I LOVE to travel! My favorite trip has been to Disneyland thus far. Next summer I plan on visiting a good friend in Philadelphia and perhaps participate in a family trip to Mexico. My boyfriend would like to visit Disneyland again, but with all that has been happening in and around the park, I think I'll wait until I have the time and money to visit Walt Disney World instead. I have been inspired to try next year's trips with only a carry-on. Below are some tips and sites I found while trying to "streamline" my packing:

• travelite.org - Great site!
  • With Lani's help, I picked the REI Tour II Travel Pack. It doesn't look big in the picture, but to someone who has only owned packs sized for school, it is HUGE! I'd hate to have bought any of the Eagle Creek travelpacks I was considering, they must be monstrous! [hint: if you decide to go with the REI TIITP - call the '800' number and ask for the next time it will go on sale. I got mine for only $75 plus tax and $3 shipping. I don't think the Eagle Creek bags ever go on sale.]
  
  
• Here is my master packing list. I won't need to bring all that stuff with me, but it's where I start, crossing off all the things I think are unnecessary for that particular trip.
  • FYI: in the Toiletries section, I use empty 2 oz. bottles from Archibald sisters for stuff like shampoo, lotion, and gel. The other links are for examples, most items can be found locally.
  
  
  
• Planning on traveling someplace warm? Read this article on the D.I.G. written by Lani (from Travelite) on how to "Beat the Heat". Very good advice! Parent's should pay special attention to this one for their kids.
  
  
• If you are traveling to Disneyland or Walt Disney World, read up on what has been happening in the Disneyland Information Guide (aka. the D.I.G. - flagship of the Mouse Planet website) so recent cutbacks and show cancellations don't throw you off guard. I began reading it for that reason, and now check it regularly to keep up on new developments. A wonderful site and VERY helpful.
  Other sections and links from MP/DIG:
  • Disneyland Restaurant Review has full menus with prices for the various eateries at Disneyland. My faves are the Mickey Mouse shaped rice krispy treats (ears are dipped in chocolate) at the Blue Ribbon Bakery, and the soft Mickey Mouse shaped pretzel w/cheese found at several locations in the park
  • Theme Park Access Guide for guests with Disabilities and special needs
  • Operating and Key Show Hours / Rehab Calendar for Disneyland on the DIG
  • Planning Ahead for Disneyland on the DIG - notice links to separate sections on right side of page
  
  
  
• There is this great store in downtown Olympia called Archibald Sisters. They have lots of unique merchandise, jewelry, makeup, cards, toys, and their specialty, fragrances and lotions. They also sell their lotion bottles empty and I currently use them for shampoo/conditioner/gel/facial cleanser/etc... in my gym bag. I haven't had one pop-open yet. They come in sizes from very small to very large. Great for travel!
  
  
• A great site to visit when planning or dreaming of taking a vacation is travelocity.com. The destination guides are fun to read, and is a great starting place for planning your trip.
  • Don't forget to visit their "Top 3 things to do on Travelocity.com", which include the Fare Watcher, Dream Maps, and best fare finder. It's really a lot of fun to visit. Click on Consolidator Fares to visit cheaptickets.com. My friend bought two round-trip tickets from PHL to SEA for $400 total on her last visit here. WOW!
    
    
• POSTCARD PERFECT - Don't forget those postcards! It wasn't until a landmark in my hometown was gone that I realized that I didn't even have a picture of it, even though you could see it from my own backyard. I stopped at a local store and purchased several different cards of it. From that moment on I began to see more value in these cheesy little 35-cent gift shop staples. Now every time I visit a new city or tourist attraction, I always pick up a couple of the nicest postcards they have. First of all, they fit easily into my vacation scrapbook, and second, some are gorgeous photos (night-time, sunset, aerial, perfect lighting/composition/focus, etc.) I could never hope to take myself. I still take LOTS myself with members of the travel party in them, but they don't come out nearly as nice ;-)

This is a section I'm starting to group together all of my favorite female-orientated health and fitness sites

• Title 9 Sports has an amazing collection of the best-tested women's athletic clothing I have seen so far. Shorts that would survive WWIII, tees and tanks made with Coolmax, a wonderful selection of sports bras, and everything inbetween. I own one of their sports bra and LOVE IT! I have never found one that fit and performed so well. Don't worry about ordering the wrong size. They include a postage paid label you stick to the package and throw back in the mail with your explanation of why you are returning the item, wrong size/color, isn't what you expected, etc. You can get your money back or have them send you a new one (you only pay shipping once, when your first ordered the item).
  Request a printed catalog. The pictures in it are more impressive.