Tash’s Top Travel Tips

One of my best friends, who also happens to be a bit of a fashion mogul, was flying back to the States recently, and asked me what she should wear on the plane. Now, as much as I appreciate dressing properly on the off chance that one might be upgraded (it has happened once okay), when travelling I am all about comfort and convenience. No one likes carrying loads of clothes “just in case” especially when those hands are needed for last minute shopping, and no one likes to be stopped and searched when going through security.

I have been very blessed to be able to travel as much as I have, and so I thought that I would jot down some of my best travel tips for when travelling overseas. Some of these may not all be unisex, but guys, there are some useful tips in here for you too:

1. Dress in comfortable, casually elegant clothes. Ladies, think leggings and flat boots or pumps. Not jeans. Not high-waisted pants. And definitely not tracksuit pants…remember, you might be one of those lucky upgraders.
2. Do not wear a belt! This poses a massive hassle when going through security.
3. Don’t wear shoes with laces. Some airports require you to take off your shoes when going through security, and you will resent wearing those knee-high lace-ups.
4. Take an extra pair of socks; one for walking around in on the plane and a clean pair for when you land. (Put your shoes on when going to the bathrooms…after a long haul flight those floors are anything but sanitary).
5. Take an extra pair of knickers for log-haul and transit flights, you’ll feel fresher when yo
u land.
6. Wet wipes are your friend. Keep some in your bag and in the seat pocket in front of you.
7. Pack some healthy snacks in your bag. Airplane food does not always satisfy and sweets are not enough to fill hunger gaps. Hungry = gassy, and no-one wants to be that guy…
8. Buy yourself one of those blow-up foldy neck pillows. They make a world of difference to your comfort levels when trying to sleep. Also, some planes now have fold-in head-rests. Check for these when you get on the plane, they are surprisingly comfortable.
9. Invest in a blind-fold. This is a must for long-haul flights and will aid your sleep tremendously.
10. If you get cold easily, ask for an extra blanket at the start of the trip before they all run out.
11. Be friendly and introduce yourself to the person sitting next to you, that way it is less awkward if you wake up drooling on their shoulder.
12. Friendly does not mean “tell the person next to you everything about your life”, keep it short and sweet. You don’t want to be an annoying neighbour, nor do you want to encourage constant conversation on a 12-hour flight.
13. Keep a couple of pens in your bag. This is helpful for all those customs forms you need to fill in on arrival, and you can be the happy, helpful person by sharing your pens.
14. Speaking of customs forms, fill them in on the plane, and make a dash for the customs lines. If you can hold it, rather wait for a loo break once you are stamped in, those extra 5 minutes in the loo can add on an extra 20 in a queue.
15. Please don’t be one of those annoying people that spends half an hour in the loo after breakfast. Change and brush your teeth in the airport bathrooms, no one is going to see you as soon as you land…you still have to go through customs, and fetch your bags.