When Travel Throws You a Curveball

Travel is awesome, but it doesn't always go smoothly even at the best of times. You have to learn to roll with the punches and be ready to employ a backup plan at any given time. If you're a person who does as little travel planning ahead of time as you can, you're probably used to that, but if you're not, it's sometimes hard to change things up at a moment's notice. Right now, with Covid restrictions changing all the time, things may be open or closed or have modified hours.

Know your alternatives

As an avid planner, I generally schedule out all my vacation days so I get to all the cool stuff I know I want to do. That said, I always add the alternate open times for things just in case something happens and I can't go or I find something last minute that I really want to do. That way I can move things around if needed. Maybe something happened that delayed us on Monday and we missed X, but I know that X is also open on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, which means I can reschedule it to one of those days if it's something we reeeally want to do.

Be open

You never know what you'll find when you travel. Sometimes someone suggests a thing you've never heard of or an amazing opportunity pops up that is only available at a certain time. Don't lock yourself into everything you want to do ahead of time. 

The first time we went to London, we had a London Pass and went out to Chislehurst Caves, where we were also going to follow with a visit to Wimbledon, but when I asked our tour guide if we should do that or Eltham Palace (both on the Pass), he steered us to the much lesser known Eltham, and I was so glad he did. It was not crowded, it was interesting, and we never would have gone there had someone not recommended it.

Book most of your activities ahead of time

Avoid sold out tickets for things that you really want to do by purchasing tickets or making reservations before you leave home. Some things book months in advance, so it's good to know what those are and to lock those in beforehand. 

I bought tickets to Las Vegas' new Omega Mart and Museum of Dream Space already, in order to assure we could go while we're in the city for such a short time and can visit early in the day, avoiding crowds and so we don't have to rush.

Don't overbook yourself

Yes, I schedule out my days, to the point that we have an itinerary, but I always allow more time than I think we'll need and usually that gives us extra downtime or time to wander around more or to do things we see on the fly. 

I also plan in time to do laundry, which forces me to go back to my room and chill. I unwind from the day, rest my feet and go to bed on time to get enough sleep for my next day. Sometimes we get takeaway on these evenings, and then we don't have to go back out. If you're in a rental or a place with a kitchen, this might be when you make a meal in or eat leftovers.

Knowing that things don't always work out the way you want them to doesn't mean you can't have a great vacation. Expect the unexpected and you'll never be disappointed, or at least learn how to deal with it so you don't feel like your whole trip has been ruined or you're too stressed to go on. Knowing things can and will change is your key to making the most of your trip and the time you have at your destination.

How do you roll with the punches when you travel?

Should You Book That Trip?

We're all dying to get back out in the world, but should you book that trip? With Delta on the rise, Europe is closing to Americans again, and other countries aren't doing that well when it comes to cases either. While we're still staycationing at home, we're also planning to take a socially-responsible road trip next month. I think some international travel can be safe, but, like many others, I'm not ready to get back on a plane again yet. 

It seems like travel restrictions  are changing on a daily basis, so you really need to look at all aspects of a trip before you go ahead and book. 

How many trips ahve you cancelled or postponed in the last 18 months?

Get Better Sleep While Traveling

New destinations, new people, new food—travel holds some great benefits, but it can be hard to appreciate them if you’re struggling to stay awake. Poor sleep can leave you irritable, moody, and stressed, not exactly how most of us like to travel. However, there are ways to sleep better while you’re away from home. Some are simple while others take some preparation, but they’re all worth it. 

Photo by Tracey Hocking on Unsplash

Make It Feel Like Home

You may not have the comfort of your own bed at a hotel or AirBnB, but you can make it feel more like home. If you can, bring along items or stimuli you normally use at home. Travel with a favorite blanket or pillow, create a relaxing bedtime playlist, or bring along your favorite candle. Anything that looks, smells, and feels like home can be a huge help. 

Follow Your Regular Routine

Your body is trained to follow a regular routine so it makes sense to keep that same routine when you’re away from home. The predictability of a routine acts as a trigger for your brain to start your sleep cycle. Your routine doesn’t need to be complicated to be helpful. If you normally take a bath then read a book before going to bed, do the same thing and keep everything in the same order while you travel.  

Turn Down the Heat

Your body needs certain conditions to successfully fall and stay asleep. At the start of the sleep cycle, the body temperature drops. It stays slightly lower throughout the night until it’s time to start waking up, at which point it slowly rises again. 

Cool room temperatures help maintain that lower body temperature. It keeps you from overheating and prevents a premature wake-up. Typically, temperatures between 60 to 68 degrees work best, but that will depend on whether you sleep cool or warm. You might have to make some adjustments and experiment to find a temperature that works best for you. 

Keep It Dark and Embrace the Morning

Light has a powerful impact on the timing of your sleep cycle. Sunlight and other forms of blue spectrum light suppress sleep hormones. At bedtime, block out as much light as possible. This is especially important if you’re fighting jet lag. Your body bases the timing of your sleep cycle on the Earth’s day-night pattern. When you hop time zones, it needs all the help it can get to catch up with the changes to that pattern. Bring along a sleep mask and/or some binder clips to keep the curtains closed and the room dark.

Once morning rolls around at your destination, get out of bed and get some early morning sunshine. Exposure to light early in the day helps set sleep patterns for the next 24 hours.  

Time Your Meals and Eat Smart

Light isn’t the only way the body times the sleep cycle. It also uses other predictable patterns like meal timing to determine when to release sleep hormones. Try to eat your meals at approximately the same times each day to give your brain some kind of schedule to follow. 

You can also help by avoiding heavy, high-fat meals close to bedtime. Also watch out for acidic, spicy, and caffeine-laden foods that could cause indigestion or heartburn. 

Use a Sleep Aid

While I don't usually have issues sleeping, the first day or two away from home can be difficult for me to drop off. I have a pillow spray that chills you out, I've also used Dream Water (both the liquid and the powder), and also CBD gummies. Whatever you find works for you at home should work when you are traveling, so take those things along.

Start On The Plane

Sleeping on the plane can not only help your body combat germs, but it helps you avoid jet lag, too. If you need tips on how to sleep better or just on the plane in general, here are the tips I use. It helps to figure out what normally will help you, like I said above, so do some research before you travel if you don't usually use anything to go to sleep, or it's something simple, like a chill podcast or certain music that you can download before you leave home.

Sleep is the foundation of your health. You need it to be alert, happy, and ready to go. As you develop a travel plan, include ways to enhance your sleep. The changes you make in favor of better sleep may be small but the payoff can be well worth it. 

Have you ever lost valuable travel time because of poor sleep? 

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