Don’t survive travelling hack it

Travelling is probably the most ‘on-the-go’ many of us will ever be. Stretching yourself between hotels and planes, there isn’t much time to take care of yourself or, sometimes, even to charge your phone.

There are many articles written on how to survive travelling, as if something bad would inevitably happen. In most cases, this isn’t true. Travelling is adventurous and exciting. Of course it can be stressful at times. Yet, just as the day-to-day works better with a little planning, travelling is all in the strategy. We’re not talking about jungle survival tips (for that, unfortunately, you’ll have to look elsewhere) but simply that approaching your travel with a few hacks may ease the confusing times. So here they are.

Before you set off

You need to prepare. Spending time planning your flights and itinerary is the first port of call. The first hack requires your web browser to be put into ‘private’: private browsing will allow you to find cheaper tickets, as airlines and travel sites record customer visits through cookies meaning prices change depending on the number of times your browser has previously searched for them. Putting your web browser into ‘incognito’ will stop the cookies recording your search and keep those prices low.

Tickets booked, now onto packing. Always roll your clothes rather than folding them, you’ll get a lot more in that way. If you fancy extra brownie points, email yourself a copy of your scanned passport and keep it: you never know when this could come in handy and you don’t want to carry your passport with you at all times.

The journey begins

Never buy water at the airport, bring your own water bottle and fill it. This is crucial: water is expensive but it’s necessary, this little hack will mean you can save money for something you’d rather spend it on later – maybe an experience or a fab meal.

At the airport, mark your baggage as fragile. Delicate items are placed on the aircraft last, to prevent damage. That means they’re often the first to be removed from the plane, meaning your bag will be the first to make it round the carousel.

Upon arrival

It’s high time we stopped falling for currency scamming abroad. Despite having the internet at our fingertips and being fully aware, we don’t understand every conversion rate and currency around the world, we still find ourselves being ripped off at the bureau de change. Get money out of the ATM: there will be a charge but it’ll come from your bank and not scammers.

While on the road

Why not try a different diet? Travelling is easier when you’re able to try lots of foods and immerse yourself in other cuisines. For example, when in India, it is easy to enjoy vegetarian Indian food as it is nutritious and delicious. At an Indian vegetarian restaurant, meat is barely missed, as the authentic aromas and spices are the real highlight. And there are so many carbs to choose from.

Make travelling easier with hacks, rather than survival guides. You’ll find your own too, adventure breeds imagination and perseverance.