Holiday to spain anxiety

[Tiredtweenmum]

We have been saving hard to go on a holiday abroad for the first time in 15 years. It is our DC first holiday abroad. Because of the time it’s taken to save and the fact it is their first foreign holiday I’m getting really panicky about it 🙄
passports are new, everything is booked but I wake up most nights in a panic thinking I have forgotten something.
We also haven’t been abroad in so long that I feel like I’ve forgotten how to ‘do’ it!! what are things that I may have forgotten I need to do or bring for flying and going to Spain?!

I know this sounds silly!

Plug adaptor? I understand your anxiety when you have saved so hard, but really as long as you have passports and any prescription medication you can buy most other things if you have to.

When do you go? Does whoever you’re travelling with have an app to check in on? Make sure luggage is permitted sizes. Chargers. Adaptor. Small first aid box. Travel insurance. Airport transfers / parking.

Hope you have a great time!

It doesn’t sound silly at all. I was terrified the first time I drove after Covid lockdown (on the M4 to get my jab).

have you made a list and run through it with your partner?

One thing people often forget is a GHIC card for being able to access free medical treatment overseas but it’s not the end of the world if you don’t have one.

Make sure you’ve got a few euros

Travel insurance.

If you haven’t been abroad for ages, the main change is the queues at the airport are MUCH longer on arrival and then on the way back from Spain.

Since Brexit there’s an EU arrivals and departures queue (which we Brits don’t use) and the other non-EU one.

Allow much more time. Took me 90mins on arrival last month and more like 2.5 hours just to get through passport control on departure to come home.

We have a checklist which is Money, Tickets, Passport. If you have money you can get anything you forget when you're away! Remember it's Spain not an island in the middle of the ocean miles from civilization 🤣 Have a fabulous holiday.

You need passports. That's probably the only thing you can't do without, apart from your phone which you can have all your tickets on.
You'll probably be able to buy anything else in the unlikely chance you forget it.
The thing I forget most often is my contact lens solution!

@Tiredtweenmum

Here's a wee checklist 🏖️

Starmer just did some deal with the EU, so when we were in Italy this summer we got to go through the EU channel again. Not sure about Spain, but assume it's the same.

I was in Spain recently. Don't worry! As long as you have your passport, wallet and boarding pass, everything else you can buy from Alehop!

We went through the EU channel in Greece too, we just tried our luck as the queue was much shorter (due to us coming from Turkey and there being a lot of Turkish people) and they let us through.

I do not recognise the 'much longer queues in Spain' info, whether the plane arrives and you all queue up in EU or you all queue up in non EU it doesn't make much difference. In fact it may be quicker in non EU as all the Spanish people with be in EU. I've found it just the same as ever though.

Try not to stress OP, you'll spoil the holiday! As other say almost anything you need can be bought in Spain.

We haven’t had massive queues. I think pp was unlucky.

Where are you going OP?

Main difference from before is checking in online (see airline for check in window), reserving seats if you want to sit together (we don’t bother) and your boarding pass is on your phone either in your Apple/google wallet or the airline app.

Op gently it's Spain not Antarctica... You are better placed to buy a plug adaptor in the smallest resort than in the centre of London. They have Heinz beans, the sun, hp sauce and Marmite in every supermarket to cope with us Brits. Just go, if you forgot something going to Blackpool beach what would you do... forget about it or cope...these days Spain is more English than Blackpool

Travel insurance and airport parking were the things I remembered at the last minute when I made post Covid bookings op!

Have a lovely holiday.

Make sure your luggage is the right size

Travel adapter

Anything you have forgotten you can buy when you get there. Enjoy your time

Have you organised insurance?
airport transfers/parking at both ends if needed
downloaded/printed any tickets
online check in (check when you need to do it and set a reminder)
Sun cream
clothes
toiletries
plug sockets - I take one and an extension cable usually
researched any day trips you fancy

Spain is quite an easy one because they are used to and cater to tourists so try not think of it as abroad, think of it as an extension of the uk (I know it’s not but in terms of being able to communicate with people it is)

Provided you've got your passports, phone and charger(s) and any prescription medication any of you are taking, you'll be fine. If you forget something, there's pretty much nothing you couldn't buy in Spain if you need to.

I had this too, just got back from Spain. Yes really as long as you have passports and phones with tickets downloaded you'll be fine. Check baggage allowance, get holiday insurance. Have fun!!

Phone charger, passports, tickets, phones and chargers and money/cards. Everything else you realistically can buy there if you forget it so not worth stressing.

Add your Advanced Passenger Information on the airline’s website if not already done. As a few others have said, make sure travel insurance is sorted.

I'm going to Spain tomorrow!

Everyone should have at least 6 months on their passports (presumably you all have new ones so no issue there)

Travel insurance
GHIC card ideally (but don't panic if you don't have them)
Bank cards
A few euros

Airport parking/taxi booked/public transport planned.

Allow loads of time to check in. Better to be early and hang around at the airport than cut it fine and be flustered.

Travel once you arrive in Spain planned.

Accommodation confirmed.

Any medication (ideally take a copy of your prescription, a medical letter or a print out from your surgery for prescription meds, especially any restricted painkillers or anything like that).

That's it for essentials I think.

Pack (some of this might not be relevant depending what you're doing):

Swimwear
Towels
Arm bands/inflatables/goggles/snorkels/sea shoes
Underwear
Socks
Trainers
Sandals/flip flops
Shorts
T shirts
A cardigan or jacket
A couple of smarter outfits for evenings
Something modest if visiting churches, cathedrals etc
Sun hat
Sun glasses
Toiletries, make up, hair brush, sun cream
Devices and chargers
Books

If you forget anything, don't panic! There are shops at the airport and in Spain.

Have fun!

I totally get you OP. I travelled the world in my younger days without a second thought but I'm taking DD to the Netherlands in the Easter holiday next year and going abroad (not been abroad in 10 years and all passports need renewed again) and navigating unfamiliar public transport etc feels quite stressful - as well as expensive. I hope you have an amazing time.

We fly to Spain and back multiple times a year (including yesterday!) as our families live there, and have never experienced this! Which airport?

Insurance?