travel

9 Travel Gifts Under $25

October 31, 2019 by robincharmagne 6 Comments

Hi pretties,

I am fresh off of a vacation with friends and hyped to share all the deets. So, last Thanksgiving we had a meeting in the ladies room (some of y’all are not going to catch that) and decided to take one BIG trip to celebrate our 55th b-day! Fast forward to October and me the my besties plus 1 are ready for our Girl’s Trip to Paris. And, it was magical! Yeah I know everyone says Paris is magical. But I knew it would be something special when the gifts starting coming. Everyone on the trip brought something cool and useful for the Fabulous, Fierce and Favored crew! Today I am sharing some of my favorite travel accessories, all under $25! Take a peek…

These products are perfect for a weekend getaway to your favorite city or a long-haul trip. Here are my faves – loving the ear buds, at a very reasonable price I might add. Especially considering on the last leg of my flight, I was horrified to hear the flight attendant hawking those cheap azz ear buds, not cool. And next up, phone gear. The phone stand makes it easier to watch movies you’ve downloaded to your phone. Moving on to my last favorite, if you rock a black suitcase, a fun luggage tag will help it stand out in a sea of black bags. On this trip, when I arrived at baggage claim, my bag was already off the conveyor. A fellow traveler said someone thought it was their bag until they saw my luggage tags.

I am so excited to share pics and stories from our Girl’s Trip! Tell me do you buy gifts for friends when traveling together?

My CLEAR Experience – Let’s Go

January 5, 2018 by robincharmagne 6 Comments

Image: personal photo

Hello pretties,
Y’all already know that traveling is one of my favorite things to do in the world. But on this recent trip to Dallas, I was a little apprehensive. Real talk, I don’t know what I did to my back but it has been bothering me for a minute. I think I picked up something wrong or something, but any way my back has been hurting. For this trip, I was dreading the long line at security, after all the busiest airport in the world has long security lines 99% of the time (yep The A still holds that title).

CLEAR

On my trip to Seattle, I saw these cute blue signs for CLEAR and the reps were saying get out of that long line and go straight through. I wasn’t sure what it was but I made a mental note to check it out and I was pleased with what I found about this company.

CLEAR is a prescreening system that speeds travelers through the queue line right up to the security area. To accomplish this, the process starts online where you enter basic contact information and pay for the service. You must be age 18 or older and have a valid U.S. ID such as a license or passport, permanent resident card, military ID, etc. Then once you arrive at the airport, CLEAR collects some biometric data, e.g. iris, fingertips, and thumbs to identify you. All this happens in a kiosk.

You’re all set and can head to the security area. In the security area, your identity is verified at the same type of kiosk using any one of the biometrics. I chose the iris verification because it seemed fast and easy. To confirm my identity, I stood in front of the kiosk and looked at a mirror, when the light changed from yellow to green I was identified and CLEARED along with a check of my boarding pass. A CLEAR rep escorted me to the FRONT of the security line and I pulled two of those ugly grey bins and took my shoes off!!! You can imagine the looks on the faces of the folks in that long line. It was so simple, I was in and out of security in seriously 5 to 7 minutes, easy peasy and with no back pain – #winning!

CLEAR vs PreCheck vs Global Entry

CLEAR and PreCheck are two different types of speedy screening. CLEAR and PreCheck gets you through airport security faster, while Global Entry gets you through Customs and Border Protection. If you are flying International, the CLEAR rep will escort you to the Customs and Border Protection area and again, you speed through that process as well. CLEAR and PreCheck work together.

Final Thoughts

Thumbs up for now! I really loved the uncomplicated sign up and of course it was nice to be moved to the front of the line. The downside is that CLEAR is only in 30 airports, such as, New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Seattle, Houston,Washington, D.C. and Orlando to name a few. But it is expected to expand to other airports. And it is pricey at $15 a month, billed annually. American Express/Delta SkyMiles cardholders are eligible for a discounted price of $99.

If you plan to travel a lot domestically, I think it is a good alternative to PreCheck. Conversely, if you are more of an International traveler, I would say Global Entry might be a better choice. I plan to sign up for Global Entry since for $15 more, you get the same benefits as PreCheck! Consider how much and where you travel when deciding which program to use.

Happy Traveler, ready for NYE fun!

Airline travel can be stressful, so anything you can do to relieve that stress is worth it and for me CLEAR was a lifesaver, or should I say back saver.

Are you using CLEAR or PreCheck or Global Entry?

CLEAR images via

First Class Dreams – Seattle – Let’s Go

October 6, 2017 by robincharmagne 10 Comments

airline-loyalty-robincharmagne
Hello pretties,
I hope y’all are feeling great and ready to talk travel. So, recently, I was graciously gifted a birthday trip to Seattle, in first class seating (yes my friends rock). Flying first class was on my bucket travel list, but the way my travel deals are setup, I have not been able to live this dream. Today I am sharing bits of the fab plane ride and how to earn miles to increase your chances of getting first class seats on your next flight.

First Class Anyone?

Travel time Atlanta to Seattle is right under 6 hours so the Delta One seating was the most comfortable option. The seats are 21 inches wide, and recline fully to lay flat like a bed. It also has its own power plug and USB port for charging and a personal seat-side reading light.

What’s wrong with my hair?

What is she looking at LOL?

Like being in a restaurant

This was quite an experience and everything I dreamed it would be. It started with priority boarding, yes on the plane first. Upon sitting down, we had water and the flight attendant explained how everything worked. You get your own overhead bin, that was cool. Then she asked if I wanted champagne, um yeah. The amenities were superior quality, a blanket so soft from Westin hotels and those fancy headphones. On to the meals! So before dining, the flight attendants offered everyone a warm towel and laid out our napkin on the tray table. The food was better than main cabin but I wasn’t bowled over. It was served on real dishes and with real silverware that part was special! All throughout the flight we were offered a variety of yummy snacks and whatever we wanted to drink. The Delta One seat did not disappoint, really comfy and reclined 180 degrees all the way to a flat bed. I could have slept the entire flight, just like being at home. The service was amazing – attentive and elegant. I would fly first class every flight if I could, who doesn’t like being pampered?

Tips to Earn Miles

1. Decide what status fits your travel lifestyle based on the airline. For example, Delta has silver, gold, platinum, and diamond. Each one has different perks. I am working towards silver status.
2. Be Loyal! Pick your primary and secondary airlines and enroll in their rewards program including any credit cards aligned with that airline. Remember I said how my travel deals are setup? Well, to earn this status and get all the perks of said status, .i.e. free checked bags for you and your travel buddies, priority check-in and boarding and more, I will be sticking with one or maybe two airlines versus flying with everybody and they mama who has a deal.
3. Use airline rewards credit card for any purchase that will award miles for said purchases. You are going to shop anyway, you might as well earn some miles in the process. But try to pay off at the end of each month to avoid amassing debt.

There are many other ways to earn miles, just schooling y’all like my friend schooled me, sharing is caring… LOL. Once you begin earning your miles in your particular status, then you get complimentary upgrades to first class and with all your miles, you can gift miles! Isn’t that awesome. I am so thankful for having sweet and generous friends, can’t wait to return the gift and make someone else’s travel dreams come true!

See ya’ in first class real soon!

Have you flown first class and how was your experience?

Linking with these lovely bloggers.

P.S. Seattle was great, more to come on that too!

Architecture – Amsterdam Week – Part 2

May 18, 2017 by robincharmagne 6 Comments

architecture-amsterdam-robincharmagne
Hello pretties,
Another segment of Amsterdam week featuring beautiful architecture. From my first day in Amsterdam, I started snapping photos of buildings. You will find a fantastic mix of old and new buildings all across the city with unique details. These are a few of the beauties I captured…take a peek…
hotel-amsterdam-robincharmagne
central-station-amsterdam-robincharmagne
women-amsterdam-robincharmagne
wall-amsterdam-robincharmagne

flower-amstedam-robincharmagne
pathe-amsterdam-robincharmagne
homes-amsterdam-robincharmagne

Call me the nerdy diva because it is so interesting to see the architecture of other cities and hear about the history of the buildings and how they shaped the city’s landscape. An interesting tidbit is a lot of the buildings and homes on the canals don’t have elevators so a hoist is used to move furniture and things into the buildings. Can you imagine seeing fridge or a couch being hoisted up to the top of a building? Pretty clever!

What types of photos do you like to capture while vacationing?

Linking with these lovely bloggers.

Images: personal

5 Facts About Amsterdam – Amsterdam Week – Let’s Go

May 15, 2017 by robincharmagne 8 Comments

Hi Pretties,
It’s Amsterdam Week! I was so smitten with this province of The Netherlands, I wanted to share some deets on this fabulous spot! Let’s start with some fun facts about Amsterdam!

5 Amsterdam Facts

1. It is surrounded by 60 miles of water, made up of canals. The residents can walk right out their front door to the canal. What a view!
amsterdam-canals-robincharmagne
2. So I will get this one out of the way now. Yes, marijuana is legal in Amsterdam. No, you can not smoke it anywhere – coffee shops only. You get coffee at cafes. Kinda confusing I know.
amsterdam-coffeeshop-robincharmagne
3. Febo is a popular fast food outlet. These are vending machines that serve hot food on the cheap! I had a kipcorn for 2 euros, can’t beat the value. Yummy!
amsterdam-feb-robincharmagne
4. Bicycles rule in Amsterdam. There are more bikes than people and they are serious about their bikes, very aggressive bikers. Everyone rides!
amsterdam-bikes-robincharmagne
5. So probably could have covered this after #2. Prostitution is legal in Amsterdam, primarily in the Red Light District. When the ladies are on duty, the red light around their window is lit. But don’t take pictures if you want to keep your camera. Real talk, we had the most fun in the Red Light District,very lively, loads of bars and restaurants and people watching.
amsterdam-red-light-district-robincharmagne
Bonus: Everyone speaks English!

Would you visit Amsterdam?

Linking with these lovely bloggers.

Images: personal

Blog Anniversary – Kate Spade Giveaway

September 23, 2016 by robincharmagne 34 Comments

4th-blogaversary
Happy Friday!
Blog Anniversary week is ending with a giveaway. THANK YOU for supporting robincharmagne these past four years. Sharing my travel adventures is one of my favorite features on the blog so I picked up a few travel goodies from one of our favorite designers kate spade – passport case, card case, and zippered case. It is so simple to enter, just use the rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck and happy travels.

Linking with these lovely bloggers.

binc

Tech Travel – Faves On Friday

May 29, 2015 by robincharmagne 6 Comments

Happy Friday!
A four-day work week is so awesome and this one is now over, let the weekend begin. Sooo, I had vlog for y’all but I could not get the lighting right – it rained all day it was just dark and gloomy, so I’ll save that until Monday. But now with Memorial Day in the rear view mirror, travel season is on and popping. To get you ready to travel, I have hand-picked some cool tech and apps that will make your travel season easy breezy.

1 – Losing your luggage or missing luggage is the worst travel nightmare. But don’t fret, Trakdot Luggage Tracker, saves the day. Just pop it in your luggage and you can find your luggage just by using the app on your phone ($49.99, for iOS and Android)
2- Are you traveling internationally, then WhatsApp is for you. You can send unlimited pictures, text messages, audio and video messages back home without any international charges using a WiFi connection (FREE for 1 yr, then .99 afterwards, for iOS and Android)
3 – If you rent a car, you’re gonna need to park it somewhere, SpotHero can find you the ideal spot. Locate and reserve a parking spot in less than a minute. Now it isn’t available in all cities, but you’ll find it in some major U.S. cities, like San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Chicago, with more cities being added (FREE, for iOS and Android)
4 – Raincoat or fur boots, you’ll know what to pack using The Weather Channel app (FREE, for iOS and Android)
5 – I love airports, so many sights and sounds. But, they can be confusing, use GateGuru to help navigate the airport from dining options to restrooms(FREE, for iOS and Android)

Technology has seriously changed the face of travel with the advent of the Internet and smart phones. Most of these goodies are FREE and very easy to use. My favorite is WhatsApp, saved me a ton of money on my b-day vacay to London. You can even setup groups and chat with the whole fam at one time. Isn’t that cool?

What travel apps do you swear by? Have a fab weekend!

Link parties{here}.

Cold Weather Gear

February 23, 2015 by robincharmagne 4 Comments

Hello,
I’m so happy to be back in the blogging saddle! I’ve missed y’all! I had a blast last week on my first work-cation. Yeah I made that word up for a trip that combines work with a little R&R. I had the pleasure of visiting beautiful but cold Denver, Colorado with one of my traveling diva friends. I saw more snow last week than I have seen in my entire life. I completely understand why folks flock to Denver to ski. And, no I didn’t ski this trip, but I would love to go back and hit the slopes, even though I am an awful skier.

And, surprisingly, it wasn’t all that cold, not like 10 degrees or 5 below as I had anticipated. I was ready for the cold weather in my quilted parka and snow boots. These are two staples if you live in a cold weather state. The women of Denver rocked all manner of parka and boot combos looking stylish and warm in their cold weather gear. I snagged a very lightweight water-repellant parka for $27 and the waterproof snow boots for around $30, I have had the fur boots for 2 years and I must say they are a fave. I’ve curated two cold weather gear looks. Take a peek!

A change of scenery is a good thing, especially if you can visit some place beautiful. It was good to have packed just the right cold weather gear for this trip. Which look is your fave?

Link parties{here}.

7 Holiday Travel Tips

December 4, 2014 by robincharmagne 8 Comments

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Let’s Go…Packing Cubes

August 7, 2014 by robincharmagne 13 Comments

Hello there,
Well, 1 more day before vacay, the excitement is building! I enjoy reading other blogs and I noticed the travel bloggers were raving about packing cubes as an easy way to keep your clothes well organized in the suitcase and once you land. Let’s face it, packing can be a drag, so anything to help the process a long is fine by me. So, I decided to give packing cubes a whirl for this trip. Here’s how they work:

Sort your clothes by category

Add the clothes, zip it up, toss in the suitcase

Viola! Finished packing!

The packing cubes worked out really well with lots of room leftover for shoes and toiletries. These are from eBags and come in a variety of sizes and colors. A few nice features of these packing cubes include mesh fabric that keeps the air circulating, double zippers to keep clothes secure and a nice handle for easy transport. I wanted two specific colors so I purchased 6 bags(3 medium and 3 small) in my chosen colors for around $40, not too bad at all. And, you can get a nice discount if you sign-up for email.

Receive 10% Off Your First Purchase When You Sign Up for eBags Insider Emails. * Some brand restrictions apply.

Have you used packing cubes?