Jess McGlothlin Media Blog

My preferred method of travel.  A Russian Mi-8 helicopter takes off on the tundra above the Arctic Circle.

I feel like the over the course of the past year I’ve been to Traveler’s University.  I’ve spent a lot of time on the road, living in temporary quarters, and moving about.  One thing it has taught me – if I have my camera gear, computer, a good notebook, and fly fishing gear, I’m happy.

But that’s another story.

I wanted to share a few tips I learned on this recent trip to Russia.  Most will – or should  – be fairly obvious.  Other tips (like hiding a hard drive backup), maybe not so much.

1)  Dress like the locals.  This one should be obvious.  Blending in is much of the battle.  I kept to dark colors in Russia to avoid drawing any attention to myself.  I wore makeup when traveling (it seems Russian women don’t ever leave the house without full makeup).  And  I sported Euro-style shoes.  It worked – disembarking the Aeroflot local commuter flight from St. Petersburg to Moscow, I was greeted in Russian and the Russian behind me was greeted in English.

2)  On the subject of dressing – cargo pants are your new best friend.  Get a basic pair – avoid the bulky safari look – and opt for one of the nice, dressier styles out there.  I always make sure to buy pants with a thigh pocket – zippered is best.  When I’m on the road, my passport goes in this pocket.  No one can get at it without my knowledge and it’s easy to access without having to dig around in bags.

3)  Avoid “traveler accessories”.  Those little passport pouches to wear around the neck?  No.  Just no.  It screams “target”.

4)  Relax.  Nothing will make you more conspicuous than shifting all the time and looking around nervously.  Assume the zombie-like look of a marathon traveler while keeping a covert eye on your surroundings.  It will serve you well.

5)  Keep local cash on hand.  A well-placed thousand Ruble note got my camera bag through customs in Murmansk… you just never know.

6)  Always carry some form of food.  I like to tuck a few protein bars in my bag; if I don’t have time or can’t find anything to eat, they are always an option.  Often I’ve not consumed them while traveling but use them as meal replacements during a busy day at my destination.

7)  Don’t travel with new luggage.  I like to travel with basic, rough-looking bags.  I have one big army green duffel that holds everything and can be drug around as needed.  When the day comes that you do have to purchase new luggage, get it dirty first.  Put some duct tape on there.  Make it look used and worn out.  Low profile is key here.

8)  Don’t be afraid to ask.  Running to catch a seemingly impossible connection in JFK, I arrived at the TSA security checkpoint only to find a line with a forty-five minute wait.  My flight took off in thirty minutes.  After asking four different workers, I flashed my press ID at the fifth and explained the situation.  He graciously let me go through the airline staff TSA line – which was basically unattended and took all of two minutes.  I made my flight with five minutes to spare.  So ask.  Be polite.  You never know who will be willing to help you out.

So much of travel is about the journey.  Sit back, enjoy it.  Flying, running around airports, hauling luggage – yeah, it can suck.  But as a very  wise friend once told me, Embrace the Suck.  It’s part of the experience.  If you play it smart you may even find the journey to your destination an adventure unto itself.

And, hey, it’s hard to beat the people watching in airports.

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