SURVIVING HOLIDAY TRAVEL

Sources like AAA & Airlines for America are reporting that holiday travel this year will surpass previous years with more 39 million hitting the road and more than 25 million flying.  Those numbers alone prove to be stressful.

Planning and Preparing for travel is how you reduce stress.

If you're hitting the road

• AAA is a good thing to have, they also have an app
• Do pre-trip maintenance on your car
• Have an emergency kit for the car and you
• Spare tire
• Jack
• Manual
• Flashlight
• Flare
• Tool kit
• First Air Kit
• Cell phone, charger and hands free earpiece
• GPS
• Water
• Blanket
• Snacks
• gasbuddy.com is another app for the best prices in gas, however gas is at a low right now and should stay that if not get better for the holidays.

If you're flying

• By now you probably have your tickets for Thanksgiving and maybe Christmas
• Know that it's going to be busy with just about everybody, grandparents, children, entire families, etc.
• If you can, spend the extra money to get advance seat assignments
• 24 hours prior to departure check in online for your flight (recheck for seat assignments) and if necessary pay for checked bags (try not to check bags)
• If you carry on make sure you bring a smaller collapsible bag in case you are forced to check your carry on bag (expect the overhead bins to be full)
• If you have a connecting flight "DON'T CHECK A BAG" and give yourself plenty of time to connect.  A tight connection could be a major problem if your first flight is delayed.
• Give yourself enough time and arrive at the airport 2 hour prior to your departure time to account for long check in lines and security lines.
• Dress light for the plane and TSA
• Remember the 311 rule for TSA you can go to TSA.gov

Check the weather ahead of time for all travel and start planning if there is inclement weather.  If your driving leave earlier, if you're flying check with the airlines for delays.

Traveling with Children

I don't have children, but it's always the ones, like me, without children who notice them the most.  I have asked my siblings who have younger children how they handle travel.

• Involve them (prepare them for TSA)
• Go over how to behave in the airport and on the flight
• Bring entertainment

I have a nephew who has autism and ADD.  He has changed me when it comes to encountering children in public.  I used to judge and now I don't make snap judgements on what may be perceived as bad behavior.  Some children have ADD or autism and there's a wide spectrum of the condition and behavior. Some are hyper, some of distant, some get agitated easily or are sensitive to noise or outside stimulations.  As a parent my brother-in-law tells me that he keeps him engaged, knows his triggers and tries to avoid them. When necessary he is medicated.  I have a friend who has an older child with autism and he described it to him like having 100 cable channels that are constantly changing so you can imagine how a busy airport can affect them.  The advice I give is less for the parent and more for others to be patient and don't rush to judgement. If it bothers you, remove yourself from the situation.

Being a good guest

• It starts with when you arrive.  Ask in advance which airport is closer or more convenient
• Don't arrive/depart during rush hour or at crazy hours, especially after a long night
• Travel light, don't dome with everything from your closet
• Help out, but ask first because sometimes you can just be in the way
• Clean up after yourself
• Take them out for a meal or surprise them one morning by getting up early and getting some fruits and pastries
• And yes, Miss Manners says you should bring a gift.

Being a good host

• Make them feel welcomed by preparing for them in advance
• Have the room or area already designated and prepared, otherwise it may feel like they're putting you out.
• Fix what I call a convenience basket filled with towels, bath products, toiletries, magazines and bottled water.  They won't have to ask if they leave something or stumble around in the middle of the night for water
• I travel a lot and take the slippers from the hotel.  I save them for out of town guests
• I have a couple of robes that I keep for my guests
• I normally don't use the first/business class toiletry bag from the airlines but I take them and keep them for out of town guests.
• Find out what they drink and have it for them.

When traveling recite Serenity Prayer: "Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the I can and the wisdom to know the difference."

And when you need to complain remember the idiom: "You can catch more bees or flies with honey than with vinegar"

Ja'Vonne Harley

Road Trip Ideas and Tips

Our show this week is on Road Trips for Adults.  We're leaving the kids and the rest of the family behind.  This one is for GROWN FOLKS. No, "Are we there yet?", unless you just want to irritate the other person.  Bathroom breaks, well as we get older I guarantee you there will be a few of those but it won't happen right after you've left the rest area.  These road trips are just because and to unwind.  Hit the road with abandon, take your time and become one with the asphalt and the scenery.  You can make it up as you go along or you can have a plan. A road trip can be for a day or for an extended period depending on your time and destination.

Why not make it a theme and add some adventure to the in between of your origin and destination.  Local fare is a great theme.  Kind of like that show on the Food Network, Diners, Drive In's and dives but make up your own.  You could make it roadside food or fine cuisine, which ever floats your boat.  Another theme could be off the beaten track or odd attractions.  The Internet can give you some great ideas and places to stop along the way and www.roadsideamerica.com is a great website to assist you.  You could make it all about historic sites, monuments and memorials.  If your road trip is for several days you can incorporate some night life and dance each night away or take in some local live music. The point is have some fun and make it a filled journey.

When you're traveling incorporate a day trip or a few.  It's a great way to see more of the destination, especially if you're in a big city.  Rent a car and venture to the country side or outskirts.  I've often done exactly that and those day (road) trips have become the most memorable. Like, my road trip in Maui, Hawaii.  We rented a convertible (you have to have a convertible in Hawaii).  My father in law got sunburn on his head so if you're sporting the shaved head make sure you put on some sun screen.  We got up long before the sun came up and headed to Haleakala, a mountain in Hawaii. Note: bring blankets because at that altitude and that early in the morning it can be quite cold.  Why did we get up this early? (I did get some complaints) To watch the sunrise.  Believe me it's worth it.  You're  10, 023 feet above sea level.  You can feel the air thinning as you ascend.  But the main attraction is standing there and watching the sun rise.  It comes from beneath you and this big bright ball slowly rises and it's so vibrant and appears so close you think you can touch it.  Some folks have done a Sunrise Tour and this includes cycling down the mountain.  There's no pedaling, just coasting and yes, you're given wind breakers. After we witnessed the sunrise we headed down the mountain to embark on our "Road to Hana".  The "Road to Hana includes some 600 hairpin turns, over a dozen one land bridges and beautiful and unique things to see along the way like Rainbow Eucalyptus trees.  The barks of these trees have stripes of pastels as if someone had painted them. You can either pack a lunch to enjoy at one of the many scenic spots or wait until you get to Hana and have a fabulous lunch at the Hana Hilton. You can do this trip in a day or you can overnight in Hana.

Another one of my favorites is the Tuscan region in Italy.  From Florence we rented a car, (most rental cars in Europe are manual shift, automatics are generally more expensive) and headed to the Chianti region.  Actually, you can't go wrong anywhere in Tuscany.  The region itself is gorgeous.  We went to the Verrazzano winery and castle.  This place is gorgeous and postcard perfect.  We had lunch with wine pairings, a tour of the castle, wine tasting, olive oil tasting and bought some of the most expensive balsamic vinegar $75 for 8ozs. This balsamic is like no other and is well worth every penny.  You savor it and you dole it out with a demitasse spoon.  This is not the pouring kind.  Take a bite of sharp cheese and a drizzle of this syrupy balsamic and it's magic in your mouth.  Another great day trip from Florence is Pisa with a stop in the walled town of Lucca.  This day trip is complete with a bicycle ride atop the Lucca Wall, lunch inside the walled city, shopping, climbing the stairs at the Leaning Tower of Pisa and Gelato when you finish!.

My last favorite was my day trip in Cape Town South Africa to Stellenbosch, one of the wine lands in the area.  The hubby rented a Harley Davidson and I hopped on the back.  We hit the highway because we were going to do our exploring once we got their.  We visited several wineries tasting wine.  No, not my husband, the driver, just me.  We then had lunch at Bellevue Manor, one of the guesthouses there that had an excellent view of the hillside and town. There's nothing like hitting the road on a Harley with the Harley's.  Pun intended!

Here are some great sites and apps for a road trip.
https://www.myscenicdrives.com/road-trip-planner
http://www.travelmath.com/ tracking distance
www.gasbuddy.com
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/ offbeat tourist attractions
http://www.wunderground.com/ Weather Underground or www.weather.com
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/road-trips/

http://chicago.aaa.com/member-services/triptik-tourbook-maps/670/971.uts

 

Drive Safe and responsible!

 

Ja'Vonne Harley,

Co-Host, The Traveling Eye

Co-Owner, Advantage International, LLC