Tips for a Long Day of Traveling

This weekend, I went all the way back to the U.S. to spend the long Easter weekend with my family! It was super nice to sleep in my own bed for a few nights and eat my weight in Cheez its. However, I had a bit of traveling to do to get here, though--19 hours each way, to be exact. Luckily, this wasn’t my first time at the rodeo in terms of long traveling days. These are the things I’ve learned thus far that will make an intercontinental flight seem to go faster than you can say “laptops and tablets out of the bag, miss!”.

Pack ahead of time (and lightly)

It’s really important to not be running around packing your carry-on 10 minutes before you need to leave for the airport. Putting a little extra thought into your preparation can go a long way and make a world of difference when it comes to your overall comfort during your travels. I always make it a point to pack as light as I can so that I’m not stressed and scrambling when it comes time to get settled into my seat! Little things like a toothbrush, extra pair of fuzzy socks, and a stick of deodorant will make you feel way less miserable by the 8th hour of your long-haul flight.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

Something that makes people miserable while traveling without them even realizing is getting seriously dehydrated. Airplanes usually have humidity levels of less than 20%, meaning you’re on a fast track to a headache if you don’t put a conscious effort into staying hydrated. I like to pack a portable, roll-up water bottle that I fill up in the airport once I get past security.

Choose your seat carefully

There’s nothing you can do that can prevent you from sitting next to multiple crying babies on your flight (true story), but you can be wise about which location you pick for your seat. Seatguru.com is a great resource for finding that perfect window seat with unadvertised extra leg room--also it’s helpful to know that 24 hours ahead of your flight is the best time for choosing your seat. Also, a tip for when you’re traveling with a buddy--if you’re traveling on a flight that typically isn’t too packed, book an aisle and window seat because chances are you’ll have the middle seat open to stretch out in.

Buy the essentials

You’re only as good as your tools--so make sure that you are prepared for your trip with the right travel tools. An external phone battery, 3D J-shaped neck pillow, and fancy eye mask are all on my list. You’ll find what works for you with the more traveling you do, but I suggest hopping around various travel blogs to see what other people recommend.

Screenshot everything you need

When traveling internationally, you can’t always rely on your phone’s data to work in whatever country you’re going to. Because of this, you’ll save yourself from getting into sticky situations if you screenshot boarding passes, bus tickets, Airbnb addresses, walking directions--you name it--ahead of time. Plus, since foreign data can be crazy expensive per MB, you’ll save money this way too!



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

All the Airbnbs I've Ever Stayed in, Ranked

Image
Oh, Airbnb—you gotta love it. It's my go-to for finding cheap yet comfortable places to stay when traveling. Hosts are usually willing to spill all their local secrets and seem to always jump at the chance to help you in any way they can. To me, Airbnbs offer a much more authentic way to experience a city you're visiting. Here's a ranking of all of the Airbnbs that are in my login (some others were booked by my friends—I've unfortunately lost those!) 9. Gran Canaria, Canary Islands This Airbnb was pretty overpriced and under-furnished—my bed had only one thin sheet without any blankets on top of it. That paired with the rainy weather and freezing cold shower made it a pretty uncomfortable stay! Plus, the kitchen was weirdly separated from the living room on the other end of the apartment.  8. Ibiza, Spain This apartment was in a pretty convenient location, close to the water, Ibiza's old town, and famous nightclub Pacha. However, it wasn't the th
Read more

“Sooo...how did you end up in Slovakia?”

Image
  This is the classic question that I get greeted with by nearly every person I meet in Slovakia. For some reason, they can’t fathom why I’d choose to come here from the U.S. “But you’re from New York! You can do anything there!” is a line that I hear a lot. The truth is (besides the fact that I'm from Connecticut, not New York), there’s not one straightforward answer as to how I ended up co-oping here in Slovakia. It’s sort of a combination of factors that ultimately got me here in the land of goat cheese dumplings. My great-grandparents are from here!     A big reason why I was drawn to Slovakia is the fact that ¼ of my heritage is from here (well, it was Czechoslovakia back in the day). My great-grandparents immigrated to the U.S. way back in the 1880s, so I thought it’d be cool to come back here and “get in touch with my roots”. It was a cool feeling the day I arrived knowing that I was the first person to step foot on Slovak ground in my family in generations. 2.
Read more

Halle's Visit to Slovakia

Image
This past week, my best friend Halle hopped on over to Slovakia for a visit! She's a true trip buddy of mine —we've been to Puerto Rico, Spain, and Greece together already. Hal is always a fun person to hang out with, dancing and acting goofy at all times, so I was super stoked to have her visit me here in Slovakia. We'd been preparing for this week for months, chatting almost daily about the fun things we wanted to do and see! We started off with a spontaneous trip to Budapest because she's always dreamt of seeing the famous Szechenyi Baths (which she was right to, they're soooo  relaxing). It was a fun two days gallivanting around the city, tasting traditional Hungarian goulash and taking a boat cruise of the Danube. This was already my third time in Budapest, and I think it's safe to say that it's my favorite city I've ever been to. The streets have an unexplainable atmosphere of grandeur and weirdly feel like home to me. I think I'll return i
Read more