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60 To p : K i n e c t A ir ; illu s t r a t i o n : A d o b e S t o c k / k a v y a B C B U S I N E S S . C A A P R I L 2 0 24 CARRY ON Don't bring home unwel- come souvenirs from your next trip: tuck into this wisdom gleaned from expert govern- ment and health authorities before you take off. At hotels, put your suitcase in the bathroom and check the headboard, mattress, bedding, drapery and furnish- ings for apple-seed-like wingless bugs or their moulted shells. Trails of black or rust-coloured spots are also signs to bug out immediately. Stow luggage on a rack, away from wallpaper or drapes. Hard luggage is better than soft and light-coloured bags may be less bug-friendly than dark. When you get home, unpack in the bathroom and immediately wash and dry everything on hot settings. (Or: leave it all in sealed black plastic bags in the sun for a few days.) Vacuum your luggage and discard the vacuum bag: bedbugs can live for months with- out food. Since they're not just found in beds anymore, be on high alert when purchas- ing used clothing, bags or hats, and recon- sider bringing your own pillow (a vehicle for taking bed buddies home). Some travellers swear by bedbug rapid tests like TruDetx, and the smell of some essential oils (from cinnamon to orange or tea tree) is one reported deterrent, so spritz away. DON'T LET THE BEDBUGS BITE The big ick of travellers everywhere, bedbugs have been in the news due to recent global outbreaks. Here's what you need to know by Charlene Rooke Charlene Rooke is a Vancouver-based wine and spirits journalist and educator, and a former editor of travel publications like Air Canada's enRoute, Fairmont and a private-jet magazine J E T S E T T E R Earth Day is on April 22, and while other forms of carbon might be top of mind to envi- ronmentalists, Renee Chen of Britton Diamonds advocates for an unexpected Earth- friendly form: lab-grown dia- monds. "Lab-grown diamonds are created with new technolo- gies in a controlled environ- ment, with less disruptions to the earth" as compared to mined diamonds, Chen says. "It is chemically and physically the same as a natural mined diamond, with a much more sustainable production." Of course, the industry can be rife with ethi- cal and human rights issues as well, with diamonds fre- quently mined from developing countries with unsound labour practices. Al- though a handful of domestic mines do produce conflict- free sparklers, Chen says, "globally, we are a relatively small player." For travel, Chen doesn't pack her most valuable gems: wisdom anyone who has lost a ring or watch in a spa-robe pocket or hotel gym locker will affirm. "I like to bring versatile jewellery pieces that can be worn day and night," she says. "These should be pieces that you are not wor- ried about losing." Her favourite destination? Basel, Switzerland: "I was there for [the globe's leading jewellery and watch show] Baselworld." 60 THE UBER OF PJS First, Blade (blade.com) put heli-summoning at your fingertips. Now, KinectAir does the same for the wannabe private-jet crowd. Established in the Pacific Northwest in 2019, the company now offers a greater range of U.S. options, including empty leg (repositioning) flights at steep discounts.

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