Holidays are curious things. We value time away – away from daily responsibilities and away from home, with the opportunity to relax and discover somewhere new. Equally, we might be returning to a favourite location with all the promise of a supremely comfortable comfort zone. Our expectations are high. All which renders the holiday, and us, vulnerable to disappointment – disappointments which can, with care, usually be avoided.
I was reminded of this by a short article In late November last, by Simon Calder in the Independent. He notes how “American Airlines has announced it is expanding its new technology to control ‘gate lice’ – keen passengers with an itch to line up at the gate before they are called to board a flight.” The new tech will prevent boarding passes getting through the gate until that specific group of passengers has been called. The idea is to prevent the gate becoming clogged up with passengers who haven’t been called yet. This is something which has become more common, especially when a flight is demonstrably full. The fact that the announcement came shortly before the busy American Thanksgiving holiday was presumably not a co-incidence.
The hazards of going on holiday – and how to overcome them
Crowded boarding conditions, with passengers jostling for position, can quickly add stress to the experience. Other factors, such as unseasonal or severe weather can do the same. Sometimes we think an identified person or business is responsible for some mishap or other (sometimes they really are) and then it’s even easier to become frustrated and stressed.
However, a holiday is to enjoy, so it’s worth avoiding stress if possible. And there is an alternative. Here are four tips that can help negotiate the fine line between reasonable expectations and not letting “things going wrong” completely ruin your holiday.
1. Plan ahead
Planning ahead should come naturally to anyone organising a holiday, but it’s surprising how easy it is to leave things until the last minute. Flights and accommodation are usually the first things to be booked, and once those are done it’s easy to leave everything else until later.
However, it really is worth getting ahead with those other tasks. These could be simple things like checking passport validity and the up-to-date size regulations for carry-on luggage. Or it might be something a little more involved, such as arranging for the appropriate vaccinations for your destination. Other tasks, such as buying foreign currency travel money, might legitimately be left until nearer the departure date. Even here, though, it’s worth keeping an eye on exchange rates, just in case there’s a significant advantage from buying travel money early.
Another essential is to buy travel insurance in plenty of time and ideally at the time you book flights and accommodation. This is important because the policy needs to cover the risk of early cancellation should that be necessary – something which won’t be available if you leave insurance until the day before you travel.
The point is that the earlier you prepare, and the more tasks you can tick off ahead of time, the less stressful things will be when you come to pack and make those final arrangements, like organising the pet-sitters or delegating tasks at work.
2. On holiday, stay organised
The same approach pays off once the holiday begins. Don’t overpack, especially hand luggage. The ease and comfort of having only a little hand luggage is worth its weight in gold, especially if there is any distance to walk at the other end. At the same time, keep essential documents secure but easily to hand. Once you’ve arrived at your destination, use room safes if they are provided, and generally settle in so you’re not still living out of a suitcase mid-way through your trip.
3. Take action when things go wrong, but don’t obsess
Sometime things do go wrong. Even in the best hotels, sometimes the air conditioning isn’t perfect, or the kitchen suffers a disaster that limits the choice of food. Or (increasingly) the weather can be more extreme than would usually be expected. There may be a heatwave, or torrential rain out of season, or an important tourist attraction may be unexpectedly shut.
Whatever the case, take a pause and consider whether the problem is something which can be rectified or not. If it can, then it’s worth finding out who should be able to fix it. Speak with them directly and make clear that, while you understand the challenge, a solution is possible. At this point it’s essential to remain calm and polite. This serves two purposes: you are much more likely to achieve the outcome you want and you are much less likely to become stressed. And if the problem can’t be fixed, usually it’s just best to move on. If necessary, lodge a complaint and take it up via insurance when you get home.
There may be an incident which requires the support of your insurance company. Follow their procedures to the letter and keep them informed of what you’ve done. Once you’ve done everything you can, let events take their course and, short of serious medical issues which need immediate attention, enjoy the rest of the holiday.
4. Remember what the holiday is for – be a little “Zen” in your approach
Life can throw up all sorts of frustrations, and holidays are no exception. However, how we approach those situations can often determine how well we manage them. And there are very few times when a calm, polite, and seemingly relaxed manner won’t produce the required result. Sometimes a firmer approach may be necessary, but at all times that calm and polite demeanour is the best approach.
And here’s the point. Adopting that calm, reasonable, persona actually helps us be calm and reasonable. And that helps us relax more easily. In turn we and those around us can enjoy the holiday for what it’s for. It’s worth protecting our a time away, where the hurly-burly of daily life can be put aside. It can be a magical experience in which we can re-charge our batteries – and one where a few inconveniences can be taken easily in our stride. What’s not to like?
By Declan Morton, writer and editor at Essiell Ltd and Money4Travel.
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