Travel Tips

One thing I love to do is to travel to different places and this Friday I'm heading to Dublin which I'm very excited about as I've never been to Ireland before. This got me thinking about this week's theme can be all about travelling and what better to start than with a few travel tips that I'd thought I'd share with you as we're slowly heading to the seasons of travelling, I thought why not give you some tips to help you out if you're planning on travelling in 2024. 

Let's get started.

1. Don't Overpack

It's tempting to pack everything especially if you have the luggage allowance but at the same time, do you really need everything? It's really important not to overpack because one it's a heavier suitcase you have to drag along and another thing is most likely when you're away you're going to buy things while you're out there to take home with you and if you've overpacked before you've travelled there then you're not going to have much room in your case for any gifts or souvenirs. Plus remember, you do have luggage allowances so overpacking won't help you with those either. Only pack what you need or follow my packing tips guide which was posted a couple of days ago if you need a hand with your packing.

2. Arrive Early

This has been implanted in my brain ever since I was a child when we'd have to wake up at like three in the morning to go on holiday. The funny thing was growing up, the airport was literally five minutes away from where we lived which is hilarious that we were early birds. Even now though, I have to be at the airport three hours early because I'm always worried that if I'm not then I'll end up on one of those Airline freakout videos where the passengers are too late to check in. Also it blows my mind that people are so late to check in. They close the gate half an hour before the flight leaves. How do people not understand that? Either way, just arriving early will give you peace of mind that you're there at the airport, you're unlikely going to miss your flight even if there's a long check out queue or security takes forever. You have enough time to spare so always arrive early. 

3. Have copies of your travel documents

Making copies of your travel documents can be a really big help. My biggest fear is losing the tickets or my passport and basically having no way back home. Having copies of your tickets and passports plus giving them to your travel companion can really help because at least then you'll have the originals and the copies just in case. It's always good to be prepared for the worst case scenario.

4. Plan your trip

It's always good to have a plan when you go somewhere. Plus having an idea on what you want to do while you're away can really make the trip more exciting. For example, are there any shows on while you're there that you want to go see? Do you need to book in advance? Are there any excursions you want to go on? Sometimes having a plan on what you want to do while you're away can make your trip even more memorable. I like to research the area of where I'm staying and I do this by just going on google maps and going on street view to see the location as well as what's nearby and within walking distance. I mainly also look to see where the nearest supermarket is from the hotel just to make sure. Either way it's good to plan out your trip and do a bit of research before you go. 

5. Make a list of everything you need

I cannot travel anywhere without making a list. I've said this many times in all my packing tips post is to make a list for your packing because it will keep you organised. It will remind you of everything you need to pack and make sure you don't forget anything. Plus when it comes to packing your luggage, you can just tick everything off one by one until you've completed the whole list. You'll thank me later when you've made a packing list for your next trip. 

6. Wear your heaviest clothes to travel in

This is an obvious thing to do because your luggage will have a weight limit and it's good to wear your heaviest clothes to travel so that can be your boots, coat, hoodies etc. Then at least you've freed up a bit of space in your luggage and made it lighter.

7. Read up on the latest airport security and luggage allowances before you travel

This is really crucial as sometimes rules change all the time and when you least expect it. It's important to check your airline luggage allowances and guides as well as knowing what you need to know before you get to security. This will give you a bit of peace of mind knowing your luggage allowance and you know what to expect when you get to security. It will just make your travelling just a little easier if you're prepared.

8. Have things to keep you entertained in the departure lounge and on the plane

One of the things that is a must for me is making sure I have things to do in the departure lounge and on the plane. Whether it's listening to an audiobook, my music, reading a book or doing a sudoku puzzle. I have to make sure I have things to keep me entertained in the departure lounge and on the flight because I can get bored really easily. 

9. Have some hard boiled sweets for take off and landing

One of the worst things I hate about flying is the ear popping. It really sucks and I always thought chewing gum helps with that but last time I went on holiday, my mum said to suck on some lozenges and it really helped because the trick with ear popping is the swallowing that you're doing so sucking on sweet can really help with the ear popping. 

10. Remember to relax

Afterall, you are on holiday and going somewhere exciting. It's important to relax and once your past security then everything will be a breeze, especially if you're early. You can enjoy a bit of retail therapy in duty free or go enjoy a cheeky drink and a meal before your flight. Although don't drink too much. This is the time where you can get excited for your trip and just relax. Even flying isn't so bad once you're up in the air because you can just chill out, read a book or listen to your music. Soon you'll be at your destination where your holiday can really begin. 

There we have it. Those are my travel tips, I hope they were useful to you.

Thank you for reading my blog and I'll be back tomorrow with the final post of March.

See you then. 

Megan x

*This is not a sponsored post*

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