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1. Keep calm and plan early. Booking a few months in advance will give you time to research the best deals without panicking that they won’t be there in half an hour.
2. Consider going by boat or train rather than going by plane. Air travel is notoriously stressful and tends to destroy all the loveliness of a holiday on the way home.
3. If you are going by air, stand behind business travellers going through security. They will have packed light, know the drill, and want to be the other side of security swiftly.
4. Do not stand behind families going through security. Lots of stuff, lots of directing children to do the right thing – you could find yourself getting impatient.
5. Sort your home out so it’s nice to come back to. The stress of getting back to reality after an idyllic break will be less if you come back to somewhere clean, tidy, and with food in the cupboards.
6. Use a packing app. You can create multiple lists for all types of trip and some even have templates based on climate, weather, activities and reasons for travelling.
7. Always leave for your destination with PLENTY of time, especially if you are flying. Airport hotels are a wonderful resource for busting “Ahhhhh, I hope I don’t miss my flight!” stress.
8. Embrace a chance to relax. Sitting around and waiting while travelling is inevitable. Rather than getting impatient, get stuck into a book, sketch your surroundings or take some time to journal.
9. Get travel insurance. Should something go wrong – such as losing your luggage, getting your passport stolen, or finding that your airline has gone bust – trying to sort it out without the help of travel insurance is extremely stressful and potentially very expensive.
10. Eat well and stay hydrated! Getting hangry is a real thing, and when you are flitting between time zones or travelling at crazy hours your routine can take a battering. Eating fresh food and drinking plenty is essential.