Rob’s Holiday Travel Tips
There are plenty of places you may have seen travel tips on such as Tripadvisor, Orbitz, Travelocity, etc, but these are coming from a different point of view – someone who is a technology geek, who exercises frequently, doesn’t like to get sick (well who the hell does!), and has done a little bit of traveling in my lifetime, so here are my ways to help you survive the holiday rush:
1. Backup your data before you leave home – At one point or another, we have all suffered a catastrophic loss of data on our computers, cell phones, digital camera, etc. Our lives have become dependent on technology, but yet we treat that technology so carelessly that most of us don’t stop for a minute to think what would happen if we lost our cell phone, or our digital camera with all our vacation photos got stolen. It would suck, of course, you would replace the phone or camera, but your precious photos, and your personal information can never be replaced.
- If you have any sort of “Smart phone” such an iphone, blackberry, etc – do one FINAL backup before you leave for your trip. If you’re taking your laptop with you, DO NOT BACK IT UP TO THE LAPTOP – back it up to another machine, maybe your work computer, or a trusted friend’s computer, so that if something happens, you’ll have a way to get it back. If you do not have a Smart Phone, then I suggest you get a pen and paper, WRITE DOWN all your important contacts and info and store it in a safe place.
- If you have a laptop, invest in a portable hard drive! They can be had for as little as $69-79 bucks now days, and are worth their weight in GOLD! Backup all your data from your laptop to the portable hard drive. Lock it in a drawer or a safe at home, DO NOT take your hard drive that has your backup with you!
- If you have a desktop at home – this is a strong suggestion – again, invest in a portable hard drive – and back your entire computer up, then take the drive and either put it in a safe deposit box at the bank, OR leave it with a trusted friend! DO NOT leave the hard drive in your house. The reason I mention this is if your house is broken into and they steal your computer, they will probably steal the hard drive too and your backup will be useless. If there is a fire, your backup will be burned with everything else – so always keep a backup copy of your data OFF SITE.
- For your digital camera, make sure during your vacation that you hook the camera up each day and copy all the photos to the computer. Then, possibly upload them to Picasa, Photobucket, Facebook, or another online service so that even if your laptop and camera are both lost/stolen, you will have already uploaded them for safe keeping online. Make sure you take plenty of memory cards with you, that way you can also keep your cards with the previous days photos secured in the safe at your hotel room while you are out and about taking new photos.
2. Don’t get sick. Now you’re probably laughing, but did you know the number 1 time people get sick is during holiday travel. It’s not just because you’re around more people, or that you’re in an airport, around more kids, etc, it’s because of your STRESS LEVEL during the holidays, LACK of SLEEP, LACK of EXERCISE, your DIET, and other factors which all contribute to you getting sick. Here are some obvious tips:
- Wash your hands as often as possible. Hand sanitizer also helps, but should not replace frequent hand washing. If you travel on a plane, make sure you wash your hands after going through airport security, after you board the plane (use hand sanitizer if you don’t have access to a restroom), and immediately when you get off the plane. There are so many surfaces we touch at airports which contribute to the spread of the cold and flu, so wash often.
- Take a multivitamin supplement, every day, not just during the cold/flu season. In addition to your multi-vitamin suppliment, I recommend you take Airborne with you when you travel. Take one before you leave the house. Take another when you’re on the plane. Take another when you get to your destination. Airborne is not a miracle cure, but it does help because it boosts your immune system.
- Get plenty of rest – I can not stress this enough. We have a tendency to cheat on our sleep during the busy holiday season, but doing so will only make your body more prone to getting sick. 8 hours a day is what your body needs to fight off colds and flus.
- Eat healthy foods – During the holiday travels, it’s easy to stop in at Burger King, Mcdonalds, etc because they are quick and convenient. This will not be doing your body any good, however, so try to avoid fast food – there are plenty of alternate choices. Most airports now have sandwich shops which serve freshly prepared sandwiches, try to opt for fresh choices. Grab some fruit, most airports have fruit for sale now at various convenience stores. It’s not illegal to pack fruits in your carry on – so go ahead and bring a few oranges, or a banana with you to the airport so you can snack on it when you get hungry.
- BE PATIENT – DO NOT STRESS OUT. Stress causes your immune system to weaken. There is nothing you can do to control the long lines at the airport! There is nothing you can do about the traffic, the weather, canceled flights, the rude person in front of you in line, etc. Create your own reality by not allowing external factors to upset you, go with the flow, and RELAX! You’ll get there, but you’ll be a much healthier and happier person if you don’t let other people and factors ruin your holiday experience. Stop once in a while and take a deep breath and a quick relaxing technique to make you feel better.
- Exercise – Most of us think that the holiday “vacation” is free time off from the gym, and from exercise. Sure, maybe if you are an athlete and your body is in top shape you can afford to take time off from your work out routine – but the truth is that with all the calories we pack in during the holidays, exercise is the BEST way to prevent that unwanted holiday weight gain, AND keep your immune system strong so you don’t get sick! Just remember, the gym is full of germs, so try to exercise at home or outdoors (go for a jog, bike ride, etc if it’s not too cold out)… If you must go to the gym, go during the off-peak hours when it’s not crowded, wash hands frequently, and avoid congested areas of the gym.
- Smoking – Just don’t do it. If you’re a smoker, you don’t want to be lectured, but the truth is that smoking kills all of your body’s ability to fight off common cold, flu, and other nasty stuff, so this time of year would be a good time for you to QUIT. And if you do get sick, better at least quit while you’re sick to aid in the recovery process!
3. Plan before you leave the house – Talk to your family & friends about things you may need while you’re visiting them, and plan accordingly if they can not accommodate your needs. Some of the things I like to check up on are nearby gym/workout facilities (can you get me a guest pass to your gym?), where will I be sleeping (if it’s on the floor, maybe I better bring my air bed or get a hotel room). This seems pretty obvious, but often times we forget to talk about things in advance and then have unpleasant surprises when we arrive.
4. If you’re going to the airport, here are some things you should already know, but I will restate them again for your convenience:
- Plan to arrive 2 hours early – even if there are no lines the day you travel, the 2 hours gives you plenty of time for any unforeseen circumstances. Let’s say you leave the house, realize half way to the airport that you forgot your wallet. Since you planned to arrive at the airport 2 hours early you still have plenty of time to go back and get your wallet! Even if everything goes smoothly, now you can relax and chill out while you wait for your flight to depart.
- Always take something to read – do not depend on your iphone, laptop, etc, there will be times during your flight where you will not be allowed to use them – in addition, your battery may die, and you’ll be left with nothing to do, bored out of your mind.
- Buy plastic 3 ounce travel bottles (they sell them at Target and other places). Transfer your shampoo, lotions, hair gel, and other toiletries into the 3 ounce clear plastic bottles. Then take these and put them into a small zip lock bag to insure a hassle free experience in the airport. If you decide to put your liquids in your checked bag, they will most likely decompress during flight, and end up getting all over your clothes and your stuff, so if you must check your liquids, put them in zip lock bags to make sure if they do happen to leak they won’t get on the rest of your stuff!
- If you are going to check your luggage – have at least 1 change of clothes in your carry on – in case your suitcase gets lost you will at least have some clean clothes for the next day, and your toiletries with you.
- Make sure you put all prohibited items in your CHECKED bag. This includes nail clippers, scissors, RAZORS, and any liquids over 3 ounces!
5. Don’t overpack – Remember to leave room in your suitcase for presents you may receive at your destination, or items you may want to purchase while you are there that you can’t buy at home. 
If you can do laundry at your destination, it allows you to pack less, and makes it easier when you get home too!
6. Safety first – Make sure you take two forms of ID with you – I recommend a drivers license and a passport. NEVER carry both forms of ID with you when you leave the house/hotel, keep your passport locked up in the safe if possible. That way if you loose your ID, you’ll have another form of ID with you – otherwise you will not be able to fly back home! Also, make sure you take two credit cards with you on your trip. Never carry more then 1 credit card at a time, that way if your wallet is stolen you still have a backup card at the safe in the hotel. Minimize the amount of cash you carry with you, most places take credit cards these days! Photocopy the contents of your wallet, and keep it in the safe at the hotel that way if your walet is lost or stolen, you can easily call the credit card companies to have the cards you carry with you cancelled. AVOID DARK AREAS AT NIGHT. AVOID TRAVELING ALONE if possible. These are all obvious things, but thought I’d remind you anyway.
7. Bring on the technology – Don’t forget your chargers for your laptop, cell phone, digital camera, etc. Make sure you bring an extra battery for those things if you have it so that you’re not left without juice before your day is over. I also like to bring a little power adapter splitter (the thing that lets you plug 2 or 3 things into one outlet) so if I’m at the airport and need to plug in and someone else is already using a plug, we can now “Share” the outlet. Don’t forget to bring music with you! Music makes your journey so much more pleasant, load up your ipod/phone with your favorite songs and jam out along the way. Just be courteous and aware of those around you when doing so.
8. Be polite to everyone you meet – remember that the guy behind the ticket counter at the airline is just doing his job, don’t take it personal if he doesn’t give you a good seat or denies you boarding because you were late for your flight. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want, but do so with a smile, which will get you a lot further then being demanding and angry.
9. A kind gesture goes a long way – hold the door open for someone, let them cut in front of you in line if they are running late for their flight, etc.
10. HAVE FUN!!! Don’t forget to relax and enjoy your trip, don’t let the stress of the holidays get you down. Remember that you are in control of your life, and no one can keep you from being a happy, pleasant person to be around, so don’t let circumstances around you cause you to get angry, stressed, or depressed.
