Travelling is supposed to be fun. It gives you a chance to learn more about the world around you, connect with your partner, and leave your everyday stress behind. But at times you may ask yourself – why is planning a trip so stressful?
Well, we’ll let you in on a little secret. It doesn’t have to be. With proper planning, time and consideration, it’s easier than ever to pull off a successful trip without the stress – even in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
With that in mind, here are some top tips that you can use to take the stress out of travelling.
Plan far in advance
While you may have run out of ways to stay occupied when you can’t travel and may be pleased to hear about eased travel restrictions currently in place – you can take the stress out of travel by not rushing the process. Booking in advance also gives you a chance to save money and book any necessary time off work so you can travel for longer.
Sort out your paperwork
Travelling always comes with some form of paperwork. For example, if you are heading to America, you will need to obtain some form of VISA or an official ESTA visa waiver (if you are eligible). This is an important step that you cannot ignore if you want to enter the country, meaning it’s important that you get this paperwork together sooner rather than later.
Learn to manage your fear of flying
If you get a little anxious whenever you are boarding a flight, you aren’t alone. In fact, a recent study found that 40% of adults are scared of flying. However, you should not let this anxiety stop you from seeing your world – especially if you desire to travel and experience new things. Thankfully, there are various steps you can take to manage this fear. For example, you may benefit from speaking to a therapist or trying out meditation techniques.
Keep all of your important documents together
Whenever you travel, you’ll likely need to keep many important documents (as mentioned above) close by so that you have them to hand when you need them. In addition to VISAs, this also includes passports, Identification cards, insurance details, travel tickets and booking information. While much of this information can be stored digitally on your phone (reducing the chances of it getting lost), you should also ensure that you have a paper copy with you to refer to if necessary. However, you should also make sure that you keep all of these documents together in a single folder so that you know exactly where everything is (and don’t have to keep emptying your suitcase to look for them).
Write down a list before you start packing
While packing for a holiday can be exciting as it means your travels are just around the corner, it’s also rather time-consuming and monotonous. This also means that it’s easy to forget something important. As a result, you may find it easier to pack if you write down a list of everything you need ahead of time – and then you can simply work your way through the list piece by piece.
Thanks for reading my blog, Aimee
