Vacation season is almost upon us, which also means that a long drive, train journey, overnight bus or long haul flight are somewhere in your future. Traveling to a place can sometimes be stressful and the stuff of nightmares – stuffy cabins, no leg room, gross toilets or no toilet stops, but long haul travel doesn’t have to be a drag, and with the right preparation you can breeze your way from one country to the next, and come out the other end looking fresh.
Wear comfortable clothes
This is a given, but I have seen too many girls board a ten-hour flight dolled up to the nines with their finest jewelry on, and look mighty uncomfortable after half an hour of being stuck in a small space. Think leggings or baggy trousers, thin layers so you can adjust your temperature with the airplane’s aircon, your level of sleepiness or whether or not it’s appropriate to have your shoulders out. Closed toes are better on your feet than flip-flops, in case of an emergency, but fluffy socks are always the most comfortable!
Download some entertainment
If you’re on a long-haul flight, it’s likely that you will have some in-flight entertainment available to you (not on all long-haul flights, however), but it’s still worth making sure that your phone, tablet or laptop is stocked up with films, audiobooks or podcasts in case nothing takes your fancy. For long train or bus journeys, try and make sure that you have made any media available offline. If movies and TV series’ are your thing, there are plenty of apps, such as Cinema Box, which allow you to watch on the move!
Take snacks
If you’re traveling by air, you will get fed during your flight. However it’s not up to you when the food trolley comes down the aisles and more often than not, you will be woken by a curry being put down in front of you, when what you really want is a bowl of cornflakes! If traveling by bus or train, it’s likely that vendors will hop on and off offering you food, but if you don’t want to risk a bout of a funny tummy, it’s best to steer clear. Make sure your hand luggage is filled with snacks which will release energy slowly, this will ensure that you stay fuller for longer and won’t have to rely on stops or staff for food.
Make new friends
Means of travel are always full of interesting people, and every person has a different story to tell and a different reason for why they are traveling. One of the most fun ways to survive a long journey is to strike up a conversation with your seatmate on the plane, or the old lady knitting next to you on that bumpy bus ride. Of course, you may end up having to listen to tales of said person’s pet cats for the next eight hours, but you could also find yourself with a new travel buddy and friend by the time you reach your destination.