5 Things You Shouldn’t Pack
Depending on who you talk to, 2010 is being tagged as the year of travel. There are tons of travel deals and giveaways and it looks like these trends will continue for at least the first half of 2010. If you don’t have any plans for traveling, then it maybe it’s time to start making plans for the first half of the year.
As you plan your trips, you’ve probably heard about all the items you absolutely can’t forget to pack, but you probably haven’t heard about all the items you shouldn’t pack. Below, I’ve listed the 5 things you absolutely shouldn’t pack. Whether you’re taking a second honeymoon to Paris or taking a tropical vacation on the sandy beaches of the Carolinas, leave these things at home.
- Fanny Pack. Do I really have to tell you that you should leave that faded fanny pack at home that hasn’t missed a trip since you bought it for your first trip to Woodstock? Fanny packs just scream “american tourist” and they really don’t do anything but weigh you down, plus they just aren’t fashionable. Instead, invest in a backpack or small travel back you can throw over your shoulders. It needs to be something that isn’t cumbersome and will hold you up while traveling.
- Neck Wallet. I remember the first and last time I wore one of these was when I was 12 years old and was taking a family trip. I was told that this was the best things that I could have as a traveler, but instead quickly discovered that it was the worst. I might as well have been wearing a license plate around my neck as a pendant. The neck wallet is very cumbersome and can be downright uncomfortable, especially in warm climate.
- Zip-off pants (Recommended by @travelerlauren http://lonelygirltravels.com). As quickly as these became a fad, they even quicker became a fashion no-no. The zip-off items are praised because of their versatility, yet what do you do when you unzip them in the middle of the warm afternoon? Do you just casually stuff them in your fanny pack?
- Zinc Nosecoat. Maybe you’re not familiar with the name, but it’s the sunblock you only rub on your nose and upper cheeks, except it doesn’t rub into your skin, but instead makes you look like an offensive lineman with green or pink face paint on. Although this may be good for you, it’s imperative that you find something that doesn’t show like Zinc Nosecoat. One advertisement actually said that it makes you look cool. Go figure.
- Hawaiian shirt. Who doesn’t own a hawaiian shirt? And just because you own a hawaiian shirt doesn’t mean you should pack it on your vacation. That’s the one thing that belongs at a thrift store, but the one thing nobody wants to give up.








We’re in North Carolina this week discovering the best luxury hotels in Charlotte. Now although Charlotte is the largest city in North and South Carolina, it still doesn’t offer the same quantity of luxury hotels that you may find in a city like New York. However, Charlotte offers many luxury accommodations. Below is my round-up of the 5 best luxury hotels in Charlotte.
There’s been a lot of buzz recently in the mobile market. The introduction of the Droid by Verizon, price and ad wars by Verizon and AT&T and the recent unveiling of the Google Nexus One. This has all meant a lot for businesses and people who rely so heavily on being connected at all times, but what does it mean for travelers. For years traveling meant leaving your entertainment systems, laptop and phone at home and enjoying your leisure time away from these items that our lives center around. However, things have changed. That was before you could watch your favorite television show, download a movie, read a book, update your Facebook and order food, all from one device. If anything, in today’s culture, your phone is the one thing you can’t leave home without.
Last week I kicked off Friday 5 at 5 by featuring the 

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There has been many mixed messages and information about Southwest Airlines expanding their coverage to Greenville, South Carolina. A week ago the Greenville News reported that Southwest Airlines wasn’t going to be extended service to Greenville in 2010. However, in the last couple days there have been reports that Greenville is still on Southwest’s radar for 2010. So, the questions remains, is Southwest Airlines coming to Greenville soon? If not, are there other low-fare carriers that could start flying out of Greenville soon.