Traveling during the holidays might be the last thing you want to do, but you can't always avoid it. Perhaps you want to visit family or friends you haven't seen in a while, and this is the only time you can both fit it in your schedules. While it can be stressful, the following tips will help you have a more satisfying trip without too many hiccups.
Save Your Electronics For When You Need Them
It is tempting to whip out your tablet and read an eBook or watch a movie when there is a delay with your flight or train, but this is going to drain the battery. By the time you actually need to use your tablet, it is out of power and you're stuck staring off into nothing for hours during your trip. First of all, make sure all of your devices are fully charged before you leave your house. Then bring along some non-electronic items that will keep you entertained. This will prevent you from playing non-stop games on your phone or using your laptop in areas where a charger isn't available. Try to only use the electronic devices when you are sitting right next to a charger, opting for a magazine, book, or handheld game for the other times.
Choose Your Traveling Time Wisely
While it is more convenient to travel in the middle of the day, everyone else has the same idea. If you want to avoid some of the holiday craziness, either travel early in the morning or late at night. A flight that is at 2:00am is going to be less crowded and cheaper than if you try to book a flight for 2:00pm. You will also experience less delays overall with these off-peak times and not deal with as much airport traffic. Also consider that it can be easier grabbing a seat on a shuttle or hailing a cab when you aren't competing against thousands of other people traveling at the same time.
Know Where to Park at the Airport
If you decide to drive yourself to the airport, you will need to figure out where you are going to park. This is definitely a convenient option, since you aren't waiting for a taxi or riding on a stuffy bus to the airport, but you will have to pay for it. Depending on the airport, you should have a few different options. When you don't mind paying more for it, it can be great to go with valet or curbside parking, since you get right up to the curb of your terminal, and someone else parks your car safely for you. There is also the option of terminal parking, which you will likely be paying per day for. Less expensive options include going to a park and ride, then taking a shuttle back, or finding a parking lot in the area that costs a little less than the airport, and walking or taking a taxi. Whatever you choose, be sure to learn what the airport parking rates are before you go.
Leave Room in Your Suitcase
Holiday travel often means bringing items back with you, whether you hit up the local gift shop, buy a book at the airport, or bring gifts back from your family. You need to have some extra room in your suitcase to bring back items, so keep this in mind. Either bring an extra-large suitcase with lots of extra room, or bring along a small bag that is empty or close to empty so you can fit your goodies in there.
Share27 June 2016
When I started focusing more on car maintenance, it was astounding to see just how many things needed to be repaired on my car. I felt as if I was whittling away thousands of dollars worth of repairs, and it was really frustrating. However, I just focused on one thing at a time, and before I knew it, my car problems started to melt away. Within a few months, my car was functioning perfectly, and I wasn't worried about it starting each and every day. This blog is all about choosing better auto service and knowing which problems to address first.