Travel is fun, invigorating and exciting. But it can also be bloody stressful too. With deciding which of your ten pairs of shoes you need to throw out of the packing mix to locating passports before you set off to the airport, we all wish travelling could be a little more stress-free. Don’t you think? There’s definitely some handy hints & tips that can make travelling more of a breeze and less of a chore and I’d love to share them with you.
1. LISTS LISTS LISTS
List’s are your best friends. I always write a long list of packable items for when I go on holiday. Even breaking it down in to day by day outfit choices just so I know I’m covered. It helps you filter out what you & don’t need and if that last minute Primark dash is needed or not? Do you really need that pair of £1 flip flops?
2. PREPARE + SAVE
Being prepared hurts nobody. It might mean stockpiling sun tan lotion in the winter (generally speaking you can pick it up much cheaper than in the height of summer!) and having a cupboard filled with holiday goodies means not panic-buying everything from the small travel sections in the supermarket.
3. INVEST IN A KINDLE
I’m about to go against all I ever stood for (I’m still one of those people who likes to pick a book up and read it from cover to cover!) but, I must resign myself to the fact that if I want more space in my suitcase, a kindle or e-reader is going to be a much easier way of packing lots of books and running out of space for those ten pairs of shoes I wanted to bring.
4. CHECK IN ONLINE & PICK YOUR SEATS
Did someone say not having to queue to check in at the airport? Most airlines allow you to check in online and pre-book your seats for a small fee (less of a disappointment at the airport when you don’t get seats together!) It’s a win/win situ in my eyes!
5. SAT NAV THAT AIRPORT POSTCODE
I don’t know how we ever managed to get to Manchester airport without sat nav, by the skin of our teeth and a few arguments along the way, but we did. Now we have in built sav on our phones, lets make use of it. Pop it in before you set off because sometimes it’s difficult to get 4G on the motorway and that is probably going to be when you need. Arrive at the airport less agitated.
6. PRE-BOOK YOUR PARKING
Not only does it make it a lot simpler making your way to the airport, but it also will save you £££’s by pre-booking rather than paying on the gate. There will be no nasty surprises when you arrive back and they barrier is asking you to part with a small mortgage before you can get past the barrier and leave.
7. CHECK YOURSELF IN TO THE AIRPORT LOUNGE
For around £20pp, you can book in to the airport lounge once you are passed security. And, for that grand sum you’ll have access to food, drink, free wifi and a much more relaxed area to unwind before you get on the plane. After all, airport’s can be pretty busy places and this makes it a perfectly pleasant experience. Plus, it’s great to budget for how much you spend at the airport because let’s face it, they aren’t cheap places.
8. PLAN, PLAN, PLAN
I love falling in to places by accident, but sometimes it really pays dividends to look up a few places on TripAdvisor or other travel blogs for foodie spots, places to see and things to do. It means you spend less time wandering and getting lost, and enjoying the days you do have on holiday.
And finally…
9. ENJOY IT
You’ve spent many months waiting for the main event, so sit back, relax and enjoy every single second of it.
Have you de-stressed for your holiday after reading this? What are your top tips?
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