A Texas man is suing Whataburger after he requested no onions with his meal but got them anyway, according to a court filing. The lawsuit was filed last month by Demery Wilson in Texas' 269th Judicial District Court of Harris County. The documents claim that Wilson visited a Whataburger location on July 24, 2024, and ordered a "fast-food meal" without onions, according to a copy of the filings seen by Fox News. However, Wilson claims that the order did contain onions — which apparently then triggered an "allergic reaction" for which "he had to seek the care of medical professionals." Whataburger denied Wilson's allegations in a separate court document filed on May 16, demanding "strict proof" of his assertions. A representative for the San Antonio, Texas-based fast-food chain told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that the company does not comment on pending litigation. Fox News Digital reached out to Wilson's attorney seeking comment. Although the court filing doesn't specify what Wilson claims to have ordered from the fast-food chain, the classic Whataburger features a beef patty with mustard, tomato, lettuce, pickles and diced onions on a bun, according to its website. The Whataburger website also has a page that lists possible allergens, including wheat, soy, gluten, eggs and milk – but not onions. "There was a manufacturing defect in the food at the time it left [Whataburger's] possession," according to the lawsuit. "The food was defective because it was unsafe to eat." He's seeking monetary relief of over $250,000 but less than $1 million. The lawsuit claims that Whataburger is "strictly liable for manufacturing defective and unreasonably dangerous food" that it served to the public. Wilson is seeking monetary relief of over $250,000 but less than $1 million, according to the suit. In its response, Whataburger "denies it knew or should have known that any product purchased by [Wilson] at the restaurant in question was in a defective or unreasonably dangerous condition at the time [the items] were allegedly purchased." This isn't the first time Wilson has sued a fast-food restaurant chain because of a problem he said he had with his meal. A lawsuit filed against Sonic on Wilson's behalf in 2024 alleges that onions were included in his burger, making him sick, as Fox 26 in Houston reported.

A woman has made a name for herself on social media after she used a whole rotisserie chicken as her carry-on luggage to eat as a mid-flight snack. Chloe Gray caught the attention of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screeners when she casually carried a cooked bird through airport security and onto her flight from Newark, New Jersey, to California earlier this month. The social media influencer said carrying the meal as a "designer bag" was simply a clever way for her to stay nourished during her trip. "Mine just happened to be a bag of rotisserie chicken," Gray told What's the Jam. Gray shared her experience of traveling with the edible carry-on item in a series of TikTok videos that have been viewed some 500,000 times since May 2. "I just got pulled aside by TSA for having something crazy in my bag," Gray told her followers in one of the videos. "But I told [the security screener], ‘This is how you give yourself a first-class experience without paying for first class.’" Gray, who lives in New York City, said she hates buying airport food and usually tries to pack a salad when she's flying. For this trip, she didn't have time — so instead she decided to grab an entire rotisserie chicken from Whole Foods. "I did not feel any differently about bringing a rotisserie on my flight compared to any other meal or snack because it's just literally the same thing – a meal," she told What's the Jam. "It just so happened to be incredibly convenient that I could slip into Whole Foods and quickly grab one off the shelf on my way to the airport." But it didn't take long for her poultry-packed carry-on item to ruffle feathers with the TSA. "The only thing that scared me about going through security with my rotisserie is that they were going to throw it away, which would have been devastating because I would have been incredibly hungry and tight on time," Gray told What's the Jam. "I don't think I would have been able to grab another healthy and satisfying meal." Gray said the TSA agent who questioned her about it "was very polite and understanding." "She even gently handed it back to me and affectionately said, 'Here you go, baby.'" In another video, Gray is seen casually eating a bite of the chicken with a plastic fork while seated on the plane. After sharing her journey on TikTok, Gray received plenty of responses online. "Someone sitting next to me on a plane pulling out a rotisserie chicken would be my last straw." "Someone sitting next to me on a plane pulling out a rotisserie chicken would be my last straw," one commenter wrote. Another person wrote, "As a passenger I would NEVER!!!" "Nooo, the strong smell on the flight is diabolical," yet another commenter said. But Gray didn't seem to be bothered. "Obviously, the internet is a crazy place and everyone seems to have an opinion, even if it's about something so classic and simple like a rotisserie chicken," she said.

A Virginia archaeologist who is allergic to mint said her reaction is so severe that she's been hospitalized because of a stranger's "toothpaste breath" from three feet away. Kyleigh Digiovanni, 25, of York, Virginia, has found it painful to brush her teeth ever since she was a child, but her family initially thought she was just being "fussy," she shared with news agency SWNS. (See the video at the top of this article.) When Digiovanni started to tell family members that her toothpaste "burned" — and when she got red rashes on the inside of her mouth at age 10 — she went to see a doctor. Testing revealed Digiovanni's mint allergy. She also has reactions to lavender, rosemary and thyme. Digiovanni said she spent two years unable to brush her teeth while her family searched for a non-menthol toothpaste. These days, she's brushing her teeth with a blue raspberry-flavored fluoride-based toothpaste for children. Over time, it seems that her allergy worsened — to the point that she can't be anywhere near people chewing gum or using mint cough drops. She said she's been hospitalized 12 times in the last year, including an episode in November when a co-worker who used mint toothpaste accidentally breathed on her. Digiovanni said she carries an oral medication to stop her from going into anaphylactic shock. "They can treat me quickly," she said, referring to hospital healthcare professionals. "I was in for a couple of hours. They pump me with antihistamine and adrenaline." "There are reasons I walk everywhere. If I go on the train, I wear a mask." That makes public transportation "like playing Russian roulette with five bullets in a chamber," she told SWNS. "There are reasons I walk everywhere," Digiovanni said. "If I go on the train, I wear a mask." What to know about mint allergies Dr. Neeta Ogden, an allergist and immunologist in Edison, New Jersey, told Fox News Digital that while these kinds of allergies are rare, they do exist. "Allergy is strange like that," said Ogden, who is not involved in Digiovanni's care. "You can definitely find stories where you're like, 'Huh, I never heard of that.' And it's hard to believe, but there are cases of it happening." Allergic reactions to mint can range from "mild to severe and life-threatening," according to Healthline. "It's hard to believe, but there are cases of it happening." The more common symptoms may include mouth tingling or itching; swollen lips and tongue; swollen, itchy throat; nausea, vomiting and diarrhea; and abdominal pain. Some people may also experience skin irritation as a result of contact dermatitis, which may cause redness, itching, swelling, tenderness, blisters and/or hives, the above source stated. Digiovanni said she's never met anyone with her particular allergy, but she's found an online support group with 20 others who struggle with similar allergic reactions. "I think that we're fortunate to live in a time [when] there are these online support groups," Ogden said. "Before then, it was such an isolated thing, where somebody thought they were the rare one or two people in the country [who] might have a rare condition, and in this way, they can share solutions." Digiovanni said she can manage her allergy, but never knows when she might go into shock.

While much of the discussion around the Cannes film festival red carpet has been centered on celebrities and their entitlement to long trains and naked dresses, Swedish actor Alexander Skarsgård bravely poses a different question: What if in 2005’s “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” Brad Pitt wore sky-high leather boots instead of Angelina Jolie? On Sunday, Skarsgård, who was attending a premiere of Wes Anderson’s latest film “The Phoenician Scheme,” arrived onto La Croisette in a jaw-dropping pair of thigh-high boots. Styled by Harry Lambert, the square-toe creations were straight off Saint Laurent’s Fall-Winter 2025 runway and engulfed the actor’s entire leg, only finishing where one might imagine his boxer shorts to begin. It was half-dominatrix, half-fishing wader, and wholly surprising. Tall leather boots have long been considered a sartorial shorthand for female sex appeal. Jolie, in her turn as the archetypal seductive assassin Jane Smith, famously wears a pair with fishnets, suspenders and a strapless PVC minidress under her satin-lined trench coat as she impersonates an escort to complete a mission. Julia Roberts’s performance as the sex worker Vivian in “Pretty Woman” (1990) wore a pair, as did Jane Fonda in her racy rendition of “Barbarella” in the ‘60s. Andy Sachs, played by Anne Hathaway, only reaches aesthetic apotheosis in “The Devil Wears Prada” (2006) after she slips on a pair of knee-high, hosiery-style leather boots. “Are you wearing…?” stutters Miranda Priestly’s vengeful and hierarchical first assistant, played by Emily Blunt, before being interrupted by Hathaway: “The Chanel boots? Yeah, I am” — a retort that has become one of the most satisfying moments of cinematic history. The history of the boot, however, is far more unisex. Thigh-highs date as far back as the 15th century, where they were typically worn by men — as demonstrated by the medieval skeleton found embedded in London’s River Thames in 2018. A potential sailor, fisherman or mudlark, the height of the boots suggested the man was working in the water when he died. They became more fashionable than functional during the Restoration period in England, where they were worn by King Charles I and his calvarymen or Cavaliers. Often complete with a heel that signified status, the riding-style leather boots could be extended fully, reaching the upper thighs, or folded down into cuffs. The boot wasn’t perceived as sexy, feminine footwear until the 1960s. In 1962, fashion designer Cristóbal Balenciaga unveiled a knee-high boot on the Fall-Winter runway. The next year, shoe designer Roger Vivier saw Balenciaga’s bet and raised him a few inches, designing a thigh-thigh silhouette for Yves Saint Laurent’s 1963 collection in alligator leather. “Ankle-deep, knee-high and even up to the thigh,” reported Vogue at the time. “This year’s best-looking legs will be marching up and down and back again in boots.” The rise of the thigh-high was just one of the many sartorial changes that came with the post-war “Youthquake.” Hemlines were growing shorter and attitudes to sex were changing. In the brave new world of Mary Quant’s miniskirt, a tall boot acted as the perfect picture frame for the exciting, never-before-seen terrain of a bare leg. In womenswear today, a flash of thigh is as ubiquitous as a crew neck T-shirt, but the male leg is far less familiar. Yet, the sentiment has already been embraced by actor Pedro Pascal, who donned the same Saint Laurent boots as Skarsgård in March, and labels Rick Owens, Martine Rose, Givenchy, Maison Margiela and GmbH have all designed their own pair. As we welcome daring gentleman dressers who are open to slipping on a pair of ballet flats and Mary Janes, the over-the-knee boot is nothing more than a logical next step.

A sculpture of the late American singer and poet Jim Morrison that went missing from his gravesite in Paris almost four decades ago has been found, according to French police. “After 37 years of absence, the bust of Jim Morrison, stolen in 1988 from the Père Lachaise cemetery, has been found,” wrote the Paris Regional Judicial Police Directorate in an Instagram post on Friday. It added that “this iconic symbol for the singer’s fans was recovered” during an investigation conducted by the Financial and Anti-Corruption Brigade, under the authority of the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office. “This was a chance discovery made during a search ordered by an examining magistrate at the Paris court,” the prosecutor’s office told CNN in a statement Tuesday. Jeff Jampol, manager of the Jim Morrison Estate, told CNN in a statement Tuesday that they were “happy to hear” of the statue’s rediscovery, adding: “Obviously it’s a piece of history, and one Jim’s family wanted there on his grave, so it’s gratifying to see that it’s been recovered.” “Now we’ll have to see what kind of shape the bust is in,” he continued. Morrison, the charismatic frontman of 1960s psychedelic rock band The Doors, died in 1971, aged just 27. His grave in the French capital attracts many music fans. Resting in the Père Lachaise cemetery, it is one of the most popular graves in Paris, according to the city’s official tourism website, with crowds gathering there on the anniversary of his death on July 3 every year. The bust, created by Croatian sculptor Mladen Mikulin, was installed on his tombstone on the 10th anniversary of his death, according to the official city of Paris website. However, it disappeared in 1988. The grave’s headstone, which was damaged in the 1980s, was replaced by his parents in 1990 with the epitaph “True to His Spirit” written on it in Greek. On the 20th anniversary of Morrison’s death in 1991, police had to disperse fans from the cemetery with tear gas due to unruly behaviour. By the 30th anniversary, alcohol and music had been banned, but thousands still turned up to his plot to lay wreaths and take photos. “Every day, somewhere in the world, a Doors song is played,” said former Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek at the time. “The energy of Jim Morrison is still with us, in the ether.” Morrison, who was also known as “The Lizard King,” developed a reputation for his heavy alcohol drinking and shocking onstage antics. Morrison left the band in 1971 to focus on writing poetry and he moved to Paris with his girlfriend, Pamela Courson. However, he died in their Paris apartment later that year. Courson told authorities that she had found the singer dead in the bathtub. His cause of death is officially recorded as being heart failure but no autopsy was conducted, prompting conspiracy theories.

Travelers across the country are feeling anxious and uncertain during a time of upheaval at U.S. airports, and the upcoming Memorial Day weekend — the traditional start of the summer travel season — is shaping up to be especially fraught. AAA forecasts a record 45.1 million people in the United States will travel at least 50 miles from home during the five days starting Thursday. IHG Hotels & Resorts reports seeing double-digit-percentage increases in holiday weekend travel bookings in areas like the California wine country and Palm Beach, Fla. According to the Airlines Reporting Corporation, which tracks data that covers about two-thirds of global sales, domestic travel is up 4 percent this year, and fewer Americans are planning trips abroad this summer — which could make U.S. destinations particularly crowded. Disruptions related to air traffic control at Newark Liberty International Airport in recent weeks, which could reverberate across the U.S. air travel industry, and recent air crashes have exacerbated the nervousness. With increased demand on the beleaguered aviation industry, here’s what to know about traveling this holiday weekend. The Real ID transition has been smooth, so far The impact of the May 7 Real ID deadline has not prevented most passengers from flying, but could still lead to delays at security checkpoints. The T.S.A. said this month that it planned to conduct additional screening for travelers without the federally compliant state-issued identification “until it is no longer considered a security vulnerability.” Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT Rebecca Alesia, a travel adviser with SmartFlyer in New York City, said that while many airports are separating those without Real ID cards for extra screening, it is still most efficient to carry a passport if you don’t have a Real ID. Mr. Vlitas said he applied for a passport card — an acceptable Real ID substitute that has no pages and can be used at land and sea crossings with Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and some Caribbean countries — so as to not have to carry his passport. Travelers who anticipate having any issues with identification would be wise to budget for extra time in line. Be nimble when it comes to Newark Airport Federal regulators are responding to the combination of problems at Newark Liberty International Airport, one of the busiest airports in the country, by limiting the number of flights that can take off and land there. That means that passengers on United Airlines, which uses Newark as a hub, could face long delays across the network if their planes are routed through Newark. United is offering waivers to rebook Newark flights to Philadelphia International or LaGuardia Airport through May 23. Ms. Alesia recommended booking direct flights with potential transfers to cars or trains instead of layovers. Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT And while changing plans to fly out of a different airport may be enticing, Ms. Alesia cautioned travelers that problems can arise anywhere. “The best thing to do is just keep calm,” she said. “Remember that part of travel is going outside your comfort zone.” Ms. Alesia said that amid widespread cancellations at Newark, she recommends booking early-morning flights, so that even if your flight is delayed, it has a chance of taking off. A tried-and-true strategy: Get to the airport early Social media has been abuzz with what is known as “airport theory,” which suggests that since travelers need to be at their gate only 15 minutes before takeoff, they don’t need to show up at security until their flights begin boarding. Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT But Michael DiCostanzo, a content creator who believes he helped start this trend, said that his videos about zipping through security had been misunderstood — he was only trying to prove that security often takes less time than people think. He timed the journey through screening at four major airports and found that it often took only about 15 minutes. “I think a lot of people became attached to this 15-minute number,” he said, adding that he likes to arrive at the airport two and a half hours before his flights. “I never take any chances.” So while delays and cancellations are out of a passenger’s control, getting to the airport early is a good way to ensure you’re prepared for potential delays. The rule of thumb is to arrive two hours before departure for domestic flights, and three hours for an international flight. Peter Vlitas, a vice president for the Internova Travel Group, one of the largest travel services companies in the world, said he takes no chances, telling his travelers to arrive three hours before even a domestic journey during the holiday weekend. “Planes are full,” Mr. Vlitas said. “If you miss your flight, there’s no guarantee you’ll get on the next one.” Mr. Vlitas advised travelers to check in online before arriving at the airport. Additional prescreening services such as the Transportation Security Administration’s PreCheck program and Clear can help passengers move through security more quickly, he said, but cost extra. Staffing shortages may affect some tourist hot spots Over 330 million people visit the nation’s 63 national parks and hundreds of historic sites and other attractions managed by the National Park Service, places where staffing shortages resulting from budget cuts could affect plans. Already this year, some of the most popular parks have reported long traffic lines. As part of the Trump administration’s effort to reduce the federal work force, the Department of the Interior, which runs the park service, in February fired more than 1,000 National Park Service employees — and then more than 700 additional staff members submitted their resignations. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum then said the park service would hire thousands of workers in temporary, summer positions. Conservationists, outdoor enthusiasts and park rangers warned at the time that hundreds of sites run by the park service could be left understaffed during the busy summer season. Visitors planning trips can plan ahead by looking up the site on the park service’s online guide, where they might be able to book passes. The National Park Service didn’t respond to a request for comment. Mind the new rules about batteries in checked luggage The T.S.A. announced recently that lithium batteries, included those found in phone chargers, power banks and portable chargers, can fly only in carry-on luggage. Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT The new rule comes after many airlines in Asia tightened rules concerning the batteries following a fire that destroyed an Air Busan plane as it waited on the tarmac in South Korea in January. Under the new T.S.A. guidelines, if a passenger’s bag is gate checked, meaning that a carry-on is put in the cargo hold because of space limitations, that passenger must remove all lithium batteries from the bag and bring them into the plane’s cabin.

Americans are gearing up to celebrate the summer holidays — with some celebrating with more than just a barbecue. Now, Airbnb is looking to crack down on those who may be thinking of throwing "disruptive" parties this summer. The booking site announced it will be rolling out "anti-party technology" during Memorial Day and Fourth of July weekends, according to a company press release. "Our anti-party technology is designed to help identify and prevent certain attempts to book one-to-two-night stays in entire home listings that could be higher risk for a disruptive party," said the release. Airbnb lists different examples of actions that it says would make for a disruptive party with open-invite gatherings. The California-based company listed a number of "disturbances" that could arise in the surrounding communities. These can include excessive noise, visitors, trash, smoking and parking nuisances, trespassing and vandalism — as well as advertising listings using "party-friendly" or "event-friendly" terminology. The technology, introduced in 2020, blocked or redirected 51,000 people from booking entire home listings over the 2024 holiday weekends due to these offenses. A massive 45.1 million Americans are set to travel at least 50 miles from their home during the long weekend, AAA announced. Of the millions of Americans traveling, AAA predicts 3.61 million will be flying, 39.4 million will drive, and just over two million will be taking other forms of transportation. Texas, Florida, and California were noted as the states with the most flagged guests suspected of disrupting parties last year. Airbnb told Fox News Digital on Tuesday, "These measures announced this week are specifically for Memorial Day and July 4 weekends. If guests believe they were unfairly affected by these measures, we encourage them to reach out to our Community Support team directly."

A flight passenger called out a fellow flyer for his "nasty cologne," sparking a debate about smells in "cramped spaces." In the forum "r/delta" on Reddit, the post was titled, "Dudes and their nasty cologne," as the user shared that he or she was on a flight from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to Atlanta, Georgia. "GUYS … You do not need to wear buckets of cologne before boarding a plane. The preferred amount would be zero. People are allergic," wrote the user. The person continued, "Honestly, it's wholly inconsiderate to wear anything super strong in cramped spaces." Reddit users took to the comments section to share their thoughts about various smells on planes. "Perfume and cologne are NOT meant to be announced, they are to be discovered," wrote one user. Another user commented, "I have to bring my inhaler with me for every flight because of this." Yet another Redditor said, "It doesn’t help that a lot of airports have cologne shops where people go in and spray a ton of samples on themselves before their flight." One user wrote, "In my experience, it’s mostly middle-aged women with their sickly sweet perfume that I notice. But I agree with the sentiment." Said another person, "I've given up a FC [first class] seat and moved to coach because a woman's perfume gave me an asthma attack." A user advised, "I always travel with peppermint oil to put in/around my nose to combat the noxious cologne/perfume /body spray /BO." Another user joked, "I think everyone needs to walk through a smell detector before they board a plane. If it’s too much they have to go home and take a shower." Gary Leff, a Texas-based travel industry expert and author of the blog "View From the Wing," told Fox News Digital that passengers should be mindful of others. "Passengers have a zone of personal space on the plane that roughly corresponds to the area of their seat," said Leff. "Within that space, there are all [types] of behavior that might come under criticism (usually in the realm of personal hygiene and grooming), but it really comes down to the discretion of the individual," he added. Leff said that with airflow and filtration, smells, sprays or perfumes can be spread throughout the cabin. "To broaden the lesson a bit, don’t bring stinky foods on the plane, either!" Leff said. "Some airports sell barbecue, but saucy ribs aren’t a great idea," he also said. "Neither is Chinese food to go."

Some McDonald's customers on TikTok claim that a certain food and drink combination from the fast-food restaurant can get rid of their migraines — though doctors are quick to share other headache remedies. A migraine is a headache that can cause "severe throbbing pain or a pulsing sensation, usually on one side of the head," according to the Mayo Clinic. Common effects include nausea, vomiting and extreme sensitivity to light and sound. The attacks can last for hours or even days, interfering with daily activities, the same source noted. Taking a trip through the McDonald's drive-thru might help, some customers claim. One viral video – which has over three million views and counting – shows a woman sitting in her car in a McDonald's drive-thru, sipping a soda and eating fries. The text said she's doing this "because I've had a headache for 48 hours and TikTok said it would help." Other videos suggest a large Coca-Cola drink and an order of large fries – "lovingly called the McMigraine," Dr. Brintha Vasagar told Fox News Digital – can make the pain go away. "There is some science [as] to why it works," noted the Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based family medical physician. While this viral food hack may help alleviate the symptoms, it isn't a cure, a doctor cautioned. The caffeine and the carbonation in Coca-Cola are two of the reasons, according to Vasagar. "If you think about most over-the-counter migraine treatments, the medications themselves can contain a dose of caffeine," she said. The caffeine constricts or narrows the blood vessels, which can provide migraine relief for some people, the doctor added. The carbonation can help settle the stomach for those who experience nausea with their headaches. When it comes to the salty fries, the sodium can help correct electrolyte balance and dehydration — "which can be triggers," Vasagar said. The carbohydrates in the fries can also help settle the stomach, she added. Another element, Vasagar said, is the "psychological benefit of comfort food." "For many of us, fast food, McDonald's, it's that nostalgia. It's that feeling of, 'This is going to be comforting and make me feel better.'" One person on TikTok wrote, "I work in neurology and our headache specialist literally recommends this to patients." Another person wrote that only Coca-Cola is effective, not Diet Coke. Others agreed with that. "There is no scientific reason that one Coke over another should be beneficial for migraine treatment," Vasagar clarified. "I really think that piece plays into the psychological part of it — what feels comforting to people when [they're] feeling ill." ‘Not a prevention method’ This viral food hack isn't a cure, the doctor pointed out. "This isn't a prevention measure," Vasagar said. "It's not like you can do the ‘McMigraine’ every day and never get a migraine again. That's just not the way it works." Also, drinking a large Coke and eating a bunch of fries could make matters worse for some. "Triggers for migraines vary from person to person," Vasagar warned. "So, this combination for some people will make their migraines worse." Dr. Tania Elliott, a New York-based physician who specializes in allergies and internal medicine, told Fox News Digital that a better quick-fix solution is to stay hydrated. "Consider having a little bit of caffeine, maybe in the form of matcha or green tea," and keep your electrolytes up, she suggested. "You're getting the benefits of addressing the potential underlying issues of dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, but you're not having the increased risks and unhealthy contributors from eating French fries and a Diet Coke," Elliott added.

In today’s hyperconnected world, traveling without a phone seems impossible, or at the very least, pointless. But for those who’ve done it, the experience can be rewarding and rejuvenating. In January, Soraya Lemboumba, 40, a project manager in Switzerland, spent 10 days in Panama on a phone-free trip. “It was absolutely life-changing,” she said. She said she awoke to the sounds of nature rather than an alarm and didn’t spend her time composing captions for social media in her head or use her phone to fill the silence. “I spent days immersed in pure presence,” she said. Thinking of disconnecting for your next trip? Here are some steps to start. Decide your rules Before leaving for the airport, decide whether you’re bringing a laptop or tablet or nothing at all. A laptop performs all the functions of your smartphone, but you’re less likely to bring it to dinner table or the beach. Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT Then, if you’re bringing a device, write down a list of rules to govern your tech use throughout your trip. For example: I won’t use electronics for entertainment on this trip. If I can’t hail a taxi, I’ll use my laptop for Uber. I’ll use my tablet only an hour per day for researching activities and lodging. A physical list codifies a system and eliminates temptation during those bored, anxious moments that inevitably arise during travel, which prompt you to grab your device. You can modify the rules throughout your trip if you feel they’re not working. Downloading app blocker extensions like Freedom, ScreenZen and Opal can block apps or websites like YouTube, Instagram and X for preset periods of time. Temporarily deleting apps is another effective way to prevent mindless scrolling. Navigating the airport Most anxiety from phoneless travel centers on logistics, like what will happen at the airport or train station, where there are schedules, and possible delays and cancellations. As a rule of thumb, allow ample time for transportation — at least an extra hour to buffer against scheduling mishaps or contingencies. Without a phone to display e-tickets, you’ll need to rely on paper boarding passes. Most airlines will print them out for you at the kiosks free of charge. But be careful, some airlines — namely Frontier — charge a $25 fee per person, per direction, to print boarding passes. Avoid this fee by printing them out beforehand. With no airline app, you’ll need to remember to keep an eye on those monitors throughout the airport for delays and gate changes, and don’t hesitate to ask the gate attendants and airline employees for help or directions. Catherine Price, the author of How to Break Up With Your Phone, reminds us that digitized travel isn’t always desirable. “People forget that you can rely on paper,” Ms. Price says, “and the feeling of freedom outweighs any minor inconvenience.” Getting your bearings When you arrive at your lodging, introduce yourself to the front desk and concierge, addressing them by their first names — a scientifically proven way to curry favor, which can be helpful if you need directions printed or taxis hailed throughout your trip. To orient yourself near your hotel or other lodging, walk in increasingly larger concentric circles outward. Use physical maps and expect mistakes. The beauty of phoneless travel comes in the hiccups, as wrong turns often lead to incredible memories. You’ll find that you learn a city faster by relying on your wits and not GPS, which is a thrilling realization. Write down the full address of your accommodations and keep it safely tucked into your wallet in case you get lost. Worst-case scenario, show it to a taxi driver or a local. In place of a translator app, pick up a phrase book to carry with you (Lonely Planet’s, in numerous languages, cost around $12). If you adopt a conversationalist’s mind-set, your trip will blossom in special, unforeseen ways. If you’re confronted with a QR code for, say, museum entry, merely explain your situation to the person behind you and ask to tag along, giving them cash for the ticket. This is how you unexpectedly make friends and access the serendipity of travel. Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT Taking pictures without a phone Purchase a disposable camera or a digital camera for $50, and practice a philosophy of intention — take one picture of something you want to remember, then put your camera away. “Every time you take a picture on vacation, you take yourself out of the moment,” Ms. Price said. “You get too wrapped up in photos, especially if you’re taking them to post on social media for others. Don’t perform your vacation. Live it.” Writing in a journal at the end of the day can solidify the memories you’ve made. Instead of looking back through pictures on your phone, you can read your vacation and relive these cherished memories in a more illustrative way. Taking “mental snapshots” helped Ms. Lemboumba internalize memories by mindfully soaking in experiences as they happened. “The moments I didn’t photograph are, ironically, now the ones I remember the most vividly,” she said. Handling emergencies The prospect of an emergency keeps many from attempting phoneless travel, but real emergencies are rare. The emergencies you’re likely to face are practical ones, like missing a train. These may seem catastrophic in the moment, but with the right attitude they’re nothing more than speed bumps. Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT Since you won’t have Apple Pay or similar services, in addition to a credit card, carry $200 to $300 in local currency in a secured travel bag that straps across your body. (Cash is handy for extricating yourself from sticky situations.) For female solo travelers who are anxious about phoneless travel, buy a prepaid burner phone for $40 and stick it in the bottom of your backpack. You can always borrow a phone in a time of crisis, and always let loved ones know your itinerary ahead of time. If phoneless solo travel feels too daunting, consider joining a group. Grace Borges, a 35-year-old research analyst from Washington, attended a five-day phoneless trip to Cuba last year with FTLO Travel, which specializes in group travel for young professionals. The tour guide handled logistics, and because she was in a group, “sticking to the phoneless ethos was easier because everyone was in the same boat,” she said. Remember in moments of stress: Everyone traveled this way just a few decades ago.