#TravelHacks : Part III
- Monica Fisher
- Nov 2, 2017
- 4 min read
READY, SET, GO: TRAVEL HACKS
Part III
Sweet, so you have read about Rule #1 – Pack LIGHT! And Rule #2 – Research, Research, Research! and we still have you with us. Your iPod is good to go with discographies of your favourite artist downloaded. Your noise cancelling headphones are charged. Visa’s are arranged and you are just nit-picking what all needs to be done still.
The next step:
GET SET
Okay, first things first: Arrange your transport to the airport IN ADVANCE, giving yourself ample time for unforeseen delays. Uber has an advance booking mechanism from what I hear from AJ. Call up your mate who is taking you to the airport to confirm that he remembers that it is in a couple days. Double check the bus schedule that you confirmed two months ago, things change. Last thing you want is to be frazzled arriving at the airport with just enough time to run to your plane as it is held back for you ( *cough* AJ *cough*).
Taking public transit into the Airport? Double check the timetable the day before.
Australians – EXIT IMMIGRATION! Remember you have to clear customs before you get to your gate. You will be surprised at how many times we have failed to take exit immigration into account for time, being used to Canadian and Kiwi airports. Like I said, plan ahead with ample time for wiggle room.
Now that that’s out of the way, GET EXCITED! The time is finally here for your trip and it’s time to do just the last few things. Double check your clothing and as previously mentioned, take half of what you think you need.
AJ’s pro tip: You will almost always be able to find a cheap version of literally anything you may need to wear, wherever you travel, especially Asia or South America. Same goes for electronics in Asia, so don’t worry too much.
Monica’s expert tip: If you are doing both a checked in bag and a carry on, pack accordingly. Here are a few things I have in my carry on that you may find handy!
Stay fresh: Pre-wet a facecloth in a mixture of your face wash and store it in a Ziploc bag. Trust me, you will feel amazing mid-way through those long haul flights where your stuck in cattle class, when you wash your face.
Entertainment: If you are like us, you don’t mind booking the cheapest flights possible, and that means no frills, no entertainment on some long haul flights. If you want to travel light and not with many electronics (i.e. no ipad, no laptop) but you still want to watch a movie, pre load it onto your cellphone. Most phones these days have an ample big screen size. Pop the phone into a Ziploc bag, fold it over your tray table, clip the table back into place and bam! You have yourself a hands-free entertainment system, and the Ziploc bag still allows you to have touch access to your phone. This trick still, to this day, gets AJ to look at me with that "Whoa! you are a freakin' genius!" look, to which I can respond with my best"I know" smug impression.
Miscellaneous things to have:
Eye mask, Earplugs and neck pillow.
It is always handy to have an extra pair of socks and underwear, you never know if you get to the other side and your bag has decided not to join you.
A colour copy of your passport, visa and any vaccination documents. Keep a copy in your check-in luggage and carry on. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Money, always better off in your carry on as it is on you at all times.
An extra pair of earphones. Do yourself a favour and head on over to eBay or Aliexpress or any one of those 1000 cheap electronics websites that AJ so loves, and order yourself a backup pair of $2 earphones. You will understand the value of them when you need them.
A headphone splitter : Again available on the cheap e-commerce sites, we got a couple for less than a $1.50 delivered. These are great for when we are watching a movie on the tablet together. Sharing one pair of headphones in one ear each with the background cabin noise and crying babies and people is…. you get the point.
And you’re set! You are now ready to board that flight and nothing else to do at this point, but relax. Arriving at the airport calm and relaxed because you knew to do all these small things in advance, can make a BIG difference to your flight experience.
Now that you have prepared in advance, your departure will be a breeze!
The next step: GO
And You’re off, I have no tips for you on how to enjoy your holiday - that’s entirely up to you! Hopefully reading this article has helped you be prepared and now all you need to do is relax and get excited for all the adventures your about to have.
Welcome Aboard the Tour De Carter.
Comentarios