Gray Line Wanderings Travel Blog

Trying on a wallet this size had me skeptical… would it be enough? But much like travel, it taught me to live with less.

Size

The Mojito is so small that I’ve actually had a few freak-out moments thinking I’d lost my wallet only to find it was still in my pocket. Moving into my new Mojito wallet required me to shed a lot of extra cards and bills. I now carry just 6 cards: my ID, 2 credit cards, debit card, medical card, and library card. It’s nice not having a George Costanza sized wallet bulge from my side pocket and equally nice not having to dig to find things since I only keep my essential cards on hand.

Cash Management

You can carry around 5 bills in the side pouch so if you’re like me, you’ll probably find yourself paying with credit most of the time. This wasn’t a huge shift. Of course when you do pay with cash, the Mojito might also make you a nicer person when tipping or you might end up with a glove box full of ones (both true stories).

Durability

After 5 months of continual use, the stitching and materials look pretty much good as new so I’m quite pleased, considering my average wallet looks pretty shabby by this point.

Travel

I can see why some people might use it solely for travel. For example who needs their grocery saver card when traveling, might as well cut down. It’s also not a bad idea to keep risk low by not carrying too much cash, paying instead by credit card or frequenting ATMs. Small enough to be un-noticed in most pants, it will be hard for pick-pockets to tell where your wallet is hiding.

Rating

In summary, I give the Mojito Travel Wallet 9 out of 10. It’s a must try, give it at least a month to see if you can live with less. I kept my old fattie in the car just in case I needed a random card, I didn’t. So if it’s time to replace your wallet, consider the Mojito. Available on the Malcolm Fontier Website for $25.

What’s in your wallet? (Can’t see Facebook comments below? Click here for the full Mojito Travel Wallet Review)

So many choices!

As the summer travel season approaches, I find myself on the hunt for a few new pieces to add to my luggage collection. As a traveler at the point in my life somewhere between that starter set of luggage purchased fresh out of college and the investment pieces of a high-end set, I’m looking for a few quality pieces to get me where I’m going without clearing my bank account. Some of my considerations: not hideous, not going to fall apart when I jam it into the overhead bin, and not going to send me to the chiropractor upon my return home. Here are a few of my finds — just in case any of you are randomly moved to send this travel blogger a gift:

Leather Weekender: Perfect for a quick weekend trip (hence the name, I guess…) and smushy enough to get tucked into nooks and crannies. It looks lovely, and who doesn’t adore the smell of old leather–but does its vintage classification mean it may soon wear out?

Rolling Backpack: Probably the most lumbar-friendly of the options, this roomy backpack with handy rolling wheels (and an ambidextrous handle making it great for you southpaws) doesn’t quite have the presence of the other selections, but all in all, not a bad option.

Rolling Carry On: Personally, I find this adorable – who doesn’t need a little houndstooth in their life? Apparently roomier than it looks, this little lovely could accompany you pretty much anywhere you want to go.

What’s your favorite travel bag? Let us know in the comments below! (Click here if you can’t see Facebook comments)

I tend to be slightly neurotic, obsessive compulsive, in short – a control freak. I can’t help it. I need a hand in everything. Traveling has helped a bit; I have learned that no matter how much you plan, many things will go wrong. So what’s a girl to do when you’re on the road and can only control so much? You can make sure your bag(s) are in order. Living out of a suitcase/backpack can be difficult and limiting, especially when traveling for long periods of time. So imagine my delight when I came across these nifty gadgets. I like to think these items keep me sane on my travels. Everything might be falling apart around me, but at least I know the inside of my bag is neat, organized, and completely under my control.

Here are my top five – can’t travel without – must haves:

1)   Eagle Creek Pack-It Compressor – 2 Pack: These are amazing. Think vacuum sealing your clothing without the vacuum. These will save you so much space and are a lifesaver if you’re living out of one backpack. You can either buy the 2 pack, which contains two different sizes, or buy them individually.

2)   Sea to Summit Travelling Light TPU Clear Zip Top Pouch: I adore this item, it is TSA approved to hold your liquids. It comes with a total of 6 leak proof bottles! The best part, for me, is no more wasting Ziploc bags. This pouch will last for quite some time!

3)   Eagle Creek Pack-It Cube: This item is a great way to organize and save space in your luggage. There are different shapes and sizes to fit your traveling needs.

4)   Pacsafe Pouchsafe 200 Travel Organizer: I’m not sure what it is about airports, but whenever I’m in one, I find myself holding a million different things. Not only that, I can never find anything on time! That’s when this item comes in handy. It holds your passport, boarding pass, credit cards, and can be worn around your neck. Hello easy access! It also has internal zippers so your items are safe.

5)   REI Shower Kit: This great buy has water resistant lining and is pretty much fool proof. ‘Nuff said.

What items can’t you travel without? Share your tips in the comments below! (Click here if you can’t see Facebook comments below)

'Van Gogh Dream' for iPad

The enigmatic genius Vincent Van Gogh, shortly before his untimely death, famously said, “One day, I believe I will have an exhibition of my own in a café.”

Now, iPad app designers have created an incredibly rich exhibition experience of the master Dutch painter’s life work that will fit in your book bag.

Art and analysis

Whether you take it to a café or not is up to you …

The app “Van Gogh’s Dream,” created in concert with the renowned Institut Van Gogh, is a beautiful

and thought-provoking window into the turbulent life and genius career of one of the world’s most renowned artists.

The app is like flipping through an immense multimedia “book” – with striking reproductions of many of Van Gogh’s paintings on one page, to personal letters (images of the original hand-written notes, of course) on another, and expert analysis and art history on the next.

Interactive, original letters

The iPad proves – again – to be the ultimate publishing platform for subjects that lend themselves to visual as well as audio, video and plain-text information. Art history of all kinds fits particularly well.

No doubt someone will open “Van Gogh’s Dream” up in a café somewhere, some time, further cementing Van Gogh’s now absurd, understated prophecy.

But perhaps the best way to take advantage of the amazing app is to tote it along with you on a tour of the Van Gogh Museum, as part of an Amsterdam tour. It’s a digital companion that perfectly complements any tour of the great painter’s work.

Somehow this year has literally flown by me, disheveling my hair and leaving me with a dazed and confused look on my face. As I look at the calendar, my mind is blown. Since when is it December?! That’s right, it’s the holiday season. The time of the year when you try to figure out what the heck to give your friends and family for Chanukah/Christmas/Kwanzaa/Atheist Gift Giving Day. But what if your nearest and dearest are travelers? Here are five gift ideas for your favorite world traveler.

Outdoor Research (OR) Ditty Sacs: Packing is the worst part of traveling. The worst. The only thing worse than packing is repacking your backpack every time you need to search for your swimsuit that is wedged between your hiking boots and your favorite America Apparel hoodie at the bottom of your backpack. That’s where these bad boys come in. Put all your shirts, underwear and pants in separate OR’s Ditty Sacs and then all you have to do is pull out three bags instead of handfuls of wrinkled clothes. Genius.

Travel Speakers: Nothing is better than spending the evening on a tropical beach, drinking out of a coconut while watching the sun set. That is, as long as you have some mood-setting tunes to go with it. Share your musical tastes with your travel companions for instant new party friends. Travel speakers can range from mini and cheap to bumping with bass and price, so do your travel speaker research.

iTunes Gift Card: What good is a travel speaker if you don’t have any music? Stocking up on new tunes is mandatory before any trip and for those travelers who love music but are too guilty/technologically challenged to pirate it, an iTunes gift card is a great stocking stuffer. Believe me, when they are stuck in an airport waiting for their delayed flight, they will feel your holiday cheer and smile.

SteriPEN: Science is officially cool. In 90 seconds the SteriPEN uses ultraviolet light rays to create clean drinking water. BAM! While the $90 price tag is a bit of bummer for those on a budget, this pen is heaven sent for those traveling through developing countries. Why? First, it’s costly to constantly buy all the water you consume, especially in tropical destinations. Second, because bottled water is a huge waste of plastic. Third, at 3am when you need to chug a glass of water to avoid a wicked hangover, you need water now, not when the corner store opens.

Tugo Rolling Suit Case Drink Holder: I’m from Seattle and as you may have heard, we drink coffee. So much so that we are constantly carrying around a to-go coffee mug. The only exception is at the airport when we have to shuffle our boarding passes, passports and mini-ziplock bag full of liquids. Thankfully, we aren’t the only ones and the creators of the Tugo Rolling Suit Case Drink Holder have come to the rescue by creating a cup holder that rests between the handle of your suitcase. While it’s sort of nerdy, it’s really useful, especially for business travelers.

Of course, experiences  mean more than material goods, and trips to Europe or world wide tours are always a great gift ideas!

“Things don’t have to change the world to be important.”  Steve Jobs

However, many of the products developed under the visionary direction of the recently departed founder of Apple did change the world, and were important. For travelers, one of the most innovative products from the Apple factory is, of course, the iPad, and it’s worth taking a look at why it makes such an excellent travel companion.

First, for all its computing power and capabilities, it’s extremely lightweight — even for travelers used to bringing the sparest of belongings. The TSA will let you keep it in your bag while going through security, too. Its huge high-resolution screen, despite its slim size, is a godsend on long flights or any other situation requiring the killing of extended periods of time. (Travel much?) Battery life? Phenomenal, easily gets eight hours and sometimes 10.

The touchscreen interface is ideal for folks on the go. Standing up, sitting down, waiting in line, hands full of bags, having a smoke, eating a sandwich … all are possible times when you can surf the web, read books, or flip through photos with a flick of single finger. For those who can’t seem to leave the office totally behind while on vacation, the iPad is your workstation as well. Typing is a challenge on the touchscreen, but the addition of a Bluetooth keyboard makes it seem like you’re on a full-sized laptop. Keep all your files in the cloud. Add a VoIP application (like TruPhone) and your iPad can be your business phone, by tapping its WiFi connective capabilities. In short, there is little you cannot do work-wise while on the go.

Some downsides? Sure, but certainly not insurmountable. It doesn’t support Flash, so there are some limitations there with some sites. Can’t multitask, but is that such a bad thing really? We’ve already mentioned typing on-screen, which is easily solvable by bringing along the add-on keyboard. Another add-on you’ll need: A camera connection kit ($29) since there’s no USB port. Also, it’s not very friendly with the omnipresent Microsoft Word or Excel documents, but they’re pretty much disasters anyway.

A few more tips: Get a case. It’s great protection, and keeps your computer stealthy. And while on the topic of stealthiness, be aware when using your iPad in public. A tourist using a beautiful computer is a major target in many countries, so be stealthy yourself in certain locales to avoid becoming a robbery victim.

Finally, part of the fun of having an iPad is loading it up with cool apps, so here are a few we recommend with particular utility for traveling:

Kayak – The best search engine for flights and hotels. Their iPad app is even easier to use than their website.

WiFi Finder – Unless you want to rack up serious roaming charges, you’ll likely be turning off the 3G and switching to WiFi for most of your trip. This app will find you all the free WiFi you can handle in cities around the world.

OffMaps – Awesome iPad and iPhone app that lets you download city maps for use even in offline mode. Your iPad’s GPS is accessed and applied to the maps, even when you’re not Internet-connected or out of 3G mode.

WeatherBug Elite – You get an insane amount of weather information for any spot in any corner of the globe, for $4.99.

iBooks – Assuming you’ve already loaded up your iTunes library with enough movies and TV shows to keep you occupied, the iBooks e-reader and iBookstore give you an interactive library at your fingertips. Great way to read.

Happy trails, to you as well Mr. Jobs.