<p>So far I'm going to be traveling to 5 different cities and was wondering for those who have already done this, what is your advice? I'm staying for 2 days in each city in order to recover from jet lag but is there anything else I should know?</p>
<p>Wear your violin with backpack straps in a shaped case to avoid hassles by uninformed gate agents, insist that you carry on the violin (never check it!), loosen the strings very slightly to accommodate pressure changes.</p>
<p>Oh, and have a great time and rock the auditions!</p>
<p>Loosen the strings, but not so much that your soundpost falls. If you have a second bow, be sure to bring it. (Or even consider borrowing a second bow for the trip.) I think it was stradmom whose daughter’s bow exploded before the audition!</p>
<p>When booking flights to the northeast, book tickets that can be easily changed (southwest has this option). In the event of predicted inclement weather, you can change your flights to leave earlier before the weather hits. </p>
<p>This happened to my D and I last Feb. when the blizzard hit Detroit. We ended up leaving home a day early, spent the extra time in Ann Arbor, and even got in an extra lesson with the prof. because so many others had canceled.</p>
<p>My D also took some very mindless DVDs (grey’s anatomy, glee) on all the trips. Things to watch at night in the hotel when you are too keyed up to sleep.</p>
<p>And drink lots and lots of water to keep you hydrated on planes!</p>
<p>Oh, one more thing…try to relax and have a great time.</p>
<p>If possible, find a hotel within walking distance of your audition site in case of bad weather after you arrive. This is less important in cities that have subway systems that would not be stopped by snow.</p>
<p>Coast to coast travel is challenging. Book direct flights if possible, both to minimize fatigue and the chance of being stranded in your connecting city. Try to fly as early in the day as possible. If you miss a connection, you will have a better chance of being rebooked the same day. Try to book connecting flights through cities that don’t tend to be as disrupted by weather. Many airlines will let you cancel and rebook at no cost when a major storm is predicted, so stay on top of weather forecasts.</p>
<p>Eat healthy - don’t eat all your meals in restaurants, but try to find a grocery or deli so that you can eat simpler foods. Save the big restaurant dinner for after your audition. </p>
<p>Check hotel reviews. It is nice to save money, but if reviews consistently say a hotel is loud, unclean, has uncomfortable beds, etc., you are not going to feel your best for your audition.</p>
<p>And do something fun while you’re there. See a tourist attraction, take a walk in a park, make the visit about something besides the audition.</p>
<p>Keep drinking water on those flights and use hand sanitizer religiously! Some believe in taking Airborne while traveling is a waste of money, but since it can’t hurt, and you can find it as a store brand in Wal-Mart,etc, what do you have to lose?!</p>