Maxi dress, braids, sundress (ignore the boy)

First off, I can’t say enough how much I love living in Latin America.! If a guy here thinks you are pretty he will let you know! I have learned to just smile and say “gracias”.

This weekend, when I traveled through Caracas, I really enjoyed being a girl.  The guy at check-in said I could keep my backpack even though I had a full bottle of Don Julio that I had just bought in Duty Free.  The guy at security didn’t even look at my bag, and when I asked him nicely if I could keep my luggage cart (in Spanish of course) I convinced him to open the gate even after he told me no twice. Hahaha

1. No pajamas or lounge pants! If you ever want to be upgraded to a better seat, get your way in customs, or need to sweet-talk someone in security; you can’t look like a slob who just rolled out of bed.  I usually wear jeans, a fitted t-shirt, and wedges or a maxi dress and pashmina. If you have a really long flight and you need your comfy clothes, put them in an easily accessible place and change into (and out of them again) once you are on the plane.
2. Do something with your hair! I’m not usually someone who gives hair advice since I don’t own a brush, comb, blow-dryer, or straightening iron like every other girl I know- BUT I know that if I am wearing a backpack or messenger (or both!), then I don’t want my hair to get tangled with them.  I advise a braid or loose bun to look put-together even if you only had a few minutes to get ready before catching the taxi to the airport.
3. Wear minimal or no makeup: When you are traveling for 8-48 hours (I hate the CCS airport!!) your face quickly looses its freshness.  I usually go for some simple mascara and lip-gloss if I need to feel pretty.
4. Teeth: bring your toothbrush and toothpaste in your carry-on so you can freshen up before, after, and during a long trip.  Your teeth will thank you and so will your seatmate.
5. Travel light: it is hard to look pretty when you can barely move because your suitcase is overstuffed and you have sweat dripping down your face.  When packing I ask myself if I can “Wear it twice or wash it nice!”
6. Sleep: you can’t be bright eyed and bushy tailed (as my mom would say) if you don’t get enough sleep the night before you travel. Even if I have to catch a taxi at 3 AM I will try to get at least five hours of sleep the night before I leave.
7. Eat & Drink Healthy: that fast food surrounding you at the airport will make you feel like crap a couple of hours after you eat it.  Bring an apple (ideally with some kind of nut butter for a protein boost), some carrot sticks, a handful of almonds, drink lots of water or flavor it with green tea bags (skip the alcohol), and a couple squares of your favorite dark chocolate (hey I’m not a saint!).
8. Spa Day: Once a month (or more- I’m not judging!) hit up the local spa. A week ago I had an hour massage, mani/pedi, and had my hair washed and styled for $10 US! Not everywhere is as cheap as Venezuela, but I frequently got $10 massages and manicures in China and other SE Asian countries.
9. Wear sunglasses: Sunglasses will hide your tired, jet-lagged eyes, as well as the fact that you aren’t wearing much makeup. They’ll also help you fall asleep.
10. Sunscreen: I love the beach and warm weather climates, but if you want to stay young and sexy then slather on the sunscreen before you go out, even if it is just the short walk to the bus/taxi/airplane.