10 THINGS YOU MUST DO BEFORE YOUR FLIGHT
10 THINGS YOU MUST DO BEFORE YOUR FLIGHT
The day you have saved (see how to save for your vacation) and planned for is finally here. It’s been a long wait, with your sacrifices now about to pay off. You might be a bit nervous, but more so excited. However, before you rush off to the airport. There are 10 things you must do before your flight, so that when you have left the house, you will be self-assured that all is well and nothing to worry about. Before the day arrives, let it be in your thoughts to follow these steps before heading to the airport.
TRAVEL DAY CHECKLIST
- Wake up early (even if your flight is evening) and say your prayers for guidance and safety on your journey.
- Double-check that your passport, itinerary, credit card and monies are in your handbag/man bag.
- Have a healthy wholesome meal/breakfast, if you are short on time take it with you to the airport, as we all know airports sell mostly junk food.
4. Dress Smart and Appropriate
When you are a solo traveller especially if you are a woman, and a beautiful one too, you do attract lots of attention. Security and immigration at the airports are also observing. Don’t dress in such a manner where your boobs are all “hanging out”, or your skirts are extremely short. This is going to send the wrong message. Remember you are going to a new country and may not be sure of the dress code or religious beliefs. I am not saying dress like a convent nun either, just advising to dress modestly to avoid being profiled and getting the unnecessary questions or worst, a strip search.
Men same applies to you, solo male travelling alone with his pants halfway down your butt and his boxers are showing and rocking 5 gold chains. Don’t get me, wrong guys, you are free to dress as you please, but I am just giving you some advice for your peace of mind. T.S.A. officers at the airport in many countries usually profile every passenger and even more so the solo travellers. The last thing you want to happen is to be refused entry into a country, after you have paid for your vacation, for some frivolous reason.
5. Double-check that the Main Essentials you need during your flight are in your carry-on bag
- Hand Sanitizer
- A pen
- Sweater, Scarf or Cardigan (it’s cold in the airport and on the airplane).
- Napkins/facial tissue
- Travel Size Umbrella (for your UV protection I keep in handbag always, esp. on my vacay and yes, it does rain in other countries too, and some airlines disembark on the tarmac in rain sometimes)
- Sunglasses
- Lip balm (one with aloe vera preferably)
- Vaseline (preferably with aloe Vera) MOST IMPORTANT (see below how to use and why it is so important).
- Compression socks – long or short, for males and females/ old and young. Perfect for long flights and especially useful for. pregnant women and athletes. keeps your blood circulation optimal and prevent blood clots (a great alternative for those who prefer not to use aspirin) and sure keep your feet warm on those cold long airplane rides. Before leaving home, turn off your gas, and unplug all appliances not in use for safety reasons and in case of power surges.
These are some of my travel ESSENTIALS (click here) for more essentials and must-have gadgets…are all available on Amazon (#Ad).
6. Before leaving home, turn off your gas, and unplug all appliances not in use for safety reasons and in case of power surges.
7. Get to know your New Neighbourhood
Already have the first day of arrival in the country planned mentally, don’t waste this day, it counts as part of your limited vacation days. My Suggestion: Take your bags to the hotel, if it’s not check-in time, leave them and go start your first day of vacation, my suggestion is to familiarise yourself with the neighborhood where your hotel is located. Check out the sites, restaurants and mainly the Cambio with the best rates to convert your forex to local currency (rates are always displayed publicly. .look for the ones that charge no commission and highest conversion rate.
Tip – on leaving your hotel/street take a photo of the main building, and another of the street and name), this will help in case you can’t remember the location of your hotel on your way back, You can just show the locals the photo, guarantee it always helps, because sometimes even they do not know all the names of the streets or hotels.
8. Keep the Blood Circulating
If your flight is average 5 hours and over, before boarding the plane take an aspirin or baby aspirin. Consult your doctor if you are not sure if you are allergic or on a blood thinner. However, if you are like me who has no problems with aspirin, then you can do also.
Reasons for taking aspirin are; when you sit in on spot for long period then (esp. if you have circulation problems) there lies the possibility of blood clots, so the aspirin keeps your blood thin, it also prevents air pressure headaches. Fidgeting, flexing your toes and feet and walking around the cabin every hour or so can keep your blood circulation optimal. This is also effective if you cannot take aspirin.
9. Avoid the Travel Bug
Greasing your Nostrils…Yes, you heard me right!!! Not just lubricating with a lotion that will dry out but putting good old Vaseline in your nostrils is going to be the best, maybe for some “ickiest” (it’s your nose lol) trick, to NOT GETTING SICK on airplanes. Yes, for me it works great, do this just before going on the plane or even when you get on the plane, maybe in the washroom, and make sure the sides and esp. the roof of your nostrils are well greased with a thin layer. When you get to your hotel you can wipe out (you will be amazed at the gunk that gets caught there).
I honestly learned this trick 5 years too late. Seriously!! Previously when I travelled I either got sick as soon as I arrived in the country even if it was a 2 hours flight or when I returned home. I always thought it was the difference in climate or temperature even though it was the same as my own country.
MUST HAVE ESSENTIAL ITEMS FOR ALL TRAVELLERS
These are my essentials and gadgets I can never do without for a smooth and stress-free vacation. All are available on Amazon for direct links to the products and information and suggested uses .
For MUST-READ BOOKS Think and Grow Rich is an excellent book for those who who are looking to improve their life and personally grow and develop. How to win friends and Influence people (#Ad) another self improvement and and social skills development read (excellent read …perfect for long airport layovers and during your flight) or during your free time. CLICK HERE for the entire list of travel essentials and uses/descriptions
Through some research, I learned that when you are in the confined space of an airplane because the air is drier than the desert. Yes, you read correctly. So what happens the dryness causes your lips to dry out and so inside your nostrils, when the inner lining of your nostrils crack, then the germs present inside the plane, (accumulated from previous flights also) from all the sneezing, coughing, etc enters the cracks in your nostrils and then the germs get into your system and start working on making you sick. Since I have been doing this, I haven’t had such a problem.
The same applies if you are visiting a colder region, the dryness of the air cracks inside your nose and you get nosebleeds and even sick. I use this same greasing when I visit cold countries before bed and during the day. works perfectly for me. Something you can try, to see if it works for you. I recommend Vaseline, preferably with Aloe Vera. See All travel essentials.
10. Take at least 2 bottles of water on your flight to stay hydrated, flying dehydrates you quickly. (purchase in duty-free if you must). Remember most smaller airlines will give you water but in very tiny cups, and it is never enough, also know it’s tap water, just ask them, if they are honest, they will tell you it is.
ALL ITEMS BELOW CAN BE FOUND ON AMAZON
So now you have 10 things you must to do before your flight. They are simple and concise tips and tricks and are guaranteed to work. Have a safe flight, don’t forget to put your phone on airplane mode (you don’t have to turn it off), re-use this checklist for all your future vacations.
Remember if you need to pay taxis/bus in their currency when you get to the airport, change only what you need at the airport (they give the lowest exchange rates, and also your hotel).
Have a safe vacation…
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