8 Simple Tips For A Smoother Trip

Traveling to a new place is always an exciting proposition. The success of a trip depends on the preparation and planning you do before setting out. When a person thinks about traveling, the things that come to mind are choosing destinations, comparing airfares, deciding the length of the vacation, and planning fun activities. However, several little things make your trip more enjoyable.

In this article, we explore eight smart tips that will make your next trip smoother and less stressful.  

#1) Do Proper Research on Your Hotel

The hotel you book at your destination will be your home away from home during your vacation. Don’t go to cheap hotels and compare hotels online according to the services they offer. An excellent way to know about a hotel’s service is to check reviews online or ask a friend who lives in that city.

Sometimes, getting advice from friends or reading online reviews can be overwhelming and confusing. How do you know if the online reviews are real? Does that person writing the review have the same expectations and standards that you have? Even your friends will have different things they value from their travels than you might. This is where we come in as your Travel Expert! When you hire a Travel Advisor from Anywhere But Here Travel, you are getting specific advise and guidance that is tailor-made for you. We listen to you and give you unbiased advise and tips for your travel needs.

If you are a pet parent and taking your pet with you, ask the hotel about the services they offer for pets. It would be better if they give you a written estimate of costs and charges as it will help you avoid unnecessary confusion in the future. You can also give this task to your Travel Advisor as well.

Before you begin your journey, note the address and contact details of the hotel. If you have booked the hotel online, take the print of the payment receipts with you. These will help you find the hotel if you are late or lose contact with other team members. When you book your travel with a Travel Advisor, we provide all the details of your bookings and even confirm them a few days ahead of time to make sure everything is confirmed. We also provide an app you can install on your phone so everything you need is at your fingertips.

#2) Pack Your Luggage According To Your Mode Of Travel

Luggage packing is a big part of your preparation for the trip. Your luggage should suit the mode of transport you avail. For air travel, you need to be aware of the measurements of check-in and cabin luggage. Since there is a high chance of you not recognizing your bag among several similar bags in the airport, choose a bag that looks different or mark your luggage with something that makes it unique.

If you are traveling in your car, you have more liberty to pack your bags. In such cases, pack one bag for each member. This will help you to sort your items quickly. If the road journey is quite long, it is advisable to put all your luggage on the car roof rack and keep the interiors of the car roomy. This will make your drive much more enjoyable.

Check out our recent article on Travel Agent Reviewed Luggage Brands.

#3) Take Essential Items In Your Carry-On Bags

Losing luggage in airports is not an uncommon thing. According to reports, there were about 2.89 cases of mishandled or lost baggage per 1000 travelers on average in 2019. Although there are procedures to get your luggage back and adequate compensations, if the airline fails to do so, you should never risk your most valuable or necessary things by keeping them in the check-in bags.

Therefore, pack essential items, or things that can’t be replaced easily, in the carry-on bags. These may include your raincoat, running shoes, medicines, storage devices, etc. Carry-on bags are also easy to get through security checks at airports. However, airlines allow only a certain number of carry-ons per passenger. Additionally, these bags have to be of the required dimension and weight to be eligible for cabin space. 

#4) Keep Old Currency With You

Frequent travelers often face the difficulty of exchanging currency. If you frequently travel to a country, there is a high chance that you have some of these foreign currencies. Exchanging them in the bank every time you return home is a hassle you would like to avoid. So, you would notice that frequent travelers have foreign currencies lying around at home. 

Therefore, if you travel to a particular country a couple of times in a year, don’t bother exchanging the currencies after you return. Keep this money safe and carry them the next time you visit. This will save you a lot of time.

However, if it has been more than 3-5 years since you traveled to a particular country, check with your bank to see if your old currency is still valid. Countries update their security measures on their bank notes every so often or convert their currency to Euro so it is best to check ahead of time.

#5) Eat and Drink Healthy Before You Set Out

Whether you are traveling by plane, train, or car, what you drink before the journey is crucial. Eating unhealthy food before you begin your journey may result in an upset stomach. Sickness before or during your travel may seriously hamper or even halt the trip.

Eating healthy food is a must, especially if you are traveling on a plane. Many people feel sick in air travel, which has a lot to do with their gut issues. Eating light and nutritious food will help you to avoid problems like nausea and vomiting.

Keeping yourself hydrated during your journey is also very important. Many travelers face skin issues during their trips, mostly due to changes in temperature and humidity levels. There isn’t much fresh air and water available on flights, which makes the skin duller. Drinking plenty of water before the journey is an excellent way to hydrate your body. Drinking water and light fruit juices will also keep you healthy and improve your mood during your travel.

#6) Keep Your Documents Handy

There are some essential documents that you will need more often on your journey. These documents include your boarding pass, train tickets, passport, id proof, and medical certificates.

Keeping these crucial documents in the big bags will cause inconvenience to you during your travel as you’ll need to bring these out frequently. Therefore, keep such documents in a handbag or backpack so that you can quickly bring them out at the security points.

If you have travel insurance, you should keep the insurance certificate with you. You will need this document if your flight is delayed or canceled, or your family members become sick and need emergency medical care. In case you are visiting for the first time, keep a map of the place which clearly shows the location of your hotel and the routes from the airport or train station.

#7) Be Comfortable During The Trip

Whether you are traveling in your car or boarding an international flight, long trips put a lot of stress on the body. Long journeys usually make you sit idle in a congested place for an extended period, which causes discomfort.

To keep the fatigue away, put on loose and comfortable clothes across seasons. On long journeys, try to wear breathable shoes. Slippers and Flip Flops would be great for lengthy trips as you can easily take these off when you feel uncomfortable or wish to lift your legs. If you can’t stand cold temperatures, you can bring blankets along. In-car trips, these blankets can be used as extra cushions for your seat.

#8) Make Your Trip An Entertaining One

A long trip need not be boring. You can discuss your career goals, personal life, and business ideas with your companion. If you are traveling alone or have someone who is not talkative, you need some entertainment to pass the time. Most of the modern airlines offer several in-flight entertainment options such as personal televisions, audio-video on-demand, and in-flight movies.

Additionally, store your favorite songs, audiobooks, and movies on your mobile. Keep your playlist ready in advance so that you are not short of good audio tracks before you set out. If you are traveling by car, install a sound music system.

We recommend packing some great travel headphones as well like these:

Final Words

Long trips can be fun if you take the necessary steps. These steps are not only about booking hotels, buying flight tickets, and planning your sightseeing. Little measures like keeping yourself healthy, carrying essential items, taking proper rest, and enjoying the journey can make your vacation a lot more memorable. Try these tips mentioned above on your next tour and see how much difference it makes.

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