5 top tips to make travelling life easier!

We’re at the airport. Well actually we’re not. We’re in a car park. A massive car park, and it’s raining. The ‘frequent’ shuttle bus is currently frequenting somewhere else and definitely isn’t here. Sheepy is soggy. Child is jumping on and off the kerb into a puddle, reason unknown. Husband is squinting through the downpour at his phone and ‘important’ work emails.

The holiday has started. The bus arrives. Splosh. We get on, although not before a couple who look about twelve decided to jump the queue. He’s wearing lovely crystal white ‘Boss’ trainers. Just sayin’. Now the bus is on its ‘short journey’ to the actual airport, half its incumbents’ luggage successfully stowed on the racks, the other half gliding freely around the floor of the coach, indiscriminately biting at the shins of our happy fellow travellers, like the Aspidistra of The Adventure Game, but on roller skates (yes I am that old).

‘Mummy?’ ’Mummmmiiieeeee?’ ’MUMMY!’ ’Yes?’ ‘Is it a big plane?’ Yes, it’s a big plane…. it was a big plane when you asked fifteen minutes ago, it was massive when you asked five minutes before that and it will still be huge when you ask in… OUCH, my toe!

Off the bus, luggage balanced Jenga-like on the trolley and it’s time to find the bag drop. Today we’re flying Singapore Airlines. I love Singapore Airlines - generally really good food for an airline, great movies and TV shows and cabin crew who actually seem to care. Only disadvantage? None really, except my husband can’t crow on and on about his beloved Executive Club Silver Status (nothing says mediocre, failing, middle management career like hitting Silver at 45). What a shame.

Anyway, the purpose of the article (it’s a blog Beth, it’s supposed to help people… it’s not just an angsty rant in diary form) was to provide some travel tips. Like a travel magazine, but probably more direct and less tolerant. Conde Nasty. Right so some tips…

THE CHECK IN; straight in at number five, the fairly obvious and obligatory check in; by now we all know it’s generally easier to do this before, rather than at the airport, especially with any hope of a seat change most likely just as check in opens. I’ll let you know how far before the flight the check in opens, and can do the check in for you, be it before you leave home, or perhaps more helpfully before your return when internet access and roaming charges may make it a particular pain.

THE LOUNGE; dropping two places to number four I present for you the cauldron of variability and semi-privilege that is the lounge. Whole websites devote themselves to the various foibles of the many lounges out there which I won’t attempt to cover here; for starters the No 1 lounge group typically beat the Aspire brand, and a special mention goes out to the Number 1 clubroom lounges; a bit more money but definitely calmer and with proper waiter service. A good tip for business travellers (especially if you’re bored), is to try the range of OneWorld lounges at Heathrow T3; Cathay Pacific has its own noodle bar and the AA Admiral’s Lounge is pretty good too. I can book a lounge for you at the majority of airports worldwide… what are you waiting for?

THE TRANSFER; in at three, the dreaded transfer; you’re tired, they’re tired, and now it’s time to cram yourselves onto a coach that inexplicably waits an extra 30 minutes for the one couple who’ve got themselves lost between customs and the huge massive yellow ‘Coach Transfers’ sign (probably wearing the shiny white Boss trainers). It may cost slightly more but there’s no substitute for private transfers… just get me there, I’ve had enough! Travel Counsellors have great relationships with transfer operators across the globe; meaning a seamless trip from plane to pool.

THE GET UP AND GO RESORT ESCAPES; so you’ve sat by the pool for two days, you’ve finished reading ‘The Power’ and begrudgingly accepted that if wasn’t worth its share of the baggage allowance… what next? I’ll tell you what’s next, the lottery that is the excursion. A heady potpourri of the breath taking, mundane, adrenaline pumping, and historically tenuous awaits. Again, let me lighten the load; as we start to discuss the holiday of your dreams, we can begin to discuss your ideal holiday and the excursions you’d like, or love to avoid. Again, with our heavily vetted destination management companies we can build an itinerary that leaves plenty of time for lounging and lunching, supplemented with only the very best of the local experiences that surround you.

And finally, straight in at number one, it’s the EXTRA SPECIAL, SPECIAL OCCASION EXTRAS! (see; worth the wait). You’re celebrating, yippee! You survived ten years of marriage, you just got married, you just got divorced, you, um, I don’t know, you just got a PPI pay-out… but I’m here to make those extras count. However monumental or tenuous your need for celebration, it’s time for me to phone the hotel and see if we can get you past the fruit bowl and into prosecco territory. In all seriousness, if you are celebrating and you want help working with the hotel to bring together everything that will make it unforgettable, then again, just leave it to me.

So… that’s my top five; wasn’t that hard was it? The truth is my travel service can integrate and include as much or as little of the holiday experience as you want; you can talk to me (it’s always me, whenever you need me), WhatsApp me, email or whatever, and I’ll help you through every stage of planning, and be right with you through your stay (metaphorically, obvs…).

Always wanted Bali but didn’t even know where to start…drop me an email now!