How To Start Your Holiday Before You Even Get On The Plane
Holidays – they don’t come around all that often and usually require a lot of planning. You need to put in for time off, get approved, plan the trip, fork out the funds, pack your bags and get to the airport. It’s important to make the most of your time away, so don’t limit your holiday fun to the destination – start it as soon as you get to the airport.
Here are some ways to make the most of your flight and get your holiday off to a smashing start.
#1 Save yourself the stress
You know that one guy you see running as if he were contesting Olympic gold to make his flight one time? Don’t be that guy. There’s nothing worse than rushing through an airport, fretting about missing your flight or worrying about cancellations. Make sure you have a contingency plan, and figure out how early you should arrive at the airport in order to spare yourself the headache.
After all, it’s always better to be a little early and wait it out in the terminal than missing a flight. Most airports suggest you arrive somewhere between two hours and 60 minutes before your flight is due to leave. If you’re ever unsure, track your flight online via your airline’s website, or give them a call to be certain.
#2 Stay calm
Aviophobia – the general fear of flying – is something that around one in five of us share. While most nervous flyers grin and bare it, clutching the edges of their seats, it’s no way to start a holiday.
There are plenty of methods that can help to make flying a little less terrifying, one being guided meditation. Guided mediations are the perfect in-flight relaxant: all you’ll need is your phone and a set of headphones.
Meditations come in the form of an audio file (generally an app) and you’ll find hundreds of them on YouTube and Spotify. The spoken affirmations can offer an almost immediate sense of calm: coupled with relaxation and guided imagery, these meditations leave you cool, calm and collected.
#3 Get comfy
What’s a holiday if you aren’t in your comfiest get-up? It’s absolutely vital that you’re snug in order to enjoy your flight to the fullest, so consider an outfit somewhere between your PJs and smart-casual (after all, strolling through duty free in your dressing gown and uggies is never a good look – but, hey, you do you).
Now that you’re comfy, stay that way. Stopovers on long-haul flights are a great opportunity to freshen up and potentially even take a shower. While some airport amenities mightn’t be as nice as home, you can sometimes find hidden gems. The nicest showers usually exist in private lounges, which are perfect if you’ve got access. If not, don’t fret – some airport hotels will let you take a shower in their clean amenities for a small fee.
If you’re going to be on the plane for an extended period of time, one way to maintain maximum comfort is by upgrading to Premium Economy. For a few dollars extra, you’ll be treated to a private cabin of around 40 seats and your own crew of dedicated and experienced flight attendants. Best of all, you’ll get extra leg room without the added responsibility of guarding an emergency exit.
#4 Be prepared
A lot of the things you’ll need during your flight can usually be accessed on board, but if you can’t live without certain creature comforts, it’s best to come prepared. Gather all your most-needed accessories and ensure they’re easily accessible before you leave home.
Things to consider including are portable chargers, USB cables, eye mask, earplugs, noise-cancelling headphones, a universal adapter plug, toothpaste, moisturiser, hand sanitiser and a good book. If you’re unsure if you’ll need something or not, pack it for good measure. The more you fly, the better you’ll get at creating your survival kit.
It’s also really important to know what you can and cannot take on board. Different airports and airlines have different rules when it comes to what they allow, so don’t make the mistake in having to watch airport staff bin your favourite cosmetics or the half sandwich you were planning on devouring mid-flight.
#5 Switch off
The whole point of a holiday is to take a break from the daily grind, so don’t let any small annoyances tag along. Try deleting all work-related apps you might be tempted to check in on.
Alternatively, you can disable push notifications and alerts to keep them from buzzing in your bag while you’re trying to sunbathe by the resort pool.
Similarly, be sure your e-mails are set to out-of-office mode. You don’t want to come back to 3000 e-mails from people cursing you in all-caps because you haven’t replied to their message.
#6 Treat yourself (but not too much)
You’re on holidays, so treat yourself – in moderation. While it may seem like a great idea to get boozed in the airport pre-flight or pop some bottles on the plane, just remember: this plane is your new home for the next few hours, and the people around you are your new neighbours, so be respectful. Plus, you really don’t want to be hungover when you arrive.
#7 Avoid jet leg
Nothing puts a dampener on a holiday quite like jet lag. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to reduce its effects.
For years, jet lag was considered merely a state of mind, but studies have shown that the condition truly exists, resulting from an imbalance in our body’s natural circadian rhythms caused by moving between different time zones. According to meditation expert and founder of 1 Giant Mind, Jonni Pollard, there are some ways to combat it:
Stay hydrated
Hydration is important, Pollard says he drinks three glasses of warm water before he gets on a plane, then another warm water or herbal tea every hour, on the hour. Keeping hydrated won’t only assist with digestion, but it will make it easier to nap, too.
Sleep smart
To get yourself prepped for your new time zone, try adjusting your sleep schedule. “Set your watch to the time zone you’re heading into and…only sleep within the sleeping hours of the time zone you are entering.”
It’s also important to get up and stretch as often as possible in order to keep your blood flowing to all the places it should be.
On arrival
When you reach your destination, it’s always good to take a warm bath or shower and moisturise your skin, which may be dry from the plane.
“If you’ve arrived in the morning, don’t nap – tough it out and get a good night’s sleep instead. The result will be minimal to zero jet lag,” Pollard promises.