Jessica Bergan | Finish Line Travel

Hate Packing? You’re Not Alone!

July 24, 2021 July 28, 2021
Jessica Bergan
Luggage, Packing, Travel Tips
Luggage, Packing, travel hacks, Travel Tips

Does your suitcase look like this when you pack? Oh the horror of not being able to zip your suitcase. (Usually the night before you leave or even the moment before you are supposed to leave.) Does the thought of packing make you want to skip traveling altogether? I hear you! Packing can be THE least fun part about travel. But…I’ve got it all figured out for you. Stick with me and I’ll show you how you can do it easily, do it well and you won’t be skimping on anything! I swear.

Luggage

In this installment of my packing series, let’s start with what we’re putting everything in – luggage. Yep, I’m going to say it, the word you may dread hearing, “carry on.” Unplug your ears. It’s okay. It’s the best decision you will ever make. We have easily traveled for 6 weeks in only a carry on. You only have 8 days when you travel with us, so you’ve got this! We get the 21″ size and actually still check it, so I don’t have to deal with the liquids situation. I’m very particular about the characteristics of my carry on and why it’s important – more on that later. Let’s just say, for starters, the smaller your luggage, the less you have to lug around on all modes of transportation or try to stow away in your hotel room. Don’t worry, there’s still room for souvenirs! Our favorite carry-on is the Travelpro Maxlite (in whatever the latest edition is). It’s expandable, doesn’t tip over and all the wheels spin!

Clothes

What to bring, what to bring. Ugh, decisions.

My general rule of thumb is neutrals, with a pop of color here and there so you don’t completely bore yourself. I know it looks boring, but you won’t look boring! Scarves and jewelry can always up the visual interest on your outfit and they don’t take up much space. (You can use those scarves to stay warm on the plane too. Usually I have one around my neck and use a warmer one as a blanket as those dang plane blankets aren’t exactly cozy.) Mixing & matching is key! My personal hack is that if I had to get dressed in the dark, 85% of the time, my pants, shirt and sweater would match. My go to fabric is merino wool because it keeps you very warm even if the sweater is thin, so you don’t need to compromise room for souvenirs or Belgian and Swiss chocolate because you brought too many bulky sweaters! For a more comprehensive list of what we pack when we travel, check out our packing lists for women and men. Note, these links are our personal lists for approximately 6 weeks of travel, but you get the general idea. Layering is key here as it gives your more options and combos.

Here’s a list for your 8 day tour with us:

2-3 bottoms – pants/skirts/dresses
3-5 sweaters/long shirts (I always do a button down or cardigan for nearly all of them as it makes for easier layering.)
1-2 tank tops
3 tee shirts
pajama pants
pajama tank (can use a tank from above after you’ve already worn it)
3 pairs of shoes (This includes my running shoes and an optional dressier pair like foldable flats, booties, loafers, lace up
1 coat
2 scarves

Running gear:

2 workout bottoms
2 workout tops – maybe an extra if you want a long sleeve
1 sports bra
Socks can make or break it. They don’t take up much space, so bring what you need – especially for your race! *Tech gear dries quickly, so you can wash your running gear in the sink with shampoo or suck it up and run in some stinky gear for a day to give you a break on laundry duty.

So, I hope this has been a helpful start to tackling the packing situation! There is so much more to come on this topic. I’ll get into the nitty gritty on all categories of packing in deeper detail, so stay tuned!

How to Pack Your Suitcase 101: Packing Hacks

May 25, 2021 May 25, 2021
Jessica Bergan
Luggage, Packing, Travel Tips, Trip Planning
Luggage, Packing, travel hacks, Travel Tips, trip planning

Okay, here we go – packing! I’m guessing for most of you that this is THE most hated part of the travel process. I get it. I don’t like to pack either. But…I’ve developed some guidelines, strategies and downright hacks that make it easier to make decisions, keep it efficient and allow you to have everything that you truly need. There’s a lot to cover about packing. I’ll be constantly sharing on this topic, so you can get every nugget of useful information. Consider this a broad overview kicking things off – packing can be something you conquer and master instead of dread!

Luggage

Let’s start with what we’re putting everything in – luggage. Yep, I’m going to say it, the word you may dread hearing, “carry on.” Unplug your ears. It’s okay. It’s the best decision you will every make. We have easily traveled for 6 weeks in only a carry on. We get the 21″ size and actually still check it, so I don’t have to deal with the liquids situation. I’m very particular about the characteristics of my carry on and why it’s important – more on that later. Let’s just say, for starters, the smaller your luggage, the less you have to lug around on all modes of transportation or try to stow away in your hotel room.

Backpack – I do prefer a backpack. I carry this on the plane and it holds all of my in-cabin necessities – book, compression socks, eye mask, neck pillow, computer, etc. I am partial to a backpack because it is one less thing I have to carry. It just seems easier to deal with because it’s already strapped to me.

Purse – cross body, for sure! I like it big enough for a water bottle and umbrella if necessary, but small enough that it’s not weighing me down. Guys, Dan carries a “man bag,” “man purse,” whatever you want to call it. Seriously, it is a life saver. And so many men carry these in Europe.

Clothes

What to bring, what to bring. Well, we’re there to run, so let’s start there. Your shoes! The most important thing, don’t forget those darn running shoes.

2 workout bottoms
2 workout tops – maybe an extra if you want a long sleeve
1 sports bra
Socks can make or break it. They don’t take up much space, so bring what you need – especially for your race! *Tech gear dries quickly, so you can wash your running gear in the sink with shampoo or suck it up and run in some stinky gear for a day to give you a break on laundry duty.

For the rest of the trip, my general rule of thumb is neutrals, with a pop of color here and there. Scarves and jewelry can always up the visual interest on your outfit and they don’t take up much space. (You can use those scarves to stay warm on the plane too. Usually I have one around my neck and use a warmer one as a blanket as those dang plane blankets aren’t exactly cozy.) Mix & match is key! My personal hack is that if I had to get dressed in the dark, 85% of the time, my pants, shirt and sweater would match. My go to fabric is merino wool because it keeps you very warm even if the sweater is thin, so you don’t need to compromise room for souvenirs or Belgian and Swiss chocolate because you brought too many bulky sweaters! For a more comprehensive list of what we pack when we travel, check out our packing lists for women and men.

Shoes…yikes, this is a beast of a subject that can really stump people. 3 pairs – max! That’s it.

Running shoes
Sneakers/Comfortable walking shoes – go with everything and you can last in them all day
Dressier shoe (definitely optional here) – flat, bootie, loafer, leather lace up

So, I hope this has been a helpful start to tackling the packing situation! There is so much more to come on this topic. I’ll get into the nitty gritty on all categories of packing in deeper detail, so stay tuned!

Running Community – “The Wave”

We runners are a big family. No matter how fast or slow we are, we are runners! A part of being in the running community is “The Wave.” But, is the runner wave universal? Or, does the runner greeting differ around the world?

As we run in Europe, we have come to notice some distinct trends, patterns or general etiquette of greeting your fellow runners when you’re out there getting your sweat on. First of all, wherever back home in the U.S., big city or not, we find that runners tend to acknowledge each other with a nod, a quick wave or a brief “hi.” Of course, this is a generalization, but you know what we mean. Of course, in big cities in any country there is always an element of anonymity, so you don’t always acknowledge each other. Living in the mountains of Colorado, we don’t have a lot of extra oxygen to expel when coming across a fellow runner, so we just give a quick little hand raise.

Enter our travels…we read recently that the French do not smile at strangers (running or strolling) and that they find it odd when we Americans do so. They find it almost indicative of some sort of senility – that we think we know these people at whom we are smiling. We don’t know if the French would agree with this. But, yes, the French culture is different than ours in the U.S. They are more to themselves, they’re not going to mow you down with a big bear hug. So, when in Paris we’ve gotten used to not addressing anyone which was very weird at first, but then we adapted to their ways and thought nothing of it. But, at a race, it’s a different story. The Parisian runners are full of smiles, high-fives and “Allez! Allez!” (Go! Go!)

Enter Belgium, where we forgot our manners and weren’t quick enough to respond when we got the nod. Yep, it’s the nod. It took passing a few more runners to get into the nod ourselves…those who we encountered earlier in our run probably thought we were rude, nope, just slow on the draw!

Fast forward to Switzerland…we got a mixed bag, but one super enthusiastic and terribly cute older gentleman who we came upon on a woodsy trail stands out. He was really chatting us up…in German. (We don’t speak German.) He was asking about one of our obvious injuries and trying to explain his. We commiserated with hand gestures and each then went on our way.

Even stateside, enjoying a run along the beach in SoCal, you get a “hang loose” hand gesture. Everyone’s got their thing!

And circling back to France, when in Brittany, running on a lovely path near a quaint little town complete with a cathedral (seriously, it could not have been more idyllic), we received an onslaught of “bonjours” complete with smiling faces. Who’s senile now? Well, so much for all of that business about the French. (You can read our rant on why the French aren’t rude here.) Perhaps, like in most places, it’s just a big city thing there in Paris. Enjoying all of the beauty of Paris while running is certainly “bonjour” enough. Enjoy all of the greetings (or lack thereof) along the way!

*We would like to make the disclaimer that generalizations are abundant in this post as we certainly did not cross paths with every runner of each country mentioned and hopefully no offense was taken by any smiley, wavey, chatty international runners (wink, wink).

(This post is an update of our previous post – Running Etiquette – Addressing (or not!) fellow runners)

We’re Not Going Anywhere (and we mean that in a good way)

Nope, we’re not going anywhere. Nope, we’re not happy about our suitcases collecting dust. But…we will get back to traveling and that’s what we’re here to share!

First of all, we are still here. Finish Line Travel is not going anywhere. We’re just not going anywhere in 2020. We’ve decided that since things are still questionable, we’re just going to put all of our focus into a spectacular 2021 for you. We are still passionate about travel and running. And we are just as passionate about bringing the combination of these two together for you in the form of the most unique experience. Your patience in 2020 will be rewarded with the most memorable of experiences in 2021. So, all of our 2021 tour itineraries are up on the website. Plus, we are offering a no risk option for booking your 2021 travel. There is an early bird special for each tour with a reduced down payment of only $49 and it’s fully refundable until January 1, 2021.

Give yourself something to look forward to and peruse all of the tours we have available. We have been reminiscing about our past travels and while we’d love to be traveling right now, the good memories are keeping us going while we ever so (un)patiently wait for normal operating procedures to return. Think of what fills you up (besides a glass of wine at an outdoor cafe in Paris or one of many beers in a Belgian bar). Is it running along the Seine and seeing so many bucket list sights in one run, running through some of the top breweries in Belgium with a great post race party or having the Swiss Alps as your backdrop for your race? We say “yes, please” to all of these! But check out the itineraries for the full details for your travel dreaming.

To help bring your dreams to life, we are starting a series of virtual tours, so you can hear directly from us and our European guides and partners about our various tours. These virtual tours are starting next week!

Sunday, May 31st @ noon CDT – tour of Switzerland with our local guide and hotelier & restaurateur
Sunday, June 14th @ noon CDT – tour with our Belgian chocolate guide for a taste of chocolate and the best of Belgium

Stay tuned for more virtual tours via our Facebook page or website.

Stop just dreaming about racing and traveling again and start planning.

It’s Those Little Things That Make Travel Great

We love this article (“Travel Is About Commas, Not Exclamation Marks,” by Samantha Brown) because, like most things in life, travel really is about the little things, or as Samantha Brown puts it “the commas.” When you plan your trip, you’re thinking about all the big sights you’re going to see, the great adventures you’re going to have and the delicious food that you’re going to eat. And, absolutely, you will see and do those things in your tour with us. But what travel also offers is a step beyond these things that you are expecting.

Those “commas” can be found in the conversations you have with your waitress, who comments on your French, the taxi driver who tells you how much he appreciates you visiting his country, making friends with a woman in the grocery store line in a small town where no one speaks English – those little moments that give you big insight. All of these little moments have made us feel more connected with where we are at that moment in time and give us that true spirit of what travel is all about.

So, in addition to satisfying your expectations of seeing that piece of art you’ve always wanted to see, finally visiting that city you’ve dreamed of, or seeing the Eiffel Tower twinkling at night, with us you will also get to experience the “commas.” You will be able to participate in a road race where countless countries are represented, where you may not understand what the spectators are saying to you, but you know they’re cheering you on and that there are no language barriers when it comes to a post race party! Since we like to slow things down a bit so you can enjoy just being where you are and enjoying being in the moment, you’ll experience more of this spirit of travel.

Running Etiquette – Addressing (or not!) fellow runners

June 17, 2019 June 18, 2019
Jessica Bergan
Destinations, Finish Line Travel, Running Tips
Running Tips

As we run over here in Europe, we have come to notice some distinct trends, patterns or general etiquette of greeting your fellow runners when you’re out there getting your sweat on. First of all, wherever I am back home in the U.S., big city or not, I find that runners tend to acknowledge each other with a nod, a quick wave or a brief “hi.” Of course, this is a generalization, but you know what I mean. Of course, in big cities in any country there is always an element of anonymity, so you don’t always acknowledge each other. Living in the mountains of Colorado, I don’t have a lot of extra oxygen to expel when coming across a fellow runner, so what I do is give a quick little hand raise.

Enter our travels…I read recently that the French do not smile at strangers (running or strolling) and that they find it odd when we Americans do so. They find it almost indicative of some sort of senility – that we think we know these people at whom we are smiling. I don’t know if the French would agree with this. But, yes, the French culture is different than ours in the U.S. They are more to themselves, they’re not going to mow you down with a big bear hug. So, when in Paris I’ve gotten used to not addressing anyone which was very weird at first, but then I got in the zone and thought nothing of it. Until I got to Belgium, where I forgot my manners and wasn’t quick enough to respond when I got the nod. Yep, it’s the nod. It took me a few more runners to get into the nod…their predecessors probably thought I was rude, nope, just slow on the draw!

Fast forward to Switzerland…I got a mixed bag, but one super enthusiastic and terribly cute older gentleman who I came upon on a woodsy trail stands out in my mind. He was really chatting me up…in German. When I said I spoke English he just pointed at my KT tape and at various parts of his body (which I took to be achy maybe??) and then he put his hands in a forward motion down the trail. My interpretation of this message was that while we might have some aches and pains, we carry on! (Regardless of age or country!)

And circling back to France, when in Brittany running on a lovely gravel path along the Rance river where I would soon come upon a quaint little town complete with a cathedral (seriously, it could not have been more idyllic), I received an onslaught of “bonjours” complete with smiling faces – who’s senile now? Well, so much for all of that business about the French. (You can read my rant on why the French aren’t rude here.) Perhaps, like in most places, it’s just a big city thing there in Paris. Enjoying all of the beauty of Paris while running though is certainly “bonjour” enough.

*We would like to make the disclaimer that generalizations are abundant in this post as we certainly did not cross paths with every runner of each country mentioned and hopefully no offense was taken by any smiley, wavey, chatty international runners (wink, wink).

You’re Not Alone

July 10, 2018 December 12, 2018
Jessica Bergan
Finish Line Travel, Half Marathon, Marathon
France, Normandy

I speak French. Not nearly as well as I would like, however. Duolingo tells me that I’m 48% fluent. My conversations with Parisians tell me otherwise. (My tutor is helping me with this!)

It’s a foggy morning, a Normandy foggy morning. You need a knife and fork to cut the air (un couteau et une forchette). Dan and I walk to the Caen Parc des Expositions where I catch the bus to Pegasus Bridge, the start of Les Courants de la Liberte half marathon (it also happens to be the first bridge liberated by the Allies in Normandy.) It also happens to be just a few days after D-Day. It’s always fun to see and feel the excitement of race day. Even in another country, it’s the same. Some are dressed in goofy outfits, some are stretching, some look really serious, some are cool and joking around. I say goodbye to Dan and get on the bus. I’m surrounded by people, but can’t follow any conversation. So, I kinda feel alone, on a bus, in France to go run 13.1 miles in a foggy abyss. I’m refusing to text Dan as my battery is running down and I need it for my running tunes! Thanks to those of you who chimed in on Facebook and gave me suggestions for good running songs.

Here We Go…

We arrive at the start about an hour before the race. Great, I’ve got loads of time. There’s a lot of chatter, again, too fast for me to understand anything. But, there are loads of lines at the porta potties. There’s a universal language! One woman walks out of the porta potty and is mortified as she only then sees the line and realizes that she just budged in front of all of us. I wonder what the word for “budge” is en francais? She gets a lot of chuckles. It’s all good lady.

10 minutes to the start and as I’m in line, the announcer is trying to jack everybody up with clapping and high fives. I can barely see much of Pegasus Bridge. Did I mention the fog?? The gun goes off and away we go. It’s a bit of an incline at the start, so I can see everyone in front of me. Yeah, I’m slow, so there’s plenty of people in front of me. I’m taking it all in. Spectators cheering us on. Check. Little kids with posters with messages to Daddy, “Papa, tu es très vite!” This I understand! (In English, “Daddy, you are very fast!) Check. Quintessential stone buildings that tell you, “Hey, you’re running a half marathon in France.” Check. Feeling like you are part of something really cool. Definitely, Check. At that moment, there’s a shift and I have this moment of clarity…runner’s high already?! My thought, “we’re all the same.” (Relatively speaking, of course.) We’ve all trained for this day on some level, no matter how easy or hard this may be for any of us. Spectators flock to support those cruising through their little village. Yep, we have this at home. Oh, look, cute kids wanting high fives, yep, done this before. Love it! I ran all over the course to make sure I slapped every hand of every little kid and that one adult looking for a high five.

Bravo!

People are splitting off into twosomes, lots of singles. Some are walking already. Some listening to music, some chatting, giggling. I’m running this alone, but with each step, I don’t feel that way at all. This race prints the name of your country on your bib if you aren’t from France. I’m the only one from the USA as far as I can tell. Still don’t feel alone though. We run through more villages with more spectators, more kids, more inspiring posters… there are even bands at a few villages. Amid the constant sprinkling of spectators whether it be in villages or on a dirt path in what seemed like the middle of nowhere, I experienced my favorite memory…picture this, a driveway that appears out of the woods, hosting a cute little old Frenchman with his wool cardigan and cap, calmly yet continuously clapping his hands and saying, “Bravo! Bravo!” I’ve never received an authentic, “Bravo!” before…you know, doing something actually “Bravo!” worthy while I was in France. Definitely did not feel alone. And then I see an older gentleman go out of his way to make a fellow runner not feel alone. He takes a quick zig to the right, pats a guy on the back who is walking and just zags back to his spot. Heart melts.

Almost There

And now I’m 10 miles in and I think, “oh, I got this”, now it gets fun because I’m feeling good. The long downhill stretch didn’t hurt either. We’re back in town, leaving the poppy fields and cute Frenchman behind. Hello, cobblestone. You are super fun to run on. Ha! But the energy is awesome. In Europe, they often print your name on your bib, so people are yelling your name. Your name! “Allez, Jessica!” So cool. I slap some more 5-year-old hands. I make eye contact with a few people as I have a huge grin on my face and I see the same spread across their face. I come around the corner and it’s almost over…”What? No! This has been so fun!” I’m trying to look at all of the spectators lining the very packed last third mile of the race. Everyone is so into it…and so am I.

We Are One

The thought never left me that how ironic it is to do something that is just you, it’s all you. This isn’t a team sport, running (at least not always). Yet, here we are, people from the US, France, Poland, the UK. We are all here for the same thing, our love of putting one foot in front of the other. The love of where those feet will lead us. The love of how they got us here in the first place. And all the fun along the way. We might be from different places, with different political views, different colors, but we are all there to do the same thing. Despite my need to work on my French, I never felt alone. If you don’t want to feel alone, try a race in another country.

Travel Insurance – yes, it is important!

Ugh, insurance. After budgeting for your trip, who wants to shell out more cash for insurance?? We get it. But, keep in mind, a trip is an investment and if things turn upside down, whether it’s something that happens at home before your trip, or something that happens during your trip, you really want to make it easier on yourself by having travel insurance to cover you.

Travel insurance covers situations from an illness preventing you from taking the trip to lost luggage, flight delays/cancellations, or even the extreme of medical evacuation. Most travel insurance companies offer various packages with different coverage options priced accordingly.

Note that some coverage options require you to purchase travel insurance within 21 days of your first deposit towards the trip, i.e. the purchase of your flight, hotel reservations, etc. This can be tricky as part of purchasing travel insurance is knowing what your trip is worth so you can insure it properly. If your travel insurance needs don’t require you to book within 21 days, then wait and see what your final costs are. Otherwise, figure out your general budget for big ticket items like flight, hotels and transportation, so you can purchase your insurance lickety split.

We have found that Yonder has always suited our needs – it compares many insurance providers and helps you find the best insurance for you. Check it out and make purchasing travel insurance one of the first things you do on your trip “to do” list.

Once you get that checked off your list, you can breathe easier that you have yourself and the investment you’ve made in your trip covered. Travel happy!

Why you really only need a carry-on

Yes, everyone is always talking about how you need to pare down and just use a carry-on sized piece of luggage for your next trip, whether it’s 3 days or 6 weeks. We’ve done it for 4 weeks and we’re about to do it for 6. Here’s the why and how. And not only why you need to use a carry-on, but why you want to use one.

Carry-On Rules

First things first, when we say carry-on, we don’t mean a backpack. We mean an actual suitcase with these dimensions – up to 22” by 14” by 9,” for a total of 45” linear inches – that we will inevitably check anyway. Keep in mind that European carry-on dimensions are smaller, so be prepared to check your carry-on if flying within the EU.

Our Favorite Carry-On

We love the TravelPro MaxLite 4. We love it because it is lightweight, durable and has good balance when fully loaded. We like having the 4 wheel spinner version because in tight quarters you can easily push it in front of you or roll it next to you, so you don’t wear our your back dragging it behind you.

Here’s a good article with user reviews of a handful of carry-on rollers.

Why a Carry-On?

We use a carry-on because there are trains, planes and automobiles involved in travel. You do not want to be hauling a lot when trying to hail a taxi or make your way through a train station and onto a train. Train stations don’t always have escalators – and the ones that do always seem to be out of service. We’re talking stairs people. You don’t want to be panicking to get the very few spots in the train car reserved for large luggage. And, if you have smaller luggage, then you can easily lift it up into the overhead bin. Now, with Finish Line Travel, we will be taking private cars to most locations, so train travel won’t be an issue, but if you intend to start your trip early before hooking up with us or plan to extend it, you may still run into these issues.

Some hotels don’t have elevators…even the really nice ones where you’ll be staying with us. Europe is old and the stairs in many hotels are steep and narrow. And while we’re talking about hotels, again Europe is different than the U.S. Their hotel rooms are often smaller and there’s no need to break an ankle because you had to perform a Ninja Warrior move just to get around your suitcase because it was taking up valuable real estate on the floor.

Packing in a carry-on for any period of time may sound daunting. It is not. It is liberating. In the next few weeks, we will be showing you how to pack for an extended period of time while not being bored of your clothes or having to wash them every night down by the river.

So, trusting that you’ll jump on board with our packing lists, consider all these reasons to go with the carry-on!

Oh, while you’re checking out luggage options, no we didn’t forget about souvenirs! Parisian scarves…check, Belgian chocolate…check, Berliner beer stein…check. We use this Eagle Creek tote to bring back our souvenirs. It doesn’t take up much space in your carry-on as it folds into a little square until you need to fill it up!

Don’t let your credit card get declined!

After getting your passport, the next step in your trip preparation process is to notify your credit card companies (including your ATM bank) of your travel plans. Some of them no longer need to be notified as the chip offers added security features. However, it’s good to give them a call, so you know what’s what and then you won’t need to call in the future!

All you need to provide them with is your dates of travel and the countries you will be visiting. Also notify them if you will be making any purchases to foreign businesses before you leave the US during your trip planning, i.e. making hotel or train reservations.

When contacting your bank regarding your ATM card, review your daily withdrawal amount and increase it if you’d prefer to make larger withdrawals as each withdrawal has a fee.

Author: Jessica Bergan