Written by LA Judge

Not many are aware of it, but I am on the road quite a bit. Any given weekend Spring, Summer or Fall, you will find me logging in from some odd hotel room in the middle of nowhere. I actually love traveling, experiencing new places, solving new problems, and gaining new experiences. But that is my intellectual side speaking. Traveling in general plays hell on my vampirism, stresses me out energy wise and leaves me out of sorts and half drained. Energy wise, I am better off staying at home and keeping an energy balance with the known energy patterns around me.

When I travel, it is usually for work, and I need to be at my physical and energy best. Here are a few tips that I have learned over the years that will allow you to survive the energy impact and learn to enjoy the actual “traveling” as much as I do.

· Leave plenty of time. Avoid feeling “rushed”. Rushing from place to place or to meet a deadline (such as a flight) generates chaos. And unless you thrive on chaos energy, rushing is quickest way to low energy levels.

· Roll with it. Traveling brings an unbelievable number of changes. From unplanned traffic jams to lost luggage and last minute schedule changes. Stressing and fussing will only use your energy in a non-productive manner. Roll with the punches. Learn to take traffic as a way to slow down and relax. Lost luggage usually shows up within an hour or two. Grab a snack, relax, and then check again. Schedule changes can be good things and open doors to some darn cool unplanned experiences. Keeping your energy balanced and unstressed allows you to use your available energy in productive & fun ways.

· Take time to adjust to the local energy “flavors” and rule out nothing as an energy source. Leave your energy doors wide open. So you usually use Psi energy yet can’t seem to connect to the local vibe. Why not try Elemental energy. Maybe there is a soft breeze blowing or a local running water source. Or maybe you are Sang, but your donor is now hundreds of miles away. Why not try Psi energy. Perhaps there is a Latin band playing in the local cantina where you can just relax and absorb the local sounds. Adjusting to the local energies gives you an energy source and a way to replenish your energy reserves.

· Pack well. Every vampire needs a little bit of “home” to have the energy around them feel “normal”. Bring with you a few things that help you soften the different energies. They will help you create a familiar energy zone or bubble in which you can relax. A CD or MP3 play is invaluable. A small scented candle or a few sticks of incense are easy to pack and can make a whole room feel familiar. A favorite outfit or jewelry item worn when traveling helps even the most crowed airline seat feel a little more spacious energy wise.

Remember life is a journey, not a race. Traveling can be fun and exciting as long as you learn to adjust to the energy impact and use local energy resources.