If you’ve got a trip coming up, then you’ve come to the right place. Preparing for a trip can be one of the most stressful things you do. But below we have some advice for stressed out trip goers that can help things run much smoother and not leave you needing a vacation from your vacation.
When you are traveling, invest in money containers that you can wear inside your clothing or sew simple pockets into the inside of your waist band. If you can not sew, ask someone who can to do it for you or bring it to a tailor or seamstress, and request they sew an inside pocket for you. This keeps your valuables, identification and money safe and you need not worry about someone stealing your travel bag or wallet.
No matter where you’re traveling, make sure to wear sunscreen. Even if the sun isn’t shining, your exposed skin is still subject to the sun’s harmful rays. Wearing 15+ SPF sunscreen will ensure that you don’t get a painful sunburn and that your trip can be fun without the pain.
Never put your home address on your luggage. When filling out the information card on your luggage, use your business address instead. If you do not have a business address, leave it blank. If you happen to leave your luggage somewhere, only give your contact information to the hotel or airline staff.
Drive through windows at fast food places almost inevitably give you too much or too little sugar or other sweetener when you order coffee or tea. When traveling, don’t throw the extra away! Tuck into a baggie or maybe a little tin and keep it for the next time you are shorted. It sure beats having to turn around and go back through the drive through!
Make sure to drink plenty of water when travelling, especially when travelling by air. During busy, hectic days of travel, many people neglect to stay adequately hydrated, leading to feelings of nausea compounded by the stress you feel when travelling. Always have a bottle of water on hand.
If you’re flying to your destination, be careful when you recline the seat. It’s always advisable to check with the person behind you before you recline you seat. If you don’t, you’re liable to break a laptop screen, spill someones drink, or just bang their legs into your seat. Better safe than sorry!
Label everything with your information. If you have chargers, power strips, keys, or anything other small items that tend to get lost, put your contact information on it. An easy way to do this is to make a tag out of masking tape, and write your name and phone number on it. Or, you can use a Sharpie.
Making long term travel plans can seem time consuming and frustrating. The best way to make sure you have all your ends tied before leaving is to make a check list of all that needs to be done. This will ensure that once you have left, you will not be left thinking you are missing something important.
Always carry extra passport photos of yourself and your family. That way, if someone loses their passport, you can walk straight to the embassy prepared to get another. Make sure these are the high-quality photos of the original, because they will not accept a photo taken for any other reason.
Learn the tipping culture for whatever countries you plan to visit. In some cultures, tipping is automatic, while in others, it does not exist. There are still a few cultures in which tipping is considered a great insult, so mind your manners by checking the customs. You do not want to insult your server.
If possible travel during off-peak hours. The price of flights changes depending on the hour, the day and the month of travel. You can save a lot of money by booking flights during off peak hours. For example, flights on Thursdays are usually cheaper than those of Fridays. This is because the demand for seats is lower on a Thursday as people who work away from home during the week normally want to fly home on a Friday.
Check to see if your airline offers future flight credit for fare drops. Some airlines will give you credit to use on your next trip, if they post a lower fare for the same flight. This is not an industry-wide offer. Check with your individual airline, if you notice that the fare dropped below what you paid.
Hopefully at least some of these tips will be helpful for you on your upcoming vacation. While each tip may not work for every person and every vacation, you should now be armed with some extra knowledge to make things run a lot smoother and help you avoid any problems.
