Travel Essentials Blog

GoToob in Action

We love GoToobs – and if sales are any indication, our customers love GoToobs, too. Why? Because they’re amazing. Made from silicone, the bottles are pliable and “squeezable”, making it a breeze to squeeze out whatever liquid or gel you’re traveling with.

GoToobs come in two sizes (both carry-on friendly), 2 ounces and 1.25 ounces. The larger bottles have a suction cup built into the side of the bottle so it can easily be stuck to the shower wall or bathroom mirror. GoToobs have leak-proof valves and a rubber seal in the cap to make sure it won’t leak in your luggage. The bottle’s collar has a built-in labeling system that allows you to choose from conditioner, shampoo, sunblock, lotion or soap. And, when you fill the bottle the large opening is easy to fill and makes it easy to clean the bottles. And hey, the silicone is food-grade and bpa free, so you can even use them for something edible!

Visit our website and check them out!

by Nancy Bestor

On our boat ride out of Tortuguero, a sleepy village on the north Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, our nine-year old daughter Sarah said, “This is just like the Jungle Cruise in Disneyland.” Her sister Emily, age 11, replied, “Yes Sarah, but everything here is real.” I’m not certain I could have described this three-day trip any better.

Bob and I knew that Tortuguero was not the easiest place to get to, but with three weeks to spend in Costa Rica this past March, we wanted to see as much of the country as possible. Most tourists choose to book a package tour to Tortuguero, paying more than $600 (for two people) to be bussed, boated and hand-held to a high-end lodge across the canal from the village itself. The package deal includes transportation, two nights accommodation, and meals at the lodge. As budget travelers on the lookout for a little adventure, we decided that creating our own trip to Tortuguero would save us money and get us closer to the locals by staying in one of the small, locally-run hotels in the village proper.

After consulting both our guidebooks (Lonely Planet Costa Rica and Rough Guide to Costa Rica) we booked a hotel sight unseen via telephone from San Jose and prepared for an early wake-up the next day.

A taxi dropped us off at the Caribe bus station in San Jose at 8 am. There we purchased tickets ($2 each) for the first leg of our journey—a one and a half hour bus ride to the town of Cariari. In Cariari we bought tickets ($10 each) for another bus and then a boat that would deliver us to our final destination of Tortuguero. Both buses were filled with locals, who got on and off at many stops along the way. We drove through banana plantations, past ranches and farms, and more. The last 30 minutes of the second bus ride (about an hour total) were on a very bumpy and rocky road. We’d later learn that gravel roads are the norm in Costa Rica, and this one was not bad compared to others we would travel. We arrived at our “boat station,” and I use the term “station” loosely, and boarded our lancha (small boat) for the final leg—down the river and into Tortuguero.
Read the rest of this entry »

by Zach Ehlert

As someone who spends a lot of time outdoors, when I first heard of the Steripen, I thought it was too good to be true! A lightweight, easy-to-use UV water purifier sounded so much better than pumping away on the edge of a creek or lake for hours (or at least what seemed like hours) just to get one bottle of drinkable water. With the Steripen, it’s so much easier. I can quickly fill a 32 ounce Nalgene bottle, take it back to my campsite and then use the Steripen to purify my water in about a minute and a half. All you have to do is stir the pen around in the water.

The newer models, the Adventurer and Traveler (which, except for their coloring, are identical), lend themselves perfectly to travel as you can easily carry one in your pocket or day-pack and purify a glass of water anywhere. And, the Traveler is on sale right now, for an amazing 20% off.

Steripen Traveler

Instead of pumping water through various tubes or adding iodine or salt, the Steripen uses UV light to destroy waterborne microbes (which is the same system many cities use to purify their water). The C Wavelength ultraviolet light the pen emits is a short wave light (between x-ray and visible light) that is able to destroy the DNA of microbes in seconds, including Giardia and Cryptosporidium. Without functional DNA, these microbes can’t reproduce or make you sick.

Read the rest of this entry »

by Nancy Bestor

Since our girls were toddlers we’ve traveled in many foreign countries, and have been very fortunate to avoid any serious illnesses or injuries. Sure we’ve had sunburns, allergies, colds and fevers, and have bought antibiotics over the counter in countries like Vietnam for as little as $2, but we’ve never had to deal with anything more severe. In fact, we went in to this trip to Turkey feeling pretty proud of ourselves for never having suffered from travelers’ diarrhea, even in Mexico, Costa Rica, Vietnam, and Thailand, where we always ate local food. Well that all changed in Turkey.

About a week into our trip Sarah, age 11, started suffering with stomach problems. As the days progressed, her troubles worsened until she couldn’t keep even 7-Up in her stomach. We got advice from many different folks, including a Swedish doctor staying at our hotel, and of course everyone told us something just a little different.

We ended up taking Sarah to a local clinic in the nearby town of Kemer, where she gave a stool sample (not hard for her to do at this point) and a doctor looked at her for all of 90 seconds. After this “thorough” exam, he read the results of her lab test and told us that she needed to have intravenous antibiotics. As you might guess, this made us fairly uncomfortable, especially considering the fact that Sarah is allergic to penicillin. We informed the doctor of her allergy, and he stated that penicillin was no longer used in Turkey. Well, we decided against the IV, so instead he disappointedly wrote us a prescription for antibiotics in pill form. When I looked at the prescription, I recognized the drug as one with penicillin in it. I told the doctor this. He matter-of-factly scratched out that antibiotic and wrote in another. That certainly filled us with confidence.

In the end, we didn’t give Sarah any drugs. I finally came to my senses and realized I could use my cell phone to call Sarah’s pediatrician back home. Sure, it cost me about $15, but the sound medical advice and peace of mind she gave me was priceless. When we were ready to end our conversation, I thanked Sarah’s doctor, and told her how good it was to speak to an American!
Read the rest of this entry »

Here is Travel Essentials’ official 2009 Photo Contest Press Release. Visit our website for more details or to look through winners of past contests. We’ve also got a great article from professional photographer, Sean Bagshaw. Read it now!

Last Year's Winning Photograph
"Midway Geysers, Yellowstone National Park" by John Shea O'Donnell

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS 9TH ANNUAL

TRAVEL PHOTO CONTEST

Travelers have a chance to show off their photography and win great prizes

Ashland, OR. – 20 June 2009 – Travel Essentials is pleased to announce its 2009 Travel Photography Contest. This summer, Travel Essentials will be accepting photo entries from travelers all over the country to be considered in their ninth annual competition.

“When you travel away from home – no matter where you go – you get a new and different look at the world,” says Bob Bestor, co-owner of Travel Essentials. “And this really shows through in people’s photographs, because they want to capture their experiences for their friends, their families and for themselves. Every year we get wonderful entries of amazing sights, fascinating cultures and some the world’s most interesting and unique events. This contest always inspires us.”

Read the rest of this entry »

Hovercraft 22" Carry-On in Marine

Eagle Creek has decided to redesign its Centerline luggage line – the line that boasts the the best-selling Hovercraft bags, as well as a few under-seat totes. And, because the line is being redesigned, they are selling their remaining stock at an amazing 25% off, a cost-savings we can pass on to you!

The Hovercraft 22″ Rolling Carry-On is still available in all four colors – Tomato Red, Graphite, Tree Frog Green, and Marine Blue. At maximum carry-on size, this bag is an excellent value. Organized, with plenty of pockets (sized perfectly to use Pack-It cubes and folders) and a durable, stain-resistant outside.

Eagle Creek’s lifetime warranty ensures that all materials and workmanship are guaranteed to stand up to normal use, or they’ll repair or replace the bag for free. So, at 25% off, the bag is a real steal. Also, still available, the Hovercraft 25″ and the Hovercraft 28″ offer the same durability and organization in a checkable-sized bag.

The Wheeled Underseat Tote is another great deal during this sale. Normally $165, the Underseat Tote is now more than $40 off at $123.75. It also carries Eagle Creek’s lifetime warranty and is just as durable and organized as the Hovercrafts. It makes a perfect carry-on companion when you’re traveling with a larger, checkable bag (like the Hovercraft 25″ or the Hovercraft 28″).

Finally, the Sport Companion Tote and the Flight Companion Tote are smaller bags that are carried over the shoulder and fit under the seats on most airplanes. They are constructed from the same durable materials as the wheeled bags and offer the same guarantee.

The Centerline bags are all made well and made to last for a long time. Already a great value in luggage, this sale makes the bags almost impossible to resist. Visit TravelEssentials.com to view the full line.

2008 Honorable Mention
by Robbin Lacy

We’re happy to announce that our 2009 Photo Contest has begun! From now until August 31st, you can send us your entries by email or snail-mail. The Travel Essentials team will judge the winners in September.

First prize will get a $250 gift certificate to Travel Essentials that can be used in the store or online. And, five runners up will each receive a $50 gift certificate. And, you’ll have your work displayed in our front window! Anyone in the contiguous United States is eligible to enter up to two photos.

Photos can be emailed to: photocontest@travelessentials.com. For the complete rules and information about where to send photos through the mail, visit our contest page.

This year, we’re getting some help from Sean Bagshaw, a local professional Photographer (who currently has a photograph in the Smithsonian – congratulations, Sean!) He will be assisting the Travel Essentials team in choosing the winners of this year’s contest. Sean has also written an amazing article on travel photography : “Sean Bagshaw’s Top Twelve Totally Tricky Travel Photography Tips.” Check it out and learn how to snag the best travel shots on your next vacation.

We also recommend that you take a look at last year’s winners. We look forward to getting your entries!

Tarmac 22" Rolling Carry-On

When shopping for a piece of luggage, people tend to be hyper-aware of the bags’ weight. Here at Travel Essentials we believe that while weight is important, and no one wants a heavy, clunky bag, it shouldn’t be the most important factor in your decision. In fact, most bags fall into a fairly close range of weights, making the “weight of the bag” very secondary for most travelers. Weight differences, in the end, are not as dramatic as they might seem at first.

To illustrate this point, we have to do a little math (don’t worry, you won’t need a calculator). We’ve done this countless times with customers on the sales floor, and it usually helps people to look at luggage shopping in a new light.

Briggs & Riley U422LX Carry-On

In this example, we will use our two most popular carry-on sized rolling bags – the Tarmac 22″ from Eagle Creek and the U422LX from Briggs & Riley. These bags are our best sellers because we make sure that our customers know we think these two bags are the best value in their respective classes in the entire luggage industry.

Eagle Creek’s specifications list the Tarmac 22 at 8 lbs. Our digital scale here in the store confirms that weight. Briggs & Riley does not provide a weight for the U422LX, but our scale weighs it in at a healthy 12 lbs 14oz. It seems like a huge difference, but keep in mind that the Briggs bag is made of ballistic nylon and offers a very useful (and very cool) locking expansion system, and a detachable garment bag.

Read the rest of this entry »

This is a perfect example of why it’s always good to educate yourself on local customs when traveling. Apparently, due to French influence, massage techniques in Morocco might be a bit surprising for female customers. This article from the San Francisco Chronicle’s travel section offers a fun and informative look at rub-downs all over the world.

And women take note:  ”throughout France…massaging the breasts is typical in a full-body massage”.

Here’s the link: http://tr.im/krrg

The Briggs & Riley U422LX Expandable Carry-On upright suitcase is on sale right now for $299, when it usually sells for $399. The U422LX is composed of durable ballistic nylon that is tough and resistant to stains, water and scuffs. Its one-touch expansion system leaves the bag with structure whether it’s expanded or not. A removable garment sleeve and detachable toiletry pouch make packing easy and efficient. A great bag, the U422LX is built to last forever, and it carries the Briggs & Riley lifetime guarantee.

Stock is extremely limited on this great deal, so act now while there are still bags remaining.

Seen in Olive and Black, the bag is also available in Chocolate.