Apologies for my post-Halloween radio silence: I spent a few more days of quality time with my family, and then Bobby, Miku and I hit the road for a long drive home! We don’t always road trip to and from Florida, but it does make it easy to pick up and go — and it’s a good excuse for a mini adventure! I truly prefer bringing Miku in the car vs. the plane, as she loves car rides and it’s much less stressful for her than being stuck in a carrier by my feet. Plus, we just got a new, small SUV, which gives us a lot more room to spread out. In short, we do love a road trip.I’ve already told you all about Miku’s road trip essentials, but this time I’ve teamed up with eos to tell you about mine. Of course, if we were to go through my actual suitcase, we’d be here all day…so here’s what I keep in my “carry on” that’s right by my side.

 

Being stuck inside a small space with air conditioning makes my skin feel dry and chapped. Since a road trip doesn’t confine me to travel sizes, I brought my full size eos berry blossom body lotion for my arms, hands, and feet. I use it often enough to merit a whole bottle — I used it as much as the sweet mint lip balm (read: very often)! A brush and extra elastics are essential (plus a few bobby pins already in place, to keep my bangs off my forehead), and I don’t skimp on skincare or dental hygiene. I might not go through my whole skincare routine, but I’ll wash and moisturize and brush my teeth at rest stops. I also keep a hydrating mist with me. I cannot stand the feeling of dry skin.

Roxy Mae graciously let me borrow her cat neck rest (my niece is an angel), and of course a sleep mask is much more comfortable than trying to sleep with sunglasses on. I think Bobby gets tired of my backseat driving, or maybe he wants to listen to his own podcasts, because he often says “Why don’t you lean your seat back and take a nap?” Twist my arm, why don’t you? I also have a mix of salty and sweet snacks, my phone with lots of podcasts and a playlist ready to go, a cable for charging, and a reusable bottle for constant hydration. We make a lot of stops, so it’s fine:)

As for what I wear: a lightweight pair of sunglasses (because some of my everyday frames are a little too heavy for a long ride), a long cardigan that can double as a blanket (layered over stretchy pants and a loose top), socks, and a pair of sneakers.

I spent most of the ride without my shoes, and I lathered on that eos lotion under a pair of socks. That’s what my mom always told me to do, to keep my skin soft! She also used to sleep in gloves over her lotioned hands…I don’t know if I can commit to that.

The best part of road trips are all of the pit stops, of course! Whether it’s stopping at a flea market or indulging in my guilty pleasure of half coke/half cherry slushies, I always look forward to a chance to stretch my (and Miku’s) legs. I also love the quirky places, like this little spot that sells citrus fruits and tacky Florida souvenirs. These old signs are the best part. They clearly got the memo that I have a thing for pastels, don’t you think?