Tips for Reducing Travel Tension

by Treva Braun

You arrive at the airport, walk directly to the check-in counter and are greeted by a cheerful airline agent, who happily checks you in and offers you free access to the executive lounge while you wait for your flight to board. A quick read of the newspaper and, before you know it, you’re stepping onto the plane. You look at your seat assignment and realize that you’ve been upgraded to business class.

Once settled into the large leather seat, you order a glass of Champagne and the Salmon in Raspberry Reduction Sauce. After dinner, just as the last glowing orange of the sun melts into the distant horizon, you lie back in your full-recline seat and drift off to sleep. When you wake, you realize that you are already about to land at your overseas destination. Fully rested, you sip the freshly squeezed orange juice the flight attendants have left for you. Moments later, you are in a taxi heading to your hotel, with all of your baggage intact and accounted for. The hotel owner personally escorts you to your room, where fresh flowers await along with a complimentary Eggs Florentine breakfast.

Sound familiar? No, me either.

With all the things that can go wrong on a long overseas journey, at least one or two of them are bound to, and the resulting tension can seriously diminish your enjoyment of that long-awaited trip. But there are things that you can do to reduce traveling tension. Here are just a few.

Travel Light

If at all possible, fly only with carry-on luggage. There are lots of great, reasonably priced roller suitcases on the market today that meet the regulation maximum dimensions for carry-on bags and fit a surprising amount of clothing and personal items. My favorite is the Samsonite 700 Series / Silhouette 24" Upright Suiter. Whichever one you get, make sure it has good wheels and a sturdy retractable handle, and your travels through the airport will be a breeze. Not only will your luggage never be lost, you’ll also avoid the crazed pushing-and-shoving ritual characteristic of many baggage carousel crowds in overseas airports.

Pack Strategically

If you must check a suitcase in, be prepared for that classic travel nightmare – the incredible disappearing luggage – by keeping the following items in a smaller, carry-on bag:

1. Your return ticket, passport (and extra photocopies of it), credit cards and identification, traveler’s checks, hotel information and house keys.

2. Any valuables, such as your camera and jewelry.

3. At least one complete change of clothes, suitable for the climate you’re heading to, plus an extra set of socks and underthings. Even if your destination is tropical, add a sweater and rain jacket for cooler evenings or inclement weather conditions. If you know you’re going to need a particular item on the first day of your trip, toss that in, too.

4. Your most comfortable pair of walking shoes.

5. And last but certainly not least, your bathroom essentials and any prescription drugs or eyewear.

If you’re going to Peru, and the airline sends your luggage to Pakistan, you’ll have a hassle on your hands, but not a crisis.

As much as possible, travel with the kind of clothing items that you can crumple up into a ball and pull out 12 hours later without a single wrinkle. Hint: they rarely contain any linen or rayon. Don’t travel with jeans, as they are heavy, take up lots of room and will not dry quickly if they get wet. And finally bring items that you can mix and match.

As for your luggage, do yourself and the rest of the traveling public a favor and travel with some color other than black. Please. Let’s get a little variety on that baggage carousel.

Minimize Jet Lag

Depending on how far you’re going, some degree of jet lag may be inevitable. But you can reduce it – and the related stress it puts on your holiday – by following a couple of simple steps.

Drink lots of water during the flight, and avoid alcohol or caffeine. Since a long flight, no matter what time of day, tends to take it out of most travelers, try to take one that arrives at your destination toward the end of the day. You are more likely to fall asleep at a regular hour in the country you find yourself in and wake at a time that closely resembles morning. The sooner you can get in sync with the foreign country’s clock, the better. If you arrive earlier in the day, resist like the dickens any desire to take that “quick nap.” And finally, exercise and eat foods rich in vitamins and minerals as much as possible during your visit – your system is much more adaptable when it’s treated properly.

If you Travel at Night, Plan for the Plane

Long nighttime flights are not fun. During the first three or four hours, you can amuse yourself with snacks and beverages, books and movies. But after awhile, your eyes don’t want to read another line, the music on the in-flight entertainment system is gnawing at your nerves and the guy sitting beside you could bore the salt off your pretzels. The only real option is sleep. Unfortunately, economy class cabins are not well designed for a good night’s rest.

Increase your chances of a satisfactory snooze by planning ahead:

1. If possible, organize your activities on the day of your flight so that you’ll be good and tired when you get on the plane (try a good, strenuous workout a few hours before you leave for the airport).

2. Wear loose, comfortable clothing.

3. Request a seat in the emergency exit row, which has extra legroom (and avoid at all costs the seats directly in front of the exit row or the bulkhead, which don’t recline much, if at all).

4. Keep a sweater and a pair of warm socks close at hand in case the cabin is cool and you can’t get a blanket.

5. Bring a good quality travel pillow so you don’t wake up every 5 minutes with your neck locked in the shape of a crowbar.

Know Where You’re Going

“What do you mean, of course I know where I’m going – I booked it!” Ah yes, but a lot of travel tension arises from not really understanding the defining characteristics of the places we head to. If you can’t stand humidity, don’t snap up that amazing sale to Singapore. If you must have ready access to restaurants during daylight hours, steer clear of Muslim countries during Ramadan, a month-long fasting ritual that takes place in late fall. Bugs drive you bonkers? Think twice before signing up for that exotic rafting trip in the Amazon. If you are a woman, make sure you know a little bit about the culture you’re about to visit before you buy the ticket. If you’re bringing an electrical appliance, such as a blow dryer or electric shaver, check the voltage system in the country you’re visiting – you may need an adapter.

A quick browse through a travel guide will tell you everything you need to know before you hand over your credit card.

Minimize Risks

Leave your good jewelry at home, and use the hotel safe for your passport and whatever valuables you have with you (even the smallest and cheapest of inns will usually have a safe). Until you’re comfortable with your surroundings, do your exploring during daylight hours or in a group. And finally, leave a list of your vital statistics, including traveler’s check numbers, credit card numbers and passport number, with someone back home in case something gets lost or stolen.

Relax

Most importantly, if something doesn’t go quite your way during the trip, try to relax. The least stressed people in the world are those who can find the opportunity in every situation, or at the very least smile and make the most of things as they are.

Copyright © 2002 Treva Braun