Tag: travel blog

San Francisco Pride – The Exhibitor’s Guide

San Francisco Pride – The Exhibitor’s Guide

Keelie Cox

This is a tale of a wild, colorful and exhausting weekend told from the perspective of an exhibitor at San Francisco Pride (that’s me!). While my experience as an exhibitor was a little bit different from the regular Pride-Goer (mostly because I was contained to my booth for most of the event), I can still offer insightful tips and interesting stories that anyone looking to attend this event will find helpful. I really wish I had more photos to share with you, but I was busy working. (Wink Wink). So, let’s get started.

The Night Before

We arrived in San Francisco the evening before Pride. My car was loaded to the max full of swag and various items needed for the booth. The drive from Reno was pretty smooth until we hit the Bay Bridge – then it was bumper to bumper traffic until we reached our hotel. We were staying at the Hotel Zepplin. It was located near Union Square and about a mile from the Civic Center. We knew traffic and parking in San Francisco would be horrendous, so we picked a hotel nearish to the event. This hotel also had some self-serve parking nearby. $35/night or with no in and out privileges. San Francisco is not cheap. While the area around our hotel was decent, the area between our hotel and the Civic Center is called the Tenderloin. It’s got a bad rap, and in my opinion, it’s valid. I know every city has its own problem with homeless and vagrants, but San Francisco is known as the Poop Capital of the US for a reason.

Day One

The event registration packet says you can bring your car to your booth between 6-9am. All vehicles must vacate the premise by 9am. We decided in to invest in a nice little haul wagon and hand cart, load up our stuff and walk to the event. This way we could “sleep in” and take our time in the morning. The haul wagon worked better than I expected. You can use it for events, beach days, sports gear you name. I got mine from Costco. We were loaded up, dressed in our locally designed Pride Shirts and ready for a day of fun. Our first 25-minute walk was a doosey. We walked through the heart of the Tenderloin, and it was an eye-opening experience. It was a pretty gruesome scene to describe, but imagine people sleeping on the sidewalk in their own filth. Also, we witnessed a man creating chaos on the street and a police officer had to use his baton. Some guys started to heckle us as we crossed the street and even pointed a squirt gun at us saying he was harmless. It was uncomfortable. Luckily, once we made it into the event all was good.

The event was scheduled to start at noon on Saturday. We arrived at our booth around 10 and had a strong of people lined up by 10 am. We even had some people come by before we were fully set up. I want to keep this blog about the event, so I won’t go into too much booth detail. However, there are a lot of them. Everyone, Equality California, Red Bull, Smirnoff, there were loads of sponsors and exhibitors everywhere. You’ll need an empty backpack if you plan to go around to each both collecting free swag.

It’s basically a day of partying. Eat, drink and be merry. While the event closes at 6 pm, the party doesn’t stop there. Everyone then heads to the Castro for a long night of more eating, drinking and dancing. I never made it to Castro District because I was too tired from working, but I watched the news and saw people twerking on cars. Everyone looked like they were having a good time.

Day Two

We decided to head down a little earlier on Sunday. The rumor was Sunday was even crazier than Saturday because it was Parade Day. Yes, there are more people on Sunday, but they are all at the parade which starts at 10 am and ended around 5 pm. We had learned some tricks from Day One that we implemented on Day Two.

Tip #1

Bring Your Own Toilet Paper. There are porta-potties at the event, and they ran out of T.P. halfway through day 1 and they weren’t restocked on Day Two. Bringing our own toilet paper was a live saver.

Tip #2

Bring Your Own Hand Sanitizer. Like the T.P. running out on day 1, so did the water at the handwashing station. We brought our own wipes and Everyone supplied free hand sanitizer.

Tip #3

Be prepared for long lines. And I mean long lines. Breaks were far and few for us because the booth was always packed and the lines were always long. Like, be prepared to wait an hour for your food and another ½ hour for your beer. Lucky for me there was no line for wine, and the Kind booth hooked it up with protein bars to hold me over till dinner.

Tip #4

Be open. This is Pride after all. We saw over 20 fully naked people, interesting costumes – basically, a lot of people fully expressing themselves which is awesome and kind of the purpose of this event.

Tip #5

Have fun. This is the most important one, and the end of the day you want to make sure you’re having a great time which is almost guaranteed at Pride.

Have you been to San Francisco Pride before? What tips do you have? Share them in the comments below!

Until next time….

Cheers!

Keelie

How to Pack for 8-weeks in a Carry-On

How to Pack for 8-weeks in a Carry-On

Keelie Cox

I love to pack light. I save money on airlines fees, I don’t have to worry about losing any checked luggage, and its less stuff to haul around during my travels. Whatever your reasoning is for packing light, I’m here to offer you words of wisdom and guidance for your next trip!

The List

I spent quite some time creating my packing list for New Zealand. I did a lot of research and even did a couple of test packs, so I knew I had everything I would want during my extended travels. One thing I always kept in mind is that if I forgot something or needed more of something New Zealand has stores, so I can buy whatever I need. It’s likely wherever you are planning to go also has stores. The only items I ended up buying was an extra long sleeve shirt (which I have since added to my list) and additional toiletry items – sunscreen, face wash etc. The list now serves as my guide and I adjust it depending on the destination and the activities I will be doing. The list usually has enough clothes for one week and then I do laundry. Ready for the list? Click here to download and start packing.

Laundry

You will be able to do laundry. Whether you are staying at a house that has a washer and dryer or visit a laundry mat, you will be able to wash your clothes. That being said, you will laundry detergent (something that can also be found in the country you are visiting), and some sort of laundry bag. My particular suitcase comes with a laundry bag, but I also like to pack a packable duffel pack that can double as a laundry bag. But in reality, a trash bag with work. You just want something to transport your dirty and then clean clothes that isn’t your suitcase. When I was in New Zealand you could always tell it was laundry day for me because usually the last clean item I had was the dress I packed.

Laundry Day!

Mix and Match Your Clothes

Don’t bring a shirt that will only go with one pair of pants. Or shoes that only serve one purpose. Multi-purpose is your friend when packing light. Bring a variety of colors that will mix and match well. Since most of my wardrobe is black, that’s kind of easy for me. Solid colors also work well. I brought shorts that I could hike in, but could also pass for city wear, or a night on the town. If you look at my photos, you’ll notice I am wearing a combination of the same 5 or 6 items the whole time. After returning back to the States, I didn’t wear any of those clothes for at least a month. Some of the items I brought with me didn’t make it home. It was time for us to part ways, and it made room in my bag for souvenirs. Check out my blog about my favorite travel items.

Layering

This is huge. Even though it might be cold enough for your big coat, you don’t really have room for it. And if you are visiting a place like New Zealand during the Spring/Summertime, you will go through about 4 different climates. Based off all the items I brought, I could layer it up pretty good if I got really cold. I had a tank top, wool long sleeve, fleece sweater, my Athleta jacket, and my Columbia raincoat that was excellent in the wind. I never once had to fully layer up. Same with the pants. The hiking pants I brought were pretty good in the cold and wind, but if it was really cold, I could layer them with some yoga pants. Layering is key.

Toiletries

I’m fully aware that in a carry-on all liquids have to be under 3 oz. My sunscreen in exactly 3 oz, and as I mentioned earlier, I tend to purchase facewash and sometimes shampoo in whatever country I’m in. It helps you feel more like a local. I also just bring the basics as you’ll see in my packing list.

Some Final Tips

I do believe the packing cubes help you save room because you can stuff them, and then make them fit in a tight spot. Plus, they keep your bag organized and neat. I also stuff my sunscreen and undergarments in my shoes. Although I bring 4 pairs of shoes, I only pack one large pair. I wear my hiking boots on the place to save room and would either wear my boots or trainers on travel days to save room. The Toms and sandals don’t take up any room. Same with my jeans. I usually wore them on travel days to save room. Lastly, don’t bring huge glasses or sunglasses cases. They now make softshell cases or stuff your glasses in a sock. It will help you save room versus the large hard case.

What tips do you have for packing light? Share them in the comments below!

Until next time…

Cheers!

Keelie

Five of My Favorite Travel Items

Five of My Favorite Travel Items

Keelie Cox

We’ve all go those items we can’t leave home without. It might be a favorite jacket or your trusty sneakers. Maybe you have a favorite hat or a water bottle that has traveled the world with you. The point is, we’ve all got them. Yes, we aren’t going to leave home without our cell phone, wallet, id, camera and probably a portable battery, but I wanted to look beyond that. So here are 5 items I never leave behind when packing for a trip.

Garmin Watch

The importance of time when traveling. Sometimes my phone is stashed away in my backpack, or I don’t want to constantly fish it out of my purse to see what time it is, so wearing a watch is a must for me while traveling or on an adventure. The Garmin watch is great because it will also track your steps and calculate mileage. When I was in London, I would average over 10 miles a day exploring the city, and I love having my watch on hikes to calculate where I’m at or how much longer I have to go. It might not be the most attractive watch to wear on my wrist, but it has all the features I need. Check it out for yourself at REI.

Photo Courtesy of REI

Packing Cubes

When packing for 8-weeks in a 36L backpack, packing cubes are a necessity. But I love them so much I even use them in a suitcase to keep everything organized and neat. The packing cubes are perfect because if you are looking for one item, you don’t have to search through your entire travel wardrobe and risk leaving a sock behind. You can organize your clothes in the cubes and use them to save space in your bag. I bought mine on Amazon and never leave home without them.

Photo Courtesy of Amazon.com

Athleta Shanti Jacket

If you need a versatile, multi-purpose jacket, don’t leave any further than the Athleta Shanti Jacket in Powervita. This is my go-to jacket for everything which makes it perfect for traveling. I can take it hiking, on a run, or I wear when exploring a city and trying to look trendy. I can wear it on a business trip, or even use it if I’m dressing up for the night. When space is limited in your bag, and you need one jacket that will go with each outfit this is it. It also works as the perfect layer in the winter time. I thought I lost this jacket in a hotel room in Vietnam and started to have a mild panic attack. You can find the jacket online at Athleta.com.

Athleta Trekkie Hike Pant

 This is my favorite go-to pant for hiking, or if I want to explore the city, but don’t want to wear jeans. The pants are comfortable, durable, breathable – basically everything you could hope for in a pair of pants. They aren’t waterproof, but I would rather be caught in a torrential downpour wear these pants than a pair of jeans. One is just more comfortable to walk in afterward. They are also great in the wind. I wore these pants when hiking the Tongariro Crossing in New Zealand, and they handled all the elements. The wind, cold, and the heat on our descent. I also wore them on my Irish road-trip and they were that perfect amount of car comfy yet stylish. You can find these pants online at Athleta.com.

Paperback Book

So, this isn’t a specific item, but I still don’t like to leave home without a paperback book. Yes, the Kindle app on my iPad is great, but there is just something about the concept of a paperback book. Plus, a tradition of mine now when I’m traveling is, I bring a book with me, read it, and then exchange it at my hostels or hotels book exchange. I have read some awesome books through the book exchange like The Martian and The Secret Life of Bees. I like to bring a book hiking, and I don’t really want to carry a tablet. And it’s hard to read from a tablet with chilling on a beach. I know the kindle paperwork is good for that, but I’m not ready to carry around two tablets just yet. Costco always has a great deal on books. In fact, I just picked up the Alice Network and will be bringing it to Mexico with me.

What are some items you can’t leave home without? Tweet them at me @keeliec5 or tell me in the comments below!

Until next time….

Cheers!

Keelie

Cruise to Alaska

Keelie Cox

In early September, I embarked on an Alaskan Cruise with some of my closest friends, and we had one heck of a time. From the minute I stepped onto the boat I thought I was on the Titanic. This was going to be an epic 7 days.

Our Cruise Line

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
View of our ship in Glacier Bay

We chose to travel with Princess Cruises to Alaska. The coordinators of our group chose to book through Costco. We had a group of 9, and I was the sole cruise newbie. But to be fair, a few hadn’t been on a cruise since they were like 10 or something. The ship’s decor was incredible. It was very elegant, everything looked fairly new, and the staff was very friendly. My favorite room was the Piazza. It had two spiral marble staircases, a piano where they would play music daily, a cafe and a wine bar. All the employees were foreign which I thought was interesting. They all spoke English well but did carry thick accents. Your key card also served as your credit card. It was nice because I didn’t have to carry my purse or cash around the boat, but dangerous at the same time. Anything that wasn’t included in your cruise package you could just charge it to your room. WiFi on the ship is very expensive, and there is no cell service in international waters. Princess offers a messenger service. I’m not going to lie, the app needs some work, but it gets the job done. So it works similar to Facebook messenger and uses the ship’s WiFi (for free) so you can message other people on the boat. The negatives are, the app doesn’t alert you that you have a message, and it’s quite slow and cumbersome to use. They need someone to make a few adjustments to their coding, and it will be a great feature for cruise passengers.

The Food

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
The full group in Juneau

Let me tell you about the food. You could eat at the buffet for breakfast, lunch or dinner. They also had 2 dining halls that were available for breakfast, lunch or dinner. They had a pizza and ice cream bar, a burger bar, and a cafe that served various salads, soups or paninis. Room service was included in your food package, and they had 3 restaurants that you had to pay extra to eat at. One was a bistro, there was an Italian joint, and a steakhouse. We mostly ate breakfast at the buffet, lunch was kind of all over the place, and dinner was at the dining hall. Dinner was at least four courses. Some items would rotate daily, others were on the menu every night, and they usually had a theme. There were a few dishes no one cared for, but overall the food was amazing. It is impossible to go hungry while on a cruise. There is so much food available to you 24/7. However, drinks are not included in your package. And not just alcoholic drinks. You had to pay extra for anything that wasn’t water, black coffee, tea, or juice at breakfast. Outside of the extra money for basic drinks, I thought the dining experience on our Princess Alaskan Cruise was outstanding.

On the Boat Activities

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Rare sunny day in Ketchikan

One of my companions who was on his 3rd cruise I believe said he never spent too much time in his room because there was so much to do. He was right. If I was in my room it was because I didn’t feel good (probably a combination of too much liquor the night before and the swaying boat), or I was exhausted. I mentioned the live music in the Piazza, and they would also have live dancing performances and magic shows. Each evening there was something to see from musicals, comedy shows, and even “The Voice of the Ocean.” I was surprised how popular karaoke was on the cruise ship. They had a late night club that would feature a DJ some nights. There were bars around every corner. The boat had a workout facility, a spa, at least 3 pools, and like 8 hot tubs. There was definitely quite a bit to keep you busy. Plus, the scenery on the Alaskan Cruise is so gorgeous you can just walk around the ship and sightsee.

On Shore

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Hiking around Dewey Lake in Skagway

The cruise I was on was round trip from Seattle. Our port calls were in Juneau, Skagway, sightseeing in Glacier Bay, Ketchikan, and Victoria. You were given ample time in Juneau and Skagway and only a few hours in Ketchikan and Victoria. I was on a 7-day cruise, and I felt like I spent a lot of time on the boat. However, what I did see of Southeast Alaska was absolutely amazing. I visited the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau. My friends then took a tour to the Alaskan Brewery, but I chose to stay behind and check out downtown a bit more. In Skagway, we each sort of did our own thing. I found a few hikes I wanted to do, one friend went rock climbing, another went biking, a few went zip lining, and some took the train ride. I thoroughly enjoyed my hikes, but it sounds like the zip lining was pretty amazing. I was trying to limit myself on excursions because they are excruciatingly expensive, and I had been living on a non-working travelers budget for a while now. Skagway was by far my favorite port. I like the terrain, the town, and the people. I could have easily spent multiple days there. We bar hopped a bit in Skagway to get to know the community and it was great. I recommend the Spruce Tip Ale at Skagway Brewery, the habanero infused tequila, and of course a duck fart. It’s simple Alaskan tradition. In Ketchikan, a majority of our group decided to go kayaking and that ate up all our time there. It was a beautiful bay, and it did get us out of the main tourist town which was nice. And in Victoria we didn’t arrive til 6pm and only had a few hours, so we bar hopped mostly, visited a Tim Horton’s and tried to get a feel of Canadian after dark.

Weather

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
John Hopkins Inlet Glacier Bay

I think we were fairly lucky with the weather. It poured almost the whole time we were in Juneau, but we made do. Otherwise, there were periods of cloud cover and periods of sun. It was definitely cooler so dress appropriately. Where we lucked out the most was in Ketchikan. This place receives about 300 days of rain which equates to about 13 feet of rainfall. It was sunny when we arrived. Incredible.

Bottom line

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Glacier Bay, Alaska

I’m definitely going back to Alaska. I want to go on a fishing expedition and explore around Denali National Park. The cruise is nice because you get to explore a part of Alaska really only accessible by boat. I am very thankful I was invited to join this cruise because I had a blast. If you are looking for less boat time, and to hit the larger mainland part of Alaska, I would recommend a one-way cruise. I know Princess has a 7-day cruise from Vancouver to Anchorage. It’s incredible how big Alaska is because even Anchorage is only a small piece of it. If you get the opportunity to go on an Alaskan Cruise take it. It’ll get you hooked on Alaska and you’ll want to go back for more.