Taking the trouble out of Holiday Travel

 

Clogged traffic, longer lines, delayed flights, short tempers, unexpected detours etc. – all that can bring out the worst in anyone during holiday travel. For those traveling in Australia, just getting to and back from the holiday destinations can feel like an uphill battle, often with little time to celebrate — in between.

Here’re some travel tips to counter the stress that accompanies a holiday trip.

Bring the mountain to you

Deal with your stress before it wreaks havoc on your trip. Holiday travel can be really stressful, so it’s better to take steps to prevent it.There’s no need to tell you that expenses for a family four or five costs a lot more than it does for one or two, especially considering the hassles of rushed holiday travel. So the next time, why not invite your parents/grandparents/uncles or in laws over to you place to celebrate the holidays? More often than not, old folks are delighted to be get out and about, to celebrate the holidays at a different location. Of-course with you ready to pick up the tab, there’s no reason for them not to be delighted.

Avoid the giving burden

You don’t need to lug around the holiday gifts that not only take up extra space in the maxed-out transport vehicle, but will also cost a lot more if you’re flying. So take advantage of online holiday shopping and opt for free shipping offers where available. Make sure that you splurge on the gift-wrap option.

Not only will you lighten your load and streamline your journey but also save considerably.

Maps and directions

If driving, it’s always a wise idea to have a backup copy of directions (in case your phone loses its signal or runs out of juice). It’s also a good idea to print a good overview map for your back-seat drivers. A holiday road trip can be the ideal opportunity to open the eyes of the little ones to the wide open vistas and its many wonders.

Ride the rails

Although rail travel often takes longer than driving and is even days longer than flying, it presents tempting advantages to a family on a budget. For starters, kids 2 to 12 get to ride for half of the adult fare on most trains (its free for infants and toddlers up to 2) — and they have more space to sprawl around.

Not only can everyone stretch their legs and visit the restrooms as often as they like, if you are lucky to be seated across a table — it’s ideal to enjoy snacks together and team up for a favorite board game.

Make a (road) movie!

The ultimate secret travel weapon that works on people of just about any age: The job of documenting the holiday trip. You can let loose the older kids to capture stuff as they see fit. You can even conduct interviews with relatives during the holiday. This will not only keep your kids entertained, but in the end, you’ll end up with a treasured memento of your holiday trip.

Just ensure that you have enough storage on the phone or digital camera. It’s best to opt for a device that supports external storage.