ON LOCATION: WORK TRIP ESSENTIALS TO MAKE ME FEEL AT HOME
I'm very fortunate to work in an industry that allows me to travel. I work in television and as such have been lucky to see some of the world through the lens of a camera. Whether at home or abroad, during the course of a contract I can find myself away from home for a week (or more) at a time. And while it's fun to be on location, when I get back to my hotel at the end of the day there are certain rituals I do to help me feel a bit more like myself when I'm away from home. They work for me, maybe they'll work for you, too!
First thing's first: The second I open my hotel room door my eyes dart up, down and all around in search of a kettle. If there isn't one I have to go to reception and ask for one. I'm a gal who starts and ends her days with a cup of tea and I don't even want to try and live without it. I've managed to source a kettle in most places - would you believe it's easier to acquire one in the Jordanian desert than it is in New York City? I digress.
Kettle acquired, the next thing I do is make a cup of my favourite tea. I always bring my own - I take no chances with something so important. Before I travel I pack enough tea - only Punjana will do - and if I'm feeling fancy, or know I'll be outside all day, I sometimes pack some hot chocolate for a treat when I get in.
Breakfast, for me at least, is the most important meal of the day and the pursuit of a beautiful sunrise shot often means we can leave the hotel before breakfast service has begun. I often joke that I go into trauma if I don't have breakfast and, dramatic as it sounds, I maintain it's true! Wherever I go, I try and bring a couple of 'emergency breakfasts' with me. Ideally something that doesn't need milk - muesli with hot water, dried fruit or a sachet of peanut butter can be just what I need to start my engine before dawn. (Even if you don't need to leave before breakfast, sometimes a hotel doesn't quite cater for your tastes so an emergency breakfast can be handy to have!)
When I was in the Arctic I earned the moniker 'Queen of Snacks' and it'll be no surprise to my adventure pals to know that, even in warmer climes, I am never knowingly undersnacked. I almost always have a cereal bar to hand on location but when I get back to my room it's no different. My working day isn't always over when I get in from a shoot - there is footage to back up and log, batteries to charge, emails to answer. I always try to make it to dinner after a shoot but very occasionally it isn't possible so for those times I bring along some cup-a-soups or noodles I can have in my room. It certainly isn't my first choice for dinner but it can sometimes be just the ticket.
In my everyday life I've been trying to consciously cut back on my use of plastic. We can go through lots of bottles of water and disposable coffee cups on a shoot. It's important to stay hydrated and caffeinated! But sometimes, despite our best efforts, we can be wasteful. I can be wasteful. So in order to try and better that I invested in a travel water bottle with a filter so I can fill up from any tap or fresh water source and not worry about any impurities making their way into my system. I picked up my bottle when I was getting some inoculations ahead of a big trip so I figured if the staff there endorsed it, it was probably a good thing. I doubt I'll test it by filling up from a ditch, but still. Similarly, I always try and travel with a reusable coffee cup. This one from Lifeventure is my favourite and it actually keeps drinks hot for hours - very handy when you only have time for a quick sip in between takes!
The last thing I pack for my hotel room is a little pamper pack - so decadent, I know! But if you're on the go for 12+ hours a day, often standing outside come rain or shine, your face and body soon begins to betray you. Well, mine certainly does me. My pamper pack essentials can change but there are some staples I always reach for:
* Bath salts. I regularly bemoan the fact I don't have a bath in my flat, so take full advantage of one whenever I am staying in a hotel. Long days can equal weary limbs and a nice bath can soothe my muscles and bring my body back to life in time for the next shoot.
* A face mask. My skin always seems to go a bit haywire when I'm away from home so I try and treat myself to a face mask when I have time.
* Eye patches. These are a bit decadent and who knows if they actually work but the placebo effect, if nothing else, makes me feel a little more awake when I've used them so I'll take that!
* Hand cream and nail kit. I'm forever breaking nails when carrying kit about so I try and troubleshoot breakages and pay attention to my hands before I go to bed to make sure I don't catch a raggedy nail on anything the following day.
What are your travel essentials? Am I missing any? Feel free to leave your recommendations below or over on Instagram, @laura.weekendwonderlust
See you next Sunday. In the meantime, keep wondering.
Laura