I am loaded with tons of useful travel tips: how to pack for 4 weeks in a carry-on suitcase, traveling through security the fastest and easiest way, and how to save money on food.
This is not one of those tips!
I am all about planning and budgeting my trips beforehand, but once I'm on vacation, it's time to have fun.
Meet my travel mascot: Little Miss!
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| Leaning Tower of Pisa! |
I think having a little travel buddy is fun for everyone, and I'm sure kids would love it! My particular mascot is a Little Miss Late figurine I had when I was a kid from the Mr. Men / Little Miss series by Roger Hargreaves. Honestly, I have no reason why I picked her, except that she was the smallest toy I had (no space in the suitcase), and she was a great selection!
Friends and family have brought her to several places as well in the last two years. Here is a sampling of my photos with Little Miss and a few tips for picking your own travel mascot!
*Scroll down for a bonus picture of Little Miss and a couple of rock stars!*
Europe
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| Coliseum in Rome |
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| Obelisk in Paris |
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| The Louvre in Paris |
1. Pick a figurine that stands up on its own. Otherwise you'll have to hold it or drape it over items in the environment.
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| Place de la Concorde in Paris |
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| Versailles Gardens |
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| Ruins in Greece |
2. Pick something colorful! It'll stand out against brown or gray buildings easily.
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| Beach in Greece |
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| Dubrovnik, Croatia |
3. Pick something small. That way you can sneak it out easily (such as during serious music concerts in Vienna). Also, a bulky or heavy item would make it much less convenient during your travels.
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| Music Hall in Vienna |
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| Prague Castle |
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| Astronomical Clock in Prague |
4. If you plan on loaning out your travel mascot, make sure you can wash easily (not a stuffed animal) because people will invariably put it on something a little fishy...
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| At the fish market in the Philippines! |
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| Philippines |
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| Buying ice cream in the Philippines |
5. Also, make sure you have your travel buddy do the things that you do when you travel, like sleep on the plane!
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| Overlooking Bogota, Colombia |
U.S.
6. Take pictures around events near home too! They can be just as exciting.
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| At a Lakers game! |
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| Long Beach Grand Prix |
7. If necessary, bring something sturdy for the figurine to stand on if you can't find anything in the environment (my Kindle case works perfectly).
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| L.A. Farmer's Market! |
8. Pictures next to signs are a cute way to keep track of everything!
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| Sampling Food Trucks |
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| Poolside in Palm Springs |
9. Since food can often be the most memorable part of a trip, make sure to take pictures!
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| Sausages & fries at Wurstkuche |
10. Try different poses as well! Maybe she had a bit too much to drink...
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| Lots of beer at Wurstkuche |
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| Driving down Route 66 |
11. Take a good mix of outside and inside pictures.
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| Vegas, baby! |
12. The pictures you take should be ones that you would want to be in yourself. The one below was taken against the sun, and probably should have been retaken...
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| Downtown Nashville |
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| About to eat the best biscuits ever in Nashville... |
13. Play "find the mascot" if it's small. It can be a fun game as well. :)
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| At the MoMA in New York. |
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| Overlooking Central Park in NY. |
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| In the streets of New York. |
14. Lastly, always keep your travel mascot handy. You never know who she's going to meet!
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| Little Miss & The Black Keys! |
I hope this is a fun tip for you with handy guidelines for picking your own mascot.
Anyone out there do something similar?
