Part of the purpose of this blog is to inspire other young people to try new things and have some adventures with God to walk into their purpose… and to see the world a little!
Here are some practical tips to doing that!
I have traveled across the world many times and spent hours upon hours in airports all over the world. So, in this post I am going to clue you in on some of my tips for staying sane and safe with even the longest layovers.
Freshen Up
After a long flight, it is incredibly refreshing to clean all the airplane grossness off of you. Wash your face, brush your teeth and hair, and even change your clothes! Here is what I pack to stay fresh and prepared:
- Travel sized toiletries (including deodorant and toothbrush)
- essentail oils
- baby wipes (for a quick face wash no matter where you are)
- change of clothes and underwear
- flip flops so my feet can take a breather after hours or days in shoes
- a sweatshirt or flannel (in case its cold, but also in case you get stranded without your luggage and need something to sleep in at your hotel room… learned that through experience)
- a hat for if my hair just wont cooperate
- Hand sanitizer
Bring these along in your carry-on on your next trip and you will be feeling fresh, as well as prepared in case your bags get lost in transit!
Rest
“Travel” is almost synonymous for “jet lag” and “exhaustion”. So if you have a long layover somewhere, it would be good to rest!
Find a corner where you can be out of the way of passersby and have a less likelihood of being disturbed. It is also good to be in a corner so that you can see (or at least be facing) the direction that anyone would come to approach you.
The best case senario would be finding a lounge or a “sleep pod” to rest in for a few hours!
If you are with a friend, take shifts sleeping so one can guard the bags while the other doses. If you are traveling alone, there are luggage lockers in some airports if you dont want to carry your crap around with you and worry about it being tampered with. Or you can do what I have done many times: used your body weight as security. I usually lay across by bags or tie them to me in such a way that I can feel if they are tampered with. Odd… but effective.
Snacks
Eat and drink things that will give you energy and life! Don’t eat junk food! When you travel you are exposed to a lot of germs as well as stress and lack of sleep... if you add junk food to that mix its a perfect cocktail for sickness! Here are some healthy snacks I try to either bring with me or find in the airport:
- Trail Mix
- Fruit (dont take it through security though!)
- Beef jerky
- Fresh juices or healthy smoothies!
- Food with protein and veggies – you can find healthy places to eat in the airport if you look hard enough.
- Lots of water! Travel dehydrates you!
Feeling Bored?
Think ahead! Pack things to keep you entertained and productive.
- Read a book
- Call a friend
- Let a family member or friend know where you are and where you are headed to next. This is for saftey!
- Journal about your travels
- Spend some time with God!
- Talk to people! Yes, random people in the airport. This may sound scary, but I’ve had a lot of fun talking to random people in airports. Who knows, you could make a new friend or learn something new!
- Wander around the airport a few times for exercise.
- Explore! (see below)
Explore!
Most airports have exciting things to explore if you look hard enough. Shops, lounges, gardens (there is a butterfly garden in the Singapore airport), or you can leave the airport and explore the surrounding area!
If you are able to check in your bags early or get a locker, you can head out of the airport and explore! I did this in Sydney, Aus when I had a 15 hr layover. I called an Uber and spent a few hours sipping kombucha on a nearby beach! If you do this make sure you keep track of time! I always give myself at least 2-3 hrs to travel back to the airport, get back through security, and locate my gate again.
Make sure you check the requirements of the country you are laying over in, sometimes you need to buy a visa to leave the airport.
Just Go!
Hopefully this post was inspiring and helpful for you! If you want to know more tips for travel, or get a hold of the natural products that I use, let me know!
Life is a journey, not a destination.
Ralph Waldo Emmerson
Now get packing, enjoy the journey, and have a G’day Y’all!
These are such fantastic tips! It’s been a very long time since we’ve been on a long haul flight as traveling with a toddler we always end up choosing destinations closer to home. Hopefully we can start traveling again soon. Thanks for sharing and have a good day 😀 Aiva
Hey Aiva! Thank you for the feedback! I’m so glad that you like these tips. Yes, I hope you’re able to start traveling again… maybe on bigger adventures as your little one grows!
Blessings, Nicci