In the corner of my travel kit, I put a brush with a couple of little hair bands on the handle, and a little plastic wide-tooth comb. Also, I pack a little tube of sunscreen and a bar of soap to wash my hands in public toilets.
When a man comes up and asks you, “Is this your first time in _______?”, it is the first step in sizing you up. Say, “NO. We visit often.” – and go on.
To bring a selection of earrings on your trip, get a 25-cent felt square at a fabric store (they sell them pre-cut) and simply fasten earrings through the felt, and fold, fasten, and fold. This allows you to bring lots of accessories, protects each pair from damage, and takes up almost no space! Fasten the roll with a rubber band to keep it from unrolling.
Try to take beauty products with you that will double up for 2 or more uses. Elizabeth Arden’s 8-hour cream works as a facial moisturizer, lip balm, hair tamer, and sunburn soother all in one. Shampoo can double up as a travel wash, and those new chubby makeup pencils from Clinique can multitask for lipstick, eye colour, and blush.
Cutting down on the amount of bottles and cosmetics that spill is always important. Use a stick foundation instead of a liquid one. The texture is light, and many of the new sticks are oil-free. Discount store brands are the same quality and much cheaper than popular brand names. The foundation can also double as a concealer and an eyeshadow base. Look for perfume in a solid form as well. The containers are small enough to fit in a purse, yet smell strong. Kiss My Face makes a great peach-scented shave lather in a tube that eliminates aerosol cans. Invest in a good lipstick palette with a variety of colors. The palettes are small, and give you a good variety of colors for all skin tones – and cut down on the number of bulky tubes. Victoria’s Secret has an excellent one, which isn’t too expensive. (It is only available through mail order or online order.)
How does the woman traveller deal with the problems in Middle Eastern countries? Strict moral codes make the lives of women travellers more difficult. East and West cultures have their perspectives and varying viewpoints toward gender issues.
For all of you women who haul around those heavy purses, but have valuable “stuff” in them, well, I’ve got the travel tip for you. When you’re carrying your purse, be sure that you carry it diagonally so that when thieves try to steal it, they won’t be able to because of how you are wearing it.
Instead of travelling with pads or tampons (or having to buy them), consider trying a reusable menstrual cup called The Keeper.
If you are travelling alone and don’t want any company, there are certain things you can do to dissuade unwanted attention. If on a coach or train, sit on the outside seat, placing your handbag, coat, and jacket on the window seat. If in a bar restaurant, place your coat on the back of the seat opposite to make it look as if you have company. It may seem anti-social, but sometimes it’s the only way.
