Picking the perfect holiday is stressful, the choice is overwhelming and the amount of variables that contribute to the choice is never ending. More and more holiday-goers are feeling as if they need a holiday just to recover from their trip abroad. This isn’t surprising considering that most people don’t leave their work in the office where it belongs, but check their emails on their smartphone while on vacation, or spend their days dreaming of the summer sun but stressing about the budget that will allow it.
Organising Your Trip
The obvious but incredibly important tip to avoid stress is simple: organisation. The more effort you put into planning your trip, the more you’ll feel you’ve got a handle on things when you’re out there, ultimately meaning more time to relax. In a recent survey by alpharooms.com it was revealed that 39% of holiday stress is caused by finding the right place to stay for within the chosen budget. It’s important then, that this organisation isn’t just about where you might find the best cocktail, but instead the best deals you might be able to get. All-inclusive deals are becoming all the more popular and 2016 is definitely the year for great savings on them.
At the Airport
In the same research, it was shown that 37% worry about travelling to the airport just before they travel, with a further 38% saying unexpected costs along the way are also concerning. It’s worth noting that some of the cheaper deals you may stumble across may come at the price of strange flight times. Avoid stress and tension by pre-booking train tickets for cheaper fares or perhaps have a (very good) friend drop you off if your flight is unreasonably early.
Navigating Public Transport
Another worry of Brits is that they’ll have trouble navigating the public transport while on holiday, especially if they don’t speak the language. It’s important to brush up on your language skills for the area and have confidence that you can ask the locals for directions. It might be worth noting that if you’re embarking on a summer holiday, a lot of inclusive deals include hotel transfers and organised trips – which may be why more and more holiday-goers are turning to the ease of the all-inclusive. If you’re more of the adventure type, make sure you download some apps that will help you get around or pick up a local map at the hotel.
Relaxation
One of the stand out ways to avoid stress is simply by sitting back and relaxing. Forty-one per cent of holidaymakers say that opening a book is what triggers the holiday mood. Make sure you plan for your trip to the beach or visit to the pool by pre-packing a set of books you’ve been meaning to read. Grab yourself an ice cold drink and actually enjoy the holiday you’ve earnt. That means resisting the urge to open your inbox and ignore the calls from work.
Packing
There’s nothing worse than leaving the resort for your trip home or even leaving home for your holiday departure than realising you’ve forgotten something. Most worry about leaving their money or passport at home; make sure you have a wallet with all the important documents and pack them in the front of your case in an easy to check pocket. There’s also the issue that you always leave with more than what you came with. Make sure when you’re packing to go abroad you leave enough space for any holiday purchases.