For those of you in the writing game, chances are you'll have to take a trip or two for your career. Traveling can be murder and conferences can be exhausting. Here are a few tips to make your trip as pleasant as possible.

What to take: I'm going to skip the obvious (clothes, etc.) and cut to the unusual. Take your sneakers for treks around the town you'll be staying in. Take a few comforts of home (pictures of the kids, the hubby, your best friend), needlepoint, a good book or two. You might never touch these things; the comfort is in knowing they are there if you want them. If you're going to a conference, you might want to skip the book because there will be plenty to choose from there. Take a traveling hot-beverage maker so you can enjoy a leisurely cup of whatever whenever you want. (Some hotels provide these.) This also save rushing around in the morning trying to get to breakfast and that first cup of coffee/tea/cocoa. On one trip, I carried along a box of graham crackers. If you keep a journal, take it along. Same goes with your latest work in progress.

The plane ride: For some people this is no big deal. I, however, am very prone to motion sickness. Dramamine or Bonine go with me. Try to book a straight-through flight, or at least one that doesn't hopscotch across the United States to get you to your destination. Sit in the area of the plane before the wings, and try to get a window seat. It will give you something to lean against if you want to snooze, and it gives you control of the window shade. If your stomach is really protesting, don't eat -- sip water. Putting on the headphones and listing to soothing music helps a lot. Find out in advance if your plane has this feature; if not, take along a portable CD/cassette player and a few of your favorite music.

The hotel: Ask for what you want. All they can do is tell you it's not available. I prefer a view of any body of water or a park. I find it very soothing. And, if you are a smoker, don't forget to specify that you want a smoking room. Extra pillows? I've found hotels are willing to give them to you. They key here is -- make yourself as comfortable as possible. I familiarize myself with the TV for later, and I read any brochures that the hotel has provided. Maybe the hotel has a pool, jacuzzi, or exercise facilities -- if you're into that, take advantage of it. One of the best investments I ever made was to buy a sleep/sound machine. This battery operated device plays background noise (rain, ocean, white noise). It blocks out distractions so you can sleep. One friend even brought along her own sheets. Another squirted lavender over her pillow.

Your trip: Enjoy it. Get as much out of each day as you can. If you're going to a conference, try to volunteer -- it's a good way to meet people. Don't be afraid to explore the city. This may be the only chance you get to be there. The hotel personnel will be glad to tell you where to go and where not to go. It's important to stick as close to your normal schedule as possible, but sometimes you just can't do it. When you get tired, don't be embarrassed to sneak off to your room for a little nap. Sometimes you get a little too keyed up from your day to sleep at night. To help -- try a bubble bath before tucking in. Avoid any novels because you'll only want to stay up to read. Avoid caffeine after lunch and, surprisingly, avoid alcoholic beverages. The alcohol makes you sleepy, but occasionally the sleep isn't long enough or deep enough. Overeating an also make you too uncomfortable to sleep.

Coming home: Try to take at least one day off from your real-life job to rest up. I also schedule an appointment with my chiropractor to make sure everything is still in place.

Remember, this is your trip -- make it what you want it to be.

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