Consider the Burden of Excess Luggage
Don't carry more than you can handle while on holiday.
How
will you know when you have packed too much in your travel bags?
There's a simple solution and that is to pack
all you think you will be taking and then walk around the block with your luggage to see how easy it is to handle.
Now consider whether you want to be lugging all that baggage around with you when you should be relaxing on holiday.
Try carrying it up a few stairs too as there will be times when you will be expected to have to move your own luggage.
There will be times when there won't be trolleys and porters to help you move your luggage. You will need to get your
luggage off the airport baggage handling systems and for some people that can be very difficult with the moving luggage and
the weight of the items.
For elderly people there might be no alternative other than to seek assistance and most
other travelers will be intent on getting their own luggage and getting through customs as quick as they can.
If
you do intend to take weighty items with you or a lot of luggage then you should consider getting travel bags that have wheels
and handles that you can easily wheel around like a trolley.
You might decide after doing a test run around the
block before leaving home that you don't really need to take that much stuff away with you on holiday.
You will
also need to take into account the additional space that will be required for purchases you make while away and the weight
of those purchases when you come home. It might be enough to cause you to have to pay for excess baggage too.
The
lighter you can travel the easier it will be for you and the less costly, so after you have a test run at packing your travel
items see what you can do without and remove them from your luggage.
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Quote: Now I know why they tell you to put your head between your
knees on crash landings.
You think you're going to kiss your ass good-bye.
- Terry Hanson
Coping With Jet Lag
Coping with jet lag after a long haul flight is something that most people aren't very good at.
It can
be difficult to get your body clock in sync with the times at your new destination when you have traveled across many time
zones, however there are ways to make the most of the situation and ensure that you don't waste too much time sleeping when
you get to where you are going and miss out on part of the holiday.
By remaining well hydrated during your flight
you will have a lot more energy when you arrive at your destination. The more alcohol you drink during your flight the more
dehydrated you will become so you will need to counter than with additional water.
Use the boredom of flying as
a good time to get extra sleep so you have more energy when you get to your holiday spot.
When you get to where
you are going the first thing that you should do is adjust your watch to the same time as the locals. This will immediately
start getting you accustomed to their time zone.
Rather than going to your hotel room and having a long sleep you
should try to emulate what other people are doing at that time of the day or night.
If it is lunchtime when you
arrive you should have lunch too and if you aren't all that hungry just have a snack to get into the rhythm of the region.
While many people will go to sleep for hours to recover, one trick that seems to work really well is to have short
cat naps of approximately half an hour. This will do wonders to rejuvenate you and it will also allow you to sleep a reasonable
amount of time the first night without getting too stimulated or over-tired.
Set your alarm to help you arise at
a reasonable time and get out of bed and showered to help you wake up, then have breakfast at the same time as the locals.
If you are still feeling tired that day you can have another cat nap or two throughout the day when you feel like
relaxing and you will probably find that you have done enough to overcome your jet lag without missing any of your precious
holiday time.
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