Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Holiday essentials/hacks

11 replies

LM119 · 01/03/2024 14:18

Hi everyone,

As a family of 6, 2 adults, 4 children, we are going abroad for the first time this year and are off to Alcudia in May. My husband flew a lot as a child, but none of us have flown since.

I’m a planner, husbands not but in order to control the anxiety of going abroad I want to be organised so that we all enjoy it.

I’ve researched a lot, but what are your mum hacks, those must take items?

A friend suggested taking an extension lead so you only have to buy 1 plug converter which I never would have thought of so thought others might have ideas.

Children are 5, 9, 11 & 13 if that helps

OP posts:
Soupit · 01/03/2024 16:08

Most decent hotels will have usb sockets and a hairdryer so I don't think there is such a need for plug converters. I used to take an extension lead with a continental plug but haven't bothered for years.
Sun protection clothing takes a lot of sun creaming hassle out of the day.
Cross pack your suitcases.

sarahb083 · 02/03/2024 16:34

Use packing cubes (or just ziploc bags) to pack outfits
Lots of snacks
Empty water bottles to be filled after security

samarrange · 02/03/2024 21:01

Most of these are tips rather than hacks/stuff to take, but I hope they will be useful:

Alcudia has quite a lot of mosquitos, so take repellent in a bottle. It will be cheaper at Boots then when you arrive. If you want to avoid DEET (horrible smell, melts plastic) then there are several brands that use a different chemical called picaridin as their active ingredient, which is much less nasty. Your hotel may or may not provide a night-time mosquito plug-in. If it doesn't, you can get them in a convenience store for €5-6, or Lidl (there's one not too far from the beach) has one for about €2 and it even includes a little nightlight. You can get after-bite sticks at a local pharmacy if needed.

If you have bought a package holiday that includes a transfer, be prepared for that to take some time. Alcudia is only 70km from the airport and most of the way there is on a proper motorway, so the actual driving time is only about an hour. But if you are on a shared transfer it can take an hour to fill the coach up (while they wait for four other flights to come in), and then when you get to the resort it can take a while to visit every hotel to drop people off. You might be last on and first off the coach, but you might also be first on and last off. There's not a lot you can do about this apart from getting a private transfer (for 6 people this will be about €100 each way), but perhaps this can help you brace for it. It's frustrating to get off the plane and think you're nearly there, only to take more than 2 hours to actually get to the hotel.

Paying with a UK debit card in a foreign currency is a lot less expensive than a few years ago. Check your bank's web site for what they charge, but often it's less than 2%, and they have mostly got rid of the minimum fee, which could add 80p or so to every purchase.

You can pay by card almost everywhere but it's a good idea to have some Euros in cash. Either order them from your UK bank in advance, or get them out of a cashpoint that is attached to a proper bank when you get there. Do not change or withdraw money at the airport as the bureaux de change there are all licenced bandits, and do not use standalone ATMs in the street for the same reason. (Changing sterling cash into Euros at one of the change places in the town will often be not too bad.)

If you are paying in a restaurant by card and the machine offers you the choice of paying in Euros or pounds, always choose Euros. Your UK bank will give you a much better rate for the conversion from Euros to pounds than the card machine will.

You don't have to leave a percentage tip in a restaurant. Many Europeans leave no tip at all, and the card machine will probably not have an "add tip?" function. Certainly don't feel the need to add 10%. If your bill is €88 and you leave €3 in coins the staff will not come and shout at you. If you want to tip someone, leave €10 for the chambermaid if your room was kept nice.

Local buses are good and cheap. Pay by tapping your debit card on the reader when you get on and when you get off, like you would on the Tube, as it's cheaper than buying a ticket and you don't have to spend the driver's valuable time. You can put multiple people on one card.

When you arrive you will have to pay the tourist tax when you check in to the hotel. This is on a sliding scale depending on the length of your stay but it will be roughly €2 per day per adult in a 3 place or €3 in a 4 place.

Everywhere is very safe but there are pickpockets around. Go out for the day with one card each and €50 in cash. Leave your passport at the hotel - in theory you are meant to carry it all times but nobody will stop you and fine you for not having it on you.

Security at Palma airport is always very quick, so don't feel the need to buy priority or add on an extra half hour, if you have any say in when you get there on the return trip.

Super-niche tip: Since 2018, Spanish airports have to sell a 500ml bottle of still water for €1 (now €1.10 with inflation). Palma airport has machines that mix the €1.10 bottles with another brand that is more expensive, so look carefully before pressing the button.

pastelyellow0 · 03/03/2024 02:03

Supposedly using citrus scented shower gel helps to deter mosquitoes... although I'm not sure how true that is. We went to Alcudia last May. We weren't staying near the water so managed to escape the mosquitoes and didn't end up using our repellent at all! Although we did have to keep our balcony door shut all day and night.

We always divide each persons clothes/shoes etc across both suitcases (so that one persons clothes aren't all in the one suitcase). That way at least if one suitcase does go missing, they'll still have at least something to wear from the other suitcase

novocaine4thesoul · 03/03/2024 03:28

Loads of good tips here already from other posters, esp about cross suitcase packing. I've got 4 and Majorca is a good go-to place, an easy flight time etc. so don't let any worries get in the way. My tips are:
The flight. Unless you are very confident, print your boarding passes off and have them on both of your phones. Phones run out of charge, some printed ones don't scan so well. Put most of your toiletries in your case, and have the essentials in a couple of plastic bags manned by adults. Kids on planes are usually helped by "screen time" - fully charged phones, games, films, music and headphones. Take a plastic bag - most airlines do not provide sick bags these days and even the hardiest traveller can be tested if the flight is rough, unlikely but it can happen. I would also take one change of clothing (not per child but for all 4 in an emergency, so one biggish t-shirt and shorts) in your hand luggage and liquid calpol. Buy a meal deal per person once through passport control, food on the plane is expensive, and they sometimes run out, and you at least will have something if there are delays. Once you are there, others are right about the mosquitos, long trousers and sleeves at night, and be prepared to "deet up" as we used to call it. It stinks and I think there are child-friendly versions, but don't go out without it. Don't leave your windows open at night. I agree with @samarrange that Alcudia is quite far from PMI - a taxi might do it in an hour, the coach transfers will take longer, and they can be waiting for other flights to come in to fill the coach, but as long as you know, you know. HTH, have a lovely holiday xx
PS Monzo or Halifax clarity card are quite good for spending abroad, Currensea is another card quite good for taking money out

ShinyAppleDreamingOfTheSea · 06/03/2024 11:03

Soupit · 01/03/2024 16:08

Most decent hotels will have usb sockets and a hairdryer so I don't think there is such a need for plug converters. I used to take an extension lead with a continental plug but haven't bothered for years.
Sun protection clothing takes a lot of sun creaming hassle out of the day.
Cross pack your suitcases.

Yes to the hairdryer but I wouldn't rely on USB sockets for your phone .

fridaynightdinner12346 · 06/03/2024 11:09

Extension lead is always a great idea.

Reusable water bottles in suitcase; ideal
For beach.

Find a Facebook group for your hotel; it saved us huge amounts of money on excursions and lots of tips about hotel we wouldn't have known.

Get a solar buddies sun cream applicator; super easy to apply it to the kids, and they can do themselves.fill it with your own sun cream.

Eat marmite, mosquitos hate it and can "smell it" so don't bite you.

Broodywuz · 06/03/2024 11:12

Shamelessly place marking, I've created a very similar thread. Going to Majorca this summer with 2 young DC, 1st time abroad with kids. We're staying Sa Coma.

ShinyAppleDreamingOfTheSea · 06/03/2024 11:12

Palma airport - may feel confusing on arrival as you have to walk through the departures queues to get to passport control - but as pp says, it's great on the way back as all UK flights go from the same terminal (area) so there is plenty of waiting space with somewhere to get food/.drink after you have done the passport check .

(This wouldn't mean a lot if you haven't flown for ages but after Brexit there is an extra step at European airports while they stamp all UK passports and when first brought in it was taking a lot longer)

LipstickLil · 06/03/2024 11:26
  • Leave your valuables at home and make sure that any you take with you are insured.
  • Get travel insurance as soon as you book your holiday.
  • Order your GHIC cards and passports well before your holiday - it's advisable for order passports at least 10 weeks before departure.
  • Take a photo of everyone's passport picture page and print it off. Keep them in a folder separate from the passports. If a passport is lost or stolen and you need to get it replaced it's much easier if you have a copy of the old one with you.
  • Make yourself a word doc which has all the phone numbers (and policy numbers) you might need in case of emergency - so the number of your bank's lost/stolen card line, same for your phone provider, travel insurance, kennels/cattery, etc.
  • If you take cash with you (and I advise you to have some euros), only take out with you what you need for that day and leave the rest in the safe - never carry around any cards/cash/valuables that you don't need to.
  • Similarly, either clear out your wallet before you go away and remove anything you don't need for your holiday or buy a small travel wallet.
  • Consider using a travel money card or a credit card that has favourable exchange rates. MoneySupermarket has good info on this https://www.moneysupermarket.com/travel-money/
  • Print off/collect all your travel documents (boarding passes, hotel reservation, car hire voucher, GHIC cards, passports, travel insurance document, etc) and put them in a clear plastic A4 pocket in a secure carry-on and keep them with you at all times while travelling. Once you get to your accommodation, put the folder in the safe.
  • Make sure you have cables/chargers for all the devices you want to take and sufficient euro adapters.
  • Give each child a small backpack with their own toys/teddies to carry.
  • Pack a spare pair of undies, a clean t-shirt and shorts in each person's carry-on and carry all medication and contact lenses in case of lost luggage.
Fizbosshoes · 06/03/2024 11:28

I went abroad for the first time in 10+ years last year and lost a suitcase. That had 2 peoples clothes in it!
And the plug adapters
and mY phone charger
And my contact lenses
I spent a fortune on a new (shit) phone charger at the airport.... so basically don't pack like that! 🤣

New posts on this thread. Refresh page