Intrusive Thoughts by Adam Rippon
Episode: Packing Disasters, Jet Lag & “Lollies” Explained
Date: April 2, 2026
Host: Adam Rippon
Main Theme & Purpose
Adam Rippon reflects on his recent trip to Australia, sharing hilarious and relatable travel anecdotes centered around packing habits, airport chaos, Australian candy (aka "lollies"), and jet lag. With his signature unfiltered wit, Adam dives deep into the details of packing cubes, airport experiences, and the joy of discovering international snack culture—posing both existential and highly specific questions about the art of travel.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Listener Voicemail – The Packing Cube Rabbit Hole
[01:55-16:40]
- Listener Melissa asks about Adam's preferred packing cubes.
- Adam extols the packing cube as essential (“The vacant vessel that is a suitcase should be occupied by smaller vessels, which are packing cubes.” – Adam, 03:01).
- Adam’s philosophy: Don't overthink it—basic, cheap packing cubes are all you need. He uses Amazon Basics with three sizes (small, medium, large), emphasizing the value of versatility.
- He confesses to being momentarily tempted by high-end Tumi cubes but finds their high prices ($75–$150 per cube vs. $10 for three from Amazon) absurd and off-putting.
- Recommendation: Check discount stores like TJ Maxx or Home Goods for bargain cubes.
- Home Goods/TJ Maxx tangent: Describes the chaos and charm of these stores—like a “yard sale”—and the thrill of finding random travel deals.
- Takeaway: “A packing cube should be a cheaper thing… I feel like you’re trying to price me out of the packing cube, which—even if I want the suitcase now, I’m not gonna get it. Cause you’re trying to price me out of a packing cube. Like, what gives?” (Adam, 15:08)
2. Packing Procrastination & The Fantasy of Organization
[17:20-31:50]
- Adam dreams of being the organized traveler, packing in advance, but admits it's always last-minute.
- Hates “living out of a suitcase”—prefers a suitcase as a transport vessel, not a chest of drawers.
- Not a fan of travel-size toiletries—uses full-size products and overpacks products he rarely uses.
“I'm not traveling with a travel size deodorant. I'm bringing the whole, you know, kitten caboodle.” (Adam, 23:10)
- Packing can devolve into an "all-nighter" for morning flights; for this Australia trip, a late-night departure saved him.
- Packing as a drawn-out, almost ceremonial ordeal; envisions “future me” being proud of a perfectly packed bag, even if, in reality, it never matters when unpacking at the destination.
3. Airport Anxiety & The TSA Saga
[32:00-45:30]
- Concerned about recent horror stories of four-hour-long TSA waits.
- Adam arrives four hours early at LAX for his Delta One flight—only to breeze through security in five minutes thanks to the private Delta One check-in/TSA.
- Amused by the luxury: “It does make it feel like, oh my God, I'm so famous, I'm so luxury, I'm so rich. And it’s incredible…” (Adam, 39:45)
- Memorable TSA chat about his wooden foot roller, breaking the usual stern security mood.
4. Life Down Under: Candy, Lingo, and Sights
[46:00-1:05:30]
Surveying the Candy Situation—The “Lolly” Revelation
- Adam’s tradition: Explore local candy in every country (candy in Finland = must-have, US favorite = Sweet Tart Ropes).
- In Australia, learns that “lollies” is the catch-all term for candy, not just lollipops.
“To me, as a level-headed person, when I hear lollies, I think lollipops… But they call all candies lollies. Thought that was interesting. I went, hmm, I’m gonna think about that.” (Adam, 51:35)
- Adam prefers “silky” over “glassy” gummy textures, e.g., Scooby Snacks or Allen’s brand “Snakes.”
- Texture deep-dive: Glassy = Haribo/gummy bear (less favorite); Silky/powdery = Allen’s Snakes (top tier).
“My favorite kind of gummies have, like, a silky outer texture—almost like a powderish kind of texture to it. And there’s just something that elevates the experience that a glassy gummy just can’t do.” (Adam, 53:45)
- Brings home bags of Allen’s lollies, continuing the travel tradition with his husband.
Australian Observations & Previous Outback Experience
- Praises Australia’s beauty; Brisbane is clean, coastal, and surprisingly similar to LA and Hawaii in vibe.
- First time staying in a big Australian city; reminisces about filming Stars on Mars in the outback town of Coober Pedy—with its famous underground cave hotels.
- Holding a joey (baby kangaroo) at a kangaroo rescue: “Holding a baby kangaroo is like holding a dog with arms. And that's all I have to say about that.” (Adam, 1:02:36)
- Regret this trip: Didn’t see koalas (“my favorite sleepy little bears") due to work schedule. Hopeful for next time.
5. The Packing Disaster—Leaving Brisbane in Chaos
[1:06:10-1:16:30]
- Expected a leisurely night after work; reality: work ran long, got to hotel at 2:30am with a 3am airport pickup.
- Had to pack in 30 minutes: “I shoved [the cubes] in a ball and threw them right in the fucking suitcase… There was no romanticizing opening the suitcase when I got home. I knew it would be a nightmare.” (Adam, 1:13:10)
- Offers a rapid-fire emergency packing process: throw all items on the bed, then “shove and throw, shove, throw, sit, and zip.”
- The result: suitcase explodes with clothes and bottles upon opening.
6. Jet Lag & The Return Home
[1:16:30-1:24:58]
- Survives lounge at 4am, stumbles through flights, grateful for a lay-flat seat on the long-haul home.
- Flight attendant awards him: “Wow, you’re my best little sleeper.” (Adam, 1:20:32)
- Adam is thankful for an early landing—discovers marinara sauce on his cheek before showing up for work.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On the packing fantasy:
“For me, the fantasy is packing days before a trip. That’s a fantasy. It’s never gonna happen.” (19:45)
-
On full-size toiletries:
“I’m not a believer that you are packed before your trip until all the toiletries are in. Because for me that’s one of the parts of packing that takes the longest.” (23:55)
-
On TSA at Delta One:
“They have their own TSA. Uh huh, you heard me correctly, they have their own TSA.” (39:34)
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On Australian “lollies”:
“You do you. It’s an island, right? There’s only so much they can do. If they’re gonna call ‘em lollies, who’s gonna correct them? Not I, not I. And I didn’t.” (51:52)
-
On “glassy” vs. “silky” gummies:
“A glassy gummy is just like… yeah. It does not hit the spot every once in a while… Now a powdery gummy exterior—if you are a child of the 90s, Scooby Snacks, right? That’s the perfect texture of a gummy.” (53:13)
-
On packing at 2am:
“Those packing cubes—yeah. I shoved them in a ball and threw them right in the fucking suitcase. That’s just how it went.” (1:13:10)
-
On the homecoming surprise:
“I looked at myself in the mirror and I said, what’s that red stuff on your cheek? And it was marinara sauce from a pizza I ate on the plane.” (1:22:37)
Important Timestamps
- 01:55 – Listener voicemail about packing cubes
- 13:40 – Adam’s tips on shopping for travel gear
- 17:20 – Adam’s last-minute packing philosophy
- 23:10 – Full-size vs. travel-size toiletries
- 32:00 – Airport/Delta One security saga
- 46:00 – Candy/lollies in Australia, and favorite textures
- 1:02:36 – Kangaroo rescue & holding a joey
- 1:06:10 – The late-night packing disaster in Brisbane
- 1:20:32 – Flight attendant crowns Adam “best little sleeper"
- 1:22:37 – Marinara sauce incident
Tone & Style
- Conversational, playful, and comedic, with digressions into lifestyle advice, product philosophy, and personal quirks.
- Adam is self-deprecating but pragmatic, offering genuine travel wisdom laced with humor.
- Occasional flights of existential pondering—always brought back to earth by a punchline or absurd anecdote.
Recap Value
This episode is a must-listen for travelers who hate packing, love travel horror stories, or want to hear Adam riff on the fine details of suitcase organization, TSA anxiety, and the nuanced pleasures of international candies. Even for those not planning a trip soon, Adam’s stream-of-consciousness humor and ability to mine comedy from the mundane make every tangent delightful and relatable.