Shereen Rayle's Blog, page 14

Travel & Live Better with SpectraSpray

When I start planning for a trip, there are certain things that I don't leave home without, and there are things that I often keep in my carry-on, and some of those things go in my personal item when I'm on a long-haul flight. Anything that can help me stay healthy is a plus, especially now when you can contract so many different things on a trip when you're coming into contact with more people than normal.

SpectraSpray helps me make the most of my trip, so I can spend my time enjoying my destina...

Eco-Conscious Travel Tips

While travel doesn't always feel like it's great for the environment, especially when you're getting to your destination on a a huge plane that burns a ton of fuel, there are many things you can do to offset your travel carbon footprint. 
Pack LightThe less "cargo" that a plane carries, the less fuel it has to use. It might be negligible in relation to the weight of the plane itself, but every little bit helps, plus you'll feel like a rock star for being able to go straight from the plane...

Is Your Summer Vacation Planned?

I'm asking you this because it's already May and if you haven't planned your summer trip yet, you definitely need to get on that. The longer you wait, the more expensive things will be. Right now, I'm still seeing airfare deals and you probably will still be able to get an okay deal on a hotel (and still get a room before they all fill up). 

If you're still hoping to go somewhere when the kids get out of school, and not spend every dollar you have, then I've got some great tips for you:

Book ASAPM...

Exploring AAPI History Through Travel

May is officially Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Although I think we should learn the entirety of American history any way we can all throughout the year, I wanted to put some focus on some of the best places to really engross yourself in art and food and artifacts, so you can gain more perspective on non-Europeans who helped shape our country by sharing their culture.

As someone with Japanese heritage, I am often especially interested in learning about those that emigrated t...

Mother's Day Gift List 2024

Mother's Day kind of snuck up on me this year, but I still have a gift list for you, full of plenty of things you can get in time for your the amazing woman/women in your life. If those awesome maternal influencer(s) in your life are anything like my mom, they love traveling and gadgets. While you could go with candy or flowers, I bet they would enjoy something a little more personalized and long-lasting. 

Mom's often do all the work and get almost no recognition or thanks. Get her something she ...

My New 30 Travel Things

It's been a long time since I've updated my list of 30 things that I love when it comes to travel. Things that I'm into and I love on trips. As you travel and it shapes your world, you learn new things about yourself and become a better traveler, packer, and, hopefully, person. 

I listen to a podcast called Wonderful where a married couple talk about "things that are good, things that we like, things that we're into" and I like to check in every once in a while and do the same, but when it comes ...

Immerse Yourself in Arte

Yes, I spelled it Arte, because we're going to Arte Museum, one of the newest immersive attractions in Las Vegas. It's art that moves and involves you. It's very similar to Hopscotch here in Portland (and Austin), where each room has a new theme and you move through each exhibit at your own pace. 

At Hopscotch, the exhibits are very light focused and at Arte Museum, it is very nature focused. There are tons of photo ops, or you can just choose to soak in the vibe and feel at peace. 

You start with...

Review: Serenity Tray Organizer

By now, we all know that the airplane tray table is the dirtiest part of the plane, followed pretty close by the seatback pocket, where everyone puts their garbage. The pocket is never big enough for things you want to put in there either, or you're in danger of forgetting whatever you've put in there because it's out of sight. The solution: bring your own pockets.

Serenity Organizers has this awesome tray organizer that slips over the airplane tray, so you don't have to touch it. It has 3 small ...

Review: Cheat Sheets Laundry Sheets

As you know, I am a big advocate of packing light and doing laundry on trips, in order to maximize the small space you have. A small capsule wardrobe can really become a larger travel wardrobe when you mix and match and a lot of times that means you'll have to do a bit of laundry. Of course, you may just need to do laundry in an emergency situation, as we did when we found our washing machine didn't work in Edinburgh.

I always travel with some laundry sheets and a pop-up hamper. Laundry sheets ar...

Planning Your Summer Travels

It's that time again. Time to start planning your summer travels, if you're going somewhere. Don’t wait until the last minute, because that’s when you’ll pay the most. Airfare alone can jump as much as 40% during the summer months, so here are some tips to help keep you in the black this year and have an amazing time:

Shop for airfare on Tuesday and Wednesday and look for flights that depart on Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday for the lowest fares. New fares are posted every Tuesday and W...