The Talking Suitcase

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$25 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway *Closed*

April 8, 2014 by Dana Zeliff

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link & I may have been compensated for my time writing this article.

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Congratulations to winner Ellen!

To celebrate my new site design,   I’m giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card to one (1) winner!

The winner will be selected at random. The winner will be contacted via email after the close of the giveaway. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email or a new winner will be selected. Entry for this giveaway will close on April 22nd at 8pm EST.

**Leave a separate comment for each entry method!  You can complete 1 or more entries to increase your chance of winning.

Entry Methods:

– Leave a comment on this post with your favorite travel destination.
– Like The Talking Suitcase on Facebook. Leave a comment here telling me you Like.
– Follow @SuitcaseTalks on Twitter. Leave a comment here telling me you Follow.
– Follow The Talking Suitcase on Pinterest. Leave a comment here telling me you Follow.
– Subscribe via email feed (must be verified). Leave a comment letting me know you subscribe.
– Post in your facebook status or tweet about this giveaway. Leave a comment telling me how you’ve spread the word about the $25 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway. (You may choose 1 or both methods)

Filed Under: Giveaways, Limited Time Offers

My Travel Bucket List

April 3, 2014 by Dana Zeliff Leave a Comment

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link & I may have been compensated for my time writing this article.

Travel Bucket List

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Do you have a list of places you want you visit?  I’ve always just kept a list in my head, but remembering all the places you read about can be tricky – especially when it’s a LONG list.

I decided to start keeping a travel bucket list and figured here on the blog was the best place for it!

Places I want to visit:

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Air Travel Packing Tips

April 2, 2014 by Dana Zeliff 2 Comments

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link & I may have been compensated for my time writing this article.

Air Travel Packing Tips

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When you decide to take an airplane to your destination, packing immediately becomes a priority. No longer can you simply throw things in a bag and be on your way. Space is at a premium with baggage fees, additional over-weight fees, and getting your items past security.

These air travel packing tips will (hopefully) help you prepare properly.

Air Travel Packing Tips:

Snake your belts and scarves – Make sure you take all long items such as belts, scarves and ties and wrap them around the outer perimeter of your clothes in the suitcase. This will ensure that they will not take up bulk in your suitcase and will stay unwrinkled as well. This quick and easy step can make a huge difference where space is concerned.

Always keep all your valuables in your carry on – This seems like a rather obvious tip but every year, countless people lose jewels, important papers, and various other valuables in lost luggage. Keep them with you and you have a much better chance of keeping them safe.

Label everything that you can – When you are going to stow away your luggage, it becomes very important that you label it. Luggage gets lost and a good labeling system can literally save you. Label the outside, inside, and anywhere else you can find with your contact information, flight number, destination, and your departing airport/city. This is the minimum amount of information. It is far better to be safe rather than sorry with this data.

An item that will help with having these important labels are these Travel Smart Leather Luggage Tags. They allow you to have your personal information on a tag with a protective flap for privacy.

Reconsider that shampoo – When you fly and have to pack luggage, the last thing you want is to have your clothes and things ruined by leaky shampoo or conditioner. Consider buying these things when you reach your destination or at least bag them in an air-tight container.

Film stays with you – With film you should always put it in your carry on. Film can be absolutely ruined by their scanners and x-ray machines. Always let them know when you have film and are passing through security.

Use the week-long list method – How often do you head out and forget something important on a long trip? If you are like most folks, it is a regular thing. Instead, start making a packing list a week out from your flight date. Add to the list every time you think of something new, and when the day comes you will have thought of everything.

What are your air travel packing tips?

You might also like my Five Reasons to Use Travel Size Food article.

Filed Under: Flying, Travel Tips & Tricks

Activities for Families in VA Beach

March 31, 2014 by Dana Zeliff 2 Comments

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link & I may have been compensated for my time writing this article.

VABeach Staycation Ideas

Are you planning to take a vacation to Virginia Beach, VA? Do you live in the area and want fun and inexpensive staycation ideas? Head over to my frugal site, The Coupon Challenge, to learn tips from a local (me!) on what to do in Virginia Beach.  I have tons of ideas on having a Virginia Beach Staycation during Spring or Summer.

Filed Under: US Travel, Kids Travel Picks, Virginia

We’re Going to France! Planning a France Vacation

March 27, 2014 by Dana Zeliff 9 Comments

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link & I may have been compensated for my time writing this article.

Planning a France Vacation

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We’re finally fulfilling my life-long dream of going to France!  If I didn’t have the plane tickets as proof, I’d think it was just a dream.  But no, I’m really planning a France vacation!!

France has always been one of those places I’d hoped to explore, but never imagined I’d actually go.  Well, maybe when I was 60, retired and my kiddos had kids of their own.

So, how did all this come about?  After my back surgery in November 2013 (and even before) I spent a LOT of time laying around in bed.  It occurred to me that I might not be able to walk well enough when I’m older to take such a trip.  My back will continue to deteriorate and strolling through quaint French towns might not be possible.  The more I thought about it, the more I realized that life is too short.  Sometimes putting things off until the right time,  isn’t the best idea.  Will there ever really be a right time?

What’s even better than spending 2 weeks in France?  The possibility of moving there for a year or two!

The more my husband & I talked about it, the more I realized I wanted to live abroad. I desperately wanted to expose my kids to another culture, to another language.  Part of me is utterly terrified.  I’ve lived my entire life within a 30 mile radius of where I was born.  I’d always had my Mom and little brother close by.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: France, Europe Travel with Kids, Destinations

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Welcome!

Hi, I’m Dana. I believe planning a great trip doesn't mean spending endless evenings scrolling through travel forums and getting overwhelmed by all the logistics.

My approach to travel is built on real-world experience. Alongside my husband and our two kids (who are now 19 and 22), I’ve explored 48 countries across 4 continents including a life-changing four years living as expats in France.

Whether you want a custom European trip built from scratch or a seamless cruise vacation, I combine my firsthand travel knowledge with top industry credentials to handle the stress of planning. You just pack your bags and enjoy the journey. Read More…

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