Favorite Gear: Knopf MapGuides
July 21, 2010 by Michaela Potter
Filed under Favorites, Gear
I’ve always been great at directions. During road trips, I always loved playing shotgun while flipping through road maps. But that was before GPS took that job away from me.
And even though I was won over by the iPhone for the map feature alone, I’m still a big fan of old school printed maps when exploring a new city. Even before leaving on a trip, I will carefully study maps of the destinations I’m going to – including locating places I’m staying and sites I like to see. This is unbelievably helpful for making me feel acclimated that much faster upon arrival.
I recently discussed how when traveling with a partner, it is best to recognize each others strengths. And for me, that is map reader and director. I love this role because if someone else is leading, I often don’t pay attention to our path. And being dependent on another person to get around fills me with a sense of helplessness, especially if we separate.
Of course I don’t like sticking out like a tourist by standing on the street corner with a giant unfolded map. That’s when studying a map before hand helps. But recently I found a more discreet, and extremely helpful map, that includes destination highlights – so you can even leave the guidebook at home!
During a recent trip to London, I picked up the Knopf MapGuide: London (Knopf Mapguides)
It is extremely compact and easily fit into my purse, so I could always have it with me. The sections are broken up by neighborhoods/districts, and in addition to the easy fold-out maps (which are inconspicuous), each section includes highlights like restaurants, bars, museums and other essential places to see. It also includes a map of the Underground, so taking public transportation was easy to navigate.
So on this trip I was definitely happy to put down the iPhone (with the roaming charges) and rely on my Knopf MapGuide
Travel Swag Contest!
June 25, 2010 by Sherry Ott
Filed under Favorites, Gear
WIN a Camenae Travel Clutch!
Wednesday I wrote about how you can make career connections while you are traveling on your career break; it just takes a little networking and you may be able to line up your next job after your career break travels are finished!
I was able to do this when I was in Sinagpore and met the women who own/run CAMENAE – a luxury Italian handbag company.
Jill and Brittany, my part time employers, have always supported the work Michaela and I do on Briefcase to Backpack. They are avid travelers and both have been living overseas as expats for years. They were nice enough to offer one of their classy CAMENAE travel clutches for free to one of our lucky Briefcase to Backpack readers!
Whether you are traveling for a career break or for business – you still have to comply by all of the airport regulations. In most countries this means you can’t have any liquids loosely hanging out in your carry on bag – they must be contained.
What better way to contain those liquids than with the CAMENAE Travel Clutch!
It’s time to throw away those ugly zip lock bags and travel in style with the CAMENAE travel clutch!
Designed to FAA/TSA flight carry-on security regulations (*3-1-1) it can be used as a travel case, clutch, make-up case, or ipod case for the beach; you’ll be traveling in style and saving the environment from those plastic bags!
To win you very own CAMENAE travel clutch you simply need to do TWO simple things…but you have to do both…else you won’t be eligible to win!
1. Become a fan of CAMENAE on Facebook where you’ll get some behind the scenes information about their designs, photo shoots, and new collections.
2. Leave a comment on this post (below) describing why you’d like to win the CAMENAE Travel Clutch!Simple right?! Do both before July 5th, 2010 and you’ll be eligible to win!
Favorite Gear: Stocking Stuffers
December 17, 2009 by Sherry Ott
Filed under Favorites, Gear
When traveling for long periods of time, it’s essential to pack as light as possible. Here is some of our favorite travel gear that we feel is essential to add to your packing list. And as a bonus, they take up little space and make great stocking stuffers for the holidays!
And by purchasing these items for you or your favorite traveler, you will be spreading glad tidings of income for us here at Briefcase to Backpack.
Favorite Gear: Silk Sleep Sheets
May 12, 2009 by Sherry Ott
Filed under Favorites, Gear
A sleep sheet is a lightweight sleeping bag minus the zipper. It’s made of silk and simply provides a barrier between you and any questionable beds, sheets, or bugs. (The silk versions are more expensive than cotton but much lighter and compact – worth the price difference.)
Favorite Gear: Eagle Creek Switchback
April 20, 2009 by Sherry Ott
Filed under Favorites, Gear
One of my favorite and yet to be retired travel items is my suitcase…I mean backpack…I mean suitcase; yes, it’s actually both.
When I started planning my around the world trip I had the typical dilemma of how I should carry my stuff. I knew I wasn’t a hard-core backpacker and I knew I wasn’t a luxury traveler either; my itinerary included both experiences. I was going to be backpacking through Africa, but staying in moderate places in Europe.
I knew that most of the time it would actually be possible to roll my luggage, but there would be some times when it was not an option and I would need to strap my possessions onto my back. I wanted functionality, yet a bit of sophistication. What a dilemma!
Favorite Gear: Headlamps
November 12, 2008 by Michaela Potter
Filed under Favorites, Gear
Before I discovered the wonders of a headlamp, I never went on a trip without my small Maglite flashlight. It was small, light, useful and extremely handy – or so I thought. When I nearly lost it down the squat toilet late at night while trying to keep a cow from entering the tent, I became very envious of the other trekkers and their headlamps. And it would have proved useful on that same trip in Nepal as we began our ascent of Thorung La Pass at 2am in the morning. After that trip I was sold on the headlamp and haven’t traveled without one since.
