Champagne Travel on a Beer Budget

Anyone who has ever dared venture beyond the realms of their home town knows that one easy way to turn a good trip bad is to be too heavy-laden with luggage. Indeed, a lightness of luggage can equal a lightness of the spirit.

For the budget-conscious, it also opens up a world of money-saving opportunities that are just not possible with several trolleys of luggage that takes 30 minutes to load into a taxi. Public transport, making your own way from the airport to your accommodation, and being able to walk between locations with your luggage are all possible when you travel light.

But is it possible to travel light without compromising on style? And for those of us who appreciate at least a little bit of comfort whilst we roam from home, is it possible to travel too light?

Inspired by best-selling author Tim Ferris’ post about travelling with 10 pounds (4.5 kg) or less , I decided to explore the concept of travelling light, but with a stylish twist. For as inspirational as Tim’s packing list was for its minimalism, I know to enjoy my travel I need more than a couple of outfits (am I alone here?).

Late last year I took a bit of a last-minute sojourn to relax in Thailand after finally finishing my university studies (10 years later… but thats a whole other story). I thought it would be a good opportunity for a little bit of an experiment on ‘travelling light without compromising on style’.

My goal? To pack for a two week holiday (laptop included) with only carry-on luggage.

Admittedly, Thailand boasts very warm weather which works in your favour when trying to pack light, but still my trip would see me lazing around on islands like Ko Samui & Ko Phangan (south of Thailand), doing a bit of exploring in Chiang Mai (north of Thailand) which required ‘modest’ clothes for visiting temples, and shopping and partying in Bangkok. I needed to pack for quite a few different scenarios (clothes that you wear trekking just aren’t going to cut it at that fancy restaurant). So, with the incentive of not having to wait around at baggage collection, I undertook my experiment.

What did I pack? My travel wardrobe looked something like this: Travelling light without compromising on style by taraskipp  

How did I go?

It was so liberating only having carry-on luggage and I never really felt lacking in the clothes department. I could have done with another dressy outfit but ultimately it was great to not have a backpack or suitcase slowing me down. 

Here’s what I learnt: 

5 keys to travelling light without compromising on style:

1. Pack items that have multiple uses. I have waxed lyrical about my love of travelling with a sarong before, but it really is a great multi-use item when travelling. Wrap, scarf, plane blanket, beach mat - one little piece of fabric can do it all. I also packed a black tankini with gold chain detail that I could both wear to the beach and also pair with pants of a night.
2. Plan your outfits. Before you pack, try every item on and make sure you are completely comfortable with it and know you would definitely definitely wear it (no room in carry-on for clothes you may not wear). Think of the different scenarios you’ll be in and make sure you have outfits to suit them all. When you are doing your planning, make sure that every item can mix and match with all the others. I find laying everything out on your bed can help with this.
3. Pack accessories that will offer some variety. If you like a bit of variety in your wardrobe, you may find travelling light a bit limiting. But even if you are wearing a dress for the third time in a week, having an assortment of jewellery or even clutches to change your look can make it feel like a new outfit. The benefit with jewellery is that it doesn’t take up a great deal of room in your luggage and can be a great way to add some colour to your travel wardrobe.
4. Take at least one item out of your bag. Coco Chanel supposedly said that you should look in the mirror before leaving the house and remove one item. This old adage can be applied to travelling light with style. Resist the temptation to pack your bag to the brim because every jet-setter needs to leave at least a little bit of room in their carry-on for exotic purchases. To lighten the load, once you have finished packing choose at least one item that you know you can live without and leave it behind. 
5. Remember that style is much more than just clothes. You could have the most glamorous wardrobe but if you don’t wear it with confidence, you are without style. In the same sense, even if you have packed on the lighter side and aren’t wearing a different outfit every day of your trip, you can still ooze style by walking with your head held high, having a big smile for everyone you meet and the confidence that you truly are fabulous (which of course you are!)  

Ok, champagne travellers… if you have some tips to add on travelling light without compromising on style, please enlighten us in the comments.

If you enjoyed this post, you may also want to read:

Travel packing just got simpler with Travel Packing Online 

A few updates for all you Champagne Travelers…

I have written a guest post over at Jet Set Life on how to Travel with Style in Bangkok (check out the picture of the Sky Bar, it makes you want to be there sipping on a cocktail right now!)

There are some great discussions beginning here at Champagne Travel on a Beer Budget on the posts, ‘Glamping - everything you need to know’ and ‘Mini-retirements at any age’. Why not add your ideas to the mix? It’d be great to hear from you.

Do you twitter? You can follow me here for bits of travel-related news, blog updates and other things I feel like sharing!

Stay tuned for a new addition to Champagne Travel on a Beer Budget where readers will be able to send in their destination photos & travel tips ‘from the road’. I already have a couple ready to go… stay tuned!

Lastly.. want to make sure you don’t miss any tips on travelling in style even on a budget? Subscribe to Champagne Travel on a Beer Budget. You can do so via e-mail or RSS.

Cheers, have a great weekend!

Tara

Whether it is a road trip with friends, a lazy break on an idyllic beach or a sexy jaunt in a big city, the sound track to your trip can add some style to your holiday, setting the mood and giving you an easy way to re-live travel memories in the future.

I know that whenever I hear Manu Chao I am transported back to a fun couple of weeks spent in the Greek Isles where Manu Chao was on high rotation at the beach bars.

NPR Music’s Road Trip Series has inspired me to ponder what my must-have holiday tunes would be.

So, what tunes would be in your ultimate holiday soundtrack? Do you have particular songs that will always remind you of past travels?

My ultimate holiday soundtrack would have to include:

Manu Chao (for when it is time to get in party mode)

Cafe del Mar (for chilling out in a hammock, champagne in hand)

Xavier Rudd (for coastal road trip sing-alongs)

Billie Holiday (for wining & dining trips to the city)
Why not share your favourite travel tunes in the comments?

One of my favourite weekly (if not daily!) reads is Icing by Gala Darling. She writes beautifully and has a unique voice that entices me back to her site again and again.

This week, Gala has put together a wonderfully comprehensive post on ‘How to Have the Best Holiday Ever’

It is a fabulous read for all champagne travellers and there are lots of points I couldn’t agree with more, such as:

• Allow yourself to be swept away
• Learn some local phrases

I would also add:

• Decide to have the time of your life.

This would tie in with the idea of allowing yourself to be swept away.

So many unexpected things can happen when you’re travelling but how we respond to these situations has little to do with the circumstances themselves and more to do with our perspective towards them.

Bus broken down on the way to your next destination? Stuck on the side of the road for 6 hours with a bunch of strangers? This could be a fantastic opportunity to make some amazing friends, hear tales from around the world and have a hilarious story to tell everyone back home. This same situation could also have you complaining and grumbling for the next 6 hours on how this would never happen where you come from or something as equally painful for everyone around you.

And the wonderful thing about perspective? We are each completely in control of it and we have the daily choice of what our perspective will be. Some of the most interesting and inspiring people that I have met whilst travelling (and in life in general) are people that have an amazingly positive perspective. They are a dream to travel & ‘do life’ with.

Decide in advance to have a fabulous holiday and chances are you will!

What tips would you add? Would love to hear from you in the comments…

It is the substance of travel legend. To have a few of these notched up is to have obtained savvy traveller status, to be spoken of in revered tones by green-eyed fellow travellers forever more.

What am I talking about? Getting an upgrade.

Is it purely urban myth or does it really happen to stylish but not-quite-cashed-up-yet individuals like you and me?

And most importantly, how can we make sure that this Holy Grail of Champagne Travel on a Beer Budget happens to you next time you travel?

The turbulence, the seatbelts, the emergency landing routine - surely all of this will be such a lighter burden from the front end of the plane?

In a two-part series, Champagne Travel on a Beer Budget presents the ULTIMATE guide to getting an upgrade when you fly.

To whet your appetite, Part 1 will provide the low-down on all that first-class has to offer across the different airline carriers. Part 2 will deliver the information you need from the people in the know to ensure that you’ll be turning left, not right, next time you board a plane.

So what is so fabulous about first class anyway?

Here is the best of the best:

Cuisine

Qantas has partnered with award-winning chef Neil Perry (of Sydney’s Rockpool restaurant) to present a first-class menu that includes caviar and an 8-course tasting menu. Freshly made coffee from an onboard espresso machine is one aspect that would bring a smile to this traveller’s face.

Entertainment

Mr Branson definitley takes the cake when it come to in-flight entertainment. Not only are there on-board beauty treatment available on Virgin Atlantic flights,

but you can even lean over to your neighbour and ask if they’d like to join you for a drink at the bar.

That’s right, Virgin Atlantic’s ‘Upper Class’ suite comes with its own bar and bartender. It could get interesting trying to look stylish sipping that martini whilst trying to maintain your balance during turbulence though.

Comfort

Singapore Airlines sees exclusivity as the key, offering only 8 seats in first class. Keeping the front of the plane exclusive isn’t the only reason for so few seats with Singapore Airlines boasting the biggest seats, beds and entertainment screens available. If size matters for you, Singapore is your airline.

Convenience

Apart from the obvious conveniences of quicker check-in lines and being first to board and depart the plane that most airlines offer their big-spending passengers, British Airwaysgoes one step further. To help you kill some waiting time at the airport and allow you to make the most of sleeping time on the plane, BA offer you your meal in their FIRST lounge at the airort prior to flying as part of their dine before you fly concept.

These snippets are only the tip of the iceberg. For a full explanation of everything you can expect frm international first class air travel, as well as a detailed comparison of what the different airlines offer, check out The Seat Guru’s first class comparison guide.

Ok.. tempted yet? Well, if you’re worth your weight in bubbly as a champagne traveller on a beer budget, then you’ll be as keen as mustard to know how you can experience some of the luxury described for the same price as a seat down the back of the plane.
Stay tuned for Part 2 in this series which will be jam packed with advice from those in the know on how to turn your upgrade dreams into reality.

Want to make sure you don’t miss Part 2? Why not subscribe via RSS or e-mail (see the icon at the top right hand corner of the blog).

Main image photo source

Want to step off the plane looking like you’ve been luxuriating in first class when the reality is you’ve been cramped back in economy?

Read on for a selection of tips on travel style from those who do it well:

Lisa Bjorksten gets the inside secrets from one of those impossibly polished Emirates air attendents at Beauty Addict

Anna Soref gives the low-down on in-flight Ayurvedic beauty tips at The Yoga Journal

Michelle Johnson delivers practical advice in Frequent Flyer Fashion - arrive at the airport in style

Photo source - Flickr