I log all of my travel membership account numbers in Cardstar so I can easily book air, hotels and car and get my points and awards.
Plus there are a ton of other apps on my iPhone so I can keep myself busy, connected with family and friends, and be productive on the road.
My Kindle along with its soft leather cover and built-in light. It’s great for reading on planes and without the glare of the overhead light keeping up other passengers.
With lots of books loaded up on my Kindle, I can withstand hours of flight delays. A coach flight half-way around the world goes much faster when I’m deep into a great book.
I keep these with me at all times, usually in $10 denominations. I randomly give these gift cards out during my travels as a way of saying thanks to flight attendants, gate agents, shuttle bus drivers … whoever either looks like they’re having a tough day or has gone out of their way for me or someone else.
My Kodak Zi8 pocket video camera with a flexible leg table top tripod. I’m always ready to capture a story, even during my business travels.
I’m also collecting funny travel stories for my second book; stories (even awful events) which now seem funny when you look back. Each story has a lesson or travel tips to offer.
So this camera is great for recording someone’s funny story and getting the full impact of what happened to them.
A pashmina shawl overlays the top of my bag. This cashmere shawl keeps me warm and cozy in-flight and is great for looking dressy on an evening out. I especially love wearing it for an evening walk around the deck of a cruise ship with my husband.
After realizing that many frequent travelers were asking for Carol’s advice on how to travel smarter, safer and with more enjoyment, all the while taking care of the family and household at the same time, Carol created SmartWomenTravelers.com to be that support system and give frequent travelers a community in which to feel connected while on the road.
BusinessTravelSuccess.com is Carol’s newest business – offering a corporate bootcamp entitled “Business Travel Success” which prepares employees for proficient travels and addresses how to deal with life at home while away.
When not on the road, Carol enjoys working on her laptop on her lanai in Orlando, Florida every so often letting her screensaver come on so she can enjoy memorable scenes from her worldwide journeys.
Follow SmartWomenTravelers.com on Facebook or Twitter.
Peek into more backpacks in our What’s In Your Backpack series here.