10 tips to make your travel a breeze

Claudia Corbelli on 13 December 2018
1. CARRY HAND LUGGAGE ONLY

Be smart and limit the amount of clothes you bring on your trip so that you can stick to a carry-on bag, which will save you time, money and, very importantly, will give you peace of mind for not having to worry about the airline losing your luggage. Besides, it’s so convenient to sail through the airport skipping the check-in counter and bypassing baggage claim on the other side.

2. BRING SPARE PASSPORT PHOTOS

It’s always a good idea to print out an extra set of passport photos and keep them on you. This can make the process a whole lot smoother if your visa on arrival requires a photo or to apply for emergency travel documents in a hurry.

3. HAVE A TRAVEL UNIFORM

Select a few comfortable pieces, with variations for different climates, that you can always wear on the plane, without having to think every single time you travel. Stick to basic pieces in neutral tones that you can mix and match.

4. ALWAYS PACK A SCARF

A scarf is the most versatile travel accessory and you should always have one in your travel bag. It can jazz up an outfit, keep you warm on a chilly flight and, on the odd occasion, hide spills. Also very useful to have at hand when visiting mosques or temples that require covering up.

5. ROLL - DON'T FOLD

I find that rolling garments, instead of folding them, not only saves precious luggage space but also reduces creases. I personally love Muji’s netted pouches which make it so easy to organise your clothes by type, which is very useful to find what you need to wear especially when your kind of trip does not allow you to unpack.

6. PROTECT YOUR TOILETRIES

Prevent toilet leakages, which can turn into a disaster, by placing some plastic wrap under the lids of your bottles.

7. CARRY AN EMPTY DRINK BOTTLE

Staying hydrated is very important when travelling, but most airport nowadays don’t let you go through security with your own bottle of water. So, pop an empty drink bottle in your carry-on and fill it up at an airport water fountain.

8. ALWAYS PAY IN LOCAL CURRENCY

If you’re paying by credit card overseas, it can be really tempting to pay in your home currency; that way you can easily track your spending, right? Wrong. Not only will you get the worst exchange rate, but you’ll usually be charged an additional fee for the service. Check with your bank, but as a general rule, go for the local currency.

9. LET THE SUN SHINE IN

Jet lag is the worst. If you find yourself in need of constant naps when you arrive at your destination, try sleeping with your curtains slightly open for the first couple of nights so you can wake up with the natural light and get your body rhythm back on track.

10. ALWAYS, ALWAYS HAVE TRAVEL INSURANCE

Last but not least, do not leave for any trip without having arranged your travel insurance. Best even, get your travel planner to arrange this for you as soon as you’ve booked your trip, so in case you have to cancel or delay your departure for unforeseen reasons, you’ll be covered for that.