By Jim Holmes

“When you’re safe at home you wish you were having an adventure; when you’re having an adventure you wish you were safe at home.”—Thornton Wilder

...As we rush through this holiday season, along with shopping and wrapping and parties, if you’re like me, you’re also making travel plans.

Because of my job, I’m required to travel. A lot! Most often my obligations take me to far away, remote locations for weeks at a time. Adding to this (20-year) routine usually includes visiting friends and family over the holidays. Because I’m gone so often, eventually I start to get a little homesick. But throughout my various excursions I’ve learned how to transport a little of my homo home along with me wherever I go. And during this holiday season, when traveling to a family reunion or gathering with friends, to make sure it’s a happy holiday, having the appropriate “baggage” is essential. So here are my travel tips to help you trek through the “holidaze” with ease.

Consider Your “Baggage” First-Class

Always have on hand the comforts of home! You should consider your carry-on a sort of roving residence. Why? Because: Your hotel room isn’t ready or has been given away; your flight has been canceled, delayed or (my favorite) they’ve given away your seat; the friend or family member meeting you at the airport has gone missing: you have to sleep in your childhood bedroom and you’re 50…I could “carry-on” with the various scenarios, but you get the drift. Thus your carry-on must be considered “good baggage.” View it as if it were your habitat on hand.

Plane and Simple

This is what you need! If you’re like me, any flight over seven hours, you probably want to sleep. You may already have these, but—eye mask, earplugs or iPod (with soothing music) and my personal favorite, sleeping pill(s)—are essential. Wherever you’re traveling, arriving rested, adjusted, and prepared for what awaits you, is paramount.

For any flights that are longer (like my 18 hour ones) you will want these items as well: Toothbrush and toothpaste, socks, comfortable clothing (like sweats) if you’re not already wearing it, a water mister bottle (Evian), and a facial moisturizer. All of these will not only serve you well on your flight, but the aforementioned comforts each apply beautifully to the (hateful) scenarios mentioned above. Everything in the sections below are (my) extra amenities; my mementos from home to combat the holidaze.

Don’t Be a Jet Lag Fag

Vitamins, Airborne, aspirin, Tylenol, Tums… the list goes on depending on the size of your medicine cabinet as well as your tolerance for travel. But pack them! If you start to feel sick, having your roving remedies to combat a queasy situation is invaluable. (Especially if in a foreign country.)

Eat, Think, and Be Mary

A (freeze-dried) apple a day will lead to a happier gay. You’re in a foreign country or a remote part of the world; the people you’re visiting are vegan or terrible cooks. Make your favorite snacks and drag them along. Consider easy things like protein bars and bags of nuts, candy bars or dried fruit. When flights get delayed, or you get stuck on the runway—especially if you’re flying coach—these little munchies will make you smile. (Trader Joe’s is great for this.)

The Laptop of Luxury Living

Having a laptop is the lap of luxury when on your journey. Stay linked to home through e-mail, connect with the (gay) community in a new/different city, (see gay travel guide below), listen to music, gaze at photos, write in your journal, or work (if you have to). The list of homo home remedies is endless with a laptop. Those of you who have one already know this, those of you who don’t should consider owning one. Either way, this needs to be in your carry-on.

Screen Saver (only applies if you have a laptop)

Change your screensaver to a photo of something or someone you love from home. Your boyfriend, pet, or favorite chair—something swell about your dwelling. Download DVDs of your favorite TV shows or things you like to watch in bed before you go to sleep at night.

Reading Into It

Once you’re done devouring the pages of this publication, to best utilize the travel time—especially when stuck at the airport—I always have a book on hand. To embrace your travels, you could bring a book like On the Road (the 50th anniversary addition) by Jack Kerouac; or a book about the place you’re visiting; or from the unread stack by the side of the bed.

Tuned Into the Air Waves

With the infusion of technology, home is just a click away. To stay in tune with your habitat, pack your iPod and add a set of travel speakers (especially if you don’t have a laptop). You can set the soundtrack to improve almost any situation by tuning in or out.

H2OK

To make a tense travel situation bloom into something beautifully gay, this is one of the easiest. Just add water. These days there is an endless array of things that you can simply stir into water or sprinkle over coffee to create your favs from home. Crystal light, your favorite tea, protein powder, or Gatorade for a workout, even things like bath salts. With the powdered-down version, you can carry along a lot of amenities to make a place more attractive. And they go a long way.

Throw Down

Whoever said you should fly by the seat of your pants, obviously never flew during the holidays. But, if you’re going to throw caution to the wind, wrap yourself in the comforts from home and throw a throw in your bag. Getting dogged by delays, or stuck on the sofa while on your getaway, when you snuggle up in that blanket from home, you won’t feel like such a caged animal.

Wick Pick

To some, this may seem like a dim thought, but whenever I become a little homesick and moody, I light a candle in my hotel room (sometimes with a bath) and my disposition immediately changes. To help keep your mood light and avoid travel tensions, bring a small scented (tin encased) candle and light it if you start to feel stressed out.

Tricks Should You Trade

Traveling safely should include sexual safety. Pack a few condoms just in case.

Snap Happy

Even if you’re traveling to meet loved ones and missed family members, most likely there is still someone you’ll be leaving behind. Preserving a content “frame of mind” is vital. Carry and keep a framed photo by the bed. Before you go to sleep and when you wake up, with one quick glance, life will appear picture perfect—even if it’s not. This is an easy way to stay linked to the object of your affections. If there happens to be several, switching the screen saver on your laptop (if you have one) is an alternative option, but having a picture by the bed (to me) always makes wherever I am feel more like home.

Road Rules

—Make sure that all your liquids are stored in clear, size/ounce-approved bottles. (Flight 001 has an approved set = F1 to go bottles)

—Don’t wrap any holiday gifts you might be carrying, as the security screeners might make you unwrap them.

—Carry a record of all your flight and reservation numbers with dates, times, etc. in case you need to seek compensation.

—Store the phone numbers of anyone—at home or destination—-that you might need to contact. (And don’t forget your charger.)

Ask the Experts

In between running all his travel accessory stores, I was able to connect with (Brad John) the owner of Flight 001—for an extra security checkpoint on travel tips. Just off a plane from Chicago “ I was laughing to myself this morning as I went through security at how unorganized people were. The best tip I can offer is this: Organize your carry-on before you go. I organize mine like I organize my house. I know where everything is and it makes for easy, hassle-free traveling.”

My Fag Finder — Gay Cities Guide

Gay travel guide to make you feel like there’s no place like homo when away from the nest—www.gaycities.com—does a great job of covering local gay bars and clubs, hotels B&B’s and recommended restaurants.

For flight 001 store locations and online purchasing information visit www.flight001.com.

Jim Holmes’ work can also be found through Shavings From My Head at IN Los Angeles magazine, or e-mail him at shavingsfrommyhead@yahoo.com.