Brent and Michael's Secret Travel Hacks, Part 32!
Get the best airline food, fall back to sleep faster, save money on gas, charge your phone more quickly, track Amazon prices, get cheap electronics that work, and always have underwear that fits!
Another edition of our unusual travel hacks.
For other travel hack columns, go to Part Fifteen and Part Sixteen and Part Seventeen and Part Eighteen and Part Nineteen and Part Twenty and Part Twenty-One and Part Twenty-Two and Part Twenty-Three and Part Twenty-Four and Part Twenty-Five and Part Twenty-Six and Part Twenty-Seven and Part Twenty-Eight and Part Twenty-Nine and Part Thirty and Part Thirty-One.
Here are our latest hacks!
Get the best airline food
When traveling by plane, what are your best choices for meals?
Airport meals are, of course, very expensive — and the offerings also tend to be loaded with fat and salt.
Onboard airline meals are almost always cheaper than airport meals and usually healthier. Plus, they’re specifically designed to taste better at high altitudes. Ordering ahead usually gives you more options.
Your cheapest, healthiest option is almost always to bring a homemade or deli meal from outside the airport. Yes, prepared meals of solid food are allowed through security (but yogurt is considered a liquid, and any sauces or dressings need to be kept at under 100 milliliters — and this also applies to your total allotment of liquids that need to fit in one quart-sized bag). But make sure it isn’t stinky, okay?
Finally, have you considered simply fasting — especially if you’re on a 5:2 diet where you regularly fast anyway? High altitudes actually decrease appetite, and you can bring your own trail mix or other healthy snacks to keep your energy up.
Actually get in and out
Michael and I recently spent time in California where we discovered that In-N-Out Burger is just as good as we remembered — but the backup at the drive-through window is a thousand times worse!
But since everyone uses that drive-through, the secret to fast service is to park nearby and walk in. That way, you’ll soon be, er, in and out.
h/t Matthew Nelson
Always opt for the video chat
When buying travel insurance, always get the “video health chat” option, even if it’s an add-on — the cost is usually negligible. Then, of course, save the link in a place where it’s easily accessible.
As long as you have internet access, you’ll be able to get your medical questions quickly answered, possibly saving you a trip to the emergency room. And if you do need to see a doctor, they can often suggest a nearby medical facility that serves tourists and, more importantly, is definitely covered by your policy.
Consider medical tourism to China
Speaking of medical care, I’ve written a lot about our experiences with “medical tourism” in Turkey, Thailand, and elsewhere. But this new(ish) company connects Americans to medical treatment in China — for prices that are 60-70% cheaper than in the U.S.
Learn nomading
Our friends Matt and Lisa have a pretty great beginner’s guide to nomading.
