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I'm Off to Europe!
Some advice and reflections from a perpetual packer.
Sloane Stephens
April 23, 2022
I’ve been traveling the world for most of the year to do my job since I was 15 years old. I spend more weeks in hotels than I do in my own bed and I feel like I’ve seen it all when it comes to travel - the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Since I’m heading to Madrid tonight to begin the European clay court swing, and since so many of you might be preparing for your first big summer vacation in a few years, I wanted to write about how I prepare to hit the road for an extended period of time. Note that these recommendations are the result of my first-hand experience and you should consult your own experts as needed, but travel is a job requirement for me so I’ve learned a few things over the years.
BODY:
First thing’s first - make sure your body is prepared for travel. This doesn’t just mean having the perfect comfy chic airport outfit ready to go for your obligatory travel Instagram with your boarding pass and passport cover (though apparently we shouldn’t do that anymore for security reasons). There is a lot that goes into this “body” category, and I have a full process, so hear me out. Before you head somewhere, please do yourself and your loved ones a favor and make sure that you are in control of your health. Of course there are times when situations or emergencies happen outside of our control, but let’s try to step foot onto that plane, train, or automobile knowing we’ve done our best to be prepared for this journey. What does that mean? Make sure you’re up to date on all your check-ups - get your physical done to check that blood pressure and heart rate, get your dental check-up done and make sure you’re not going to have a surprise root canal somewhere where you don’t speak the language. On the tennis court, and in life, control the controllables, my friends.
Another part of preparing your body is preparing for the actual journey itself. Airplane travel is physically taxing, no matter how fit you are on land. The cabin air has very low humidity and is pressurized to different levels than we’re used to. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Splurge on that bigger bottle at the airport newsstand if you can, and challenge yourself to finish it before you arrive at your destination. If you can stand up and walk to the bathroom during the flight, that’s a good thing - moving your body and circulating the blood flow is very helpful. When there’s an airport Starbucks, I like to swing by for a caramel frapp (extra caramel drizzle, hold the whip) and get a venti cup of water for free with my order. This way I’m counteracting the extra dehydration from the caffeine and have a water cup for the flight attendant to refill.
My journey back from Australia this January. Fit check, drink check, let's boogie!
If I’m on a red-eye or a long haul flight, I put on a moisturizing face mask or hydrating face cream to provide my skin with an extra hydration barrier against the harsh plane air. Some of my tried and true staples are the Fresh Vitamin Nectar Glow Face Mask, Fresh Black Tea Firming Overnight Mask, and the Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Mask Hydrating Gel. Remember to purchase travel sizes or decant the full-size product into a TSA-approved size for your carry on! I often land and have to go directly to a press event or practice, so these extra acts of self-care really help me arrive refreshed and ready to tackle the commitments ahead.
Some hydrating products I'm packing for Europe
MIND:
I know that travel can be very stressful for many people, especially if you travel infrequently or are going somewhere you’ve never been before. Stress also manifests physically and only adds to the increased physical toll I explained above. There are lots of tiny self-care actions I incorporate into my travel routine to help relax. I often carry doTERRA essential oil rollers with me and will roll on a little lavender or another soothing blend and take a few big breaths to create a calming routine no matter where I am.
Having all your ducks in a row and feeling organized when leaving your home is a major step towards keeping your sanity while traveling. My friend calls all of these steps “life admin” and I’ve adopted that phrase. Here’s a snapshot of some of the things that were running through my mind as I was preparing to head to the airport a few weeks ago:
Did I blow out the candle I had lit in my room?
Did I take out the trash?
Did I remember to pack clay court shoes to train?
I need to check the tracking on that package. I wonder when it’s supposed to be arriving? Who should I tell if it arrives after I leave?
Did I remember to pack the string in my racquet bag?
Did I order an Uber early enough? Am I going to have enough time to check my bags?
This just adds drama! Repeat after me, “we don’t want drama!” Unless you have to leave town on last minute’s notice, create some lists and processes for your next trip. I usually do this in the Notes app on my iPhone so I can re-use it. Write down all of the “life admin” steps you need to take, these will be different for each person, and make a second short list of your absolute packing non-negotiables - passport, debit/credit cards, medications, etc. If you have your important medicine, your travel docs, and you remember to blow out the candle before leaving the house, you can figure out everything else when you arrive at your destination if needed. I have faith in you!
One mental note as it relates to packing, because we’ve all fallen into this trap. If a piece of clothing in your closet still has the tags on it, hasn’t left its hanger in over six months, and was not specifically purchased for a specific event on this specific trip, do not carry it around Europe with you, honey! I have some friends who pack for trips like they’re grocery shopping while hungry, everything gets put in the bag and they’re lugging an overweight bag around the Eiffel Tower. But no, let’s remember we are on a mission to create sanity and order for our travel experience. Think in terms of where you’ll be, what you’ll be doing, and create a capsule wardrobe around that. For my travel needs, I have the added advantage of getting my laundry done on-site at tournaments and having multiple of the same match outfit, but I only bring a select capsule of off-court outfits and make sure each accessory and item can be styled in multiple different ways to provide options without bulk. I’m sure that the outfit repeats coupled with eating at the same restaurants at the same time every night on the road makes for a very déjà vu experience for the staff.
Me, in front of the Eiffel Tower, without mountains of luggage :)
Last but not least, let’s remember our attitude of gratitude. We are able to travel and create amazing life experiences, further our professional goals, and visit loved ones. With that, I’m off to Spain!