It puts you in touch with how ignorant you are and how wrong you are, she says.
I think its the only authentic way to travel.
What does your travel schedule look like?
I travel a lotI do a lot of lectures, and thats separate from the book tour.
Probably 10 - 12 a year.
It would be a very rare month that I didnt travel.
Do you ever just go to a beach to relax?
Were not beach people.
Were not good at going and doing nothing.
Wed much rather go somewhere interesting and beautiful than just beautiful.
Do you keep a packing list?
Ive tried lists and they never work for me.
Theres so much work involved.
And every trip is so different.
This weekend Im going to Palm Beach, last week I was in Edmonton and Vancouver.
Except for in the case of bringing underwear, I dont see how theres any overlap.
If the list is so generic to apply to every situation its probably not going to be very helpful.
Are you an overpacker or an underpacker?
Well now Ive sort of got it down.
I was an overpacker for sure.
I would picture a million eventualities and want to be prepared for all of them.
Does that mean you wear a sweater, do you wear shorts?
I would feel completely dumbfounded.
But now a few things have happened.
One is I have come to understand the enormous benefits of carry-on luggage only.
I also had a realization that it really doesnt matter what Im wearing.
I mean, I love clothes, I always want to look good.
This is probably obvious to many people but for me it was a revelation.
Does that mean youre taking a carry-on for your upcoming two-week trip to Australia?
Well, thats a littleI mean, thats a long trip.
Im not sure Im that much of a hero.
And I said something to him about bringing a suitcase and he was horrified.
And then he challenged me to do it with just a carry-on.
So that was the first big trip I went on with.
And, you know, I impressed him and he proposed to me.
And it was the carry on that did it.
I think it was the carry on.
I can talk about luggage for hours.
Im really into it.
Tell me about your luggage.
Im a luggage fanatic.
Im obsessed with luggage; I feel like the right luggage actually informs the quality of your travel.
Ive spent many years trying and becoming disenchanted by and pursuing luggage and looking for perfect luggage.
I want it to be really roomy.
I want it to be easy for me to maneuver, I want it to be light.
But I also like it to look distinctive.
I feel like Im with it so much, I want to like it.
I like it to look different from what everybody else has.
Im a demanding customer.
Theres a store in Japan calledTokyu Hands.
Its kind of a department store, kind of a hardware storetheres no comparison to a U.S. store.
They have household stuff and stationery and luggage and kitchenware and that kind of stuff.
Anyway, this is their house brand.
I can talk about luggage for hours.
Im really into it.
Its something I love and I loved it even before it became such a part of my life.
Ive always been really into luggage.
On the plane
I said, I think Im going to get a pilots license.
And he said, What did that guy do to you?
What do you always bring with you on planes?
This is a recent discoverythis littlefoot slingthat you could use in an airplane.
It absolutely changes your ability to be comfortable in your seat.
It hooks onto the tray table.
If youre tall this isnt an issue, but if youre short its an amazing, amazing thing.
An eye mask is always really helpful for dealing with sleeping.
Are there any special snacks that you bring or buy?
I always throw a couple of granola bars in my bag.
Do you talk to your seat mates?
Now that I fly so much I usually sit down and I have my routine.
I pull out my iPad.
I start watching a movie.
I generally dont end up chatting with people.
Every now and again, somebody for whatever reason seems sort of interesting, Ill strike up a conversation.
Tell me about your fear of flying.
How did you get over it?
I went to a hypnotist.
This was many years ago.
It was a horrible way to live.
I went in for, I think it was five sessions.
And he said, What did that guy do to you?
It was the strangest thing, I dont know where it emerged from.
It was like I was possessed.
General travel tips
I want it to be an experience and a surprise and a journey.
What do you do as soon as you check into your room?
Even if Im only staying for a night, I unpack.
Are there any apps you depend on when youre traveling or to help you prep for travel?
I useTripItto store and organize all my travel.
I have all the airline apps on my phoneeven ones that I rarely travel with.
I feel like you should download them all and have them all.
And then I have aworld clock appbecause keeping track of the time is always important.
I have a [currency] conversion app.
Its nice to not constantly be grabbing for your phone to convert.
What do you buy when youre traveling?
I used to buy [local brands of] toothpaste.
I ended up having a large collection of toothpaste from all over the world.
When it really got to be almost like too big of a collection.
Those are products that are made locally, or in the country.
I had gone to Bhutan on a story and fell in love with a guy there.
I flew home from Bhutan and then basically turned around and flew right back.
Its a very expensive trip.
Its the biggest trip Ive ever taken for a reason that was so particular.
It was crazy but at the time it felt very valuable, so I have no regrets.
Have you made any notable travel mistakes?
Ive had many trips, before I converted to carry-on luggage, where my luggage got lost.
I would never check anything that I cant do without.
Im a great believer in not over-preparing when I travel.
I want it to be an experience and a surprise and a journey.
And so I dont prepareat all.
This is so different from what I imagined.But I think that I think thats a good outcome.
It just means that there are times where Ive been caught completely off guard and somewhat unprepared.
I like the rawness of landing and saying, OK, what do I do now?
