Imagine saving up for your vacation for almost an entire year, only to end up having the worst vacation of your life! Stressful and disappointing, right? Unfortunately, for most people, that is often the reality. A trip that is supposed to help them relax and recharge often finds them more frazzled than they were before they took that flight. So how can you ensure your much-awaited vacation with your husband or your squad doesn’t end up being your worst nightmare? By reading on the following tips from Xpirient and trying them out.
1. Plan in Advance
90% of frequent travelers say the happiest vacations are those planned more than a month before the date. So if your recent holidays have been going south, chances are you wait until the last minute to learn how you will get around once you touchdown, who’ll be going with you, and where to stay.
Therefore, for this next trip, brace yourself enough for it. Take time to learn as much as you can about it. For instance, know the best way to get around. Also, take time to know about the locals, for example, are they hospitable people? If possible, create an itinerary of things you want to do over the next few days of your vacation.
2. Don’t Stress Over the Inevitable
Delayed flights, lost luggage, and bad weather are some of the things that might cause things not to go as planned. Unfortunately, they are inevitable, so there is nothing you can do to change the situation. Therefore, when they happen, avoid overstressing about them.
If you are an extremely organized person and like things to flow in the order you had envisioned them, then create wiggle room in your plan. This way, you’ll quickly adjust to the new changes that just came up.
3. Switch to Vacation Mode
The first 24 hours in your destination can make or break the rhythm for the rest of your vacation. So the first thing you should do for a successful and happy holiday is to switch your mind to vacation mode. Keep all business calls on hold and, if possible, completely switch off your phone and your laptop within the first 24 hours. This way, you won’t receive any calls that might make you want to put your holiday on hold and run back home. Put it simply, don’t turn your vacation into a work-ation if you’re going to make the most of it.
4. Pace Yourself
Some people ruin their vacations by trying to cram as many activities as they can within each day, and we get it. Your destination is so beautiful, and you’ll be here for only a few days. So you want to explore as much as you can within your time here. But it’s not worth it. Sure, you’ll get to see different places, but you’ll deprive yourself of the real experience, and might even be too exhausted to go out the next day. So pace yourself and only include a few activities on your itinerary. In other words, choose quality over quantity. If you want to visit all the attractions in your destination, then join an exclusive travel club like Xpirient and come back after a few weeks or months, but don’t try to do it all in three days.
5. Don’t Be Sick
One easy way to ruin your vacation is to get sick in a foreign land. This is bad because while doing your research on your destination, you probably didn’t research on the health system. So you probably know nothing about the location of hospitals or whether they accept insurance payments. Therefore, to save yourself the trouble, avoid getting sick by getting all the recommended shots before leaving your country. Also, have a small first aid kit, and if you have a particular condition, make sure you pack up your meds.
6. Don’t Over- Rely on Reviews
Reviews are great, but sometimes they can be misleading. For instance, a traveler might leave a negative review on a good hotel for reasons best known to them. A restaurant might have the best reviews, but it ends up disappointing you. So to avoid such a scenario, don’t let reviews be the guide to your every move.
