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Tips for travelling virgin

13 replies

Menomum1 · 24/08/2025 17:37

Hey everyone,
I'm going on holiday in 3 months and would appreciate any travel tips.
I haven't been abroad since a school trip when I was 15, nearly 35 years ago, which was obviously all arranged by the teachers!
Are there any apps you'd recommend? Where are the best places to exchange money? Any tips for airport? Packing tips?Any essential knowledge I need to know?
Any travelling tips would be greatly received!
Thank you

OP posts:
WanderingGiraffe · 24/08/2025 17:50

Oooh where are you going?

Tips -
Money exchange - shop around for online rates if getting cash here (No1 currency, M&S and John Lewis are often best IME).
Or… get a card with ability to pay 0% currency conversion fees or convert in app eg Revolut, Monzo or Wise and use that. Personally I like to have some cash but use Revolut a lot now for cask machines abroad and/or debit card purchases depending on where I am.

Airport - for liquids read the airport rules but best to assume the most restrictive rules - make sure all liquids are 100ml or less and packed separately in a bag (20x20cm or less - you can get one at airport just before security for free!) you can easily take in/out hand luggage. Ditto electronics - put them all together so can just take out for security if needed.

I use TripAdvisor app and the forums there a fair bit, or just have a good google of destination. Gov.uk travel advice and travelhealthpro if going anywhere exotic to look at vaccine requirements/recommendations and entry restrictions/security concerns etc

Most importantly - have fun!

Hulp13duyu1 · 24/08/2025 18:26

@Menomum1 where are you off to? Then we can give you more specific advice and tips

ElizabethVonArnim · 24/08/2025 18:32

Agree with PP - get a Revolut card, which you can load with your budget then use as a debit card abroad without charges.

If you’re travelling from a large airport, eg Gatwick or Heathrow, factor in 10 mins walking time between the shops and the gate, so you should be on the move to the gate from the shopping area about an hour before your flight is due to take off. Most people calculate to arrive at the airport 2hrs before they are due to fly, but if you haven’t been abroad for ages, you might want to make the most of exploring the airport - I love having a look round - and get there a bit early to have time to mooch about.

Without knowing what kind of holiday you’re going on, it’s hard to give tips for packing, but don’t forget chargers for your phone/any other devices. I like to have a torch in my handbag, but that is a hangover from a childhood with quite weird parents! It has always come in handy in one way or another, but never for picking my way from the smoking ruins of a crashed plane in a nighttime jungle, which was my mum’s reason for carrying one 😂

TizerorFizz · 24/08/2025 18:46

@Menomum1i really would allow 3 hours at the airport before the flight. Any queues and you eat into this. It’s better to be calm and have a coffee before you board rather than being flustered. Some gates at Heathrow are some distance from security.

Don’t take ridiculous amounts of hand luggage and keep a body bag for essentials like passport. We rarely use cash anywhere these days but some countries will want cash for tips. Make a very comprehensive packing list and check weather patterns carefully. Take your insurance with you and make sure your relatives know where you are.

We always take a dossier with all holiday bookings in it. Don’t forget to plan what you want to see snd watch out for closed attractions! Lots depends on holiday though.

FourIsNewSix · 24/08/2025 19:11

It depends on where you go and what are you going to do there.

Passport - check you have the required validity, not only for full stay, but include the extra time required after your return, some don't count validity over 10 years after issuing.

Flight - check whether you can or have to do online check-in in advance.
Further instructions depends on hand luggage X checked luggage. Pay attention to liquids, electronic devices and batteries/power banks.
You might want to find official pages of your airports to have live access to information boards.

Money - don't overthink it. In some localities you can pay by your card practically everywhere, and if it is shorter trip it isn't worth spending much time. When I expect to use mostly the card and want just a little cash, I withdraw it from my card using an ATM in the location.

Travel insurance

Transport - this is relatively important, especially if you plan to use public transport to get from the airport to your final destination. Individual cities can have peculiar apps to pay for your tickets.
In many cities Google maps have valid bus timetables, but not everywhere.

Check for public holidays and general closing times in your destination (if you arrive on Saturday, and shops are closed on Sunday, you want to know about it). Google maps will probably help here.

Check your mobile phone package for international roaming options and prices.

Have a look at Google translate app, learn to use the live photo translation.

Food - find translation of your food key words, especially allergies and things you really hate, so you can check the labels.
Read tap water recommendations for your destination (some localities have great and tasty tap water, some ok but not tasty, some you can't use even for brushing your teeth).

LiNalas · 03/05/2026 07:05

Are you going with anyone (you don't say)? Going on your own is hard. Take a travelling companion, learn the language of the destination country, find the ex-pats when you get there. Have fun.

Lincslady53 · 03/05/2026 18:29

Depends where you are going. In Europe we take a small amount of Euros in cash, just for tips really. Then we use our bank card, Starling do not have any extra charges and as long as we pay in the local currency, Euros, we get a good exchange rate. We pay for everything by card, it pings up on our phones immediately so you know how much everything has cost. Other cards do the same. A lot of places now use a tap on, tap off system on public transport, which makes using buses so easy. Use Google maps for the location of bus stops, just touch the bus stop and the times of all buses from that stop pop up. Type in the search bar the bus route number and the whole route is shown, so you can see if it is going near to where you want to be. Google maps is brilliant to find your way about. I usually join Facebook groups for the place I am going to for hints and tips, especially restaurant and entertainment recommendations.

LittlePinkWeed · 03/05/2026 18:30

ZOMBIE THREAD FROM AUGUST 2025

Staceyeatscarrots · 03/05/2026 18:33

Keep your legs crossed at all times?

Lincslady53 · 03/05/2026 18:35

One other thing. Check with the airline what size cabin luggage they allow. Measure yours to make sure it complies, include the wheels in the measurements, some airlines are stricter than others, but if your bags are oversize it can be a hassle and extra charges.

SleepingStandingUp · 03/05/2026 18:35

All my brain could think of was "don't have sex". I think I need sleep.

EmpressaurusKitty · 03/05/2026 18:42

LittlePinkWeed · 03/05/2026 18:30

ZOMBIE THREAD FROM AUGUST 2025

FFS. Thanks @LittlePinkWeed.

TheM55 · 03/05/2026 22:52

Realise this is a "zombie thread" from a year ago, but if anyone IS flying Virgin (or Air France come to that) DO take a few snacks, cereal bars etc. Both airlines make a big thing about there being a "anytime snack bar" that you can access in the galley. In reality, this does not exist (at least on my flights) On virgin, they fed us OK so I only went "out of interest" thinking I might have a packet of crisps or something (no such luck). Air France, fed us within an hour of departing on a 13.5 hour flight, and then a chocolate brownie about 7 hours in, then nothing, we got a small breakfast bun about an hour before landing. Nothing wrong with the flight, but god knows I was hungry, and I wished I had packed cereal bars etc.

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