What Riot-Grrrl Royalty Sleater-Kinney Pack When They Travel—By Airplane or Tour Bus

Corin Tucker: I love to travel, but I don’t really do it that much because we do travel so much for going on tour. There’s certain places that don’t really do rock shows as much that I’d love to spend more time in. I’d like to go to Italy and just go on vacation there.

Sometimes we’re able to check out a city on tour, and I always want to take advantage of that, especially with international stuff, places that we haven’t been before or we don’t get to frequently. I want to go out and do things and take advantage of seeing things. I love discovering something that’s super weird and cool, like the City Museum in St. Louis. It’s so bizarre and specific, and there’s nowhere else like it.

We’ve been to Paris a few times, and I always wanted to see the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower. So I’ve definitely made those trips and enjoyed it. But once you’ve seen the bucket list things, it’s like, okay, I want to go back and find a really good restaurant or just wander around or see the other museums that I haven’t seen.

Carrie Brownstein: I’ve gotten better at going on vacation. It used to be more where being at home and the notion of a staycation was always what I was more attracted to, because that was the contrast to working. But after the pandemic and that forced isolation, that enforced settling and stasis, it made me feel a little restless, so I’ve done more traveling since then. I try not to impose a strict itinerary, because, from touring, travel can get very structured and almost pedantic in terms of how you approach it. And so, the trick for me when I go on holiday is to not do too much pre-planning — just the right amount so that I have a sense of where I’d like to go, but not enforce anything.

The first time we went to Europe was the first time I had traveled to Europe in my entire life, and I crammed culture down my throat the entire time. I’d wake up and be at a museum when it opened or be at a cathedral. It was amazing. I also thought I’d never go back. But now that we’ve been back subsequent times, I’m usually looking for an interesting flea market or a weird junk shop or a coffee shop that someone recommended or a street fair. Something that’s very specific to a city, very specific to a neighborhood, and maybe something slightly off-the-beaten path. Walking and just happening upon an interesting book shop or cafe is also the best way for the process of discovery.

Rapid fire

Window, middle, or aisle seat?

Corin Tucker: Aisle.
Carrie Brownstein: Aisle on a short flight, window on a long flight.

Pack light or overpack?

CB: I overpack.
CT: I overpack as well. I’m really trying hard for this tour but…
CB: I’m not, I’m no longer trying hard. I’ve just given into the fact that I’m an overpacker. It’s hard not to, especially with seasons. We’re going from ostensibly winter to spring on this tour.

Favorite way to pass time on a plane

CT: Reading.
CB: Probably an audiobook.

Biggest travel fear

CB: Corin’s just like: Death.
CT: I’ve lived through some pretty gnarly ones. I think just, yeah, getting sick.
CB: Getting sick is mine too. Being hospitalized would be really rough.

Best tip for fighting jet lag

CB: Don’t fall asleep too early. “Avoid naps” is the easiest thing I can say.
CT: If you can get in the sunlight and walk during the day when you get there, as long as you can, that really helps.

Favorite travel snack

CB: Peanut butter. I’ll take peanut butter on anything when I travel — apple, rice cake, bread. It’s an instant protein blast that’s a very unobtrusive, uncomplicated food.
CT: There’s a Clif Bar that’s like a mini peanut butter bar. I enjoy that.

Go-to drink order on a plane

CB: I usually like sparkling water with lime.
CT: I’ll go with a Coke Zero if I’m really living it up.

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