Yamanashi prefecture brings in modest hiking fee to stop ‘bullet climbing’ and address safety concerns
A crowd-control gate has been installed halfway up Mount Fuji before the start of this year’s climbing season on 1 July, but the governor of Yamanashi, one of the two prefectures that are home to the mountain, said additional measures were needed to control overcrowding on its lower slopes.
The gate was completed on Monday as part of a set of measures being introduced this year to address growing safety, environmental and overcrowding problems on Japan’s highest and best-known mountain.
Most people visit on a day trip, but stay longer to fully immerse yourself in the wild solitude of this rugged isle off the Devon coast
The last time we came to Lundy was by ferry from Ilfracombe. The journey took two hours and once we rounded Hartland Point the Atlantic waves rolled in and about 50% of the passengers started vomiting.
This time theMS Oldenburgis in for annual maintenance, so me and a group of six friends are whisked to the island in a small helicopter from the north-western tip of Devon in seven minutes. I don’t miss the vomiting, but I regret not having the sense of temporal acclimatisation to what has been, for much of its history, a slightly different world.
It changed the accommodation for our booked trip to Crete, tailor-made for our foster son, just six weeks before departure
In February, I booked a £1,868 package holiday in Crete for myself and my 16-year-old foster son through Jet2holidays. The confirmation said it was two bedrooms in a four-star beach hotel for a week in June. It was to be a validating vacation for him when he had finished his GCSEs. For any child, getting through exams is an achievement and foster children face a whole set of additional obstacles. Six weeks before our departure, and just as the GCSEs started, Jet2 told me that our accommodation was, in fact, one bedroom and one living room with a sofabed. We require two private bedrooms for obvious safeguarding reasons, but Jet2 has refused to find us alternatives. Initially, it stated that we would lose the whole cost of the holiday if we cancelled. Now it says it will refund us, or we can find different accommodation and pay the difference. Essentially, it has sold us something that never existed and tells us it’s our problem to fix. CM, Devon
It gets worse. After you wrote to me, Jet2, which took three months to inform you of the issue, gave you a 24-hour deadline to decide whether to cancel so, in a panic, you found a villa for a similar cost 75 miles from where you wanted to be and swapped your booking. You contacted travel trade body Abta, which offers a mediation scheme, but Jet2 wrongly told it you had cancelled, so Abta closed your complaint.
From Glastonbury to Holy Island, we select atmospheric destinations to mark the longest day of the year
Celebrated in folklore and ancient traditions since the dawn of time, the summer solstice on 20 June is when the sun is at its highest, making it the longest day of the year. Midsummer refers to the days around the solstice period.
The life aquatic can be enjoyed to the full at these serene villas, farmhouses and treehouses by the water
Gut Üselitz, a 16th-century manor house on a river-like inlet on Rügen island off the Baltic coast, now houses seven modern, minimalist holiday apartments. The house is on an isolated island within Rügen, surrounded by water. The apartments, which sleep two to six, can be rented separately, or the whole house can be hired, including the main kitchen, dining room, lounge and library. The six-hectare (14-acre) grounds include an orchard and are visited by herons, egrets, cranes and other birds (there are binoculars in each apartment). The nearest beach is Streler Sund, a 10-minute drive away, and guests can go kayaking and sailing nearby. From €140 a night, sleeps two, welcomebeyond.com
The flavour-packed classics here in Peckham are defiantly on the right track
Whole Beast at the Montpelier, 43 Choumert Road, London SE15 4AR (020 7635 9483). All dishes £3-£16, desserts £4-£6, wine from £25
Some menus read like the setlist for a Take That gig: a few ballads to kick things off, in the shape of cheery salads and dips, building towards some serious live fire grill, dancefloor fillers. Others are a bit more Elbow: a warm, comforting and life-affirming journey through the vagaries of love and loss; some French classics, say, or a few soothing pasta dishes followed by a perfectly made crème brûlée. Behold, the great Guy Garvey cracking through the lightly bitter carapace of life’s burnt sugar to get to the soft-set cream beneath. And then there’s the menu by Whole Beast, in permanent residency at the Montpelier, a boozer in Peckham. That’s a Slipknot gig. It’s packed full of cranial-shaking, jaw-rattling bangers from start to finish. I accept I’ve never been anywhere near a Slipknot gig. With this hair? And these feet? But the overwrought imagery stands. These are my analogies. If you don’t like them, I have others.
Juneau agrees deal with industry body to curtail visits but critics say it does not go far enough to protect quality of life
Alaska’s capital city is to limit the numbers of cruise ship passengers arriving at the port amid concerns over tourism’s growing impact, but a leading critic of the industry has said further measures to protect Alaskans’ quality of life are needed.
Located on the Gastineau Channel in southern Alaska, Juneau has a population of 32,000 and last year received a record 1.65 million cruise ship passengers – a 23% increase from the previous high.
At the start of a 3,000-mile journey down the Amazon, our writer witnesses the benefits of community tourism projects on a less crowded option to the Inca Trail
‘It’s very simple,” Bruce says. “If travellers go far, on long-haul journeys, they should go for longer.” I’m sitting in a Peruvian mountain village with Bruce Poon Tip, founder of G Adventures, a Canadian travel company with a mission. Below us on a narrow rocky terrace, a group of brightly dressed women in bowler hats are chatting while they work. Some are spinning alpaca wool, others are knitting, and a couple are weaving narrow strips of cloth. “Travellers need to connect with locals,” Bruce continues, “but they should also bring economic benefits to communities.”
I am in South America on a mission myself. I want to see how, or if, tourism can help with the huge challenges of social inequality and the climate crisis. I’m taking Bruce’s advice about travelling for longer to heart: I am going to loop south through Bolivia, then start a 3,000-mile journey down the Amazon to where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean. En route, I want to see how the individual tourist can support worthwhile projects, particularly with Indigenous peoples, and also enjoy a wonderful experience.
Go with the flow on these tranquil river and lake trips from Sweden to Romania
In the hills above Riva del Garda in Trentino is Lago di Tenno, a beautiful blue-green mountain lake. It’s small enough to walk around in under an hour, enclosed on all sides with lovely mountain views, but it’s the swimming that will bring you back again and again. The clear waters may be a tad chilly at first toe-dangle, but goosebumps are soon forgotten as you swim across the small gap to the grassy island. Relaxing, mountain air, beautiful views. The village of Tenno, with its medieval hilltop castle, has a few hotels and there’s a fine campsite close to the lake. Ant
If you've put off renewing your passport because the process is inconvenient, you may be about to catch a break. The U.S. Department of State has reopened a beta release of its online passport renewal system, which will allow a limited number of passport holders to submit renewal applications each day.
Online passport processing was initially announced in late 2021 but was paused in March 2023 for additional development. The standard steps for obtaining a passport include going in person to a passport agency or acceptance facility, though renewals can also be submitted by mail.
According to the State Department, the online renewal platform will open "midday eastern time" for a limited number of applications and will close once that threshold has been reached. There are a number of specific requirements to qualify for online renewals:
You are 25 years of age or older.
Your passport is or was valid for 10 years and issued between 2009 and 2015.
You are not requesting to change your name, gender, date of birth, or place of birth.
You are not traveling abroad for at least eight weeks.
You live in the United States.
You are applying for a standard tourist passport.
You have your current/most recent passport in your possession.
How to renew your passport online
Go to the MyTravelGov page to create an account or sign in using your existing login. Then click the Renew Your Passport button to start your application. (You won't be able to begin if the daily limit has already been reached.)
You'll be asked to enter information about your most recent passport, as well as your upcoming travel plans, upload a digital passport photo, and pay the renewal fee using a debit or credit card. You should receive two emails—one confirming your payment is pending and one confirming it has been received.
Make sure you keep your current passport on hand—do not mail it in. You can also sign up for status update emails one week after you apply.
Note that the online application does not speed up processing time, which remains around six to eight weeks at the time of writing. If you need expedited service (or are applying for a special-issue passport such as a diplomatic document), you must use the mail-in option.
Diving with marine life such as blue sharks is growing in popularity in the UK, spurred by footage of encounters on social media
We have only been waiting in the grey Atlantic swell a few moments when the first flash of metallic blue appears in the water. A blue shark, a few miles from the coast of Penzance in Cornwall, emerges from the depths. It is time to get in the water – but part of my brain rebels.
“It’s not what you think it will be like … not that ingrained fear that everyone has about sharks. But until you get in the water with them, that fear will remain,” the guide says to the group.
Sometimes you need to leave to really see the place you came from. Years after sailing solo to Greece, every time I return I’m astounded by what I find
I’m staring at a seahorse. At the little spines on its head. A spiky crown. Like a unicorn under water. Such sightings are always precious, but this one feels unique because I’ve convinced myself that he’s giving birth. I watch them daily, these bony little fish, tails curling twigs, fanning delicately, performing their sunrise greetings (my heart!). This little fella angles this way and that while bubbles, or perhaps thousands of tiny seahorse babies ejected from his pouch, rise around him. It’s hard to tell, but who needs proof? The possibility is magical enough. Life is fairytale-special. If you choose to see it that way.
We’re in northern Greece, the seahorses and me, a few miles south-east of Preveza, in the Ionian sea. But you could find them in your own watery back yard, too – even in London. Hippocampus hippocampus breed in the outer Thames, and along England’s south coast.
Whether it’s holidaying domestically or heading to a destination with a cooler climate, we’d like to hear about anything you’re doing differently this year
As the northern hemisphere enters the summer, we want to hear from people who are planning to have a different type of summer holiday this year.
Are you visiting a cooler climate than usual? Or holidaying domestically when you go abroad most summers, or vice versa?
Boozy, tongue-popping Apfelwein is the toast of the host city. Here’s where to sample it with your frankfurters
I am sitting in Atschel, a cosy, if crowded Apfelweinwirtschaft (apple wine tavern) in Sachsenhausen, south of the River Main from Frankfurt’s central Römerberg plaza. Germany’s financial capital is one of the host cities for Euro 2024, and such taverns, and their leafy gardens, will be heaving during the competition.
England play Denmark here on 20 June, while Germany face Switzerland three days later. This is a nation renowned for its beer quality, of course, but those visiting Frankfurt for the football will find that here, another drink rules: Apfelwein.
Trains from Britain to Spain put me a taxi ride away from Ribeira Sacra – an unspoiled region of river gorges, chestnut groves and rich history
Modes of transport always dictate the shape of the human landscape. When travel took to the rails in the 19th century, vast palaces of railway stations were built all over Europe. And now, on a train journey to Spain, I am passing through some of the best examples: in Paris, Barcelona and Madrid. In the latter, I have time to leave my bags at Chamartín station, actually a modern terminal, and dash off to see the Goya frescoes at the church of St Anthony, then nip back for the Renfe service to Ourense in Galicia.
My week-long hike is in a little-known part of Galicia close to the northern border of Portugal called the Ribeira Sacra, a region cut by deep river gorges. I arrive with my sister Jo after dark in the city of Ourense and take a taxi from the station up into the mountains. Our plan is to walk back to Ourense over the next five days. The taxi winds up the mountain, the headlights strafing deep forest and few houses. “It is very wild up here,” says the driver, “I’ve seen wolves on this road at night.”
The ecological jewel of Kerry Marine national park and the archaeological splendour of Brú na Bóinne in the east are the latest additions to the country’s portfolio of protected areas
Ireland’s National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has had a busy time in recent months, adding another two sites to its portfolio of six national parks since last September. First, it announced the state purchase of 223 hectares (551 acres) of land on the Dowth Hall estate in County Meath. Then, on Earth Day in April, it unveiled its first marine park – 566 hectares centering on Corca Dhuibhne – the Dingle Peninsula – and including Conor Pass, a vertiginous narrow laneway that whips around the contours of Mount Brandon in County Kerry.
From phantom villas to too-good-to-be-true offers, here’s how to make sure your booking is the real thing
Can you imagine arriving in a small Greek village after a long flight and bus transfer, only to find out that the luxury villa you and your family were expecting to spend the next two weeks in – and spent £5,000 on – simply does not exist?
When choosing where to stay next time you travel—or what neighborhood to move to—you probably want to check out how long it'll take you to reach the amenities you care about. Close is an interactive heat map that shows travel time to destinations such as supermarkets, schools, parks, libraries, and restaurants, via walking, biking, and/or public transit.
Credit: Emily Long
Close can be especially useful if you're traveling to an unfamiliar city and want to book an Airbnb or other short-term rental in a neighborhood—and even more so if you won't have access to a vehicle. You can check the listing's information about walkability and nearby amenities against the Close map to determine what's actually around.
How to use Close to find walkable neighborhoods
Open the Close map and type your city or county of interest into the search bar in the upper left corner. You can edit the types of amenities you want the map to show in the Destinations box in the lower left corner (click Add destination) and select whether you want to see the time based on walking, biking, or walking + transit. You can also toggle the specific amenity locations on or off—if they're on, you can click the dots on the map to see the name and address of the supermarket, restaurant, school, etc.
As you add or remove destinations, the block-by-block heat map will change to show the travel time—ranging from fewer than five minutes to greater than 30 minutes—to reach the furthest of those amenities using the transportation methods selected. You can also select a specific block to see the breakdown of transit time.
Credit: Emily Long
Close also has a breakdown of how it classifies amenities, such as the difference between supermarkets and convenience stores. Note that the tool is currently in public beta, so expect the tool to evolve a bit over time.
You can get a lifetime subscription to Dollar Flight Club on sale right now: $39.99 (reg. $207) for Premium or $69.99 (reg. $507) for Premium Plus+. Members select their home airports and desired destinations, and then they get text and email alerts on airfare deals as they become available. While all users get access to domestic and international flights, Premium users can only fly economy; Premium Plus+ members can also find deals on premium economy and business class. The latter will also get priority customer support with flight planning. It makes an excellent last-minute Father's Day gift option if your dad likes to travel.
You can get this discounted membership right now, though prices can change at any time:
Meanwhile, there is an ethical conundrum to consider here - and with it a charge of hypocrisy. Many in the West, myself included, have enjoyed the fruits of the post-war travel boom, exploring far flung parts of the world without thinking of the unwanted consequences of mass tourism. So who are we now to preach to younger generations for whom gap years and backpacking are almost a rites of passage and indeed life enhancing experiences? And who are we to lecture people from developing economies who can only now afford to do the same? from Global tourism is booming. These people would rather it wasn't [BBC]
Welcome to "Best Summer Ever," your guide to making the most of the sunny season. Whether your idea of a perfect summer is embarking on epic adventures or blissfully doing as little as possible (preferably somewhere with good air conditioning), we've got you covered, because the best summer doesn't just happen. You have to make it happen.
Summer is upon us, and now is the time to lock in your vacation plans. A trip to the beach is always a safe bet, as are the usual resorts, amusement parks, and family events, but what if you branched out and tried something new? Here are seven unique vacation ideas to switch up your experience this summer.
Visit a ski resort
Ski resorts aren't just for winter skiing anymore. Many ski areas are open nearly year-round and offer a wide range of warm-weather activities from hiking and biking trails to gondola and zip-line rides. Plus, mountain towns host festivals and events throughout the summer, such as the GoPro Mountain Games in Vail, Colo., the food and wine-focused Summer Festival in Jackson Hole, Wyo., and outdoor concert series held right on the slopes.
Rent a houseboat on Airbnb
Instead of settling for a lake house, book a stay on the water—literally. Airbnb has a whole category of houseboats for rent, so you can choose from places like Key West, Texas's Eagle Mountain Lake, and a cabin right on the Mississippi. Note that houseboats are usually permanently docked, so you probably won't be able to take your floating accommodation for a joy ride. However, many offer amenities like paddle boards and kayaks to enjoy the surrounding water.
Drive Route 66
Route 66 is a classic American road as one of the original numbered highways established in 1926 and later memorialized in pop culture. The route connected Chicago to Los Angeles via Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. While much of the original road has been decommissioned, there are sections that remain, and you can still cover the route via bypass roads. Use a Route 66 trip planner to map out the classic motels, ghost towns, and unique roadside attractions, such as Cadillac Ranch and the Midpoint Cafe.
Visit an animal sanctuary (and volunteer if you can)
If you love animals, consider visiting and lending a hand at a sanctuary that rescues and rehabilitates animals ranging from cats and dogs to horses, pigs, and turkeys. Some sanctuaries—like Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah—offer volunteer opportunities and overnight stays right on the property.
Hike to an overnight yurt or hut stay
Hut-to-hut hiking is a classic high alpine activity in Europe, where you can adventure across breathtaking scenery during the day and rest at cushy lodges with hearty food (and your luggage is already waiting) at night. There is also a growing network of huts in the U.S. that offer everything from rustic, bare-bones shelter to full-service dining and luxury accommodations. In some areas, you can also connect multiple huts for a multi-day adventure.
Book a museum sleepover
If you have kids, consider planning a trip around an actual night at the museum. A number of museums around the world offer sleepover experiences that allow visitors to see the museum after-hours, participate in special educational activities, and camp out in the galleries.
Play tourist in your own city
A relaxing staycation is one option for a budget-friendly, travel-free experience, but if you're staying home, consider seeing your city through a visitor's eyes. Check out popular tourist sites you typically avoid, learn about your city's history, talk to a stranger in a coffee shop, spend the night in a hotel, wander the streets—you get the idea. You may see your home with fresh eyes.
I’m a cheap traveler, which means I’m often packing light. When I took a five-day trip to Paris a few years ago, on a budget airline that charges a fee to bring a carry-on, everything had to fit in a small bag under the seat in front of me. Friends, I did it. You can, too.
I first wrote about this trip right when I returned, in 2017, but I can say now that I still use these techniques (except packing dress shoes for a casual trip—what was I thinking??). We’ll get to the specifics of what I packed and how, but this is a feat that’s more about the planning than the execution. Here’s what I mean.
Measure your bag
The space under the seat in front of you is pretty roomy: It’s big enough for an average-sized backpack, or an overstuffed messenger bag. But don’t eyeball it! If you misjudge, and you can’t quite wedge your bag into that space, the crew will ask you to put it somewhere else. That could mean another fee, or depending on how crowded the plane is, you might even need to hand it over to be gate-checked.
Avoid this minor nightmare by actually checking the airline’s bag measurements. On my trip, the carrier (the now-defunct(?) Wow airlines) allowed 17 by 13 by 10 inches for personal items, including handles and wheels, and with a weight limit of 22 pounds. Check your airline’s website, and then whip out a tape measure and verify. (If your bag is soft-sided, make sure to measure it when it’s fully packed.)
To really be prepared, though, you also need a Plan B. Maybe you’ll buy a few too many souvenirs, and need to check your bag. Or sometimes on domestic flights, you’ll end up in a tiny airplane that doesn’t have any space under the seat, and you’ll have to gate-check your stuff. Here’s your insurance policy: Pack your in-flight essentials in a small purse or packing cube that you can tuck in the seat back pocket. This way, if you have to give up your bag, you’ll have the important things with you.
I don’t have a magical spell to fit a suit or a formal dress or a sleeping bag into a carry-on. The one-bag approach only really works for people with simple needs who are going on simple trips. I didn’t bring a laptop or any workout gear. I did bring a few changes of clothes, essential toiletries, a sketchbook, and a phone charger.
I didn’t bother with soap or shampoo, since I knew I could buy those at my destination. (Showering with French soap made my stay in France feel just a little more authentic.) My husband bought a six-pack of electrical outlet adapters, and I caught him shoving the whole thing in his bag. “Wait, how many plug-in things are we bringing?” I asked. Just two: his phone charger, and mine. So we left four of the adapters at home.
I packed fresh socks, shirts, and underwear for each day, and planned to wear a dress once and my shorts and pants twice each. (If I were more hardcore, I would have packed just two outfits and washed one in the hotel sink each night.) I resisted the urge to pack a skirt “just in case.”
To winnow the “just in case” pile, ask yourself, what would I do if I needed this but didn’t have it? Without the skirt, I would just wear my dress or shorts instead. That’s fine; the skirt stays home. But if I got sore feet and didn’t have my packet of blister bandages, I’d have to walk the streets of Paris looking for a place to buy some. The bandages came with me.
Dump out your bag, so you’re not bringing any detritus from a previous trip, and then begin to pack it wisely. A few tips:
Choose the smallest item that will do the job. Bring the travel-size toothpaste, even if the full size is technically small enough to get through security. Compare your jackets and sweaters, and bring the thinnest one that’s still warm enough—or perhaps you’d prefer a lightweight scarf that you can wear as a shawl?
Roll your clothes. Rolling is the most compact way to pack. Put socks and t-shirts on the inside of the roll, and carefully smooth your wrinkleable items on the outside. Know how you will remove any surprise wrinkles: Does your room come with an iron? Will you steam the clothes while you’re in the shower?
Use packing cubes. It wasn’t until after the Paris trip that I discovered just how much time and trouble packing cubes can save. They don’t save space, but they make a tightly packed bag so much easier to pack and unpack.
Wear the biggest items. You’ll have more room in your bag if you wear your jeans and pack your shorts than vice-versa. You can also wear your travel pillow on the flight, and strap it to your bag while you’re trekking through the airport.
Make sure everything is accessible. You’ll be miserable if the interior of your bag is a random jumble. This is where the packing cubes come in, or you can at least arrange your rolls of clothes to divide up the space as needed. Make good use of pockets, too: flat things in the laptop compartment, for example, and your passport and phone charger in whatever pocket is easiest to reach.
You do, eventually, have to bring everything back. If you brought travel-size toiletries, maybe you can finish them off and throw them out before you come home. You also don’t have to worry as much about keeping your clothes unwrinkled. These tweaks can gain you a few cubic inches.
If you’re serious about bringing home souvenirs, consider bringing a collapsible duffel from home, or buying a cheap bag on the road. Then you’re only paying the bag check fee in one direction, not both. Also compare the bag check fee with the cost (and time delay) of mailing things home.
But if you won’t have much room for souvenirs, keep an eye out during your trip for things that pack light. I picked up a French-language cooking magazine for my mom, and translated the tastiest recipes on the flight home. Foreign snacks also make great gifts, and are easy enough to tuck into small spaces. Photos, videos, and good old-fashioned memories make great souvenirs, and they don’t take up any physical space at all. (You could even get a photo book printed when you return, or write down your thoughts in a journal, to make them more tangible without encroaching on your underwear.)
What I actually packed
A top-down view of my bag. In the back pocket (top of photo): book and sketchbook, flattened purse, printouts of documents. Middle pocket: Clothing rolls, sitting on top of carefully packed/stuffed shoes. Front pocket: toiletries, art supplies, wallet, battery pack. In pockets not shown: charging cable, passport, ziploc bag of liquid toiletries.Credit: Beth Skwarecki
OK, time to prove that this is for real. Here’s what I did.
The bag: I used an Eddie Bauer hybrid messenger bag/backpack that I bought many years ago; it’s now discontinued. We have gone on many one-bag trips, this bag and I. My husband, who packed equally light, used a Swiss Gear backpack similar to this one.
Large and unwieldy Items: My one extravagance was a pair of heeled t-strap leather shoes. I stuffed my socks and underwear inside of them, so they held their shape, and then wrapped them loosely in a plastic bag so they wouldn’t get the rest of my items dirty. I also had a travel pillow, strapped to the handle of my bag.
Clothes: For a four-night trip, I brought four shirts, one dress, one pair of shorts, and five sets of socks and underwear. I wore sneakers, a jacket, and a shirt-and-pants outfit.
Toiletries: I had a small zippered pouch with the likes of lipstick and deodorant, and a Ziploc with just a few liquid-phase personal items like moisturizer and toothpaste.
Electronics: All I need for a non-work trip is my phone, a charging cable, and a battery pack. (My husband prefers an electric toothbrush and razor at home, but made do with analog versions for this trip.) We also brought a headphone splitter and a pair of earbuds for each of us.
Fun stuff: A book for the plane; a sketchbook and a small pack of art supplies; Clif bars; wallet, passport, etc.
In hindsight, I only made a few mistakes. I should have left the fancy shoes behind, and either gone without or brought a pair of plain flats instead. I didn’t need the jacket that I wore in the airport, although I’m glad I brought it. And that’s about it; this is one of the most perfectly calibrated trips I’ve taken.
I’ve had a rough time in the past, though. I can think of two trips where I ended up freezing because I didn’t want the bulk of packing warm clothes. In one of those cases, my mistake was that I only had skirts to wear; a pair of fleece-lined tights would have only taken up a tiny amount of space in my bag, and would have been a lifesaver. On a few trips, I forgot to pack a purse, because somehow in my mind the messenger bag was my purse. It is much better to have a real purse (or tote bag, or laptop bag) for your daily excursions instead of having to dump out all your clothes on the hotel bed to make do with your carry-on.
Now, I visualize each day’s activities when I write my packing list, and this helps me remember things like purses. And I apply the “just in case” test to all of those “just in case” items. And now I’m the person who hops off a plane with just a small backpack, breezes past the baggage claim, and takes the Métro to her Airbnb. It’s a great way to vacation.
Traveling with medications is easy enough: Whether pills or liquids, keep them in their original pharmacy containers, or pop over-the-counter meds into a pill organizer. But what about supplements? How do you carry those mini scoops of creatine or several shakes’ worth of protein powder without looking like you’re trying to smuggle something illegal?
You have the TSA’s blessing
We’ll get to specific tips in a minute, but first, some peace of mind: Airport security is 100% fine with you bringing your protein powder along with you. There are no special requirements for how it must be labeled or packaged, either. That said, there are things to keep in mind if you want to avoid delays at the scanners.
The things to know about carrying protein powder, creatine, or other “protein and energy powders,” as the agency groups, them are as follows:
If you have more than 12 ounces of the stuff in your carry-on (like an entire tub of protein powder), place it in a separate bin when you go through security.
They may not care at all; anecdotally, I and many people I know have traveled with protein powders without a TSA agent testing them, or even questioning them at all.
But if they notice your supplements and get curious, they may need to open the container and test what’s inside. (The Instagram post shows an agent doing this.) The testing is quick and you’ll be on your way.
If you don’t want to deal with those possibilities, it’s entirely reasonable to simply leave the stuff at home. On a short trip, you’ll be fine without your creatine or protein for a few days. But if you’ll be at your destination for a few weeks, you might as well buy a fresh supply while you’re there.
Determined to bring your whey or collagen with you? Here are some handy ways to do that.
Snack-sized baggies are great for single servings of whey or collagen powder. I write “protein powder” on the outside, and stuff the baggies inside my shaker cup. I like these 3"x6.5" bags, which have the seal on the short side. They’re a lot easier than standard sandwich baggies to pour into a cup without spilling.
Some supplements come in doses too small for the baggies to be convenient. For example, I have a powdered supplement that requires about a teaspoonful per serving. For those, these screw-top tins are perfect. I put one serving in each tin, and pack the tins with my toiletries.
For anything that comes in gummy or pill form, like vitamins, I like to use mint tins. Altoids tins (or a similarly sized plain tin, like these) are perfect. Just wrap a rubber band around them so that they can’t pop open en route. My favorite tins for this purpose are actually the ones from Trader Joe’s green tea mints, because the tins are small and have a little window so you can see what’s inside.
Enlarge/ The Enterprise, caught in the wake of a temporal vortex, witnesses the Earth, assimilated long ago, in the altered timeline. (credit: Paramount Pictures)
A team of physicists has discovered that it’s possible to build a real, actual, physical warp drive and not break any known rules of physics. One caveat: the vessel doing the warping can’t exceed the speed of light, so you’re not going to get anywhere interesting any time soon. But this research still represents an important advance in our understanding of gravity.
Moving without motion
Einstein’s general theory of relativity is a toolkit for solving problems involving gravity that connects mass and energy with deformations in spacetime. In turn, those spacetime deformations instruct the mass and energy how to move. In almost all cases, physicists use the equations of relativity to figure out how a particular combination of objects will move. They have some physical scenario, like a planet orbiting a star or two black holes colliding, and they ask how those objects deform spacetime and what the subsequent evolution of the system should be.
But it’s also possible to run Einstein’s math in reverse by imagining some desired motion and asking what kind of spacetime deformation can make it possible. This is how the Mexican physicist Miguel Alcubierre discovered the physical basis for a warp drive—long a staple of the Star Trek franchise.
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From biking adventures to city breaks, get inspiration for your next break – whether in the UK or further afield – with twice-weekly emails from the Guardian’s travel editors.
You’ll also receive handpicked offers from Guardian Holidays.
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