Let’s face it, fitting all of your liquids and gels into a quart sized bag when you fly can be tricky. Most travel containers on the market are are a full 3 ounces, the maximum allowed, but often you don’t need that much of a product. Having your precious Ziploc space eaten up by half empty bottles is not cool.

I was so excited when I found this 16 piece carry-on kit with tiny leakproof jars and bottles, particularly the mini spray bottle. The containers range in size from 1/8 to 2 ounces and the kit also includes 36 sticker labels and a quart sized bag so you can just fill and go!

$9.99 Linens ‘n Things

USA Today has compiled a list of “25 pivotal changes that transformed the way we travel”. Included are Tripadvisor, airline e-tickets, rolling luggage and smoke free flights. At number one? Online travel booking!!

Can we even imagine travel without these innovations? For all that we complain about, we HAVE come a long way.

You can check out the rest of the list here:

USA Today

Next time you travel, consider leaving the driving to someone else, especially in one of the many cities that are stocking their taxi fleets with fuel efficient vehicles. In the past year, 281 taxi medallions were issued to hybrid cabs in New York City and they are hoping to increase the number to 13,000 by 2012. Other cities with a growing number of green cabs are Seattle, San Francisco, Chicago and Boston.

If you own a hybrid yourself, many perks are likely to come your way in the near future as the world tries to become environmentally friendly. Already, at Boston’s Logan Airport, 100 preferred parking spaces are reserved for clean fuel cars.

Source: Global Traveler

We all know someone who can sleep through anything…perhaps it’s an issue you struggle with yourself. Even on vacation there are times when sleeping in isn’t an option, especially when you have to catch a flight. The Travel Bedside Sonic Boom Alarm and Bed Shaker has you covered from all angles.

With a snooze alarm reaching 116 decibels and a 12 volt vibrating pod you can put under your pillow, you’ll literally get that extra push you need to get out of bed. For some perspective, car alarms reach 125 decibels and most rock concerts are around 120, so this is quite loud. It’s also compact with an easy to read display and even has a battery backup for power outages. If you want to keep to a schedule (or keep someone else to one), this little ticker could be your new best friend…which is fortunate because you may not have many after setting it off!

$29.95 Amazon.com

A new chain of wine rooms called Vino Volo, Italian for “wine flight”, are popping up in U.S. airports. Inside, travelers can order wine by the glass or in a tasting and pair it with elegant small plates featuring fine cheeses and cured meats. Full bottles are also available for purchase without hassle as the shops are located beyond security checkpoints.

Vino Volo is currently operating in Dulles, Sacramento, Seattle-Tacoma, Baltimore/Washington and New York’s JFK airports. 10-12 new stores are planned to open in 2007.

Vino Volo

Source: Global Traveler

So you’ve finally saved up enough money or miles for a business class ticket and you can’t wait to take an overnight flight and actually sleep in a flatbed. Not so fast….many airlines have angled, not flat seats in business and some older planes still have the only partially reclining variey. Flatseats.com has a comprehensive listing of business and first class seat types by airline so you can make informed choices. It also features passenger reviews and comfort ratings. If you are going to splurge, make sure you know what to expect and get exactly what you want.

Source: Sunday Times Travel

My mom gave me a box of CVS hand sanitizing wipes at Christmas time and I’m totally addicted! I take a stack of them with me whenever I travel. They are perfect not only for cleaning your hands but also plane trays and consoles, car rental steering wheels and door handles and hotel remotes and telephones. They are individually wrapped so it’s easy to keep a few in all of your bags at all times!

$3.69/box CVS

Drinking a lot of fluids while touring a city or hiking is important. The problem is that a bottle may not fit in smaller bags and even if it can be wedged it in, it may be cumbersome to repeatedly dig out on a hot day. Many people cringe at the thought of carrying something in their hands or feel like anything not attached to them inevitably gets lost. The Chisco Clip Bottle Holder can help by allowing you to clip a drink to a belt loop, purse or backpack. A special, heavy duty rubber band fits over most standard sized bottles and keeps your beverage at your side so you can grab a sip at the first sign of thirst.

$5.99 Chisco

Source: vacationdays

One of the coolest things I encountered on a visit to the English “Riviera” in Great Britain was the beach hut line on the waterfront. They are basically mini houses right on the beach where people store their summer gear and hang out when they need a break from the sun. Although they are small, 6ft by 4ft is average, it’s not unheard of for people to spend the night inside. They are bought and sold like full sized homes and have gone for more than $150,000 in prime locations!!

If you don’t want to shell out the cash to purchase a hut, many owners rent them out but the best beaches are booked well in advance so you may want to start planning for next summer! Check out www.beach-huts.com for more information.

You can read about my trip to the countryside in western England here.

Air Canada introduced its first ever enRoute Student Film festival and students from all over Canada submitted short films into the contest earlier this year. Select entries will be broadcast to audiences in-flight on Air Canada seatback screens through October. Although a panel of judges and not travellers will decide the winners, an estimated 2.6 passengers will view the programs each month, giving the filmmakers unprecedented exposure.

I applaud Air Canada for their creativity in on board entertainment and look forward to watching the films when I fly with them later this month. If you won’t be travelling with Air Canada, you can also watch the films online at the festival’s official website linked below.

Air Canada’s enRoute Student Film Festival 2007