottles that are equivalent to, or smaller than 100ml of volume.

There are no rules about how you should look like. Finding a proper balance between comfort and style is completely up to you.

Travel Insurance – Why Everyone Needs Travel Accident Insurance

admin — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:32:16 +0000

More than 1 million pieces of luggage were lost, damaged, delayed or pilfered by U.S. airlines from May to July, 2007. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, June and July 2007 were ranked among the worst months for mishandled baggage in 20 years. And unfortunately, this number has been increasing over the past 5 years. In 2002, 3.84 reports of mishandled bags were filed per 1,000 passengers. In July 2007, this figure was 7.93.

Many jobs were slashed after the industry’s historic downturn a few years ago, and restrictions on gels and liquids in 2006 have caused a big increase in the number of checked bags. This leaves more bags to be checked with fewer employees. Add to this the major carriers’ reliance on hubs. Connecting flights increase the probability of luggage being misplaced or not making the next flight in time either.
With carriers buying smaller planes for the regional market, there have been more baggage limitations due to weight restrictions. The airline industry says the baggage problem is due mostly to delays caused by weather and an outdated air traffic control system. Analysts are saying that the problem is only going to get worse too, especially during the holiday travel season.

What can you do to protect yourself?

Buying travel insurance is your best option. Preferred travel insurance policies not only help you with lost, stolen, or damaged luggage, missed a flight, lost passports, etc., but also have an emergency “911″ travel emergency service for emergency medical assistance, last-minute or emergency travel and flight changes, lost luggage tracking, pre-trip travel advice and more.

Other ways you can help yourself are to book a direct flight. Since this is usually not an option, choose flights that have at least an hour between connections. Because of the increase in baggage problems, some people are even shipping their baggage to their destination while bringing a small carry-on bag on the plane. This option even saves you time (typically 30 minutes) as you don’t have to wait at the airport for your checked bags to arrive.

Make sure you obey the size and packaging requirements for personal hygiene products and medications, and anything that looks like a weapon is prohibited. Everything in your carry-on must be searchable. If you are searched, gift wrapped items will definitely be opened. Take metal items such as keys, phones, pagers, PDAs (personal digital assistants), and loose change out of your pockets. Put these in your carry-on, or in a plastic bag before you get into the security line. This keeps lines moving and you wind up having a better experience. Avoid wearing anything that contains metal, such as clothing, jewelry or other accessories such as heavy jewelry, clothing with metal buttons or snaps, belt buckles or under-wire bras. You may be additionally screened because of hidden items such as body piercings, which will cause the metal detector to go off.

Pack your coats and jackets in your baggage when possible. All coats and jackets that you are carrying must go through the X-ray machine for inspection. If you choose to wear an outer coat or jacket to the checkpoint, you will need to either pack it in your carry-on baggage or put it in one of the bins that are provided.