People complain about travel quite a bit. I never really get this. (I’ve been there, I do get it, but come on — you’re taking a trip that 100 years ago would have equated to your trip of a lifetime, and your day is ruined because it’s an hour late). I love everything about the travel experience. 99% of the time, I’m a super happy traveler. When you look around, you don’t see that though. People are glum. People are mad. People, for the most part, just suck at traveling.
So, what is the simplest way to save time and enjoy your trip?
1) Keep it Simple. The last time I checked a bag was in 2007. If you can, never check a bag. Ever. Biggest waste of time to wait for the bag at the bag check, if it even shows up. Keep your trip as simple as possible. If you pack more than 15 things, you have packed too much. No, I don’t care about your excuse, you can do it. One bag. Want to stress out? Pack more.
2) Play the Odds. Is it winter and other planes are getting delayed? Bring a ton of food. Do you hate crying babies? Bring some good noise blocking headphones. Back hurts from the seat? Plan on stretching and doing some core moves before and during the flight. Don’t like the customer service of an airline? Fly another one. You can predict your unhappiness, just plan for it.
3) Be Nice. Yes, be nice to everyone you interact with. They have jobs or are traveling beside you, and their days are better if you are just plain nice. But the most important person to be nice to is yourself. Be kind to yourself. Now is not the time to think about the stresses in your life or kick yourself for something. Pretend you are taking the trip of a lifetime and just plain enjoy it. Be amazed at the ability to be up in the sky (not in your inability to get a second bag of peanuts).
4) Travel is about Fun. Have fun traveling. You can make it a game (perhaps, Mark, Sue). When you book your trip, mentally book some fun things you plan to do as well. Looking forward to something is perhaps the simplest reason to book a flight. Focus and set a goal. Then fly somewhere, and make it happen. Flights are ridiculously cheap right now.
This blog post has been sponsored by CLEAR, the service that speeds you through airport security. CLEAR members save so much time at the airport, it’s like having Daylight Savings every time you travel! CLEAR, the (self-proclaimed) Official Sponsor of Daylight Saving Time, is celebrating the extra hour we get on Nov 6th with a series of travel and time-savings posts on their blog – and here, on my blog too.
To help you see what CLEAR is all about, they are offering my readers a special 3-month FREE trial! Don’t settle for just one extra hour this Daylight Savings. No need to deal with unpredictable security lines, the stress of rushing to your gate, or the time you waste getting to DEN extra early. Click here to get your pass and try CLEAR’s enhanced travel experience for yourself. Just enter my code (CMNDST01) in the promo code field on the payment page.
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