The Packing List: Dressing for the Plane (When the Destination is A Beach)
Dressing for a flight when the destination is a totally different climate than your departure city can be a challenge. Luckily, I'm going from spring weather to summer, so it's not quite as hard. That said, we all know that airports and airplanes offer temperatures ranging from cold to colder, so spring weather is sort of a moot point.
Last summer when I traveled to Texas mid-July, I thought I was being smart by wearing shorts on the plane. They felt like a dream on the way to the airport -- cool, silky, and breathable. This turned out to be a god awful decision. Not only was I freezing on the plane, but parts of my bare legs were touching what I can only assume to be a fart-filled seat for the whole flight. Note to self: NEVER WEAR SHORTS ON A PLANE NO MATTER HOW COMFY THEY ARE. Once I landed, my friend Cat whisked me away to her air-conditioned car and then her air-conditioned apartment where shorts continued to make me cold. Needless to say, shorts were a dumb idea.
This brings me to what I plan on wearing for my flight to Mexico on Sunday.
I may seem overdressed for 85-degree weather, but trust me, it's not for Newark Airport and United Airlines. Uniqlo jeggings have been my go-to travel pant for the last few years, and I wouldn't dream of flying without them. The hat, necklace, and sunglasses elevate it from being a workout ensemble, but you will notice a sports bra in the mix. Yes, its a little known fact, but I ALWAYS travel in a sports bra. It's breathable and great for longer flights when your underwire would be cutting into you. Trust me on this one.
Against my wishes, I'll have to check a bag this time around because I'll be carrying a gallon each of sunscreen, Deet, and aloe. That means I'm going to be risking it all and praying that my bag reaches me on the other end. Since I have basically no faith in domestic airlines, I'll be packing a few essentials in my backpack just in case my luggage goes MIA. That includes underwear, a swim suit, and sandals. Of course the rest of the bag will be filled with other in-flight essentials like headphones, a kindle, and hand soap, but you already knew that.
Our flight leaves at 7 a.m., which means a nasty 3 a.m. departure from our new place in Brooklyn. This seemed like a great idea at the time of booking since it means we arrive in Mexico at 10 a.m. and have a full day of sand and sun. But now it seems like a supremely bad decision.
Any tips on dealing with impossibly early flights? Should we pull an all-nighter on Saturday and crash on the plane (and then beach)? Or should we attempt a disco nap Saturday night and wake up cranky for the flight? Considering our average bedtime is midnight to 1 a.m., I'm leaning toward an all-nighter, but I'm open to advice!
-Jen
