Roam If You Want To...

My boyfriend is a pilot. The man flies here and the man flies there and in between, I get to see him and we drink wine and we do his laundry. It's a thrilling life. Actually, his job is pretty amazing.

For those of you who don't know, Eric was born without a right hand. He has a left hand and an arm, and if he ever flew your plane, you'd never know there was anything different about him. Not only is he the best pilot I've ever flown with (and I say that having flown with several people), but he also has a kind of drive and ambition that some other pilots just can't match, and it's evident when he gets into that front seat and lifts the plane off the runway.

Anyway, being in love with a pilot, especially such a gifted one, comes with many requirements. I have to be ready to listen to the stories about grumpy passengers, grumpy flight attendants and grumpy captains. I have to spend a lot of days and nights away from him. (Thank God for FaceTime.) I have to be ready to glow with pride whenever he tells me about anything he does (this one comes pretty easily). And thanks to the invention of flight benefits for “significant others” I get to be ready to travel anytime!

That's right, be jealous. I have been blessed with the luxury of free flight on Delta Airlines, and I have been putting it to good use. So far I've been able to fly to:

Memphis- to hang out with Eric and eat some amazing fried chicken at Uncle Lou's.

Dallas- to see my family, of course!

Colorado- to go skiing and spend time with Eric's aunt and uncle and their adorable kids.

Minneapolis- to hang out with Eric and enjoy a super nice hotel and a trip to the Mall of America.

Tulsa- to be with Eric and his family during and after his back surgery.

Virginia- to see my Grammy.

That's like. A million airline miles. I counted.

Anyway, all this flying has led to new skills, one of which is packing all of my essentials with very little space. I've gotten pretty good. As most of you know, paying for checked luggage is a drag, and you can bring two carry-ons with you onto the plane. I plan to share with you my packing strategies, tips, and product recommendations that have allowed me to stick to the 2-bag limit, and still have extra room for souvenirs! Or Eric's extra stuff that he wants me to take back to Chicago! Check back soon to see what to pack, how to pack it, and what to pack it in for your next airborne adventure