Any life hacks for travelling?

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I am not a good traveller/flyer. I find my ears get sore and I get disoriented too. That is only just a little bit. I am just not a good flyer.

I get very stressed and tired easily and flustered too.

I find from planning and packing bags at home, travelling to get transport to the airport, getting to the airport, going to a desk, going through security and everything else.

These should be easy steps but I find I just looses things easily even on me.

I know things are easier now with the option of checking in online and that helps however I recently travelled and I still needed assistance from a desk because I had bags to check in and when my partner was checking in online, he didn't check the bags so we needed help at a desk.

I recently travelled and it was very early morning flight so I was busing it to the airport in the middle of the night. I had breakfast in the airport at about 5 o clock in the morning.

By the time I ate again I was in the destination country and I was sick. I actually had to stop where I was to get sick and have a temper tantrum because it was after 3 and I was starved and sick.

I know you can't get digital boarding passes and maybe that makes things easier but I don't trust them and prefer to print in case something happens with my phone.

I travel with a tiny crossover bag that hold my phone, card and my passport and folded boarding pass goes in and that helps.

I still get very stressed. I just going from A to B to C and sorting out so much and then being rushed.

I had to have a jacket too for the cold and I was cursing it so so so much because I just kept getting hot and sweaty in it and then I would take it off and get cold from the outside and rinse and repeat.

I am wondering if there's any travel hacks to make things easier?

I really hate travelling. My partner likes to get away and rightly so.

Literally just on your first point about sore ears - have you tried EarPlanes? I have tiny eustachian tubes and would cry in pain when descending until I tried these (sounds like an advert, it really isn't!)

Yes, I tried earplanes but I lost them and went with a budget or pharmacy brand of flight earlier plugs.

My partner loves cruises but it has been about 2 years since the last cruise (thank god) and I hope I never ever go on another one ever again. I hate them. It's even worse.

You are talking about do all of that travelling to the airport and going through all of that and then getting a transfer at the destination country to a docks somewhere to go through all that security crap to board a ship. It's the guts of nearly travelling for over 12 hours or more and it's not easier staying a night either. There is just so much packing and going.

We have a list that comes out every time. With things like check in, passport, money etc etc.

I'm very conscious that we both get hangry - so we'll take an oat bar and an apple or buy a sandwich before we get on a plane to take with us. And usually have oaty bars with us for if we get stuck in immigration or somewhere.

But some people just find the stress of travelling not worth the hassle...

We will very often use a travel agent like trailfinders who send you reminders of what to do etc - so if it's a big trip they do lots of it for us .... we could do it but both work full time and don't have a lot of holiday time so want to manage our time effectively.

Biggest tip I can think of is get there early.

If your flight is 18:00, be there at 12:00.

Sitting around an airport, bored out of your skull, is a lot less stressful than rushing to make check in.

Cruise from Southampton. Drive to car park, check in once, into ship and having lunch. Easy peasy.

I love travelling by train. You could get the Eurostar into Europe. I've travelled all round Europe by train.

What about travelling by train and breaking down a journey into smaller chunks? You can get right across Europe in 1 or 2 days using the Eurostar and onward trains.

X posts :)

I’m autistic and find traveling very stressful.

i often make a small bound book with all my travel details. I have a binding system for this because I’m a bit nuts and make spiral bound books in various sizes for all sorts of things. If I have time I will even make a cute cover or decorate the interior pages a bit. I don’t know why, but it helps me to have it all pretty and nicely organized in one place.

bring snacks and 2 water bottles to fill. just assume the flight will be delayed, possibly on the tarmac, and you will have to survive for 24 hours on what you have in your bag. Never count on airport shops because sometimes they are closed, especially if your flight is delayed. Make it a pleasant day instead of one where you are hungry and thirsty. When you don’t use all the snacks, you have them for during your holiday and for the return.

if it’s chilly on one end, wear a long skirt with a pair of leggings underneath. Then take off the leggings when you get warm.

don’t wear a full coat. Do a couple of light layers. You are better off with a fleece or cardigan and a raincoat than a parka, even if you are cold on the way to the airport. Spend the money to get a car to drop you off at the terminal so you don’t have to be outside and deal with the cold at home. Just consider that an essential travel expense because carrying that coat is awful. Alternatively, check a bag and once you get to the airport, put your winter things in that bag before you check it.

consider taking some otc travel sickness medication. Even if you aren’t vomiting, your description of your symptoms suggests that may be an issue and it won’t hurt to try it once.

think about holidaying at home. DH and I have discovered that it’s much more refreshing to just check into a hotel close by or a relatively short drive away than do bother with a full holiday with air travel. All you really need is a break from the day to day to relax and recharge. You can have it without the hassle of actually traveling.

For cruises, try a 'no-fly' one if you can.
(airports are the ninth circle of hell and I completely sympathise, avoid them whenever possible.)
There are a few hacks which can improve things but they all cost from just a few pounds to £££.
Book fast track security to cut out some of the airport queueing.
Book a lounge at the terminal for use once airside, they are havens of calm and tranquility compared with the bear-garden of the average departure lounge. Yes, they certainly cost but you get lots of food and drink, including alcohol, showers in some of them and most importantly peace and quiet with a guaranteed seat.
Last time I flew (ok, it was Stansted) there were absolutely no seats available at all in the departure lounge. Luckily, I had booked lounge access. £30 pp AFAICR for an Aspire (i.e. not airline) lounge.

Fly business class if you can, BA's Club Europe is not a king's ransom like some of them, in terms of upfront cost. And you get extra baggage allowance, fast track security, much shorter queues at check in, priority boarding / deplaning and airline lounge access included. I recall I got two return flights to southern Italy (Bari) a few years ago for around 500 quid. Premium Economy might also be worth considering depending on what's on offer.
Of course it also depends on your own circumstances plus the time of year, school holidays, Xmas etc.

I completely understand where you are coming from OP; the whole thing can be very stressful. The best tip I can give is getting a set of decent fabric packing cubes to keep all your items organised in your luggage, including hand luggage. It makes rifling through clothes and keeping on top of it an absolute breeze, in case you need to shuffle bits around last minute. They really have been a lifesaver (not to mention you can cram a lot more in with them)! Keep the things you need to take out for security easy to get to. I found that having my cases nice and organised helped me massively.

I also really like using colour coded waterproof dry bags to keep items that may leak. They are also great for socks/underwear as the air can be taken out when rolled down. https://amzn.eu/d/2957Rad

Or clear plastic zippy bags/drawstring bags for shoes/make up, paperwork etc Anything I can see easily is good.

Other than aiming to get to the airport 3-4 hours before the flight (if not more) also helps. Snacks to hand for hanger pangs (pack some cereal bars for day trips).

Also agree with layers instead of thick coats etc. M&S Heatgen thermals were a lifesaver for my recent trip to -10 city!

Good luck OP I hope you can try and enjoy the benefits of travelling.

Also agree with PP - try for lounge access or premium economy/BC seats. All of these things add up to make the whole experience much less stressful (but am also aware of the cost implications so not always feasible).

A small cross body bag, like the Uniqlo ones, to keep passport, boarding pass and purse in. Stops you rummaging.

If you have an early flight stay in an airport hotel the night before.

Noise cancelling headphones so you can listen to music at a normal volume or just shut out other passengers. Second the layers. I like a down jacket that can pack down small.

Does the UK have an equivalent of TSA pre? As in, a specific line for people who have applied and been accepted as known flyers and then you don't have to take off your shoes/belt/liquids out of your case? If so, highly recommend.

Pay more (if you can) for less anti social hour flights.

Just take carry on. With a bit of organization, you can get loads into a smaller suitcase and a travel bag to go under the seat. I spend time before I travel planning my what I am taking. I hate the phrase capsule wardrobe but they are game changing when traveling. I still always take at least 3 pairs of shoes and 2 handbags. Socks, undies etc fit in the shoes. Roll your clothes. You can get SO much in! And a small crossover bag for the passport/security part that can then be put in the smaller travel bag on the flight.

Take a pair of noise cancelling bluetooth headphones (I use Apple Pro Max) and a plug in AirFly bluetooth thing. Gives you 1st class sound to the in flight entertainment, even if you're in Economy. I find it also helps the ears with the pressure and cancels out the noise of everyone else.

Take food!

I really try to see the actual travel part as part of the trip, regardless of what class I'm flying in. Always eat something at the airport, always have a glass of wine. Dress comfortably. Enjoy!

Are you me?

I have the same problem with the ears being so sore throughout, the engine noise drives me nuts all through and I feel disorientated and quite nauseous after the flight, for at least a day.

I basically don't travel for leisure anymore. Sorry. It was a lot better when my employer forked out for business class - not being stuck in a small space does help somewhat - and I don't think I'll go abroad again unless I can do that.

I would say if you can, build in recovery time either side. If you know you are unwell after travelling.

The quiet room at the airport is very important as well. I have found some people don't even know these exist. I presume they do still exist? I haven't travelled abroad for about eight years.

Try candling you ears the day before you go.

Take muesli bars and eat them. Bits of dried fruit, too, to bring up your sugar levels. Take water and drink it. Take ginger biscuits or travel sickness stuff. Ask your pharmacist to talk you through the options.

Take something to keep you occupied. A deck of cards and play rummy on your lap with dh or something.

A lot of professional travellers make sure they have print outs of their boarding passes as well as on their phone. Phone batteries die/phones get stolen. You are doing the right thing there.

Do you know what? There is nothing wrong with accepting that you are the type of person who needs assistance to navigate getting through the airport. The assistants are there to help. Allow the extra few minutes, be pleasant and polite and remember that “asking for help” does not equal “doing the wrong thing”.

Yes to layering rather than one big coat. Check out charity shops for options.