One of the great reasons for taking a holiday is to relieve the stresses and strains of daily life, but if the thought of organising it and making it to your destination without tearing your hair out fills you with dread, here are some tips that will help smooth the path to an anxiety-free vacation.
Get yourself covered!
You may feel that you can get along without insuring against something going wrong. Whether it is medical, belongings being stolen, or not being able to go due to an emergency family event, for example, it is important that you have peace of mind.
- Research the insurance you are getting and make sure it covers what you think it does.
- Take a copy of the cover with you, so you have contact numbers in the event you need help.
- Have your EHIC, or get a GHIC, if travelling to Europe. If you hold a current European Health Insurance Card (the EHIC entitles you to access state-provided health care when visiting the EU) this remains valid until its expiry date. After then, or if you do not have an EHIC, you will need to apply in the same way (through NHS online) for a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC). Neither the EHIC or the GHIC is a replacement for travel insurance as it will not cover you for all medical costs, or the cost of emergency repatriation back to the UK.
Make a list
It may sound simple but making a list of what to pack can really help with ensuring that you take everything you need, and nothing gets forgotten in the rush to throw everything in the suitcase before the trip! Similarly, a list creates a great point of reference to make sure you’ve left nothing behind when you re-pack ready to return home.
Stay powered up
Mobile phones are increasingly becoming essential travel companions for holidays – for everything from airline boarding gate passes to digital payments and battery-draining social media apps, the need to stay charged is important. Solar-powered USB charging banks can be ideal to power-up on the go or on the beach, whilst one simple hack for avoiding having to buy too many overseas power adaptors can be to bring UK-standard extension leads with multiple plug sockets attached.
Check weight and size of luggage
If you are travelling by air, check the luggage weight restrictions. They can vary between airlines. Also cabin luggage needs to conform to your airline’s size guidelines. Each airline differs in this respect, so check carefully as having a bag size outside the specifications or that does not fit can mean extra expense if it has to be put in the hold.
Shop around!
Getting to the airport can cost a significant sum also, so it’s worth thinking about whether you’ll be getting a lift or using public transport, compared to the cost of travelling by car and parking at the airport itself. If being dropped off, be prepared for most UK airports to charge for drop-offs at the airport, in many cases, the cheaper option is frequently to be dropped at the Long Stay parking areas and to travel by the provided park & ride bus system, but consider the time it will take to get to your terminal, as well as trying to get the cheapest deal.
Car hire
For a stress-free experience, it’s worth booking your hire car before you go on holiday. It can help to make the process of leaving the airport a much smoother affair and get you into the holiday spirit even faster!
Join a loyalty programme
Many airlines and travel firms run their own loyalty schemes, by taking some time to research and join up in advance, you can often earn points or air miles that can help fund future holiday activity and make your trips away a little less stressful. Your day-to-day spend can often earn you benefits that you’ll reap whilst on holiday – such as the chance to trade points for flight cabin upgrades, the ability to select seats ahead of others or complimentary airport lounge access, amongst other benefits from the wide range of different loyalty programmes out there.
