Summer is here, and with it comes the vacation season! Are you headed on an airplane trip this summer? If so, make your travel easier and avoid the usual vacation headaches. After all, travel should be fun, not stressful! If you’ve been following this blog for the past month or so, you’ll remember that our last international plane trip included an unexpected 12 hour layover. However, we managed to keep a good attitude and survive, and it wasn’t so bad! How did we do that? Follow these ten ways to make travel easier and you too can make sure you’re trip goes smoothly, no matter what happens.
Keep your valuables in a safe place
One of the things that makes travel easier is keeping all your valuables in one spot. There’s nothing more awkward than holding up the entire airport security line while you search through your pockets and bags for your passport, and nothing more horrifying than leaving your wallet in the plane! The best way to keep track of your valuables is to store them all together in a small bag. Ideally, the bag will be relatively flat and have a string so you can put it around your neck and slip it into your shirt. This way, it’s impossible to lose your stuff! One great bag is this cork travel bag. I like it because not only does it have room for your passport, phone, debit cards and cash, but it’s equipped with an RFID-blocking compartment to combat identity theft. Now, that’s secure! It costs $25 on Amazon and can save you a whole lot of worry and potentially a lot of time and money. Plus, it even looks cool!
Pack light
Do you really need fourteen books and a your entire wardrobe for a week vacation? Unless you’re headed to a book conference and only own three changes of clothes, I’m going to guess you don’t. To make travel easier, pack light! Only take the stuff you know you’ll need and leave the rest at home. A few changes of clothes and the basic essentials should usually fit into one bag and one carry-on, so you can avoid the cost of checked bags and the hassle of hauling things around. Last, year, I took a five-week multi-national trip out of a backpack. And I’m not talking about one of those fancy camping backpacks– I’m talking about my school bag for college. It was awesome! I only had to worry about one item, and I didn’t have to go to the baggage claim after my flights.
Bring food
Don’t you love airline food? Yeah, me neither. to avoid the expense of airline food and airport restaurants, pack your own snacks for the flight. I like to stash a package of bagels in my carry-on bag. I used to take peanut butter, too, but it got confiscated at security for being a “gel.” I’m pretty sure that TSA agent confiscated someone’s crackers next. Skip the PB, but plan to pack snacks. A package of almonds and a granola bar can be the difference between a great flight and one filled with nausea, headaches, and sleeplessness.
Charge your devices during layovers
I know you’re dying to take a nap in one of those comfy airport terminal seats, but first things first. Be sure to charge your device while you have the chance! Many airplanes have chargers at each seat these days, but enough still hail from the Dark Ages that it’s better to charge things while you’re on the ground. Not all airports have enough outlets to go around, but if you have time, it’s a good idea to wander around until you find a free outlet.
Pack a blanket
If you’re like me and get cold easy, you know that long flights can feel like a trip in a flying iceberg. Don’t count on the airline offering complementary blankets. It’s better to pack your own. If you don’t have a lot of space, bring a light covering of some kind. I usually pack one of those Hawaiian sarongs. I never use those things as swimsuit cover-ups, but they make nice skirts and excellent lightweight blankets! Plus, they condense to the size of a soda bottle when you roll them up tightly.
Do you have any other trips to make airplane trips easier? Let me know in the comments!
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