I love to travel. I love it almost as much as I do coming home.
I love to explore new places and try new foods, but I also crave coming home to hard-boiled egg whites and Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal.
I look forward to each trip (they never seem to be more than a few months apart) but upon return I hit the ground ready to get back to my clients and my routine.
Navigating this last trip to Phoenix was particularly challenging. It was my first trip with my mother and my husband, who move at vastly different speeds. It was a trip for fun (more to come about the side trip to the Grand Canyon) and for work (check out my thoughts from the ACSM Health & Fitness Summit). The first few days were spent in a car or hiking, with no real schedule. The rest of the weeks was spent attending as many sessions as possible, then roaming downtown Phoenix in search of dinner.
I enjoyed my week off but that doesn’t mean I still didn’t seek out my creature comforts. My favorite things this month are a couple of things things that helped me stay sane on the road, on that helped me get back into my routine and a one taste I craved when I returned.
Spa Water and Breakfast at the Hyatt Regency
I love Hyatt hotels. They are our first choice no matter where we go because they just seem to try a little harder. The staff is always friendly and our every need is always taken care of. Our first night in Phoenix (after the hike and road trip from the Grand Canyon) we rolled into the Hyatt Regency Phoenix late in evening tired and probably quite dusty. I was so grateful for two containers of icy fruit and vegetable infused waters waiting in the lobby. I drank at least 3 glasses while Brian checked us in. Each morning new flavor combos greeted. I would grab a cup to drink as walked out the door to start the day . Since Brian has Diamond status, we get a complimentary breakfast when stay at a Hyatt Regency. No matter what the day brings you set yourself up for success witha good breakfast. Sometimes there is a Regency Club and sometimes there is restaurant breakfast. In this case, it was a restaurant with a glorious buffet. If I couldn’t have my oatmeal at night, I could certainly have it in the morning with eggs and fresh berries. If you’ve got a trip coming up I highly recommend you check for a Hyatt Regency or Hyatt Place first. Hyatt Place doesn’t have spa water but they have free breakfast for all!
Starbucks Bistro Protein Pack
I didn’t pack any GoPicnic meals because I assumed (silly me) that there would be some sort of store nearby that carried them. Sadly, the closest thing to our hotel was an ill stocked CVS. Next door to the CVS, however, was a Starbucks that sold Bistro Box Protein Packs. I grabbed two because I knew I would have very little time to eat lunch during the conference. The Protein Packs are really hard to find (my local Starbucks do not stock them) but when you can find them they are a lifesaver.
The Protein Pack has cheese, a hard-boiled egg, apples, grapes, peanut butter and bread and come in at just 380 calories – perfect size to fuel my next workout (or your next day of sightseeing).
GatheredTable
Before leaving for a trip, make sure you have something to eat when you get home. I’ve been taking advantage of the 3-month free trial at GatheredTable to see if the meal planning service would help make the best use of my 168 hours. The weekend before we left, I made the sweet potato and black bean burritos from my weekly plan, freezing the leftovers for our return. Hanging out at the airport on the way home, I perused my weekly menu and made my grocery list for the next day. The recipe choices can be customized (vegetarian and dairy free for me) as can how many days you want included in your plan. The recipes I have made have been amazingly simple and use easy to find ingredients. The burritos weren’t a hit, they weren’t bad either. However the pasta with broccoli, walnuts and edamame and the asparagus frittata will probably become staples in our dinner rotation.
Plum Deluxe Oregon Breakfast Black Tea
Of course I drank my share of tea on this trip. From the morning cup of English Breakfast at the hotel to the cup of Mint Majesty from Starbucks to warm me up in a freezing conference center there was no shortage of tea drinking on the road. Travel always reminds me life is too short to drink bad tea. Tea bags from brands like Tazo and Mighty Leaf will do the job, but they are not nearly as satisfying as the variety of loose leaf teas I choose to drink at home. I fell in love with the Oregon Breakfast black tea while doing my review of tea subscription boxes and it was all I wanted on my Monday morning back to work. The addition of hazelnut essence (and maybe the gratitude) to the black and honeybush teas makes this one of my new favorite brews.
I also love sleeping my own bed, my protein pancakes and getting back into my gym. I’m a great traveler, but I’m also quite content in my routine. What creature comforts do you miss when your gone? What next great adventure are you looking forward to?
