Lana Condor’s ‘Stay Alive’ Bag Is Something Every Frequent Flier Needs

I was four months old when I was adopted from Vietnam. We went from Vietnam to America, and that is a very long trip to do with a four-month-old. We also did Thailand, and I think one other place, on that trip. My parents love traveling and they always wanted me to see the world. They want my worldview to be as big as possible.

I’m very good on planes now. I’ve got it down. I’m shooting a movie in Budapest. I flew to New York for 20 hours just to promote Greenworks with 3M, and then I’m flying right back to Budapest. I just got off of 14 hours of travel, and then tonight I’ll go back and do another 15 hours.

I’m a very, very organized traveler. I use packing cubes, and one has my medicine, one has skincare, one has entertainment, and one is my “stay alive” cube. It has everything I need to survive, even if I get dropped in the middle of a desert with not another human in sight. Those cubes go with me everywhere—whether in a travel bag or my purse.

The first time I was able to go back to Vietnam was huge for me. My parents had wanted to take that trip for a long time. They really wanted me to experience my homeland. But growing up, it’s not an easy flight over, and we were in school. When we finally got the opportunity to go, there was a lot of emotional expectation and weight. I was scared but excited, and nervous. The moment I got off of the plane, I had a physical experience. I felt like I could see better. I felt like my skin and my hair were like, you’re home, your body was made to be in this environment. That was probably the most eye-opening trip for me.

Rapid fire

Window or aisle seat?

Aisle. It’s the leg space, the bathroom. Because I’m really just not trying to end up in someone’s lap.

Light packer or over packer?

I’m an aspiring light packer, which means I’m an overpacker with the intention to change.

What’s your favorite way to pass time on a flight?

Well, I read, or catch up on—I’d like to say, oh, I catch up on all the award-winning films, but I catch up on reality television.

What’s your biggest travel fear?

My biggest travel fear would be losing my passport. I think that as long as I have my passport, I’ll be okay. The moment that’s gone, Lana might be gone too.

What’s your favorite travel snack?

Shrimp chips. I just recently learned this—I don’t know if it’s true—but they say that you can’t taste as much when you’re up in the air. So I love to bring shrimp chips because they’re—I mean, I feel bad for whoever’s sitting next to me—but they’re quite pungent. I love salty, crunchy food in the sky. That’s what I desire. I also bring instant noodles with me, spicy, spicy Shin ramen. And I just ask [the flight attendants] for some hot water because I want to feel warm and cozy in the sky.

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