Film photography has become a pricier hobby due to rising demand and dwindling supplies. In some cases, some film stocks are being discontinued, pushing secondary market prices even higher. Additionally, a trend has emerged of re-spooling movie film for still photography, offering unique (and sometimes unpredictable) results.

Regardless of the approach, the average cost of film now hovers around $15 per roll, with black and white options starting around $7 and premium color stocks exceeding $20. Processing has become somewhat niche as well, leading to increased costs and turnaround times.

All told, I spend roughly $30-$40 per roll to shoot, process, and scan a single roll of film. That translates to about $1 per shot – a stark contrast to the carefree abundance of digital photography. Naturally, I strive to make every click count. Unfortunately, things rarely go according to plan.

This unintentional multi-exposure photo perfectly exemplifies that sentiment. Film photography has forced me to slow down to an almost meticulous pace. Proper exposure, precise focus, and flawless composition become paramount when each shot carries such a high cost. Unlike digital, where I might experiment with slight variations, on film, every frame is precious.

With this newfound focus on what I saw through the viewfinder, I completely missed a fundamental film photography rule: knowing how many exposures a roll holds. Every roll I’d bought for the past two years was 36 exposures. I flat-out forgot that 24-exposure rolls still existed. At least a dozen frames that I shot will never be seen, they simply don’t exist.

Unlike modern electronic cameras with DX code detection, the mechanical M6 has no way of knowing what film is loaded. Consequently, I believed I had around eight frames remaining when I visited a pop-up event hosted by Race Service in Los Angeles, featuring a collaboration with La Marzocco and Porsche.

A stunning, caged, and track-prepped 964 was on display. I patiently waited for people to clear the background and captured a few photos with the M6.  I used my iPhone for a handful of additional shots but prioritized being present in the moment rather than constantly glued to a screen.

The last two film frames felt unusually difficult to advance. A flicker of concern crossed my mind – perhaps the sprocket holes were damaged, or maybe the film itself tore inside the camera. However, the film rewound smoothly when I engaged the rewind lever, and everything seemed normal.

With a touch of apprehension, I removed the bottom plate, expecting to find mangled film trapped inside the canister. Instead, the film emerged intact, leading me to dismiss the incident as a quirk of consumer-grade Kodak Gold 200 film.

Two weeks later I was home and decided to visit a new camera store in a nearby town. Eager to explore their inventory, I decided to have them process my film. To my surprise, they offered on-the-spot processing and scanning, allowing me to take the film home immediately and sending my digital scans out via DropBox. It was fantastic!

Erik, the film technician, called me over to his workstation during scanning. He inquired if I wanted him to attempt salvaging the last two or three frames, which somehow appeared double-exposed.

Double-exposed? I hadn’t intentionally captured any double exposures, but I readily agreed to his attempt.

Following a delightful conversation with Mike, the owner, and Erik, I embarked on the 45-minute drive home. They had already emailed me the digital files, and I couldn’t wait to review them again and share them with friends.

Imagine my surprise when the week spent in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica, was present on the roll, but none of the Porsche photos were there. A strange feeling washed over me. Did I even attend the event? Was it all a dream?

One of the things I adore about film photography is the imposed patience. The gratification is delayed, arriving days or even weeks later. You have to shoot the entire roll, get it processed (by mail or in person), and only then can you finally see the results. This experience has motivated me to trust my instincts more when framing and exposing on film. Capture the image, step back, and truly appreciate the scene before you. There’s no need for a digital backup or a quick iPhone snapshot to share the moment instantly. It’s a challenging approach, but it’s a work in progress for me.

The post When 36 Isn’t Quite Right: Living in the Moment with Film Photography appeared first on Mike Panic.

The pandemic slowed my travel but not my desire to, nor my efforts to continue to fly for as close to free as possible.  Through a bit of savvy work, I was able to secure two sets of upgrades on an economy flight from Newark (EWR) To Seattle (SEA) flying United.  Here’s How.

Flying for free is fairly easy, even if you don’t fly often, there’s a ton of credit card sign up bonuses that will work out to 1-3 free flights.  Not that I’m bored with free flights,  but I wanted to start boarding sooner and sitting in the big chair.

TL;DR

Just want the good stuff? I got you!

• Signed up for a Bilt account
• Linked my United MileagePlus Account
• 3 months free United Premier Silver

Caveat, this was a 24 hour promo, it’s not active anymore but similar deals might occur. Credit to Chris Hutchinson and All The Hacks newsletter for this hot tip.  If you aren’t subscribed to his podcast and newsletter, do it!

I Don’t Churn

I’m not a churner of credit cards, or a person who runs after sign up bonus and then has a 1″ thick stack, a common method to achieve reward points and status.  Getting status just by flying is also fairly difficult believe it or not.

What I managed to do was, through some good luck, get United Premier Silver status and then got upgraded from economy to economy plus, then first class.  Here’s how this whole thing went down, starting with the cost of the economy ticket.

The Credit Card

Several years ago I bit the bullet and upgraded to the Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card.  When I booked the flight in 2018 for $96 worth of points on my Sapphire Preferred card, it had a 1.25x multiplier, so $100 worth of points has a $125 of purchasing power. Sapphire Reserve has a 1.5x multiplier, so $100 worth of points has $150 of purchasing power.

There are upsides and downsides to this card, for most the annual fee of $550 is the biggest downside.  Here’s the upsides I use to my advantage to offset that cost and justify the price:

• $300 worth of travel credit annually
• Priority Pass access to airport lounges
• $100 credit for Global Entry + TSA PreCheck
• Killer rental car insurance coverage
• No International transaction fees
• 50% bonus when points are used for travel
• 50% bonus when points are used to pay back Airnbnb stays

My round trip flight from EWR to SEA was $338, so it cost me about 22,500 points, or $225 worth of points to put a dollar on them.

Lets assume I’ve already used the $300 in travel credit and $100 for Global Entry renewal this year, subtracted from $550 that has my annual card expense costing me $150.

I saved 11,300 points, or $113 off the sticker price of my flight, bring the annual cost down to just $37.

Taking a step back to see the savings, it’s eye opening.  Right now Chase is also offering an 80,000 point bonus when you meet the requirements, that’s worth $1,200 in flights.  Factoring in the points earned to meet the minimum spend, I could take this trip four times for free, more if the fare dropped!

United Premier Status

In my years traveling, I’ve always signed up for airline loyalty programs but have never been faithful because I always chased the best price.  This year, for some reason or another, United ended up being the better deal and when it wasn’t, the $20-30 extra knowing I would likely get Silver Premier status just by flying was worth it to me to splurge.

It’s not easy to get status, it requires not just a lot of flights, but a fairly big spend, too. Gone are the days where flying x-number of miles got status. Prior to this recent flight, here’s my status progress with a quick explanation.

PQF, or Premier Qualifying Fights.  Any flight on United or United Express flight earns 1 PQF point.  This is the most simple one to understand.  United defines a flight as take off and landing, so a one way flight from JFK to SFO with a layover in ORD is actually 2 flights, and 2 PQF points.  If it’s round trip, 4 PQF points will be earned.  This year I’ve earned 18, the 17 shown here when I was taking screenshots waiting to board the flight in prep for this article and the flight itself.

PQP, or Premier Qualifying Points.  This one is fickle, and there’s a lot of great articles out there that explain how this works, but if I’m being honest, it’s basically dollars for points. Different booking classes (more expensive flights) will accrue you more PQP points.

For 2022, 8 PQF and 3,000 PQP points must be accrued, or bypass the PQF requirement with 3,500 PQP points.  As soon as this requirement is met, Silver Status will be earned for the remainder of the year and the following year.

For 2023, United has raised the requirements as we are post pandemic.

What’s Premiere Silver on United get you?

• Priority check-in
• Priority security screening (TSA PreCheck is usually faster though)
• Priority boarding (Group 2)
• 1 checked bag for free
• Complimentary access to Economy Plus on check-in
• Complimentary Premier access day of departure (First class!)
• A lot more, honestly, I should read more into it, you can here

Worth noting, PQP points can be earned when flying Star Alliance partners but there’s a catch.  United still gives miles as rewards and flights can be booked with miles + the cost of taxes, usually around $6 on a one-way flight and $11 on a round trip flight.  If you book a reward flight using United miles, you will not earn any PQF or PQP points.  I suggest holding all of these until you’ve solidified status.

Interesting caveat though! When you book with Chase using Ultimate Reward points, the face value of the ticket purchased will count towards PQP and PQF points are earned for every flight!  They do not give you PQP on the points value you redeemed!  Huge benefit for me.

So it’s clear now, I didn’t get Silver Premier status by just flying a lot.

Bilt It And They Will Come

Sorry, horrible Dad joke.  What did I Bilt you ask?  OK seriously, I’m done.  This is one of those things I just happened to catch out of the corner of my eye and within 3 minutes was set up, fingers crossed it would work.

Bilt is a Mastercard and rewards program rolled up into one with a few really cool features.  Before we get to the features, this is the promo I got in on. Sign up for an account within the 48-hour window and link my United account, get 3-months of United Silver Premier benefits for free.

This promo is dead now (sorry!) but they do give you 100 reward points for linking United and a handful of other airlines and hotel accounts.  This promo happened 2 weeks ago, more on this in a minute.

While I don’t think Bilt is a card or service I’ll use for the long term, for now, there is one really interesting feature it has if you are a renter.  Bilt has teamed up with thousands of management companies that normally wouldn’t accept credit card payments for rent, to do just that.  In the event your landlord isn’t one of these techno-geeks, not to worry!  Bilt can actually cut a check and mail it to your landlord and you can still earn points.

If you are paying $2,000 per month in rent, you could get 24,000 points for free every year with a 1:1 transfer ratio to almost any airline or hotel.  For most airlines this will work out to be a $240 ticket, and all your doing is paying your rent! Since I don’t rent, I can’t take advantage of it.

Nearly two weeks passed and it was now just 2 days before checking in for the flight and I still didn’t see my status change on United.  Finally, about 18 hours before I had to check in, the status flipped to Silver Premier!

There is not a guarantee that Bilt will offer promos like this for United or other airlines again, but considering it’s a free account that I don’t have to use, I’ll keep it and cross my fingers.

Finally, First Class!

48-hours before a flight with United, the app will show an Upgrade list, I was 5th and there were exactly 5 empty first class seats.  Now, Premier Silver is about the lowest level of status so there was still a chance someone with better status can bump me.  Things weren’t looking to bad though as I was assigned a new Economy Plus seat at check-in, valued at $199 upgrade without status, and boarding group 2.

About 8 minutes after checking in I got a push notification from United, I had been upgraded!

I was now the proud occupant of First Class seat 3B! United does assign seats, but will do its best based off preferences in the app or on their site, I have my standby / upgrade preference set to aisle and I lucked out not getting the last row, those seats don’t always recline.

My boarding pass also upgraded, into Boarding Group 1, and all I had to do now was wait 23 hours to board the flight!

Not A Flight Review

I don’t do flight reviews (yet?) but, here’s some quick points on my flight.  This was an older 737-900, commonly called a narrow-body jet.  The seats recline but are not lay-flat beds, and to add further insult, there wasn’t even an infotainment system in the headrest of the seat in front of me.

United does offer free streaming of movies and TV shows on their app though, so I took advantage of that on an 11″ iPad Pro I’ve been traveling with.

The seats are plush, thick and probably been farted in a million times.  That is to say, they’ve been broken in the way you want a seat broken in.

Breakfast was served and the flight attendants were amazing with beverages, in glass cups.

This was being offered as a $349 upgrade to anyone in economy.  Was it worth that? Not to me.

Also another important fact.  Silver Premier does not provide access to the United lounges in airports, even with a first class ticket.

Luck was on my side with this flight. Early morning Saturday flights are not popular with anyone so there was less status competition and truth be told, the plane wasn’t even at 50% capacity in Economy.

Upgrades Don’t Always Happen

I fly home in 2 days, and as I’m writing this I can see things won’t be in my favor for a first class ride home.  There are 4 empty big chairs but I’m currently 17th on the upgrade list!  Likely going to be economy plus, which will still be nice.

Additionally, I’ll be boarding group 2 from now on, so this should reduce the need to jockey for that ever so desirable overhead storage now that everyone does carry on.  Even with a free checked bag, I likely won’t utilize that unless I’m going somewhere very cold and need to pack a lot of layers.

Closing Thoughts

The whole process of signing up for Bilt and linking my United Mileage Plus account took about 3 minutes.  Given I already had a trip planned, on United, this was a no brainer.

Being realistic about upgrades helps prevent disappointment.  They aren’t always going to happen but, but with how the rest of 2022 looks for me, I should earn enough PQP points to maintain Silver Premier throughout 2023.  With that, I will always look forward to utilizing boarding group 2 and hopefully sit in the big chair more often, maybe even a lay flat!

Total time invested to reap the reward: 3 minutes.  Total time to write 1900+ words explaining how I did it and include some photos of Seattle’s Space Needle with Mount Rainier overlooking in the background: 2 hours.

The post I Flew Across The Country In First Class For Free; Here’s How I Did It appeared first on Mike Panic.

I started to shoot film again in April of 2021, mostly on a well loved Rollei 35, as a way to slow down, as a way to reduce the editing.  I will get around to sharing those rolls, this post is about my first experience with a new, old stock, SantaColor 100.

Post-pandemic, film has sadly been in short supply and prices have spiked, as have developing costs.  On the positive though, new film stocks have emerged, some a bit more funky and creative, others are bulk stocks used for other purposes that have been cut down and re-spooled into 36exp canisters; SantaColor is just this.

SantaColor 100 is aerial surveillance photography film that was likely left in cold freezers for years.  It’s perfectly fine to shoot as still photographs, carries an ISO of 100 but can be shot up to 800 without color shift, only enhanced contrast.  I chose to shoot box speed of 100.

The unique characteristics of the film are a thinner base and a clear back, which do present their own challenges.  From their Indiegogo page,

Highly colour accurate with slightly increased red sensitivity. When scanned, typically on the warmer side and sometimes on the redder side.

With that in mind, I packed the film, hopped on a plane and off to Los Angeles I went.  The following morning at the painful time of 4AM I set out on what was to be 4 long days of driving and adventure having.

The route left Hollywood and headed north to Lassen Volcanic National Park, staying on the eastern side of the Sierras, then return down the western side and into Yosemite National Park.  The timing couldn’t have been better, starting autumn and fingers crossed it would be prime leaf changing season. The plan was to keep a somewhat loose schedule and pull off wherever something interesting caught my eye.

Below are the images followed by some info on where they were taken.

The 1,734 mile round trip adventure started off with a stop at a hot spring just outside Bishop, in what turned out to be a luke-warm spring, but my first crack at shooting some images.  The first two images below are from the winding rode leading to the hot spring.  I couldn’t decided on horizontal or vertical so I included both.

Next is a similar, dirt road to the mountains taken off 395 near a placed called Buttermilk Road

The next 3 photos were taken at a campground in Inyo National Forrest

Somewhere near Hilltop Hot Spring (which I never ended up going to) was this beautiful old church.

Leaving the church the goal was to make it to Mono Lake before Sunset, and that didn’t exactly happen. The next 4 photos turned out to be rather amazing during the post-sunset, golden / blue hour where the sky churned through wonderful pastel colors.

The next day involved driving north even further along 395 but the old truck on the side of the road had me hit the brakes.

Lassen Volcanic National Park is absolutely massive and admittedly I didn’t spend enough time in it, however the one photo on this role that I really enjoyed of the trees is next.  Much of the park (and the drive in) have a post-apocalyptic feel due to the Dixie Fire that burned in the summer of 2021, engulfing 73,240 acres with flames.  What remains is both saddening, and a wake-up call that Mother Nature is fierce and can be unrelenting in her ways.

Outside of the park on a random road back towards the neighboring town of Susanville I came across this beautiful fence, lush trees and the mountain in back.  Hucked a quick U-turn and snapped another photo.

In the town of Susanville is this old, abandoned and forgotten home, with a storm brewing overhead in the distance, early in the morning, I’m very pleased with this image.

About an hour outside Susanville to the south-east is Lake Almanor, and where I found this collection of cars enjoying some afternoon sun.

Returning to Susanville in the late afternoon, after the sun had shifted I was finally able to line up a photograph of the Sierra Movie Theater.  I had passed it a handful of times the day before, I wasn’t happy with morning or mid-day light and there was always cars in front, so with the afternoon sun shining, I eagerly grabbed a pic.  Sadly, I neglected to notice the overhead wires and wish I would have framed it differently.

Last photograph on this roll was the first photograph in Yosemite National Park of the famous, El Capitan.

While I did load a second roll of SantaColor100, I wasn’t able to finish it before the trip ended, it’s still in the camera and I returned home only snapping a few quick photos inside Yosemite.

Returning to Los Angeles at the end of this trip, I dropped the film off at Samy’s Camera, a staple in LA since 1976, to get the film processed and scanned.  The gentleman I dropped the roll off with seemed to know what it was, but I’m not 100% sure the lab did.

The images I shared in this post have only been slightly cropped and, or, rotated, and scanning dust removed.  I’ve played around with color correcting them but ultimately am deciding to leave them as is.  From the Indiegogo page, I expected there to be some reddish hues,

Due to the clearer base, some scanners are confused by the film and give a very red image. This is easily correct when home scanning or when done by a good lab.

And this is painfully obvious, but not in a detrimental way.  If I wanted pure color accuracy I could have shot Portra 160 or 400, or even Kodak Gold 200, I knew what I was getting into and don’t blame Samy’s for their scanning job.

As of publishing this blog post, I have a half roll in the Leica and 3 more rolls in the fridge and am looking forward to producing some more amazing images in the near future.

The post Shooting SantaColor 100 with a Leica M6 appeared first on Mike Panic.

Breaking this list into three sections, it’s all applicable to flying domestically or internationally, and car trips, with some minor variances.  There are more than 1.2 million results for the Google search term best travel accessories and like most who embark on travel, I’ve read more than a handful of these articles and watched hours of YouTubers explaining what is needed on a travel adventure.  In the end, I’ve picked up some wonderful ideas, wasted some money and wished I spent more on a few items, ultimately the only real test to any of this stuff is to actually use it.

I’ve also taken the liberty to explain how or why I’ve chosen certain items and why I value them for traveling.  An important note about domestic travel; A short drive from most every major airport or in nearly every city or town there’s going to be a Target or Walmart nearby.  Forgetting something or choosing to buy it upon landing isn’t the end of the world.  For me a prime example of this is sunscreen.  TSA limitations on liquids are currently 3.4oz, anyone going to a warm destination for more than two days will likely use more than this, including both beach trips and the desert; Think about hiking through Utah’s National Parks in the summer, it routinely reaches 100°F and sunscreen is a must.

Within Arms Reach

This first section are things I like to keep in a small bag or backpack typically stored under the seat in front of me on a plane or in the back seat of a car.

Hydro Flask 24oz Standard Mouth insulated Water Bottle.  I do love a good 32oz Nalgene bottle and used to travel with them, and also own the larger 32oz wide mouth Hydro Flask, my preference for travel is this slimmer, slightly smaller bottle.

My reasons for choosing this bottle, it fits in most standard car cup holders / door pockets whereas the 32oz version (including Naglene) doesn’t.  When placed in the water bottle pocket of my backpack it neither stretches out the mesh holder nor is it overly heavy to carry and in most airlines it will fit nicely into the seat pocket.  Being insulated means it not only retains temperature for hours, both hot or cold, it also doesn’t sweat on the outside, unlike Nalgene bottles.

I’ve also filled it with hot water and 2-3 tea bags for those cold travel days.  Most airports these days have filling stations attached to their water fountains, just don’t forget this must be empty to go through TSA checkpoints.

Shure SE215 Sound Isolating In Ear Monitors, also known as headphones.  Anyone who has flown in economy knows that the engine noise on planes will attest that the noise starts to become slightly annoying around mid-wing and worse as you move towards the back.  In looking for a comfortable pair of headphones I asked a friend who happens to fly a lot more than I do for some suggestions.  He let me borrow a backup set of Shure’s and I was hooked, here’s why.

Shure was a pioneer in high end audio, so these sound great, but more importantly they are designed to fit snugly inside your ear and wrap around the back, making them both virtually impossible to fall out and easy to sleep on without pinching or pain.  Sound isolating means choosing the right foam tips that go into your ears and putting them on the monitors, then each time you insert them using your fingers to mush them together a bit, like a foam ear plug.  As they expand back out to fill up the nooks and cranny’s of your ear, they will block out ambient sound.  This differs from active noise reduction headphones and in ear monitors that need a battery to help cancel sound out via advanced technology.  Yes, they are wonderful but cost significantly more, require carrying backup batteries, are larger and heavier.

Considering my track record with breaking cables, I’m going for the cheaper pair.  But why wired, why not Bluetooth?  I’ll tell you.  Inflight entertainment doesn’t support bluetooth, so on most flights to enjoy a movie on the seat back in front of you, a wired pair are needed.  Wired headphones also never need to be charged.

iPhone / iPad Dongle for Shure in ear monitors. For Apple users, to use any standard wired 3.5mm headphones a dongle is needed, either the Lightning version for iPhones or the USB-C for newer iPads.  Not all airlines are equipped with in-flight entertainment and the current trend for some has been to offer the entertainment streamed at no charge to a mobile device over in-air WiFi, utilizing the airlines app (Looking at you United) instead of the TV in the seat back.  If you’ve bought into the Apple world, you’ll likely need to get one or both of these dongles.

I keep them in the travel pouch my Shure headphones came in.  Also, sometimes listening to music on long train rides or to fall asleep to in a nosiy hotel or Airbnb helps, and again the Shure’s are great to sleep with.

AirPods.  I know I just gave a whole speech about the virtues of wired headphones but honestly, AirPods are pretty great for anytime you’re not in the air.  Because they offer no noise isolation or cancelling, chances are the volume will need to be cranked during a flight, but for everything else, these are amazing.

I loathe holding a phone up to my head anymore so these are a problem solver, additionally I’ve found that making phone calls while driving using AirPods instead of the in-car audio leads to a better sound for the person on the other line.

It’s a bit of a luxury, but I do enjoy using them. As a measure of protection, to make them a little less slippery and to have an ability to clip them to something I got a cheap silicone case for them.

Anker USB Lightning Cables.  Factory Apple charging cables are pretty good these days but I hate having to find one laying around my house or pull it from my car when it’s time to travel.  I’ve found the Anker cables, while a slight premium over generic ones available just about everywhere to be well worth it.  They always work, are certified by Apple and carry a lifetime replacement warranty, one I’ve used with absolutely no issues.

I keep one coiled up inside the Shure in ear monitor case with the dongle and headphones, that way it’s always with me and ready to charge my phone or AirPods.

Kindle Paperwhite.  I love the smell of books as much as the next person but I hate lugging them around, even more if I finish a book while on a trip then have to carry it home.  I also have absolutely zero desire to build a home library, but that’s another topic.  I got one of the cheaper Kindle cases with smart auto-cover and it shows zero signs of wear.  The same company makes an Origami version that I’ve had on my wish list for a while, just haven’t pulled the trigger.  Hindsight, I should have bought that one.

After a lot of consideration, thought and what if I hate this thing I bought one about a year ago and fell in love, I actually read more now than ever before in my life.  It’s incredibly easy on the eyes, will store thousands of books and I love the highlight option that will send a copy to my email address.

The battery lasts forever, it takes up virtually no room and maybe best of all, the back-lighting works amazingly well, no need to be that person on a plane that turns the reading light on during a night flight.  Check out my reading list for some inspiration!

Raw Brass Space Pen.  I don’t need to tell you what a pen does, but I can tell you that flying into most foreign countries, or returning back to the USA from a trip abroad will require you to fill out an entry slip, in some cases an exit slip, too.  When the flight attendants pass out these forms there seems to be a mad dash for pens because very few people have one within arms reach.  My preference is the Space Pen finished in Raw Brass.

It’s a bit of a luxury item to have but I like the way the brass feels when I write with it and it’s always changing, the patina always evolving.  Most importantly it utilizes a pressurized ink cartridge that is designed to write at any angle, including under water and has very little chance of ever leaking or exploding.  Spending $25 on a pen isn’t everyone’s idea of a good time, if you just want a cheap, good writing pen I also like the Pilot G2 Mini.

Titanium Spork Set.  These sporks are sold separately but I suggest buying a pair.  Why a pair?  First off, it’s impossible to use the knife portion in one hand without holding the food in place with either your hand or, another spork in your other hand.  Second reason, you may want to share your food with someone.  These are TSA approved for carry on and I’ve never had an issue taking them through check points, domestically or abroad.

The amount of times I’ve bought take-away, had food delivered or just picked up something at a Tesco or random gas station and either forgot to grab disposable silverware or just wasn’t given any was more than enough to cause me to look into sporks. I chose the titanium versions because I felt they would last longer, and will bend not break.

They aren’t cheap though, so if you’re on a budget or just not sure if they are for you, the plastic version is a fraction of the price and sold in a set of 2.

Wet Wipes.  Self explanatory and available in a wide range of scents or unscented, the individually packaged ones are great to keep one in an outside pocket of a bag for easy access.

Sunglasses. As someone who wears prescription glasses and can’t won’t wear contacts, I’ve invested in a pair of prescription sunglasses and can’t believe it took me as long as it did.  I went years just squinting and getting by, now they are an absolute must.  If you wear contacts or have great vision, I can’t stress the importance of not forgetting sunglasses on any trip, regardless of destination or time of  year.  Since this is a very personal preference, I won’t leave any suggestions here.

RFID Blocking Passport Wallet.  All USA passports from 2007 to present have an RFID (radio frequency identification) chip embedded in them.  This is the same technology that allows EZ-Pass to know you’re going through a toll rode and is often used to track movements within both domestic and foreign airports.  It’s also possible for scammers to steal your information if you’re within range.

This is a super cheap, functional wallet and document organizer that has RFID blocking technology built into it.  I’ve been using this exact one for several years and it shows no signs of wear.  Additionally, the passport is easy to remove, most checkpoints do not want your whole wallet when they scan the passport, if you do choose to put credit cards or cash in here you also likely don’t want to willingly hand that over, either. Cheap insurance that will help keep you protected and organized.

Worth Having

These are items that take up virtually no room in a bag, weigh next to nothing and are just a good idea to keep with you for a weekend getaway or a multi-week trip to the other side of the globe.

Nail Clippers.  Personal hygiene is important.  Aside from that, if you’re gone for 10 days or more, there’s a good chance your toe nails could grow a bit longer than are comfortable in your shoes.  This is extremely important as most people are walking during vacations more than normal and foot or toe pain can absolutely ruin a trip. They weigh almost nothing and are kept in my dopp bag.

Folding Scissors.  These stay in the little velvet bag the nail clippers came with, are TSA approved for travel and have come in super handy for all the reasons scissors always come in handy.  Stainless steel means they should last forever.

Recovery Derm Shield Tattoo Aftercare Bandage. This is my preferred method for healing tattoos, an updated and I think better version of 3M’s Tegederm that was originally created to help protect wounds.  Essentially it’s a breathable (outward, nothing can get in) bandage put over fresh tattoos.  Having been tattooed in both Thailand and Paris, it’s possible that during my travels I may randomly get tattooed again so why not keep this in my bag?  Moreover, this bandage can also be used for minor cuts, scrapes or road rash in ways normal band-aides or traditional gauze bandages never could.

Would have been super helpful when I fell taking sunset photos in Thailand a few years back.  I typically put 2-3 sheets into a zip-top bag and it goes in the bottom of my bag, takes up no room and weighs nothing.

Pro-tip, using the previously mentioned scissors to cut an appropriate sized piece for the tattoo (or wound) is really helpful.

Laundry Sheets. This may be one of my favorite travel hacks I’ve ever stumbled across.  While I previously mentioned that most places in the USA are within a half hour or less of a Target or Walmart, buying travel sized laundry detergent is still kind of a rash, can still leak and not always easily available in foreign countries.

I almost exclusively travel with only a carry on and no more than five or six days worth of clothing, on trips longer than a week it’s imperative I book an Airbnb with a washing machine.  I’ve also stayed in hotels that had coin-operated washing machines and used local laundromats while on the road.

Lastly, going home with fresh clothes and not needing to unload and immediately do laundry is pretty nice.  These sheets look like thicker versions of dryer sheets but will dissolve and wash your clothing in top or front loading machines and do a really good job of it.  I’ve found that a half sheet will wash a half load (a week or so) worth of clothing with ease.

Two or three sheets go into a zip-top bag and again, at the bottom of my bag with the Recovery Derm Shield.  Takes up zero room, weighs nothing.  Pro tip, do a load of laundry at home before a trip with these sheets to make sure you’re comfortable with the scent, and to ensure you have no sensitivity to anything in them.

Clothes Line. Going along with the laundry sheets, this was another travel hack that kind of blew my mind, and continues to amaze anyone I’ve ever shared it with.  Made of three silicone tubes braided together, this line can be stretched and strung between most anything in a hotel room or Airbnb, you’d be amazed.

It’s designed for you to pinch a piece of fabric and pull between the braids so it can hang and dry, clothes pins are not needed.  Shirts for example only take up about 4-5″ of the line since you’re only going to pull through a piece of the collar where the tag is.

Why is this so mind blowing?  Because dryers are not common in most of the world, including many places I’ve been in Europe and South East Asia.  An Airbnb may have a washing machine in it but no dryer, and the hosts aren’t always mindful enough to put a drying rack of sorts in the room, nor does there ever seem to be enough hangers in the closet.

I’ve attached mini S-Biners to each end to make tying them up a bit easier.  Going one step further, this line can be strung between the rear grab handles of your car or a rental in the event you get caught in the rain, hang your clothes up to dry while you’re driving!

Pill Boxes. I take a few daily supplements and a probiotic and needed a way to easily take them with me.  These small cases are waterproof and have worked well for me, although they are fairly small, if you take a handful of pills daily you may want larger ones.  My goal in using them was two find an easy way to bring my daily pills and not take full bottles and waste space in my bag.

The TSA does not require prescription drugs to remain in their original containers, they can be put into pill boxes per their website. Liquid drugs, over the counter and prescription must still be in quantities less than 3.4oz and in a zip top bag.

Justin’s Peanut Butter.  Every airline I’ve ever flown on has allowed food to be brought on board, some TSA agents require food be taken out and placed in a bit, but regardless, these single serving packets of Justin’s Peanut Butter can sometimes provide that little extra bit of pep to ya’ step on long travel days.  For car trips, who doesn’t want to pack a goodies bag?

They come in a bunch of variants too, including Honey Peanut Butter, Maple Almond Butter, Choclate Hazelnut & Almond Butter and more.  For obvious reasons, if you or someone you travel with has an allergy, don’t consume.

Canned Grape Leaves (Dolmas). Another one of the go-to snacks I travel with are these wonderful cans of grape leaves, with an easy pull tab to open so no can opener is needed.  Great time to bust out those sporks!  They are packed in oil but I’ve found them to be easy to eat just about anywhere and a good source of some quick carbs if you’re in need.

Green Tea Bags. While I’m a coffee snob through and through, I can’t say the same about tea, although I do enjoy it.  Over the years I’ve developed an appreciation for a cup of tea in the evenings while traveling and for this reason always throw a few tea bags into my travel bag.  I’ve also been known to hit the local grocery store or Tesco for a small jar of honey while on the road.

Rubz Massage Ball. I can’t even recall how I came across this product or why I might have even been looking for it, but my Amazon purchase history tells me that I bought my first one in March of 2018.  I keep one under my home office desk to roll my feet out on and then bought a second to travel with.

Slightly smaller than a racquetball, it wasn’t the most fun thing to use when I got it and then I quickly fell in love.  Just rolling it around on the floor while working is relaxing and after a long day of walking while traveling, it’s great to stretch out and calm some of the foot pains that often creep up.

AAA Brass Flashlight. Yes, the light on an iPhone is probably all you’ll ever really need but I like having a stand alone flashlight, even better that this one is made of brass and will patina with use and age (see a trend with me yet?).  There are cheaper, lighter and maybe more powerful ones but this ticks a lot of boxes for me and I’ve found it very useful on many of the trips it’s gone on me with.  When I’ve forgotten to pack a headlamp in the past I’ve simple clipped this on the brim of my baseball hat and had a hands free light source.  The AAA battery lasts extremely long and they are cheap and easy to find replacements just about anywhere in the world.

A Journal.  Over the years I’ve tried a handful of different ways of journaling , including the bullet method, 5 Minute Journals, Better Self, and have found just a blank page works best for me.  Additionally, taking notes is sometimes necessary, maybe you met someone on a plane or a train or at the hotel check in who makes some food or adventure suggestions, or a great place to see a sunset.  Regardless, I think having one is worth it.

Two suggestions, this small and cheap 3.5 x 5.5″ version or, if you prefer something bigger with nicer paper, the Leuchtturm1917 is simply beautiful.

Packable Shopping Bag.  Lets face it, we should all be using these, all of the time when going to the grocery store, farmer’s market, antiquing, etc.  These affordable, ultra compact and packable shopping bags will easily slide into your back pocket or clip to your belt loop and will come in astoundingly handy.  Most European countries I’ve been in charge a small fee per plastic bags at the grocery store, including my favorite, Tesco.  Save a few quid and save the planet at the same time.

It’s a portable bag, I don’t think a whole write-up about how important these are but I’ll go ahead and share two more uses for them.  Sometimes a larger personal bag is needed when getting on the plane due to buying too many souvenirs, or in my case, too much coffee.  The second use is as a beach bag.  Throw your towel, Kindle, sunscreen and some snacks in here and all of a sudden you’re all organized and ready for sandy toes.

Packable Towel. It’s a towel, it’s used to dry you off.  ‘Nuff said.  But seriously, these things are magical and somehow manage to never be wet like a traditional bath towel.  I’ve had the personal sized one (left of my Hydroflask in the above photo) for a few years now, if I’m being honest, it’s a bit too big but, it does serve well as a beach towel.

Not every Airbnb I’ve been in comes with towels (odd right?) and not every one near a beach or pool has towels that are marked as such.

There’s some technology that prevents them from getting musty or smelling odd, they dry out incredibly fast and in a pinch will work as a light blanket.  If I were buying again I’d probably get one size smaller.

Coin Pouch. When I got to Switzerland I exchanged some US dollars for Swiss francs and was given a small stack of paper bills.  Upon the first use of them I was introduced to why just about everyone carries a coin pouch in this country; Coins as currency are a real thing here!  Sure, we have coins here in America, too, but the $1 coin never caught on and we don’t have a $5 coin.  Switzerland does, and they love to use it!

There’s a little pocket in the top of my backpack, intended for your keys to go and maybe something like chapstick.  I threw some change in there and went on with my day.  Same thing happened again when I purchased something with paper bills, I was handed back a fistful of coins.  The Swiss franc is close enough to 1:1 in conversion, before I knew it there was $45 worth of Swiss franc coins in the little pocket of my backpack.  It took me a minute to get used to using coins in denominations that high.

After that trip I got the Maxpedition coin pouch and have used it in several countries since.  It came in extremely handy in Japan where they too are heavy coin users and credit card acceptance is no where near where it is here in the USA.  It’s some crazy strong synthetic material and shows no wear.

Tire Pressure Gauge. The recent 1,734 mile road trip I took involved going from essentially sea level to well over 8,000′ and temperature changes from the mid-80’s to the low 20’s.  This will have an impact on tire pressure, and an underinflated tire could lead to poor MPGs, or worse, a blowout.  Many modern cars utilize tire pressure monitoring sensors, or TPMS to help keep drivers informed, and that’s exactly what happened to me on this trip in the rental SUV I had.

The solution to low tire pressure is as easy as stopping at virtually any gas station across the US for some air. The problem is that very few advanced air pumps where the desires PSI can be dialed in, so there’s no way of knowing how much air you’ve put in your tire until you roll back down the street and hope the light resets itself.

At less than $6 and only the size of a pen, this is a must for any road trip or car rental, and honestly you should have one in your car anyway.  I’ve chosen to use the cheaper, analog versions because I’ll never run into a situation where the battery has died or corroded in the fancy digital ones that cost more.

Pro tip!  Inside the driver side door jam of every car in the United States is a sticker indicating the optimum tire pressure, this is what you should be using.  Do not use the Max PSI on the sidewall of the tire!

Technology

There’s no escaping it, technology is almost needed to travel these days, from boarding passes to pulling up train schedules and GPS, there’s some level of tech traveling with us at all times.

Anker Power Bank.  The model I use is no longer offered and right now, I wouldn’t suggest it.  It weighs 8 ounces (that’s a half pound!) and only recharges via micro-USB, so it’s a tad slow.  Why travel with a power bank?  Not all planes have USB charging ability, and I’m not just talking about the budget airlines, some of the older fleet in the big names don’t have in-seat USB capabilities.

On a long flight, this can be annoying, especially if you’re watching a movie on your phone.  On a road trip, someone else might have the USB cable at the time and you can’t charge, or on a long hike it can be helpful to keep a power bank in the bag to recharge if you’re Google Maps is sucking the life out of your battery.

Again I’m going to rely on Anker for their proven history of quality products; There are much cheaper companies out there but considering I’m plugging a $1,000 iPhone and a $400 GoPro into this, I’d prefer them not to get fried.  My recommendations are, in no particular order but more so on how you may use them, as follows:

• Anker PowerSlim 10,000 mAh Power Bank. This is the one most people should get, it’s under $20, has a small foot print, standard USB Type A port that 99% of cables have and it can be recharged via USB C.  Expect this sized power bank to recharge an iPhone at 25% to full around 3 times, a GoPro battery 5-8 times.
• Anker PowerCore Magnetic 5k Power bank.  Smaller but also half the size at only 5,000 mAh and double the price, the attractive feature of this power bank is the Mag-Safe adapter that will allow it to magnetically attach to the back of an iPhone and charge wirelessly.  There’s only one USB-C cable, so to recharge the power bank you’ll need a USB-C and to use it with any device like an iPhone or GoPro you’ll need the right cable.  If the only need is a maybe sort of kind of need to charge a phone, you value wireless and magnetic, size and weight are a priority and the price doesn’t deter you, this is your bet.

JBL Go 3 Bluetooth Speaker.  Just over 7oz, small, rugged and waterproof, I’ve been using this for several trips now (as of October 2022) and it’s been wonderful.  The sound is great, the battery lasts for what seems like forever and unlike my previous portable Bluetooth speaker, this one is chargable by USB-C.

Traveling with a small speaker is a luxury, but I think it can really help transform a trip and make it more enjoyable.  Often the Airbnb’s I rent or even hotels don’t have any sort of stereo or Bluetooth speaker setup, some don’t have TVs or only have limited local channels and can leave a space very quiet and uninspiring.  Just playing some background music can really change the mood, help unwind and round out a trip.

International Power Adapter with USB. The one I’ve been using for the last six years has been discontinued, if I was buying a replacement this is what I’d buy.  Worth noting, this will almost always be found in my bag, even when traveling domestically because of the USB ports for charging multiple devices at once.

Pro tip for packing, if you’re taking shoes or boots, this will slide inside one of the shoes!

Anker Mini Car Charger.  This is an essential for road trips and anytime a car rental is needed.  While most modern cars have at least one USB port and many have CarPlay, it shouldn’t be assumed and, you may need more than one plug to recharge stuff.  I rely heavily on Google Maps while driving, this can be draining on an iPhone battery when CarPlay isn’t an option, so for this reason alone I’ll keep the charger in my bag.

Additionally, I’ve found that driving can be a great time to recharge power banks, AirPods and my Kindle, so one of this $10 tiny accessories is a no-brainer.  Don’t forget to remove it from the rental car though!

Apple AirTags. These are pretty self explanatory, but if you’re living in a cave, it’s a small tracker that can be slipped into any bag or attached to virtually anything.  I’ve put one in my backpack, duffel and camera bag and the piece of mind it provides is priceless.  Unlike virtually every other Apple product, this one actually has a replaceable battery, too!

Bonus

Sunscreen.  I know earlier I said that it’s stupid to fly with sunscreen when there’s a Target near every airport and it’s plausible to pass many on a road trip, but there’s an exception; International travel where the locals don’t wear sunscreen.  Learned this the hard way on my first trip to Costa Rica when I walked into the grocery store and saw the sunscreen was locked away in the aisle like some prized possession.  Shock hit me when I saw a tube of Banana Boat at the equivalent of $45usd.   I prefer No-Ad stick sunscreen since it doesnt count against my liquid limit for carry-on.

3M Ultrathon Insect Repellent.  In researching the trip to Thailand and Cambodia that my friends and I went on a few years ago, bringing insect repellent with DEET in it was mentioned on multiple sites.  Again, the locals don’t use it so if you do manage to find some, it’s going to be at a serious premium.

Foreign Currency.  This is a topic that should be a blog post on its own, but what I will say about foreign currency is that it’s a good idea to return to the USA with between $5 and $20 of money.  Aside from the fact that most countries paper bills are full color and beautiful, I’ve found it helpful when returning to a country to have a few bucks of local money available in the event you need to tip someone or catch a taxi prior to doing a currency exchange.  Also, if you have a friend who will be traveling there soon, pass it on to them so they will benefit from it.  Often the exchange rate on $20 is going to be awful anyway, so find another way to re-use it.

Travel Pillows.  Maybe controversial, but I don’t travel with a pillow or neck ring or anything.  I’ve tried a few over the years and honestly, they just aren’t for me.  A hoodie that is balled up works well enough for me.  I also find the huge horseshoe shaped neck pillows aggressively annoying in all aspects of traveling.

Umbrellas.  I carried a small umbrella with me on countless trips and never once used it.  I don’t use one in my normal life here in the states, rather preferring a waterproof shell jacket with hood if I know I’ll be outside for a while in the rain.  After unpacking it too many times without use, I decided to leave it home.

Reusable Ear Plugs For Concerts.  This October, 2022 update is due in large part because I’ve started attending concerts again and hate the ringing that comes on the ride home and following day.  I’ve used them for the last handful of concerts with great success.  Minimalist in design and easy to pack, they almost always live in my bag now.  Important note!  These are not the kind of ear plugs meant to cut all sounds out that one may use while sleeping, these are specifically designed for concerts to allow music to come through and only reduce the sound level that could cause damage.  Reusable ones are better for the environment than single-use ones, too!

That’s It!

True life, I’m a minimalist traveler who has a blog post about the 30 things I almost always travel with.  Not everything goes with me all the time but most of it does, and I will continue to refine what is essential as traveling hopefully starts again in late summer of 2021.

Wrapping this article up I want to mention that I stopped traveling with what if items a long time ago.  These cluttered my bag, sometimes were gimmicky travel versions or just plane junk.  When I add something to my bag it’s because there was a moment in a trip where I realized I didn’t have it, and I would 100% use it for future trips.  The coin pouch being the most recent travel only accessory I bought that filled a void for me, I don’t use it while home in the states.

Update October 2022: I’ve edited and changed my recommendation of Bluetooth speakers to one that’s currently available on the market and has withstood several months of travel and I’ve added Apple AirTags and a tire pressure gauge, making the actual list 32.  Sorry for misleading you but stoked on the new upgrades!

The post 30 Items I [Almost] Always Travel With appeared first on Mike Panic.

The tickets I booked included flying out of Philadelphia on a Thursday at 6am with a short layover in San Francisco (SFO) and a 2pm arrival in San Diego.  Returning home would be a red eye flight departing the following Tuesday at 9pm out of SAN with the same layover in SFO and arrival in PHL at 8am Wednesday morning.  Booking a trip this way meant I wouldn’t lose a day in travel and could maximize my time on the group in Southern California and Mexico.  Their is a caveat to this insanely cheap deal, it was a basic economy ticket on United.

In an effort by larger US carriers to offer insanely cheap deals that can compete with budget airlines (Spirit, Frontier, etc.), United has started offering a very restrictive ticket called Basic Economy. In a nutshell, here’s the flaming hoops that will require careful jumping through to avoid added fees, thus cancelling out any savings by booking a basic economy flight.

• No seat selection
• No full sized carry on / no access to overhead storage
  
• No phone / app early check, must be done at counter in airport
• No flight changes
• Last to board

During ticket purchase process there’s an option to upgrade to a Standard Economy seat that allows a free carry on + personal bag, seat selection and boarding in group 3 or 4 In several steps, to ensure you know that you’ll miss out on these luxuries.  The markup is usually 30% higher and in some cases 200%.

*In full disclosure, I used my Chase Sapphire Preferred card with a 25% Ultimate Reward bonus to get this ticker for roughly 9,650 points, or a cash equivalent of $96.50.  This flight cost me nothing out of pocket.

No Seat Selection

It’s a roll of the dice to let the airline select your seat and there are 3 distinct snake eyes that are possible.

1. Middle seat
2. Seat in front of an emergency exit row (these don’t recline)
3. Aisle seat next to a toilet (just gross)

I seemed to have hit the jackpot on all 4 flights.  PHL to SFO was middle of the plane window seat, empty middle seat.  SFO to SAN was the last row window seat with an empty middle seat again.  Even though the lavatory was directly behind me the short flight meant it was barely used.  The return flight from SAN to SFO was a middle of the plane isle seat, empty middle seat while the SFO to PHL flight was another isle seat forward of the wing, empty middle seat!

No Full Sized Carry On / Personal Item Only

Of all the restrictions, this one gave me the most anxiety. I’m used to traveling with a small backpack as a personal item plus a carry on stowed in an overhead bin.  I’m now looking at cramming five and a half days worth of clothing, personal items and maybe camera gear into a bag that measured no more than 9 x 10 x 17″ and this video didn’t help my anxiety.

I consider myself a pro at the carry-on only game but this was going to be tricky.  After admittedly scouring the Internet for far too long and measuring, then re-measuring my existing bags I decided it would be best to purchase a bag just for these sorts of trips. Buying another bag isn’t something I really wanted to do given the number I already own.

The 5 Cities 19L Carry On Luggage won, and at under $20 it wouldn’t break the bank, nor were my expectations all that high.  When it arrived I was both shocked out how small and big it was, and at the build quality.  Let’s be real honest here, this is built like a $20 bag, and that’s what I expect out of it. It did the job and fit, with a bit of room in the luggage checker at the airport.

So what did I pack?  A lot, honestly.  Without every tiny cable and widget, here’s a breakdown of what fit in the bag for my trip:

• 2 t-shirts
• 2 pairs of socks
• 2 pairs of boxer briefs
• EMS quick dry shorts
• Swim trunks
• Samsonite compression sack for above clothing
• Travel adapter / battery bank combo
• 12″ Macbook
• Fahrenheit 451 book
• Passport in RFID blocking wallet
• Crumpler Camera Bag
  • Fuji X-Pro2
  • Fuji 10-24mm f/4 lens
  • Fuji 16mm f/1.4 lens
• GorillaPod
• Marmot Mini Hauler toiletry bag
  • Dr. Bronner’s 2oz peppermint soap is a must!
• BUBM electronics / accessories organizer
• Sunglasses (prescription)
• Laundry sheets
• Shure SE215 IEM headphones clipped to the outside of the bag
• 24oz Hydro Flask held in hand

Admittedly I could have packed more clothing in lieu of putting my camera bag inside the carry on luggage (or left it at home), but I felt it was safer and better protected to do it this way, also while I was driving from place to place I could simply take this smaller bag and not worry about having the camera gear roll around on the empty passenger seat and possibly get ruined.

Only 2 days worth of clothing‽ Yes, really, including the clothing I wore out on the plane it was more than enough.  The Airbnb’s I had booked both had free to use washers and dryers. I stopped packing for what if situations and this has significantly reduced the amount of clothing I was bringing.  After scoping the weather leading up to the trip I deemed a jacket would not be needed, although a zip-up / pull over hoodie worn on the plane wouldn’t have added to the total bag volume anyway.  I wore a t-shirt, jeans and sneakers on the plane.

Think you’re sneaky and will slip by airline staff?  Think again.  The per-bag check fee at the counter is $25 and if you somehow get past them and a crew member spots you trying to board with more than one bag, or your bag is larger than what fits in their personal bag checker specifications there’s an additional $25 fee piled on top of the aforementioned $25 check bag fee.  A cheap flight can all of a sudden double with these fees.  Ladies, this means your personal bag is your purse.

The only super grey area here is duty free shopping.  Your mileage may vary but I believe you should be OK making purchases at duty free and taking that on the plane in addition to the personal bag.

No Early Check In From App

Like most airlines, United sends an email and notifies you via the app to check in 24 hours prior to the flight.  Upon doing so, I got a warning message indicating online check-in could not be completed and I needed to visit the counter at the airport to complete check-in.

Both first leg flights were at low-volume times at the airports, I also have TSA Pre-Check via the Global Entry program I participate in, so I wasn’t worried about waiting in security lines, which allowed me to reduce the 2-hour arrival prior to boarding time to about 70 minutes.  This is always slightly risky in the event for some reason the Pre-Check doesn’t get applied to my ticket or there’s problems, but being last to board I had zero issue here.

The check in at the counter was painless, like any other airline check in with the only exception of needing a United staff member to authorize my personal item only choice and get to the next screen to print out boarding passes.  The whole time spent at the counter was under 3 minutes and not once did a United staff member ask me to place my bag in the size checker.  This holds true for the gate.

A woman at a kiosk next to me assumed that United was like Frontier and she would be able to pay a small, nominal fee for an additional carry-on at check-in.  The agent informed her her only option for the second bag was to check it, at a cost of $25.

Once I had my paper tickets I promptly folded them and placed them in my passport wallet and refreshed the United App, which I then used to get through TSA (I did get Pre-Check!) and board the plane.  Overall, this wasn’t a major inconvenience for me, at all.

No Flight Changes

I’ve never purchased a flight where I could make changes, even for a fee that was anywhere near affordable so this didn’t bother me.

Last To Board

Being the last to board was something I was actually looking forward to.  Because I wouldn’t have to worry about enough overhead storage, I didn’t see a reason to get on a plane and sit for 20-30 minutes while everyone else boarded.  As the early boarders, those with disabilities, children or requiring extra time started lining up, followed by premiere fliers, first class, then boarding groups 1, 2, 3 it became apparent who got the cheap seats on each flight I took.  By the time group 5 was called there were only a handful of us left, all with our sad looking personal item only bags, but all going to the same destination as those who spent considerably more.

About The Flights

On the four separate legs I noticed a few similarities and a few differences, based on the aircraft I was on.  With both outgoing legs I was on aircraft that had TVs in the headrests, headphone jacks in the chair armrest, no USB ports and extremely inconvenient 110v power plug adapters below and between each seat.  On the PHL to SFO leg the gentleman in the isle seat (empty middle remember) was working on his laptop the entire flight and had to get out of his seat several times to plug the adapter back in as it was extremely loose.

The TVs were pay to play, with a credit card slot next to them and offering DirectTV, they would only work after swiping for $5.99.  Oddly, United offers free movies and TV shows on any mobile device within the United app (iPhone, iPad, Android, etc.). Before taxiing out the cabin staff reminded all to ensure they had the latest version and once in the air it was possible to connect to the WiFi on board and stream free of charge.  I watched Deadpool 2 in HD on my iPhone without a single buffer problem, free.  Worth noting, make sure your device is fully charged beforehand because as mentioned, no USB and the 110v plugs are a royal pain to access.

On the return legs neither plane had TVs but the United App worked just fine.

All 4 planes seemed fairly modern, had comfortable seats and more than enough leg room. The staff were pleasant, a bag of pretzels and beverages were offered at no cost.  I’m willing to bet the person I sat next to, in front of or behind payed a crap ton more money for the ticket.  The biggest concern with flying basic economy is the amount of luggage that can be brought on the plane in my eyes.

Concluding Thoughts & Considerations

For quick getaways to visit friends, family or long weekend getaways, a basic economy option on United might mean two trips a year instead of one due to the massive savings.  The exceptions and considerations for these flights are mostly limited to the ability to sit next to someone if not flying solo, and what can be packed.  Visiting cold and inclement weather destinations that require layers, sweaters, snow pants or big hiking boots would be virtually impossible to travel on basic economy flights as a full sized carry-on would be needed, at a minimum.

The post How I Planned & Packed For A $96 Budget Transcontinental Round Trip Flight And What I Learned appeared first on Mike Panic.

Southern Switzerland is hands down one of the most beautiful places I’ve been to, and with the help of Sam as a tour guide, we efficiently visited town after town and different peaks throughout the Alps every day I was with him.  Part of the ease in access is also thanks The Swiss Pass, a sot of golden ticket to access all rail services and gondolas either for free or significantly discounted premium services through the whole country.  I strongly suggest anyone visiting to get a Swiss Pass, but also pay very close attention to the time tables.

Pictured here is Sam carrying a pack with at least forty pounds of analog camera equipment.  After seeing The Eiger earlier in the day, Sam took me to another of the Southern Alps quaint villages, Grindelwald.  I was lured here with promises of a gondola ride to the top where we’d have one of the best burgers in Switzerland at a restaurant / hotel and then watch the sun set between the magnificent mountains.  Because of the gondola schedule stopping around dusk, we’d have to walk downhill just over a mile on the path to where we parked would be light work, estimated to be maybe a half hour as we casually strolled along.

I didn’t get a wonderful gondola ride and there was no burger to be had.

A misreading of the timetable meant we’d missed the last upward bound gondola by about 45 minutes.  Not even six months earlier I had dealt with anxiety and expectations so I wasn’t terribly upset but Sam had it in his mind he was making a photo at sunset on his 4×5 camera and getting a burger.  The lovely people at the ticket stand informed us it was possibly, if we hurried, to catch a bus about half way up and we could hoof the rest.  Off we went to the bus stop.

Sam grabbed a bus route map from the gondola ticket stand and we started walking to the pickup point.  A few minutes later the bus came, we boarded and tried to figure out where we’d be getting off.

Stepping off the bus, it wasn’t terribly easy to put in perspective where the hotel was, but by GPS on Sam’s phone, we knew it was just over a mile away.  GPS didn’t tell us elevation changes though.

At a normal pace, a mile walk should take 17-20 minutes, but a half hour in we knew we were in for a much, much longer walk.  Determined to make it to the location Sam had scouted months prior, and with the promise of a great meal, we kept on hoofing up, winding through the valley with magnificent mountains surrounding us.

Upon arriving Berghaus Bort was empty, not a soul in any direction.  They were closed for the season, which meant no warmth as the sun set, no burger, no real relaxation.  We walked up 117 floors according to my iPhone’s Health app by this point.  Sam was dumbfounded, hungry and still had it in his mind to make a great image, but we’d have to wait at least 90 minutes for the sun to fall a bit more out of the sky.

The purpose of the story isn’t to talk about the mishaps that Sam and I had, or how cold and hungry we got as the sun set on this spring day in April.  Rather it’s to reflect on the long, meaningful conversations we had during the few hours we spent Grindelwald.  Had we taken the gondola, I would have never been able to capture some of my favorite images from the trip.

This was captured during one of our lets catch our breath and take in the scenery moments.  These little cabins dotted the paved path to Berghaus Bort.

Sam was spot on with his location scouting though, and the golden rays that cut through the heavy cloud cover were simply beautiful.

The countryside in the south of Switzerland is dotted with fountains like this, and it was a wonderful sight to refill my water bottle on the walk down.

Dinner ended up happening around 10pm, we never got the burgers we had longed for and to be honest, I don’t recall what we ended up eating.  The slight misfortune in missing a gondola ride turned out to not only put me in a position to see some magnificent views of The Swiss Alps, but also to spend some quality time with a good friend.

Just because a set itinerary falls apart doesn’t mean the journey stops instantly.  Just make sure snacks are always packed, just in case

See more of my photos from South Of The Alps and check out samferrara.ch.

The post Looks Like We’re Walking Up This appeared first on Mike Panic.

I’m still a late packer, often doing it just hours before leaving and never using a list.  This leads to the first of my issues, and fortunately the one that brings me the least pain.

Forgotten

On just about every trip I’ve ever taken there’s been something left at home by mistake, usually remembering what it is as I’m pulling into the airport or just as the plane is about to land.  One time I may have accidentally forgotten my passport in a hotel safe, but that’s another story for another time.

Aside from the crucial items like a passport, money or keys, anything you’ve forgotten can likely be bought or borrowed when you arrive at the destination.  Toothpaste, swim trunks, whatever, it can all be bought when you get there.

An exception that will hurt most in the wallet is when sunscreen or bug spray is forgotten in countries where locals don’t wear it.  For example, most native Costa Ricans don’t wear sunscreen, so it’s sold as as a tourist item.  While available at nearly ever corner and grocery store, be prepared for sticker shock, as it’s often priced at $30-40 per bottle, about 4x what you’d expect to pay here in the States.

Lost

Losing anything on a trip sucks, but it’s bound to happen.  In my travels I’ve never lost anything of serious personal or monetary value until recently.  While out on a beautiful afternoon doing some stand-up paddle boarding off the coast of Playa Dante, Costa Rica, a small wave I didn’t see coming knocked me off my board.  Falling off a SUP is fairly fun, at least when the water is warm.  Sadly, it wasn’t until I was pulling myself back onto the board I realized my prescription Ray-Ban sunglasses were no longer on my face.

Placing the paddle atop the board I quickly dove down through the sandy water and started looking around the bottom for them, perhaps 10′ down.  Nothing.  Gone.  I spent the next 10 minutes paddling around in circles hoping to see them at the bottom of the Pacific, but never did.  Had I spent $10 on a floating sunglasses strap, I’d still have them.

Broken

On a recent trip to Europe I had not one but two items break on me. The first was shortly after take-off when I plugged my Shure SE215 headphones into the armrest jack, to watch a movie.  A friend loaned me a set last year, spending $100 for earbuds seemed ludicrous, but he assured me once I used them on a plane, I’d always want them.  He was right, because they block ambient noise and are extremely comfortable, especially when falling asleep with them in ear.  Upon putting them in, audio was normal in my left ear and faint in my right.

This problem happened once before, so I knew there was a hopeful solution I could do to make things work.  Shure headphones come with replaceable cables, and a disconnect and reconnect at the driver where the cables meet fixed the problem before.  This time, I managed to pull the cables loose, breaking them, and not at the connection point.  The start of an 8-hour trans-Atlantic flight was about to suck.

It wasn’t until after I broke my headphone cables that I took a second look to see there was two audio jack holes in the armrest.  Luckily, Swiss Air provides headphones to all travelers, but a simple $6 adapter would have done the trick, but I’ve never dealt with that before on any domestic or international flights.  Ordered one as soon as I got home, along with replacement Shure headphone cables.  My hulk-like strength set me back $35 on replacement cables.

I always travel with the headphones Apple includes with the iPhone as I find them to be incredibly useful for making phone calls.  In this case however, having a backup still wouldn’t resolve my issue with not having the adapter.

The second item that broke was an Anker Powerline Lightning Cable, billed as probably the world’s most durable cable. It’s not.  Admittedly I was suckered into their slick ads on Facebook and finally bought a few of them, the 3′ cable failed at the connection point, exactly where OEM Apple cables fail.  Luckily, Anker has an 18-month warranty on the item that I was still well within, have submitted a claim to and as of publishing, waiting on a replacement to be sent.

Because of the high likelihood of failure to charging cables, their light weight and small size, I always travel with a few of them just in case.  The Anker 1′ Powerline Lightening Cable is always inside the Shure case with my headphones, as chances are if I’m using the headphones I’m using my phone.  It seems to be the perfect length to plug into most seat-back USB chargers and let the phone rest on the tray table.

Murphy’s Law, Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. It’s a terribly pessimistic outlook, but mitigating how to deal with adversity when thousands of miles from home can often make or break a trip.

The post Forgotten, Lost & Broken appeared first on Mike Panic.

The Sandisk Ultra 128GB SD card to one I had bought just two months earlier worked great and without issue so I decided to buy another and double the two batteries I had by buying a Wasabi Power 2-pack with travel charger.  The clutch part of the charger was not only to charge two batteries at one time at the hotel (using the OEM Fuji charger that came with the camera, too), but it came with a European plug and a car-charger adapter.

Most of Iceland, outside of the capital Reykjavik, is sparse and wide open.  I had already created a custom Google Map plotting all the waterfalls, abandoned airplane and other attractions I wanted to see, so I knew the kilometers were going to get racked up on this adventure and being able to recharge in the car was going to be essential in my mind; The hotel was mostly just used to sleep and shower at.

When the package arrived the realization kicked in, I’m going to have a lot of small black plastic pieces floating around in my kit.  I needed a way to identify and organize the batteries and identical memory cards that would make them easily identifiable by a flashlight or interior car light, and in the cold.

The answer was a silver Sharpie marker.  I chose to go this route over a label maker because I’ve had issues with the labels coming off in humidity and in a worst case scenario, didn’t want to add thickness to the memory cards.

For the batteries I used my chicken scratch handwriting to label the bottom.  Opening the battery door now shows me what number I’m on.  Starting with 1 and replacing in numerical order, I’ll always know which one should be the next fully charged battery.  This method also works to ensure I cycle the batteries so they get used equally and I don’t have a favorite that could have a shorter life cycle due to overuse.

The memory cards got the same treatment, with the same terrible handwriting.  For me, it’s the first time I’ve had to do this with memory cards.  Typically by the time I need more, the price has dropped on the next biggest size and I just upgrade, and have no brand loyalty.

As an added bonus, numbering my gear has made the painful task of trying to remember if everything is packed or not, which usually hits me en-route to the airport, nearly a thing of the past.

The post Organization As Easy As 1, 2, 3 appeared first on Mike Panic.

The US Navy DC3 plane pictured here crashed on November 23, 1973 when it ran out of fuel and landed on the black sand beaches of Sólheimasandur, in southern Iceland. Any quick Google search of things to see and do in Iceland will likely suggest you park in the small lot along the side of Highway 1 and make the 45-ish minute walk out to see the plane and grab a photo.

Go one step further into a deep Google image search and you’ll see beautiful photographs of every angle, at all times of day and night, including stunning images of the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) dancing above. I was pretty dead set on creating my own long exposure, multi-image photograph out on the beach in the cold, dark night while the lights danced above me.

A week before leaving I ordered some cheap colored gels to use on a Cactus RF60 flash; The idea was to leave my camera on a tripod and go inside the plane with red or blue gels on the flash and illuminate the inside, then use a small flashlight to paint the outside of the plane. It’s a classic light painting technique with the added flair of the aurora borealis above. I had spent a few hours looking around Flickr and 500px for inspirational photographs, there are hundreds, but they all hinged on clear skies.

The forecast for the entire trip showed rain leading up to my departure, but it’s not the first time I’ve left for a trip with a similar forecast. Trying to stay optimistic, I soon learned when they call for rain in Iceland, they really mean it.

On the third day in Iceland I knew there wasn’t going to be a clear day, or night for that matter and I had flushed the idea of seeing the Northern Lights down the proverbial shitter. I still wanted to see the DC3, even in the rain.

Two things I hate most in life are being cold and wet, even more when at the same time. The forty-five minute walk out was terrible. Rain came down at a 45 degree angle varying from light to heavy and the waterproof jacket I had kept the water out, but it also kept the sweat in. The outside temps were low 40’s but with nothing to block the wind on the beach, it felt much, much colder.

For a carry-on airplane and working camera bag I chose a Lowe Alpine Strike 18, a lightweight bag that is not listed as water-resistant, water repellent or waterproof. It is made of ripstop nylon that I stuffed a Crumpler Haven inside of with my camera gear for the trip.  Going on a two or more hour adventure in varying degrees of rain was not what this bag was made for nor did I want to risk ruining my camera gear. It stayed in the car.

The result? The above image, shot on an iPhone 6s and lightly edited in Lightroom for iOS.

It’s about the exact opposite of the image set in my mind. At that moment, cold and wet, I realized my focus and enjoyment should be on this abandoned airplane that has survived (sort of) over 40 years exposed to the elements. Not on what my emotional attachment to making a an image that wasn’t possible for reasons beyond my control.

Travel not to make a perfect photograph, but for the experience. All the planning and the best equipment and every accessory won’t ever get you fully prepared, and that’s OK, for me.  Without the backstory, I still feel this image holds up well, and in the end that’s what matters to me.

The post Managing Expectations And Anxiety With Travel and Photography appeared first on Mike Panic.

This happened at Promthep Cape, in the southeastern most section of Phuket, Thailand.  After a 40-minute scooter ride and 20-minute walk down to the tip of the cape I had decided to get some photos of the waves crashing while waiting for the sun to set and dip slowly into the ocean.  Looking through the viewfinder and trying to focus on the task at hand lead to my feet getting soaked within minutes of getting out to the breaking point.  I hadn’t been paying attention to the rhythm of the ocean and a larger wave crashed and from the knees down I was now drenched.

The area was wet but not slick, and I made a mental note that I’m in Southeast Asia, there’s no rescue crew around here and the last thing I want to do is end up in the drink.  A few minutes later the photo above was captured and I did almost exactly what I feared.

As far as I’m concerned, I got off easy.  But it really made me think about a conversation I had a year early with a client at my business about the experiential purpose and memories.  How it was explained to me is as follows;  The money we spend and what it’s spent on will dictate our memories, for better or worse.  There has been proven documentation (someone find me the source, I’ll send you a print!) that spending money on an experience will almost always result in a longer lasting, more positive and better memory compared to a physical item.

For example, buying a fancy new vacuum cleaner is exciting, but two years from now it’s just another object in the closet that serves a purpose and the value (dollars spent) becomes near zero.  Compared with an experience, going to a live concert, bungee jumping, travel, a ride along in a professional race car, etc., will create a long-lasting memory that, over time will actually get better.

And this is where our conversation become really interesting.  It was further explained that many experiences have a downside and something bad happens.  A bag gets lost by the airlines, someone gets sick, in this case I got knocked down by a wave (while a friend watched and laughed) and shed some blood.  Operating the scooter on the ride home with torn and bleeding webbing between thumb and forefinger wasn’t fun, nor was the 80km/h winds while soaking wet, but looking back now, it was a blast!

I could have deleted the above photo, myself and two friends would know about it and that’s where it would end.  Truth be told, it sucked but looking back I can see how it was probably funny to those who saw it happen.  About 20 minutes later I captured the photos below, a bit shook, wet and bloody, but the memory now has become a great one.  I can’t look at these sunset photos without thinking about the incident leading up to them.

This short series of images are all kind of similar, each one has unique properties I enjoy but I don’t think they would stand well on their own without the story that accompanies them.  Photography isn’t easy, in this case it physically hurt but making notes and sharing the stories along with the photos is how I’m trying to create long-lasting memories.

Don’t be afraid of the crappy photos that happen in-between the good photos, sometimes they are the ones with the best stories.

The post The Unseen Side Of Photography And Making Memories appeared first on Mike Panic.