Travel Tip: Change Your Seat

So you've planned a trip. You've booked the hotel, the transportation, and you got those very important tickets to that special thing you wanted to see. You may have even already booked your plane tickets. Then you find out they aren't the seats you wanted. Now your trip is ruined. Here's a helpful tip.... Change your seats at the gate. 

Once you've gone through airport security and hit every checkpoint imaginable you'll have to sit there for several tedious hours waiting to board anyway. Why not make the most of it?

Usually everyone has checked in an hour before the flight, so this is an optimal time to change. Luckily most flights do not book up completely so there is usually some wiggle room for finding open seats. All you have to do is walk up to the desk, tell them your seat number, show them your boarding pass, and ask if there are any other open seats.

The best part is that if the only other open seats are in fact worse than your previously purchased seats you can politely tell them "that's okay" and walk away no worse for wear.

One example of this travel tip coming in handy is my recent trip to England. Unfortunately the only seats my travel companion and I could secure on such late notice were the very middle seats in the middle of the plane next to other passengers who were inevitably dreading seats next to us as well. (Not because we smelled or anything, but I'm not the most social on 10 hour flights.)

While waiting at our gate we went up to the desk and asked if there was any way we could change seats. Boy did we get lucky. There were two open seats at the back, next to the bathrooms in their own row.

The flight attendant warned us that these were not preferential seats because of their proximity to the bathroom but honestly that wasn't a con it was a pro.

We had our own row, we had extra room because of the awkward placement of the seats, we were some of the first people served because we were close to the attendants which means they were always nearby for help, AND we never had to wait for the bathroom. A quick glance over our shoulders always informed us if there was a line or an opening for the bathroom.

Wait a second...This turned into a post trying to convince you to love the back seats of the plane. That's not what I meant to convey. Instead I'm telling you not to stress about your seats on a flight. You can change them, and they will probably work out better than the original seats anyway.

Do you have any travel tips? We're all friends here. Go ahead and share.

A Nashville Room-tine's Day

Valentine's day has so many names. Valentine's Day, Singles' Awareness Day, and Gal-entines Day just to name a few. As a career single woman I usually spend the day alone or on rare occasion with good friends celebrating in style.

This year was probably one of the best Valentine's Days I've had. Lucky for me I have beautiful single friends who (shockingly) choose to spend the day with me instead of chasing off their many admirers with clubs. This year my former roommate and I took Nashville in style.

One of my life goals was to visit the wonderfully hilarious Olan Roger's soda parlor. Cleverly named...The Soda Parlor. It's a beautiful place, and this year for Valentine's Day Olan had a special "I Vow to Like You" float for anyone who knew the secret code (it was on Instagram.)

The Soda Parlor is housed in a renovated Marathon Car factory. Along with being a hipster mecca we were lucky enough to visit on the exact day they were having a one day only gathering of local Handmade Small Business owners. Simply put, it was the right place at the right time.

We had gourmet food truck tacos for lunch and really, REALLY good floats from The Soda Parlor for dessert. Keep scrolling if you want to see my picture story from the day.

After such an awesome day it was great to come home and relax BUT THEN THIS HAPPENED!

Thanks to Emily for spending the day with me so I wouldn't be in a ball of depression on my floor lamenting my fleeting youth. It was definitely much better this way.

9 Ways to See Free London

1. Natural History Museum

With free admission and enough interactive, interesting, and awe inspiring exhibits to fill up several days, this is number one on my list.

Exhibits here range from animatronic dinosaurs, hands on training on how to pack for a discovery adventure, and life-size whales hanging from the ceiling.

2. Evensong at Westminster Abbey

Free to see! Just be early enough to get a seat. This is a beautiful service complete with full boy's choir and short service. The programs from the service make perfect souvenirs. 

Check the schedule Here.

3. West End Live

Full-on Broadway experience without the ticket price. This festival spans an entire weekend from Saturday morning to Sunday evening. Every 25 minutes a new act from the famous West End comes on the Trafalgar Square stage to show their stuff. Shows range from Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, Matilda, Stomp, and much, much more.

At this event there are free bathrooms, many booths to spend time in between sets, and ice cream!

4. Local Festivals

Check out the internet before your trip. Often times there are many local festivals in the area. The Rent Festival was a rare find and a joy to see.

Here is a picture from the London Bus Appreciation Festival we quite literally stumbled upon one day while walking the streets.

5. London Guide App

Free app that will save your life! As long as you are in the London area this app can give you GPS directions without using data or internet. It will also give you step by step underground directions, as well as lists of what attractions are closest to you at any moment.

Rare find, this one.

6. Hyde Park

350 acres of some of the most beautiful grounds in London. Conveniently located just across the street from the Royal Albert Hall. This park holds the Princess Diana Memorial fountain that is perfect for people watching and splashing around on a hot day. The pond in front of Kensington Palace is a quaint romantic spot. Perfect for adults as well as adults with children. There is a wonderful children's park located near the Kensington Palace area.

7. British Museum

Another free must see. Great place to spend a day. There are plenty of shops and eateries near by as well as a nice air conditioned, HUGE museum.

8. St. Pancras Station

One of the oldest and most beautiful stations in London. This place is beautiful and functional as a busy underground station. If you are a Harry Potter fan you will find Platform 9 and three quarters here.

9. Walk the Streets

This is self explanatory. You can't say you've seen real local London until you've taken a day to just explore the streets. You never know what you will find.