What's in Your Backpack, Janice Temple?

Travel
by Lola (Akinmade) Åkerström Feb 9, 2011
Janice Temple goes by the alter ego “Skychi ” when she works as a flight attendant for a major US airline. As an international traveler, she has lived in France, Belgium, Venezuela, Argentina, and Turkey, and also speaks French, Spanish and some Turkish.

Janice’s Words Below

TravelPro Carry-on Tote
Janice Temple - Flight Attendant

Actually I carry two bags: my Flight Attendant TravelPro carry-on tote and a lunch tote. The carry-on tote has many compartments.

It can carry lunch, snacks, bottled water, laptop, cell phone, camera, extra shoes, and more. I try to prepare for the unexpected flight delays.

I pack apples, tea, and oatmeal packets in my lunch tote. Some days, eating can be a challenge so sometimes, I pack bagged lettuce, tomatoes, avocados, and canned soup. I also have small empty plastic containers to store salads or microwave oatmeal. I pick up sandwiches, plasticware, and napkins along the way and store them in my lunch tote.

I am very practical and like to be prepared in all situations.

In my carry-on tote, I always pack:

  

  
Passport

My passport is a necessity. I must always be prepared to fly to Canada or the Bahamas. Sometimes I get last-minute work reassignments and end up flying to unexpected destinations.

Flashlight

A flashlight is ready in case of an emergency. Once I was in Nashville, Tennessee just after a major flood. The hotel had a power outage. My flashlight came in real handy during that blackout.

Camera

My Kodak EasyShare M381 is compact and light to fit in my tote bag. I keep it handy for spur-of-the-moment photos.

MacBook Pro

I love my Mac. I enjoy creating travel videos, uploading photos and writing my travel blog during my layovers.

Herbal Supplements

My herbal supplements for my immune system are a must. Since I work with so many different types of people, I need to protect my body from colds and flu.

Flying with blocked ears and sinus is very painful. The cabin pressurization can make it unbearable to fly while sick. Nature’s Sunshine Immune Stimulator and Chinese Herb VSC are two of my favorites.

As a flight attendant , I always have my bags ready. I can pack in 10-15 minutes and be out the door with everything I need for a four-day trip.

More on Janice Temple

Janice has been a flight attendant for four years at a regional carrier in connection with a major US airline. She has30 years of travel experience to 145 cities in over 21 countries.

Janice Temple - Flight Attendant

She blogs at The Skychi Travel Guide where she shares her experiences as a flight attendant.

Over at her blog, you’ll gain some insight into her life as a flight attendant. You will meet some of her passengers and co-workers and see some of the places she visits including access to travel tips, suggestions, and some of her favorite dining spots at different airports and in different cities.

She is currently working on an e-Book culled from her travel diary of experiences while living in Paris and Brussels as a student.

Recently, Janice has partnered with her daughter Cendrine Head who was born in Belgium,and who blogs at The Nubian Fitness Goddess: A Black Woman’s Journey to Physical Fitness. Together, they’re creating wellness spa tours for black women which will be announced on their respective blogs.

Peek into more backpacks under our What’s In Your Backpack? series.

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