A great overseas trip starts long before you get on the plane. As with many things in life, thorough planning prevents things from going awry – and in this case, reduces travel anxiety.
Do these things ahead of your trip to save money and avoid stress:
In its Annual Flight Study, travel search engine momondo.co.uk states that the best time to book a flight is 56 days in advance of your trip. Do this and you could save up to 28% in fares. The site came to this conclusion after analysing more than 13.2 billion flight prices across its 100 most popular routes.
Momondo also found that evening departures between the hours of 6pm and 12am typically offer the cheapest fares, and that it is usually more expensive to fly in the morning and midday, before 3pm. Furthermore, Tuesday is generally the cheapest day to fly, while Saturday is by far the most expensive.
When going away on holiday, it’s advisable to pre-book as much as you possibly can. From the seats you'll be sitting in on the plane to your airport transfers, your accommodation and all your entrance tickets for the main tourist attractions. Travel agency www.sunshine.co.uk founder Chris Clarkson notes that by doing this, you won't have the stress of sorting everything out on the go, you'll spend less time waiting around and you will even save a fair bit of money
If you’re moving out of your apartment to go travelling – you don’t have to sell off all your stuff! You can either use traditional self storage to pack things away until you get back, or, if your things fit nicely into a box, think about using storage by the box.
Flying somewhere for a holiday is one of those things that always sounds more fun than it actually is. After a couple of hours on a plane, you usually start doubting the airline’s advertised legroom dimensions, and wondering why you simply cannot fall asleep.
Luckily there are some things you can do to make air travel easier. Health and Fitness Travel gave us some great travelling the world tips that will make your next flight much more comfortable.
Sleeping while sitting up is not that easy, but a travel pillow can make it much more comfortable. Always pack one in your hand luggage to ensure that you get enough rest on the flight.
There is no need to be fashionable while flying, so dress down rather than up for long-haul travel. Loose-fitting clothes and comfortable shoes that you can slip on and off won't impede blood flow around the body; a factor which can contribute to the risk of deep vein thrombosis.
Many people suffer from cabin pressure during a flight owing to congested sinuses. For certain people, it can be excruciatingly painful, so using over-the-counter nasal decongestants may help to alleviate the symptoms before you fly. Additionally, using a saline nasal spray will ease nasal discomfort and dryness provoked by low humidity on the plane and will protect against cold and flu germs.
Cabin air is exceedingly dry and will dehydrate your system, as well as putting you at a higher risk of catching a cold or infection. Drink plenty of fluids and eat snacks with high water content such as peppers, cucumber and apples, and avoid caffeinated or alcoholic beverages, as these too can exacerbate dehydration.
During long flights, it is vital to be active and keep moving aboutto minimise the threat of deep vein thrombosis and relieve cramped muscles. Walking up and down the aisle when the seatbelt sign is off and flexing and stretching your legs when seated will encourage blood flow around the body and help reduce any swelling in your ankles or feet.
Once you’ve reached your destination, there are some more things you can do to make your trip as memorable as possible.
Health and Fitness Travel recommends trying to adapt to the local time zone as soon as you can once you’ve reached your destination. This means resisting the urge to sleep or eat meals at the wrong time of day. If you arrive during the day, going for a stroll outside will help you adapt more easily and the natural light will encourage your body to acclimatise. Likewise, if you arrive in the evening or night, adopt the local bedtime and try to go to sleep.
There are apps for everything these days, and travel is no exception. Whatever your destination, says Chris Clarkson, there will be apps that will help you make the most of your time there - including maps of the area, top things to do and sights to see and even language apps to help you communicate with the locals.
One app you can use to scope out any accommodation, experiences or restaurants is Tripadvisor. Travellers across the globe use the Tripadvisor site and app to browse more than 860 million reviews and opinions of 8.7 million accommodations, restaurants, experiences, airlines and cruises. Whether planning or on a trip, travellers turn to Tripadvisor to compare low prices on hotels, flights and cruises, book popular tours and attractions, as well as reserve tables at great restaurants. Tripadvisor, the ultimate travel companion, is available in 49 markets and 28 languages.
If you need somewhere to store your belongings or furniture whilst you travel the world, our cheap, modern storage units can accompany all your travelling needs. Use our store search tool to find your nearest facility today and get a quote!
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