Travel Tips: Taking The Work Out Of Vacations by Mary Ellen Pinkham (NAPSA)—A relaxing and worry-free vacation should not be a figure of your imagination. Hitting the road shouldn’t cause anxiety and it doesn’t have to break the bank. Try these ideas to make your next vacation less stressful: In For the Long Haul With all the waiting in line at train stations, subways, airports, bus stations, why not take Mary Ellen a seat right on your travel carryon wheelie suitcase? Zuca Malibu Sport Carry-All is just $119.95 and it seats up to 300 pounds. Here’s another packing tip. If you’re flying with a companion, pack half your clothing in his or her suitcase and vice versa. If one suitcase gets lost, you will both still have things to wear. Clean Getaway According to a recent survey conducted by the Soap & Detergent Association (SDA) more than half of the respondents said they’ve stained their clothing while on vacation. That’s whyit’s a good idea to bring some kind of cleaning product on yourtrip. For instance, Tide to Go is a portable stain removal pen that eliminates many fresh food and drink stains on the go. Best of all, it’s designed for easy portability and fits in your purse, bag, or glove compartment! Bargain Barters Did you know that your miles can get you more than just a free trip? On www.points.com, you can swap your miles and points for gift certificates at some of the leading retailers including: American Eagle Outfitters, Eddie Bauer, JCPenney, and Starbucks. Swap in before you go on vacation so you can enjoy some great free goodies while you're on the road! Leave Bad Hair Behind Forget about carrying bottles and jars of hair styling products while on vacation and keep the extra room in your suitcase for souvenirs. Sexy summer hair is just a strip away with Aveda Control Tape. Just add water to the strip and see it transform into hair gel right before your eyes. The hair strips are easy to carry and are great for styling on the road. Just $19.50 for 20 strips. Cell Power If your cell phone runs out of juice on the road, keep the Emergency Sidewinder cell phone charger handy. It’s a light, windup generator that provides unlimited emergency power. Hotel Smarts You’re entitled to much more comfort than you think when you're a guest at a hotel. For a quiet and good night’s sleep, request a room that’s located furthest away from the elevator and on a higherfloor. Mary Ellen Pinkham is the author of the book “Don’t You Hate It When...How to Solve Life’s Little Irritations,” iVillage’s “Everyday Problem Solver” and host of HGTV’s “TIPical Mary Ellen.” For more tips, please visit: www.maryellenproducts.com.
